Scales of truth, p.16
Scales of Truth, page 16
Vi’s wide smile sent a chill through his body. “Dragons, of course.” She spoke the word as if it was both a great secret and the obvious answer.
Of course.
“No one has seen a dragon in centuries,” Ethan replied.
“In dragon form, yes, but they walk in human skins like you and I.” Her voice was a dangerous purr. Ethan thanked all the stars, anything divine, that Vi had not been born a dragon shifter. “Dragons are the most dangerous. They can lose control of their magic and have been known to burn whole cities in fits of rage.”
“That hasn’t happened in centuries,” Ethan cut in.
“No,” Vi answered. “But when you are a creature like me, a century feels like last week.”
Ethan was glad to be a witch and nothing more. He might live longer than the average human, but he was more than happy to leave the centuries of living to creatures who didn’t mind it. A life that long had to be dreadful and lonely. It made creatures like Vi the way she was. He imagined once, a very long time ago, she’d been young and innocent.
“Anything else?” Ethan asked.
The snake shifter shook her head. “I suppose not, but I hope you will visit me again soon.”
Ethan doubted he would unless he found himself knee-deep in some serious shit and needed her help. It wasn’t fair to the shifter to only come when he needed her help, but she always got something out of it, too.
Ethan left the shop feeling thrown off. He wanted to see Stacy again. Maybe he could sense the shifter magic in her now that he’d heard what Vi had to say. No matter what, he reminded himself, he could trust Stacy. He had to. Whatever she was and whatever her name might be, she was still Stacy Drake, and she was still a witch.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Those airy sprites that from the azure smile,
Peris and elfs the while they men beguile,
Have brows less youthful pure than yours; besides
Disheveled they whose shaded beauty hides
In clouds."
—Victor Hugo, Eviradnus
The drive back to the manor house was quiet, the events of the day weighing on the car’s occupants.
It was dark outside, and the full moon rose slowly through the trees. The peacefulness of the countryside normally would have comforted Stacy, but now nothing distracted her from the droning of her thoughts. The emotional toll of her resignation was one thing, and the encounters with the men in the alley and Lenny’s cronies in the sedan were another. To top it off, Stacy’s mind kept returning to Amy and the revelation she would have to share.
Her hand went to the locket around her neck. She clutched it, allowing the warmth to seep between her fingers.
Rowan and Amy briefly chattered during the drive, but both were exhausted, too. By the time they arrived at the manor house, everyone had lapsed into silence.
The gates opened of their own accord, seeming to recognize those coming in. The house was aglow with warm lights, and Stacy spotted little figures darting around. At first, they looked like wisps of dying dandelions, but she soon realized though they were white and flurry-like, they also had tiny bodies. Legs, arms, and pleasant faces. One landed on the driver’s side mirror, looking at herself in the reflection.
Stacy smiled. “What are they?”
“Sprites,” Rowan answered, sharing her glow of joy. “I was wondering when they would come out. You can thank them for the house being filled with light. When your mother lived here, they always prepared the house for her return.”
These must be some of the creatures Rowan talked about as living on the grounds but needing time to emerge. The sprite on the mirror soon darted away to join the others. The ones far off looked like fireflies. Their wings were so tiny that Stacy could hardly make them out even up close.
She turned her attention to Amy, whose eyes were wide with wonder and puzzlement. Rowan exited the car and opened the door for the women.
“You two head inside,” Stacy insisted. “I’m going to make a call.”
Amy was happy to have Rowan escort her into the house. Her gaze remained on the flitting creatures around her, most of whom stayed far away. However, a few were curious and drifted closer, examining the human who could see them. Several landed on Rowan’s shoulders, greeting their old friend and guardian.
It warmed Stacy to see a man as large and formidable as him handling such tiny, fragile creatures. It seemed not all magical beings were frightening, and this was the perfect place for them to live. They were safe here. Catherine Thorn had created a sanctuary not only for herself but for beings like the sprites.
I’ll do the same, she thought.
She called her father. Khan picked up on the first ring. “I trust your first day as manager of your mother’s cottage has been eventful?” His voice was cheery.
“Eventful is certainly the word for it.” Stacy had decided on the way back that she’d tell Khan everything. She didn’t hold back as she shared the weight of her resignation, Rowan’s quest to find new workers for the estate, the incident outside her apartment, and the second encounter outside Amy’s workplace.
Khan listened in silence, and Stacy couldn’t tell how he felt. Concern? Probably. Proud of how she had done? She hoped so. She finished with a sigh. “I’m okay now, but I am tired. I keep thinking about what happened in the alley and how my power felt. It was good in a pleasurable sense, but I’m not sure if it was right.”
“I’m afraid you get that power from my bloodline,” Khan admitted at last. “I’m sorry.”
“You can’t help it.”
“Yes, but there are precautions you could take, and I failed to share those with you. Having dragon blood means you need to find balance, maintain control, and always remember who you are fighting for.”
Stacy thought of the woman she had helped and hoped she’d made it home safely.
Khan’s voice carried the hint of a smile. “Your mother always helped those in need, even when it put her in danger.”
