Page 82 of Shadow Witch

“Are you two finished having your heart-to-heart?” Eyva asked.

“It wasn’t a heart-to-heart,” Drucinda answered.

“I think it’s lovely that you’ve found a female friend, dear. Ironic, it happens to be the daughter of your best friend.”

“Let’s not dwell on it, shall we, Grandmother?”

“Fine, fine. We’re nearly there.” Eyva poked a finger toward the treetops. A blue-roofed tower poked above them.

They continued forward, emerging from the trees into a clearing where the tower sat.

Paige craned her neck to stare at the top of it. “Wow, that’s high.”

“Not as high as we were last night,” Eyva answered. “The stairs won’t be nearly as pleasant today.”

“I hope I make it,” Paige said with a wrinkled nose as Drucinda pulled the door open, revealing the hundreds of spiraling stone stairs leading to the top.

As they stepped inside, a chuffing noise echoed off the stone walls. Drucinda stiffened, her jaw clenching. “We may not have to worry about that.”

“Why?” Paige asked.

“Because,” Eyva answered, “there is a dragon lying in wait just beyond those doors across the way.”

Paige swallowed hard as she flicked her gaze toward the partially open doors, spotting a set of glowing red eyes. Were they about to be eaten?

CHAPTER 19

Paige’s heart thudded against her ribs as her pulse quickened. “What should we do?”

“Maybe we could just ask it for help,” Eyva said. “Excuse me.”

She stepped closer, waving a hand in the air as Drucinda hissed at her to stop.

“What? It’s rude to assume the dragon is going to eat us. That’s ridiculous nonsense perpetuated by fairy tales written by ignorant men. Really, Drucinda, I thought I taught you better than that.”

Eyva took a few steps closer. “It’s all right, dear. We won’t harm you. We’re Valkyries. Oh, and a human, but she’s harmless, I promise.”

Paige held her hands in the air, trying to showcase her inability to hurt a dragon. The chuffing sounded again, sending a shiver down her spine. This dragon did not sound friendly by any stretch of the word. What if Eyva was wrong?

The doors pushed open a little further, and a red snout stuck out. A moment later, flames shout from its nostrils, singeing the edge of Evya's dress.

“Now, that wasn’t very kind,” she said as she swished out the flames that caught the fabric.

“Sorry,” the dragon’s deep voice boomed, “I feel awful after last night.”

Eyva took another step closer. “Awful? What happened?”

“What happened?” The dragon pushed further into the chamber. “You all came. We partied. A little too hard. My head is still spinning.”

“We partied? With you?” Drucinda asked.

The dragon nodded his head with a groan. “Yes. Please, if there are any pictures, delete them. I’d rather not have them plastered all over SupNet.”

Drucinda pulled her phone from her pocket and glanced at her photo album. “None of you on my phone. Just the Wizard’s Tower, then this odd-looking place.” She tilted the phone toward him.

“Oh, the fairy circle. Yes, you mentioned wanting to go there.”

“We did? To the fairy circle?” Drucinda asked.

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