Page 78 of Dragon Charmed

Such a terrible name for a terrible event. According to what Megan had told him from her studies, at one point in time witches and dragons lived in harmony. And something sent them down a hateful path where they became enemies. Could it be the death of the sentries? He wasn’t sure they would ever know.

He reached for the necklace around his neck and rubbed the pendant, willing it to unleash his memories. But the longer he wore the damn charm, the more he wondered if it would ever work. Which was why they needed to up the ante.

Megan hung up the phone.

He turned to her. “Sorry for interrupting.”

“No worries. This is your office anyway.”

Not anymore, but he didn’t say that out loud.

“I just talked to John. He’s been stewing ever since he found out Ben Wells—well, you—were impersonating his PI. So I told him we would explain everything if he agreed to meet.”

“You didn’t tell him who I am?” he said.

Megan shook her head. “No. Eric and Marcus have wanted us to keep you under wraps, but I don’t think that will work when we see John.”

“That’s fine if he can help us.” He was fine with everyone knowing he was alive. He couldn’t hide forever. “I hope he has an idea of how I can get my memories back. Or in the very least, maybe he has some information that could help me understand what I was doing before I lost my memory. Why I had his name, address, and phone number?”

“I can provide some info on that. We believe that you reached out to John and asked to buy the Death of Magic painting.”

“So I met him?” If that was the case, Ben definitely needed to speak with him.

“I don’t think so. John told us you called him on the phone. You used an alias, but it was the same alias you used at the museum to gain access to see the painting when it was on display there.”

Why had he felt the need to use an alias back then? “He’s been alive for four hundred years because of this curse. It can’t hurt to meet with him even though I know Eric isn’t his biggest fan.”

Megan nodded. “Eric thinks he has an agenda.”

“What do you think?”

She stood. “I think he has spent his very long life trying to end the curse, and we’ve actually uncovered some evidence of it. It’s a heavy burden to carry.”

Ben knew something about heavy burdens.

“Did you ask about Tessa coming too?”

Megan’s eyes widened. “Oh, I asked. And he said ‘no’ quite loudly. And before you ask, we should not tell Tessa where we’re going.”

“Ask for forgiveness later?” Megan should know better than anyone how Tessa would handle this.

Megan smiled. “Yes. I don’t know who would come out on top in their grudge match, so we’ll fill her in afterward. Tessa should be at work today, so we’re going to leave soon to see John.”

Within the hour Eric was driving them to John’s cabin. Ben sat in the back seat listening to Eric and Megan gear up for their talk with John.

“I want to tell John about what we know so far,” Megan said.

“We don’t need to tell him everything,” Eric argued.

“You don’t think he’s going to question where Ben came from? And I want to talk about the oracle powers with him too.”

“I agree with Megan,” Ben chimed in.

Eric looked at him in the rearview mirror. “I don’t trust him.”

They needed to move past this. “And from what Megan said, he doesn’t trust people either. We can’t ignore him. He’s directly linked to the curse. I can’t believe he won’t play a part in breaking it.”

Eric growled lightly.