Page 47 of So I Dared a Dragon

“Laura’s plan was met with so much resistance,” Tina added. “The elders had a rich oral history, and their family artifacts in their attics or in the hutch near the table. They felt like that was a safe system. Laura’s spent time with almost everyone in the pack, recording their history and putting it into searchable volumes.”

Laura beamed. “I’ve been working closely with Wendy—she’s an archeologist, so she’s been able to source existing books on the area history and wait until the Museum of Shifter History opens! The bigger artifacts will be there, but we want to keep the library as a place where the locals can feel close to those who’ve come before them.”

“That all sounds lovely,” I said as we walked into the research room. The vibration instantly changed, from fun and upbeat to serious and a little ominous. Like whoever’s stories were being held in this room were challenging us not to forget them. Not to fuck things up for those in the future who would rely on these resources. “But I’m not sure what I’ll find that will help the dragons.”

Tina and Laura shared a look, and I desperately wanted to add,but maybe if you told me what was happening, I’d know what I was looking for.

It wasn’t like me to hold back, but I wouldn’t be the only one who would pay for the consequences of my actions. Ha. Like I could protect a dragon. The scales throbbed, like Aarix was trying to send me a message.

Ugh. Maybe everyone was, and I was just on the wrong freaking wavelength.

“We’re not sure, either,” Laura said. “We’ve never known to look for dragon lore in our research.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s not there,” Tina added. “That’s what we’re hoping you might be able to help us with.”

I cocked a brow. My knowledge of ancient dragon culture would barely fill one page. I’d always hesitated to ask Aarix about his past. He was a prisoner and held himself responsible for what had happened to his thunder. I’d wanted our time together to be something that helped heal his heart, instead of giving him a chance to dwell on his regrets. “Wouldn’t the dragons be a better resource?”

“Of course.” Laura sighed. “But we’d love to have resources ready for them. So all we’re hoping for is a place to start.”

“I’ll do my best.” Now I understood. She didn’t want to go to them without anything tangible. Laura and I had more in common than I thought.

But also, relying on me to make her look like a reliable resource was a risky move.

The research room was amazing. The common areas of the library were painted light colors, lined with white bookshelves, and had soft, plush, colorful seating areas to enjoy your find. This room was in the back of the building and naturally shaded by some impressive pine trees. The walls were painted a dark marine blue, and the chairs were brown leather. Lighting waslow, and everything was behind glass to preserve it. I took a walk around the room, inhaling the scent of leather, old books, and ancient secrets as Laura unlocked a case and carefully extracted some giant volumes.

“Am I late?” Wendy popped her head into the room. “Please tell me I didn’t miss any juicy dragon gossip.”

Girl, that makes two of us who need to be brought up to speed on the dragon tea…

“Nope, your timing’s perfect.” Tina laughed.

There was a wooden table in the middle of the room with live edges, like it had grown here naturally. Laura laid the books carefully in the middle of the table. “This is the best place to start.”

I couldn’t lie: The giant, ancient tomes were super intimidating. Not to mention that Laura’s first love was books, and Wendy was an actual archeologist—a job that I hardly had even dared to dream about.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve done serious research.” I chuckled nervously. “I didn’t go to college.”

Laura waved her hand to dismiss the fear. “You might not have a fancy piece of paper or soul-crushing student loan debt, but you have something money can’t buy—firsthand experience with dragons.”

“It’s pretty badass,” Wendy added.

Okay, these ladies had my back. And more than that, they needed me. I had something they didn’t. The scales warmed in an entirely new way. Previously, the heat felt like a warning, but this was more like a confirmation. I pulled my sleeve down. My newest accessory felt like it should stay a secret for a little while longer. “What should I do?”

“We don’t have any information about the dragons,” Wendy confessed. “At least we don’t think we do.”

“I can’t imagine they’d be completely omitted.” Laura frowned as she opened a sepia-colored book.“Unless something awful happened.”

I wished Marissa were here with us. Last night she’d woven some ominous connections between all the ancient artifacts and creatures that they’d encountered while working onThe Mating Game.

“You discovered the Hudaknocker?” I peered over the blue book in front of me at Wendy.

“Not sure discovered is the right word. If that had been the case, I would’ve found it on one of the official digs I participated in during college, and not after it had been thrown away like trash when they were breaking ground on a housing development full of McMansions.”

“Someone wanted you to find it.”

“Yes,” Wendy confirmed much more easily than I expected. Apparently she had not gotten thedon’t share any of the good stuff with Calistamemo. “I was about to walk away from the show, from shifters entirely, and go back to my boring day job when I found the holy grail—the piece I’d been looking for my entire life.”

“Why do you think someone wanted you to find it? And the timing seems intentional too.” There was a reason we’d all been brought together in this way. Why Bibi had left the pack, and why I insisted on following her. Why I’d chased the ultimate thrill of giving my body to an enslaved dragon, and why Wendy made the archeological find of a lifetime just when she was ready to give up on her dreams and her mate.

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