Page 41 of The Soul of the Dragon

“Not everything is as it seems, child.” She narrowed her eyes further, but she’d eased up on the door and I could now see more of her and her home.

I laughed. “I’m not a child. Although if I could go back in time to my childhood, I would. Life was certainly less complicated then. Ever since my mother died, life has gone to hell and back, and I just need the chaos to stop. But first, I need my freedom before my stepfather forces me to do something I can’t come back from.”

Her eyes widened and her face softened. I hadn’t meant to go on a tirade about my life story, but between stress and the adrenalin still coursing through my veins, I’d lost my sense of balance. Months in a ten by ten room with a dirt floor and the smell of fae feces and countless other things I refused to identify, had messed with my head and left me with the inability to cope the same way about anything as before. It also made trust a severe issue.

“I can give you five minutes,” she said, backing away from the door and opening it wide enough for me to enter. “But not a minute more, is that clear? And don’t get your hopes up. Whatever it is you hope to find out from me probably won’t happen.”

I stepped inside and looked around. While the outside of the house looked like a centuries old hovel, the inside told a completely different story. It was dark in here, but the walls were covered in colorful tapestries that brought the room to life.

Dark cabinetry lined the walls and all of the furniture looked surprisingly plush and comfortable. The space had a wholly feminine vibe, but with the paintings on the wall of different locations within the realm, it spoke of adventure and freedom.

“You live here alone?” I asked, still exploring the space with awe.

“Don’t worry about me, child. You have bigger issues to be concerned with.”

“What does that mean?” I asked, turning back to face the girl. “And why are you calling me a child when you look even younger than me.”

“As I said before, looks can be deceiving and you shouldn’t trust anything simply based on what you can observe with your eyes.”

“But what about—“

“Enough,” she interrupted. “Save the questions for another time and state your business. You don’t have much time.”

The foreboding in her voice set the hairs on my neck on end. There was definitely something happening that she wasn’t telling me. But maybe she was right. She’d said only five minutes…

“My magic has been bound by a dark fae. I need to break the binding.”She was nodding her head as if she knew this information already.

“I can sense the binding threads inside you.” She grabbed my hand and closed her eyes. “They are powerful. Why would someone do this to you?”

“It doesn’t matter why. I just need it undone.”

She shook her head. “I do not have the kind of power that could come close to helping you. Only the dark fae who cast this magic can break it. Go back to him.”

“I cannot. So I must seek another way.”

She studied me without saying anything more and I couldn’t decide whether she simply sympathized with my dilemma or if she was actually trying to come up with something that could help. Finally, after several long minutes and the silence stretched taut, she turned away and crossed the room.

“There is no other way.”

“You and I both know there is.”

She froze mid-step but did not turn back. I could see the sudden tension in her stiffened posture and knew I’d hit on the truth. I couldn’t do much without my magic, but I still had instincts and right now they were telling me she knew exactly what I’d meant.

“You seek the Vostuzan amulet.”

“You’re familiar with it?” I eyed her closely as she seemed to think about my question before she answered me.

“Familiar is too strong of a word, but I have heard of the legend of it.”

“Legend?” I didn’t like the sound of that. I wasn’t interested in legends. I needed facts.

“I’ve heard of the amulet since I was a small girl. But no one I know of has ever laid their eyes or hands on it.”

“Where is it?”

"My guess would be as good as yours. Although IF it exists, I believe it may be in this kingdom and somewhere in the dark forest. You aren't the only one looking for it, you know."

I nodded. "I know. There's a dragon shifter from the human realm who's traveled here searching for it. He's been stuck to my side like glue."

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