Page 45 of Eliza's Cursed Dragon

“Alright, let’s see if anybody will see us without causing a scene, shall we?” She winked at me.

I nodded braver than I felt. My eyes automatically moved to the pond, where my brothers swam, pretending to be good swans, while people milled around it, oohing and aahing over them.

I raised my hand to wave, but then realized that even if I caught their attention, I wouldn’t be able to explain and even if I did, they wouldn’t be able to get the key.

But they could get Edward, my mind suggested. Liking the idea, I waved at them. Caspian noticed me and moved his wings up and down in greeting, eliciting more excited oohs and aahs from the onlookers.

At last he seemed to understand that I was waving him up, just as Daisy caught her husband’s attention.

“What are you doing up there?” he yelled, raising a glass in a toast. “Isn’t it bad luck to have the bride seen?”

“Only by the groom,” Daisy yelled back. “Never mind, though. The crazy nanny locked us in, can you come get us out?”

Just then Caspian flew up, right over Pinkerton’s head, dripping some water on him.

“Well, hey to you too.” Pinkerton chuckled looking up at my brother, who landed on the balcony’s balustrade.

I waved him over to the door, and demonstrated that it was locked. I pointed at my ring on my hand and he understood. With a short trumpet he spread his wings and flew out of the room and back down into the yard, looking for Edward.

Just then the lock disengaged. When it opened though, I didn’t look into Edward’s beloved face, but that of his father’s, and he looked enraged. With a gleeful expression, Lucy followed right behind.

“Eliza,” Gerald said and the surprise of hearing my name from his lips made me forget all caution and my head whipped up.

“So Lucy is right, your name is indeed Eliza?”

Baffled, I stared from him to Lucy. How had she figured it out?

“Lucy accuses you of being a witch. She says you put a spell on my son, is that true?” Edward’s voice was tense.

Slowly, I shook my head. No. I wasn’t a witch.

“Well, I’m glad to hear that. Lucy also says that in order to keep your evil powers, you took a vow of silence. So let me make this easy for you. Tell me that you love my son and all will be good.”

I placed my finger to my lips and shook my head. I couldn’t speak. Not when we were so close. It wasn’t even another hour before it was time for the spell to break.

“See, I told you, she won’t speak,” Lucy cried gleefully, eyeing me with an expression of triumph.

“Either that or she is truly mute,” Gerald cautioned.

“She is as mute as you and I, I promise you that.” Lucy’s voice was harsh and filled with ugliness. “She is a witch! An evil witch and she will kill your son!”

“Now that is utter nonsense,” Daisy interfered. “This woman has lost her mind.”

“Well, there’s another way to find out,” Lucy suggested slyly. Her eyes conveyed that nothing but hatefulness would follow, and sweat broke out over my brow while a cold shiver moved down my spine.

“Throw her into the pond.” Lucy’s voice lowered a few levels, her tone was more tantalizing now and I could have sworn I saw a little bit of a black fog coming from her hands. “If she is a witch, she will float.”

“And if she isn’t?” Gerald asked, looking slightly dazed.

“She will sink,” Lucy purred. “Oh, don’t look at me like this. In the old days we would have let the wench drown, we can still pull her out if she sinks.”

“I can’t believe you’re listening to this,” Daisy yelled. “This is utter craziness.”

“Let’s go,” Gerald said determinedly, grabbing me by my arm.

Richard and Philip flew in and began pecking at Gerald, distracting him enough to let go of me. With a cry I made a beeline for the mantles, leaving the one Lucy had touched behind.

“What is going on here?” Three of Edward’s friends entered, staring at the mayhem of my brothers attacking Gerald as he desperately tried to shoo them off.

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