Page 46 of Dryad’s Treasure

Gray sighed. “Guess that makes sense.” Shoes on, he stood and held out his hand. “Ready to learn our fate?”

Gripping those fingers tight, I answered, “Lead the way.”

We met Tabitha and Jima outside Keir’s door. I was a little dismayed to see that Jima was still in his ferret form. From what I understood, he hadn’t changed back since the incident with Helios.

“Elvira’s inside,” Tabitha said. “Henry too, although from what I understand, he hasn’t shown himself yet.” Jima peeked his head out of a breast pocket of Tabitha’s shirt, his little nose and whiskers sniffing the air. Tabitha absently ran a finger down the back of Jima’s head and neck, petting him.

“Should we go in?” Gray asked, his voice quivering with nerves.

Tabitha’s eyelids slid closed and her head tilted ever so slightly to the side. I’d seen that expression before a thousand times. She was listening to Elvira. After a few seconds, Tabitha gave a resolved nod and said, “No time like the present. Ready, boys?” Tabitha didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, she knocked once before pushing the door open.

I’d seen one wyvern in my life, and she’d been old, ancient maybe. Her body had been hunched with the weight of age and experience. Her wings had been thin, her bones brittle, and her jewel-toned skin a bit dull. Despite all of that, she’d still been nothing short of magnificent. The imposing individual standing before Keir was in his humanoid form, the power radiating from him oppressive.

Lazarus Azure might have only been slightly taller than Keir, a touch broader too. That small physical difference was overshadowed by the pure presence of the wyvern. I’d always thought Tenzen Huxley was the most imposing figure I’d ever seen. Now I wasn’t so certain.

That uncertainty amplified when Lazarus turned his head, the weight of his deep, sapphire eyes boring into mine. Hair so dark black it appeared blue-tinted in the light competed with Lazarus’s deep, umber skin. Dressed in a coal-black suit with a tie that somehow matched the color of his eyes, Lazarus’s exposed hands were tipped in thick, black claws, the skin itself etched with darker lined scales.

Lazarus’s chest expanded with a deep inhale, the exhaled breath held a tinge of smoke, reminding me of a burning campfire.

“I think I just peed my pants,” Gray whispered, attempting to keep the comment between the two of us. Lazarus’s narrowed eyes and barely there smirk spoke otherwise.

“I assume these are other members of the council?” Lazarus’s voice was both rough and smooth all at the same time. I had no idea how anyone managed that.

Keir cleared his throat. Hands clasped behind his back and shoulders thrust wide and straight, Keir inclined his head. “Allow me to make the introductions. Tabitha Clark, our medium. Jima StJohn is the ferret shifter in her pocket. Martin Durand is an oak dryad and anchor for our will-o’-the-wisp, Grayson Delarue.”

“And the ghost?” Lazarus questioned. Elvira visually materialized next to the fireplace. I had no idea how he’d known she was there previously.

“Elvira,” she announced herself, eyes wary and arms defensively crossed beneath her breasts. Elvira’s glare bounced off Lazarus’s scales as if it were nothing.

Lazarus didn’t appear put off by Elvira’s cool response. “An interesting grouping of individuals. I was unaware the Magical Usage Council had such an eclectic membership. Perhaps we are⁠—”

“What the fuck’s wrong with your manners, Keir?” Henry scampered out of a cooling vent, plopping on the floor with a puff of dust. Standing, Henry smacked his pants with his hands, only creating more dust motes. Small hands on hips, Henry huffed. “Honestly, forgettin’ to introduce me.” With a headshake, Henry went down on all fours, scampered across the floor and climbed Gray’s pants, scurrying up his shirt and perching on his shoulder. If Henry’s claws hurt, Gray gave no indication. Tail flipping, Henry sent Keir a damning glare. “Not introducin’ the most important member of the council. Pfft. I should be offended.”

“Sounds like you already are,” Gray said while readjusting so Henry had a steadier perch.

Henry huffed. “And why shouldn’t I be? Just ’cause I’m small don’t mean I’m not important.”

Lazarus’s ridged eyebrows rose. “Indeed, it does not.”

“See, he gets it.” Henry sounded both annoyed and mollified. Or maybe justified.

Coughing into his hand, Keir couldn’t quite pull off a smile, but his features did soften. “Apologies, Henry. Lazarus Azure, this is Henry, our⁠—”

“House dweller,” Lazarus supplied. “It is nice to make your acquaintance, Henry. There are far too few house dwellers remaining in the world. It would be a shame to add you to the list of deceased.”

Any and all good will evaporated. Even Henry’s lighthearted “that would be a damn shame” couldn’t alleviate the heavy atmosphere that had fallen.

Tabitha was the first to find her voice. “And are all of us at risk of an early demise?” I envied the calm Tabitha maintained. Gray’s spark of magic pulsed with fear, echoing my own unease.

Lazarus’s gaze traveled to the eggs, still innocuously sitting within the blanket nest Keir created for them. “That remains to be seen.”

Confused, I was about to ask whose hands our fates lay within when Keir said, “According to Mr. Azure, the eggs will decide our fate.”

“The eggs?” Henry sounded just as confused as I felt. “How long are we supposed to wait? Are they gonna hatch soon, and how are they supposed to know anything? They’re eggs.” Henry pointed at the wyvern eggs as if no one else knew where to find them.

Tabitha nodded. “I must admit, I am just as confused as Henry.”

I felt Gray fidget beside me and the bit of his magic I held flared with something akin to worried understanding. Glancing his direction, I asked, “What do you know?”