Stacy smiled, watching as the sprites darted around the grounds. They were a manifest reminder of the work Catherine had done. Rowan, too.
“You’re like her,” Khan continued. “I knew it before you went to law school, but I saw it clear as day when you left. It made me afraid, but I was stupid to be. It was always better for you to take after your mother more than me.”
Stacy didn’t quite agree. “I still put a fist in those assholes’ faces instead of a slick legal argument. I think that comes from you, and it’s what I needed tonight.” She diverted the subject to Amy, informing her father what her friend had seen and asking how she should reveal the truth.
Khan’s answer was similar to Ethan’s and Rowan’s advice. “Give her what she can handle now and wait on the rest. Trust that she can take the truth.”
“I will.” Stacy said goodbye, promising to come to the main estate tomorrow to touch base. She roamed the grounds for a few minutes before going inside. She had yet to see the back portion, where a small path led through what had once been a neatly trimmed garden.
It was overgrown now, but with the full moon and darting sprites, something about it touched her with wonder. A wildness about this place filled her. The fountain set in the center of the garden was full of sprites, and among the clumps of trees at the back of the yard, a new figure appeared.
She’d seen deer before, but nothing like this. It was a fawn with a body as white as snow and brown spots peppering its hide. The animal flicked its tail, brown eyes meeting hers. She smiled, sensing the fawn wasn’t ordinary and not only because of its strange coloring. What else waited among those trees?
She turned and entered the house through the back door. Though Rowan was not in sight, she found Amy roaming the halls, her journalist mind racing with questions and the enormity of the situation.
Amy noticed her and wondered aloud, “I love it here, but I’m beginning to question what my new role is. This feels like your life, and I’m being invited in. I appreciate it, but how am I supposed to feel like my own person with my own place?”
Stacy approached. “Let’s sit down and talk it over.”
A few sprites had followed her into the house and fluttered into the living room, where a fire glowed in the hearth. The women sat in armchairs on either side. Teacups appeared on the small side tables beside each. One sprite sat on the handle of Stacy’s cup, glowing up at her. She smiled, hardly able to believe it.
“I’m still trying to wrap my mind around everything too,” Stacy admitted, then began. She figured it was best to dive in. She explained first that while growing up, she had not been fully aware of what it meant to be a Drakethorn and had only learned earlier this year. “When I needed financial help, I went to my father, and I discovered things about my family I’d never imagined.”
Amy listened intently with a thoughtful expression.
“I learned there is more to my family than wealth and resources. There’s magic, too.”
Amy did not balk at the word, but her brows drew together.
“I know it sounds ridiculous,” Stacy went on. “I thought the same when my father first revealed the truth. He told me my mother was a witch and had practiced magic her whole life. He told me I had the same power and gave me ways to learn how to use it.”
“A witch,” Amy echoed. “Like broom-flying, wand-waving shit?”
Stacy laughed. “No, not like that at all. Though having a broom to fly around on would be nice. It has to do with the earth, the energy that is already around us. People like me can draw on that and use it.” She told Amy that Ethan was the same, as were the people who worked at her father’s estate. She didn’t share anything about shifters, especially dragons, remembering her father’s advice to give Amy small pieces at a time.
“Those attacks you dealt with a few months ago weren’t regular hitmen, were they?” Amy asked. “Lenny sent magic-using people after you.”
Stacy nodded. “I don’t think Lenny knew what they were, though.”
Amy sat back, dazed. “I’m shocked by all this, of course, but maybe I shouldn’t be. You see, I’ve had some weird cases in the past few years that made me wonder if there is part of our world that normal humans can’t see.
“I was assigned a story about a group of women who lived in the Appalachians here in New York. I suspected they were a coven but wasn’t sure if the magic they used was real, as you’re saying it is. The story had nothing to do with magic, only secret societies. Things got weird from there. It’s a long story and not one I’m interested in telling now, but let’s say this isn’t the first time I’m hearing something like this.”
Stacy was relieved to hear Amy say this. “There’s a lot more, but I feel it’s better to tell you as we go along.”
Amy nodded. “I’ll admit I want to know everything at once, but I think you’re right. It could be overwhelming.” She lowered her voice and smiled. “I do have one question, though. Is Rowan a witch?”
“Dryad, actually.”
Amy’s eyes widened. “Fucking hell.” She laughed. “What does that mean? He’s part tree? I’d love to climb his wood.”
“Tree spirit,” Stacy clarified, smothering a laugh at Amy’s comment. It mortified her to think of Rowan listening in on their conversation. “I’m sure he’d be happy to tell you all about it.”
“I was wondering why there’s a fire here with no logs,” Amy commented. “The protector of this house must not like burning wood.”
Stacy had not noticed it until now. The hearth was full of dancing flames with no kindling. More magic. She turned back to Amy. “You’re a rare human, you know.” She explained how magical occurrences usually escaped the notice of normal humans. Amy’s eyes were open to these things before she met Stacy. She was simply the bridge to connect things in Amy’s mind.
She imagined her friend felt relieved to know more, to be reassured she wasn’t going crazy.
“I thought I was losing my mind when I saw…what are these?” Amy waved around.
“Sprites, like Rowan said.”
