dragonhood.
The creature shifted in my mind, a comforting gesture reminding me that it was there, and equally sad to see the place its child had died.
‘I’ll be okay,’ I said, finding the strength to make that optimism a reality. Then I looked up at Ryu to give him a grateful smile, one that he returned with a peck on the forehead. It was an entirely friendly gesture, which made me happy we’d come so far. But I disengaged to take a few steps forward, scanning the ground for the disturbance I knew I’d find somewhere near the burned patch that had housed the pyre upon which we’d burned the bodies.
‘There,’ I said, pointing. ‘It’s gotta be right over there.’
Daniel nodded, sending forth a few members of his team, armed with shovels. Knowing we’d want backup and help, we’d flown to the UK from Hong Kong on the dime of the British government, landing at an airbase somewhere in Yorkshire. The drive to Whitby had only taken an hour, and so far we’d had smooth sailing in this trip to recover the White’s bones.
But I knew we’d be discovered soon enough. For not even Daniel’s careful plans, and his trying to use only human, governmental resources, would keep the Great Island’s Alfar from discovering I was back on their turf. Not least because I already knew there had to be spies throughout the human government. Undoubtedly one layer of spies the humans knew about, so they had something to keep an eye on, and another layer of real spies. In fact, knowing the Alfar of the Great Island, there were a few layers of spies in between, just to keep everyone guessing.
I took a deep breath as I turned my back on the men digging, enjoying the scent of the ocean and the heavy tingle of power that came rushing through me with each inhale.
Before long, I sensed another tingle, at the farthest range of the sensors I’d let drift outward from me. I sighed, dragging my power back into a heavy shield, motioning to Ryu to join me.
‘We have company,’ I said, just as a quartet of black SUVs swept into view, their engines loud despite the sea calling behind us. Daniel motioned for his people to keep digging, even as he motioned for the men on guard to fan out behind him. Ryu and I joined Daniel, forming a greeting party to say hello to our guests.
‘Luke. Griffin. Minions,’ I said amicably as the Alfar second and his leader slowly got out of the vehicle after a couple of goblins dressed in flunky suits had done a quick sweep with their sharp eyes and powers, and then opened the door for their masters.
I didn’t seem to deserve a greeting, letting me know I was once again in trouble with The Powers That Be.
‘What are you doing exactly?’ Griffin said, ignoring both Ryu and me to get up in Daniel’s face. Despite being Alfar, Griffin’s emotions were palpable – and they mostly consisted of anger.
‘We’re retrieving the White’s bones,’ the human said, remarkably calm considering that, as a puny mortal, the being in front of him could crush Daniel like a bug.
‘We can see that. But why?’
‘Because we are. That’s all you need to know.’
Daniel’s voice was still calm, even affable, but his eyes were hard. I had to applaud him for standing up to the Alfar’s second in command, not least because Griffin could look damned intimidating if he wanted.
Which he obviously did want to do, right then. Griffin’s dark hair was slicked back into a very 1920s-looking style, and his eyes were narrowed to slits. His nostrils had also thinned out, and gone white, as if all the blood in the Alfar’s body was needed to keep him from pummeling something, magically or otherwise.
‘And since when is supernatural business human business?’ Griffin demanded, taking a threatening step closer to Daniel so that the Alfar was nearly on top of the human.
Daniel’s reply was immediate, and stated with precision, as if every syllable counted. ‘Since you stopped being able to control your own. And since
The creature shifted in my mind, a comforting gesture reminding me that it was there, and equally sad to see the place its child had died.
‘I’ll be okay,’ I said, finding the strength to make that optimism a reality. Then I looked up at Ryu to give him a grateful smile, one that he returned with a peck on the forehead. It was an entirely friendly gesture, which made me happy we’d come so far. But I disengaged to take a few steps forward, scanning the ground for the disturbance I knew I’d find somewhere near the burned patch that had housed the pyre upon which we’d burned the bodies.
‘There,’ I said, pointing. ‘It’s gotta be right over there.’
Daniel nodded, sending forth a few members of his team, armed with shovels. Knowing we’d want backup and help, we’d flown to the UK from Hong Kong on the dime of the British government, landing at an airbase somewhere in Yorkshire. The drive to Whitby had only taken an hour, and so far we’d had smooth sailing in this trip to recover the White’s bones.
But I knew we’d be discovered soon enough. For not even Daniel’s careful plans, and his trying to use only human, governmental resources, would keep the Great Island’s Alfar from discovering I was back on their turf. Not least because I already knew there had to be spies throughout the human government. Undoubtedly one layer of spies the humans knew about, so they had something to keep an eye on, and another layer of real spies. In fact, knowing the Alfar of the Great Island, there were a few layers of spies in between, just to keep everyone guessing.
I took a deep breath as I turned my back on the men digging, enjoying the scent of the ocean and the heavy tingle of power that came rushing through me with each inhale.
Before long, I sensed another tingle, at the farthest range of the sensors I’d let drift outward from me. I sighed, dragging my power back into a heavy shield, motioning to Ryu to join me.
‘We have company,’ I said, just as a quartet of black SUVs swept into view, their engines loud despite the sea calling behind us. Daniel motioned for his people to keep digging, even as he motioned for the men on guard to fan out behind him. Ryu and I joined Daniel, forming a greeting party to say hello to our guests.
‘Luke. Griffin. Minions,’ I said amicably as the Alfar second and his leader slowly got out of the vehicle after a couple of goblins dressed in flunky suits had done a quick sweep with their sharp eyes and powers, and then opened the door for their masters.
I didn’t seem to deserve a greeting, letting me know I was once again in trouble with The Powers That Be.
‘What are you doing exactly?’ Griffin said, ignoring both Ryu and me to get up in Daniel’s face. Despite being Alfar, Griffin’s emotions were palpable – and they mostly consisted of anger.
‘We’re retrieving the White’s bones,’ the human said, remarkably calm considering that, as a puny mortal, the being in front of him could crush Daniel like a bug.
‘We can see that. But why?’
‘Because we are. That’s all you need to know.’
Daniel’s voice was still calm, even affable, but his eyes were hard. I had to applaud him for standing up to the Alfar’s second in command, not least because Griffin could look damned intimidating if he wanted.
Which he obviously did want to do, right then. Griffin’s dark hair was slicked back into a very 1920s-looking style, and his eyes were narrowed to slits. His nostrils had also thinned out, and gone white, as if all the blood in the Alfar’s body was needed to keep him from pummeling something, magically or otherwise.
‘And since when is supernatural business human business?’ Griffin demanded, taking a threatening step closer to Daniel so that the Alfar was nearly on top of the human.
Daniel’s reply was immediate, and stated with precision, as if every syllable counted. ‘Since you stopped being able to control your own. And since
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