Page 45 of So I Dared a Dragon

“No. We’re going to Hugo’s.”

“Bibi, he’s not there,” she said softly. “He went with them.”

“I know.” And my heart pounded, reminding me how much I hated this situation. How there were so many things still unsaid. How if I didn’t see him again… No, absolutely not. There was no way I could think like that. There was a perfectly logical reason that Marissa wasn’t able to get in touch with the heart and soul of our crew. “I have a key. I probably should’ve used it long before now.”

“Wait.” That came out much more forceful. “We’re breaking into his house?”

“Darling, we won’t bebreakinganything. We’re letting ourselves in. Hugo is meticulous with his research, and if he shared those heat maps, that means he thinks there’s something credible there to investigate. And you know how much he loves his supporting evidence. If there are dragons in those mountains, there’s no way Hugo doesn’t know about it.”

“You’re right.” But doubt was written all over her face.

Green Mountain Village was bustling. The pack had made many recent improvements to their land, and the energy here was so good. I waved to Cindy and Logan Mathis, who lookedlike they were on their way to the park in the village center with their kids.

“We’ll have to stop and chat with them when we’re done,” I said, like this was the most natural thing in the world. “Logan will be leaving to start work on the next season ofThe Wolf’s Moonsoon.”

“Bibi, I’ve got to be honest with you, I don’t like this.” Marissa turned to me as we came to a stop in front of Hugo’s cabin.

A piece of me had hoped we’d find his pickup truck out front. But the driveway was empty.

“I don’t either.”

“It’s not just breaking into Hugo’s house.” She chewed her lip. “You haven’t been yourself since Calista showed up. I’m worried about you.”

I sighed, because she was right. “Once I found out Calista was in trouble, all I wanted to do was help her.”

“And you have. You’re honestly the best friend anyone could ask for. To all of us. But Hugo absolutely adores you, and to see the two of you apart… I hope we can find a way for us to all coexist together, and we’re not under another damn curse.”

“What do you mean, a curse?” I got out of the car before she had a chance to answer. Time was a luxury with our loved ones missing, and every second was gold.

“I just have a feeling that it’s all connected—from the Hudaknocker to the dragons. And we’re playing a game we don’t know the rules to.”

Marissa had been convinced the Hudaknocker was solely responsible for her attraction to Bjorn, to the point she did some reckless things with the ancient relic to prove her point. The bear was her mate, no divine intervention needed.

“Whatever’s happening, we all deserve answers. And we need to do right by these ancient creatures who’ve trusted us withtheir traditions and their modern lives.” My hands shook as I turned the key in the lock.

Hugo’s house smelled like him. I wasn’t prepared for that. I took a deep, indulgent inhale of the earthy, leathery scent as I tried to collect myself.

The house was always neat and a little rustic. He’d left a coffee mug on the table near his favorite leather recliner. A plaid blanket was folded over the overstuffed couch. Every single spot in this cabin held so many memories—and some ghosts I hoped I never had to deal with.

I could fix this. No, really, I could.

Throwing my shoulders back, I headed straight for his office. His energy was practically tangible in this room, with his oversized monitors and corkboards with articles, maps, and charts neatly pinned on them. There were binders meticulously labeled, in order of episode, on his bookshelf.

“Damn it,” I said under my breath.

“Did you find something?” Marissa said. “I don’t want to touch anything. You know how Hugo is about his systems.”

“There’s no binder for this episode.” I scanned the other shelves, like there was actually a chance he’d misfiled it. “He has one for all the others.”

“Maybe he brought it with him to his mountain outpost,” Marissa suggested. “It sounds like he’s got a full setup out there.”

“It’s possible he’d do just that. Hugo’s very detail-oriented, and he saw something that he thought was worth investigating.”

Then I spotted a file folder that said CALISTA on the tab.

My heart pounded as I flipped it open. It was thick, and on first glance, contained articles and pictures printed from the internet, receipts, and some handwritten notes.

A click startled me, one that sounded too much like a bullet falling into a chamber.

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