Page 92 of Dragon Unhinged

I pull myself out of the bathtub and wrap a robe around myself as I lumber and limp to the window. I open the blinds and stare out into the woods. There are trees everywhere. I try and take in as much as I can. I focus on the details. I see a large rock formation in the distance and stare at that until I’ve memorized every nook and cranny I can see from here.

It doesn’t remotely feel like enough.

All I can hope is that I’ll be able to get Donna to talk, to give me something else for them to go on, so that we have even a small chance of getting out of here alive.

Chapter

Thirty-Nine

SYRENA

Istand outside the door staring at the handle willing it to turn and open. “Tabitha, I need your help.”

The witch has magically spelled her door so that I can’t come in.Clearly, I didn’t think through enough scenarios when I brought her supplies to help her connect to her magical side again without the dread and ugliness of Grey forcing her hand.

Tabitha is our best source of information right now and she’s the only person who might be able to help us to find Brianna before we lose her and Declan forever. While she has valuable information right now, it’s not the only reason why I want her to help. Maybe if she helps the right side, maybe she’ll be able to start forgiving herself for her actions under that fucking vampire’s thrall. I can’t wait for him to die. I just hope it’s satisfying enough.

Tabitha’s muffled voice comes through the door. “I can’t help anyone. Take it to some other witch. Better yet, figure it out on your own.”

Part of me wonders if my spells keeping her here are strong enough, but the truth is, I don’t think she wants to leave. I don’t think she wants to go back to Grey, or even to herown clan. I know Tristian would welcome her back with open arms. He’s one of the few Opals around who aren’t hiding or dead. Tristian knows better than most what Grey has done. He controlled Tristian for a while. We thought Tristian had betrayed us all when he came into the Tourmaline kingdom with the Opal guardians and wiped out as many dragons and heartstones as they could. Ash was ready to get his vengeance on Tristian and kill him with his own hands for all that he’d done. But instead, Ash revealed that Tristian had been a victim too. He’d been under Grey’s control. I’m not sure Ash would’ve had as much sympathy as he did, if he hadn’t witnessed it happen to his own mate too. Tristian and Tabitha were pulled into Grey’s web at the same time, but Tabitha was in it for so much longer, and from everything she’s said, she was kept very close to Grey and all of his monstrous plans.

“You know what he’s planning. You know better than anyone how he operates. And I know that you don’t want to spend the rest of your life hiding in this room and letting people die when you can help. Plus, think of all the fashion you’ll miss.”

The door swings open and I feel her spell fall away from it. Tabitha is standing on the other side with tear stained, red and blotchy cheeks, red puffy eyes, and a seething glare pointed right at me.

“You think I give a shit about fashion anymore?”

I can’t help but smile a little. “Of course, I don’t. But I needed you to stop feeling sorry for yourself and open the damn door.” I shrug and move into her room without permission. “Plus, I didn’t want to have to embarrass you by breaking through your spell.”

“Like you could. You had to resort to taunting tactics to get me to open the door for you. Honestly, Syrena, I thought you were a better witch.” She flips her hair over her shoulder in acocky move that doesn’t quite match the sorrowful glaze in her eyes.

“You do the amount of magic I’ve been doing lately without much sleep or decent meals, and you tell me how strong your magic is feeling,” I say with a bit of bitterness I don’t mean to let slip out.

Tabitha’s opal and teal eyes meet mine for the first time since we released her from Grey’s grip. She’s scanning me, taking in my appearance and probably my magical aura. “Syrena, how are you even standing?” she asks in a small voice.

“Pure will at this point. I’m going to need a snack and a nap when all of this is over…on a beach, with a dedicated staff to get me my every need on Ash’s bill.”

Tabitha smirks a little. “It’s the least he can do.”

I chuckle and sit down on her bed. “Please, Tabitha. Please help me.”

She shakes her head and sits down. “I won’t cast any more spells, Syrena. Not to help you, not to help Grey. I was betrayed by my clan.”

“Betrayed by your clan. Tristian is just as much a victim as you are,” I argue.

Tabitha shakes her head. “Not Tristian. King Callum and Queen Paula.”

I frown. “They’re dead.”

“Yes, they are. Grey killed them once he had me and Tristian. But Grey was welcomed into our kingdom, into our feast hall, and into our guest chambers. He was their guest. They wanted a piece of the power pie when Grey was done with his big plans. Grey gushed about how much power they would hold and how many human slaves they could have. They gave him everything they asked for including me, their son, and their daughter.”

“Grey has Rachelle?”

“And Tristian’s human mate.”

“Yeah, we’ve been trying to find her. We didn’t know about Rachelle. Tristian didn’t know about Rachelle. He assumed she was dead with the rest of his family.”

Tabitha shakes her head. “I don’t know where she is now, but she was being held in an ice palace in Russia. I don’t know for sure if he’s managed to enthrall them or if they’re just happy to watch the human world burn, but Grey has a lot of fae working for him.”

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