are sealed.” Darren put on a show of locking his lips with a key and throwing it away.
Slazzamar rolled his eyes at his partner, muttering a fond, “Show off.” Darren grinned, shrugging his shoulders.
“I know dragon females are rare and highly prized in the dragon realm. I understand, if you don’t want any others to know about you. Don’t worry, Opie, you’re safe and among friends here.” Slazzamar nodded. She breathed a huge sigh of relief. “Having a dragon on our team is a huge advantage. Can you fight with us, Opie?”
She grinned. “My claws, fire and scales give me an advantage.”
“So you’re in?” Jonah stepped forward.
“Well, duh, not like I have a choice since I tethered a man who dyes his hair black to me. I thought blonds had more fun, or is it to add fake intelligence?”
Darren howled with laughter. “Oh, I love this woman!”
Opie grinned, but looked at Slazzamar. “Don’t worry I’ll do what needs to be done.” She glanced up at Simon. He smirked, the rat bastard.
Darren calmed down, still giggling a bit, wiping tears from his eyes.
“Good.” Slazzamar nodded. “I’ve translated the scroll and stone, and I’ve hung around the halls of knowledge and Neman long enough to have learned a few things.” He led them back to the table, pointing to the long leathery scroll “This is a genealogy of kings, all of whom have owned the Akkadin Amulet, and the only known key to the prison of the Gullu army. It states where the last king to have the amulet is buried deep in the Forrest of the Hallstatt people.”
“I’ve never heard of the Hallstatt people.” Darren got in before Opie could ask.
“They are my ancestors,” Simon supplied. “Hallstatt are the Iron Age people of Germanic regions.”
“The whole of Germany? How can you find one amulet in such a large land mass?”
Darren grinned at her.
“With this.” Slazzamar lifted the stone to his lips and kissed it, before blowing softly. He held it up for all to see. The black stone glowed with blue squiggly symbols.
“Neat trick, but I’m not kissing you until you’ve washed your lips. Who knows where that thing’s been.” Darren admonished his partner.
Simon rolled his eyes and Opie chuckled.
“What are they?” She nodded back to the glowing stone.
Slazz’s smile was sly. “Land coordinates, call it an ancient form of GPS.”
“Those ancients were sneaky buggers.” Darren reached out to touch the stone.
“Hang on.” The thought occurred to her. “Do you think Jones has already translated these?”
“He’s working with Gremlock, so no doubt they have. I only wish I’d killed him when I had the chance. I suggest you two get a move on. You need to get to...” He pulled out a smartphone and fiddled with it before turning the screen towards them. A picture of a little pin marked out a point on a map of Germany. “...this place.”
“Baden–Wurttenberg, Germany.” Simon’s shoulders slumped.
“Sending you the exact coordinates now.” Slazzamar’s grin was triumphant as he pressed a few more buttons on his phone before showing the phone to Darren.
“Proud of you, baby.” Darren smiled with pride.
Simon’s phone beeped.
“Wait, we’re not going?” Darren’s smile fell.
Slazzamar shook his head. “No, baby, we’re not.”
“But I love road trips!”
“We’ve got other things to do, but we’re on standby if needed. I’m sure these two can handle finding an Amulet.”
“Yeah, but dark scary tombs sounds so romantic.” Darren waggled his eyebrows at Slazzamar.
“No, Darren.” Slazzamar’s tone was more firm.
Darren pouted prettily. “Spoil sport.”
Simon offered Opie his arm. “Time to lock and load, sweetheart. You okay to do this?” For a ruthless demon killer, he was also a gentleman.
Opie grinned, threading her arm through his. “Hell, yes, I think I should wear my Lara Croft outfit, too. We are tomb raiding, are we not?”
Simon groaned. “No more
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