Page 110 of Dragon Charmed

He nodded again. “Right. I think the others are in the dining room having breakfast. Do you want to join them? I have a lot to explain.”

That was it then.

She had given him an out and he took it. It wasn’t like they had ever defined their relationship—if you could even call it that. And now Adam was back, and she had to accept that Ben and any future with him was gone.

Chapter 42

Adam headed back into the house, trying to sort through what just happened. True, he had told himself that he needed to table his thoughts and feelings when it came to Tessa. So then why did it feel like she had pulled the rug out from under him? She backed away from him awfully quick. Was she angry with him about being abducted? He wouldn’t blame her. She had put her own life in danger to help the clan that it was his responsibility to protect.

When they walked into the dining room, everyone stopped what they were doing.

Megan, Bella, and Eric were on one side of the table with Marcus and Sienna on the other.

“Good morning,” Adam said.

Sienna got up and hugged him. “How are you feeling?”

“Better. I feel like my brain is finally slowing down, and I can start thinking about next steps.”

“Next steps?” Eric said.

“We have a lot to talk about, especially regarding the curse and everything that led up to my disappearance.”

Marcus pushed aside his empty plate. “You remember what happened?”

“Yes. But before we dive into things, I really need a cup of coffee and something to eat. I feel like I haven’t eaten in days. Can you all handle a couple more minutes of waiting?”

They nodded. Adam poured a cup and loaded a plate with eggs, bacon, and potatoes and proceeded to inhale it. He was hungry, but he also didn’t want them to have to wait much longer. Sienna topped off his coffee, and then they all leaned a little closer.

“I know why I started believing in the curse. And I can’t say that it was something I came to on my own.”

“How did it happen?” Eric asked.

“Mia. Although I didn’t know it was her. But after Tessa’s description of her from the other night, it matches the woman I met. She was cryptic at first. Called me and said she needed to meet with me. I thought she was a crank call. Hung up on her and she called me back.”

“What did she say?” Tessa said.

“That she knew dragons were real and that I was one of them and that we were under attack.”

“Holy shi…take mushrooms,” Tessa finished as she looked over at Bella eating some mashed banana.

“Exactly my thoughts at the time,” Adam said.

“Why didn’t you say anything to me?” Marcus said.

“Because I wasn’t going to put anyone else at risk until I knew more of what was going on. And the voice on the phone told me not to tell anyone. I wasn’t sure if she was going to blackmail us or what her plans were.”

Marcus scowled. “Except my job is to protect you and this clan.”

“I know and I should have come to you. I would have eventually.”

“But you have to do everything on your own,” Sienna said.

And that was his normal reaction. Or at least it used to be. “She asked me to meet with her, and I told her no. But then she said that the curse was real and she had proof. It was like a punch to the stomach. That she knew about it and that I had been so convinced it was a myth.” He looked over at Eric. “That I had not been willing to listen to you when you brought it up to me.”

Eric shook his head. “My timing sucked. Father had just died, and you were trying to keep the clan and business together.”

“I still should have listened to you.” He shook his head. “Anyway, I agreed to meet her.”