“Right.” One of the sprites landed on Amy’s hand, her tiny wings stilling. She smiled. “I think this one likes me.”
It was further confirmation that it was right to have Amy here. She might not have real magic in her, but she had the magic of an open, curious, and kind heart. To Stacy, that was priceless.
The sprite flitted away, and Amy sobered. “I assume not all witches are nice, especially with what happened to you.”
Stacy nodded. “That’s why I wanted to move here. It’s safer.”
“It might be good for me to have safety in the city, too. When I have to go there for work, that is.”
Stacy had considered that but hadn’t arrived at a solution.
“I was thinking maybe Spencer could help?” Amy suggested.
Stacy grinned. “I thought with Rowan around, you’d forgotten all about your gym boyfriend.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Yet.”
Amy rolled her eyes but couldn’t control her smile.
Stacy became serious again. “I’m not against the idea, but he’ll wonder why you need protection. That means telling him some of the truth.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell him my best friend is a witch with a dryad guardian at her new house. And if the thing you say about humans and magic is true, he’ll think the sprites are nothing but fireflies.” Amy smiled, but new worries flashed in her eyes.
While Stacy had her father, those who worked at the estates, and Ethan to confide in about magical matters, Amy had no one. Perhaps bringing Spencer into their fold would give Amy the sense that she had a life outside of Stacy. She could have a role at the manor house, but she needed to be Amy Greentree, too.
Stacy considered the time she had inadvertently revealed her true strength to Spencer, aided by her dragon blood. It was a reminder of the chasm between her two worlds. “I worry that harm could come to him if he’s involved,” Stacy added. “I won’t let an unsuspecting human fall prey to Lenny’s whims.”
Lenny’s actions today had rattled them both. While Amy was safe here, the city was another beast. There was only so much Stacy could do, and if Amy was going to have a life apart from her, Stacy couldn’t play bodyguard all the time. Neither could Rowan.
Amy’s face shadowed. “I know. You’re right.”
Stacy hated the disappointment on her friend’s face. “I’ll think about it, okay? We’ll figure something out.”
The undercurrent of possibility brought new light into Amy’s face. Meanwhile, Stacy felt like her life was becoming more complicated by the minute. A spider spun a web, each silken thread making her balance more complex.
“It’s good to wait and think it over,” Amy quipped. “If Spencer meets Rowan anytime soon, he’ll never ask me out!”
Stacy laughed with her, then Amy said she was tired and needed to head to bed. Tomorrow, they would unpack and officially begin their lives as residents in the Thorn manor house.
Stacy was left alone. Even the sprites had gone, and Rowan had retired for the night. She thought of all the work ahead of her and what it would bring. First, sleep, she decided, turning toward the stairs Amy had ascended a few minutes ago.
She was halfway up the stairs when her phone rang. It was her old boss. She answered, feeling wary.
“Sorry to bother you, Drake, but we’ll need you to come in tomorrow morning and hand off your responsibilities,” he told her.
Stacy had expected this and agreed. The unfurling of her new life was in process, but she had several steps left. I’ll make another stop tomorrow, too, she decided as she entered her new bedroom. She felt comforted by the sight of her mother’s things, which now belonged to her.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“The Dragons were first among the Shifters to mate outside their kind. This made sense, given how infrequently new dragons are born. For a female dragon to lay an egg in dragon form, a great amount of time is needed for her to rest. In human form, a female dragon is at great risk of losing the child or her own life.”
—Unknown, The Book of Were Creatures and Shifters
The following morning, Stacy and Rowan awoke before Amy and decided to head into the city while leaving her to settle in at the house.
“What’s the plan for today?” Rowan asked as he drove toward the road.
Stacy explained that she needed to go to work, and Rowan could continue his search for potential estate employees while she was there. “But first, I want to make a quick stop to see a friend.”
At Ethan’s shop, Stacy went in alone. “I come bearing gifts,” she announced as she strolled into the sunny front room. Ethan was perched on a ladder, shelving books on the highest shelf. His cat darted around, playing with moving sunspots from the glass ornaments hanging in the windows.
Stacy loved Ethan’s shop at night when candles were lit, and the whole place felt cozy and warm, full of history and arcane secrets. However, during the day was her favorite time to be here. Golden sunlight poured in, and she felt right at home.
“Oh yeah? What might those be?” Ethan asked as he scooted down the ladder. Stacy handed him a warm pastry along with a check for his help.
Ethan frowned. “You already paid me for the siren debacle, which, I’ll add again, was completely unnecessary. What’s this for?”
“Consider it a bonus. My boss at the firm awarded me extra for the case I won, and since I couldn’t have done it without you, it’s yours.”
Ethan tried to hand it back to her. “I can’t accept this. You did everything, not me.”
“I know you did it as a friend,” Stacy replied, pushing his hand with the check away. “I appreciate that, but I also know you need to eat, and it’s not like you’re getting a lot of business here.”
Ethan glowered but couldn’t help a smile. “Maybe I should get a job as your assistant at the law firm. Not as a lawyer, of course. Magical damage control and whatnot. It would be something to see you work in the courtroom, too.”
