Page 101 of Dragon Unleashed

“I said no, chica,” he growls. I can’t remember the last time he called me that. My stomach flutters and I lay a hand on his arm.

“Please, Chano. Just you and me, together.” I press my body up against him and he lowers his chin to rest on my head. His muscles tense under my hands as I wrap my arms around him. For half a glorious second, I think he’s going to cave.

Shrugging me off, Chano steps away, scowling. “It’s dangerous. You can’t believe a few hours searching the dark net with afaehas given you all the answers? We’re not going. What the hell is he helping for anyway?”

“He’s just being nice. Something you wouldn’t know anything about,” I snap.

Chano rolls his eyes. “Sure,princessa.He’snice. Well, here’s the thing. Since I can’t trust you, we’re not going anywhere dangerous together.”

I blanch. And there it is. The truth. He hasn’t forgiven me.

He thrusts his headphones back on, goes to a treadmill, and starts pounding out the miles. I’m dismissed. Just like that. He doesn’t even glance at me in the mirror. I thought…I really thought he’d help. That we could get over our issues by working on something, together.

I’m still going.

Chapter Forty-six: Lorelei

Nausea washes over me as I step through the portal. I’d blame the stupid portal transport, but this time it’s nerves. This could be my most genius idea, or my most idiotic. Keeping in the shadows of the trees lining the driveway, I creep toward the wrought iron gates. The dawn pricking the horizon gives me enough light, just. A cough from the guard post stops me in my tracks. Crap. I have to go around. The guard steps outside and stretches, yawning. I’m backing into the bushes when he turns and the light spilling out his post hits his face.

“Sanders,” I whisper.

His muscles tense and his gun is in his hand in an instant.

Stepping into the middle of the drive, I hold my hands in the air. He stalks forward, barrel pointed directly at my chest. Just when I think I’ve made a mistake, the gun lowers, and he sinks to a knee.

“Princess.”

“Get up, idiot.” I clear my throat. “Rise, or whatever the hell I’m meant to say.”

The corner of his mouth twitches and he stands, dusting gravel from his pants.

“After that shitshow at the mine with Chano’s mom I know I’m not your favorite person, but can you let me in? I…uh…I have something I need to get.”

He raises an eyebrow but says nothing, simply turns and walks toward the gate. He punches in the code, and the gate slides open, blessedly silent. I nod my thanks and walk through, slipping into the shadows again on the other side.

“Be careful, princess,” I hear him say from the darkness as I turn the corner.

The mansion is unlocked. Of course, it is. The Virrey is so full of himself he couldn’t imagine anyone daring to sneak in. Not when his side of the portal only allows registered guests, and he has a perimeter fence, and a guard. Sucks when your guard is in someone else’s pocket, big man.

I pad quietly through the deserted halls. The only noise is coming from the end of the house where the kitchens are.

Huge dragons glare down at me from the monstrous tapestries. I shiver. The Virrey’s obsession with Farrell’s beast is creepy. The man is living through his son. I doubt he’ll ever be ready to completely hand power over. I slip underneath the yellow-eyed stare and make my way to the corridor with the Virrey’s office.

This is where everything could go to hell. I fumble around in the half-light until my fingers find the lock. A simple lever lock. Perfect. I puff out a breath and get to work with a couple of hairpins.No challenge. You need to up your game, old man.

I slip through the door, shutting it softly behind me. Now the search begins.

Half an hour later I slump in the giant leather chair. Nothing. Everything is squeaky fucking clean. Every report, glowing. There must besomething, anything. I’m not going back empty-handed. The grandfather clock in the corner ticks the seconds away. It’s getting dangerous.

One last look. He wouldn’t put it in plain sight, would he? A secret drawer, or a hidden safe… Tapping my fingers across the bottoms of the desk drawers reveals nothing, and knocking on the wall is fruitless. Hell. There’s nothing for it…

Taking a deep breath I center myself. Lady Tenebrae told me off for using ley lines. Said it was rudimentary magic, and that I could lose myself to their hypnotism. But I’m all out of options. Shutting my eyes, I feel for the energy, and it leaps to meet me. The lines crisscross, marking the room boundaries, shimmering, wavering, and so damn beautiful. They stretch away into the distance, mapping out the whole house. I can feel the energy in the world beyond, calling to me like a siren song.

Pulling back before I get lost in the magic, I focus on the room again.

There.

A disruption in the natural flow. The lines bunch and spark in a corner, tucked in beside the giant oak clock. It’s as if someone’s manipulated the energy there, twisted it somehow. Reluctantly I drag my eyes open and blink.

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