Page 83 of The Healing Dragon
I look around to make sure we don’t have an unsuspecting onlooker near enough to listen.
“Santiago,” I say, looking back at the castle.
He is standing about twenty feet back.
“I’m listening from here,” he says with obvious dread.
“He’s afraid?” Jesse asks with a chuckle.
I shake my head in disbelief. He’s still holding on to his lunch plate, scooping the remaining content with his spoon.
“I have found Lord Duelo. He has not relocated from where you departed.”
“What?” Jesse looks between me and Matias. “There’s no way.”
“He must be scouting out the next hideout,” I say.
I try to think of all the other possibilities. He should’ve done that by now, but I don’t know what he has been up to. It’s been nearly a week since we departed.
I look at Jesse. “That or he really doesn’t think we would go for him there.”
Jesse shakes his head. “We are. Brandon wanted to pay a visit on our way back from Fierno. We expected to find the place empty.”
“He is waiting for us to take the fight to him,” I say.
“I need to talk to Brandon. We’re departing tomorrow for Fierno. We’re going to have to take a bigger set of soldiers and pay Duelo a visit.” Jesse runs his hands through his hair.
Matias looks at me with apprehension.
I can’t help but try to reassure him. “Brandon knows you are not trained in combat. No one expects you to use yourmagic and join them. You and Bianca will more likely be asked to sit back. ”
After all I have seen these past couple of days, Brandon will do everything in his power to talk Bianca out of joining as well. Reminding her that someone needs to keep an eye on Matias might do the trick.
Jesse takes in Matias' expression.
“Yeah.” His tone is not too convincing.
I know he is thinking that Brandon will try, but whether or not Bianca follows directions is not truly up to him.
“I’ll keep you safe,” Calaca vows.
Matias gulps, but I can see how the creature gives him some kind of reassurance. I wonder if it’s the Red Book that creates some type of connection between them. It definitely comforts him.
“Calaca.” I step forward. “We need you to find someone else. This person might be impossible to find, but we want you to at least try.”
“No one can hide from me,” it says.
“This individual has gone unnoticed for so long that we have completely forgotten about their existence,” Santiago says, still standing near the shield.
“An old being?” Calaca turns my way.
“Klause. P.” I give the cursed journal to Calaca.
Calaca sniffs the book and turns it on its bony hands slowly.
“Ahh,” Calaca makes a noise of familiarity.
“You know him?” Matias asks with wide eyes.
