Page 54 of Dragon in Boots

“I’m calling.” Belch dialed his brother. “It is I, following up on the message I left you last night.” Belch nodded and then looked at Damien. “He wants to speak to you.”

Damien tilted back his pounding head and then took the phone. “Votan.”

“You did not follow orders, Greystone. You were supposed to let me know the moment you located my sister.”

“I made a judgment call because, well, Cimil offered a new body to someone I care about. She also swore to turn herself in after I helped her save the dragon species from extinction. Felt like a win-win.” Even if he knew Cimil would likely split. It had been a risk Damien needed to take.

“Back up. Say that again.” Votan did not sound pleased.

“She saved the dragons, which probably sounds like a bad idea, given your theory regarding Cimil’s desire to build an army; however, it turns out they don’t mate very often and can only have a few offspring at a time. A dragon army would take centuries.”

“No,” Votan said. “I meant the part about a new body.”

“What about it?” Damien asked.

“How can Cimil provide a new body?”

“SBP, I assume.”

“What’s that?” Votan asked.

He truly did not know?

Damien explained everything he’d learned about the company, Governor Newberry’s involvement, and the supernatural-body-part harvesting operation.

“I had no idea Cimil was part of this,” Votan muttered. “When did this start?”

Damien wasn’t sure about the details. He only knew that Cimil had been keeping a close eye on SBP and then burned down their downtown LA location. But before she did, she gave the two prototypes in their lab to the two women in Damien’s life. One went to Sky. The other had gone to Willa.

Everyone knew the outcome of Sky’s second chance, but Willa, his evil witch of an ex-fiancée? She’d disappeared. All Damien cared about was that she stay away.

“If Cimil offered your lady friend another new body, it means SBP is still operating,” Votan said.

“Possibly.”

“Perhaps she is not raising an army; she is growing one,” Votan growled.

Damien had not thought of that.

“We must find her. Immediately!” Votan roared.

Please don’t make me look for her. Please do not make me go—

“Tailor, I want you to find her. Now!” he yelled. “I am sending the Uchben and their most ruthless general to assist you.”

Sonofabitch.“I will find her, but I do not need the Uchben.” They were the gods’ human army, meant to be eyes and ears here on earth.

Like Damien, some were given the gift of immortality after proving themselves invaluable. Other Uchben were regular humans with handy skills—doctors, accountants, plumbers, real estate agents, and politicians. They not only kept tabs on things down here, but they managed the gods’ assets and properties.

“Nonsense,” Votan said. “The more resources, the better. You will coordinate with my general, and tailor, this is your last chance to prove you are worthy of the immortal light we gave you. Otherwise, I will revoke it.”

Meaning, he’d end Damien’s life.

Always with the conversation toppers.So predictable.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Later that day, after she’d retrieved her truck, Jac gave a tour of the sanctuary to a group of fifth graders, all the while struggling to conceal the emotional trainwreck twirling inside.

---