Page 74 of MidKnight
I stood and moved toward him, “Maybe we shouldn’t be thinking about recent history. These coins that keep showing up are centuries old. Shite! Dragons hoard coins. Could this be from a dragon’s lair? Could Avia’s family be dragons?”
Declan stood. “Possible. Very possible. I need to get a book—”
The window rattled behind me and then something smashed into it. I nearly jumped out of my skin.
Blue was startled off my shoulder and had to pump his wings hard to avoid smashing into the floor.
We all turned to face Declan’s balcony. There, in the window, standing on the balcony and carrying a sack on a stick over his shoulder—wearing two curl-toed shoes topped by bells—was Donaloo.
“Yoo-hoo! Peekaboo!” the wizard grinned.
I swallowed a groan. The man looked even madder than last time, if that was possible. His eye patch was a bright red, and his hair was as matted as a bush of thistles.
Connor—ever the diplomat—stepped forward, opened the door, took Donaloo’s bag, and gestured for him to come in. I just assumed Quinn told Connor who’d arrived.
“Welcome, sir.”
“Thank you, thank you! Out of the blue and into the stone. Seeking a dragon, never alone.” Donaloo took off his jacket and a vial dropped out of his pocket onto Declan’s balcony. Immediately, purple flames shot toward the sky. Connor yanked the old man inside so that he wouldn’t be burnt to a crisp.
“This is the wizard?” Declan whispered skeptically to me.
Donaloo didn’t seem to notice his close call. He smiled at me, “Dragons live with a flame inside, a beast that’s hard to tame inside. You think you know, you think you know, but don’t look up, look below.”
I had no response to that. Had he heard our conversation? What the sarding hell did he even mean?
Donaloo stepped away from me and his eyes traveled around the room. “Oh, there’s three! Well, thatisa muddle, goodness me!” Donaloo stared around the room.
At first, I thought Donaloo was staring at my knights, but then he pointed at the bear. “You don’t belong here, no siree. Nor does your brother, where be he?”
Shiter hopped out from under the bed. The bear and bunny lined up like school boys before the wizard, startling me. I pointed at Blue and told him. “Apparently, you need to get in line.”
“He’s fine, he’s fine,” Donaloo waved me off. “His future is set, but these two silly souls forget. They have travels ahead, ahead, through mists and miles and the undead.”
That sounded ominous. And Fuzzy made the first sound I’d heard from him since he’d come to the castle (other than snoring). He moaned. It almost sounded as if a bear were complaining.
Donaloo just clucked at him. He ruffled the bear’s fur like he was a dog. “Just follow me. If you do right, it’ll all end well, you see!” He headed to Declan’s sitting room without addressing any of us.
“Are we sure about this?” Declan whispered.
I shrugged. I wasn’t certain of anything. Other than the fact that I was desperate. I’d just gotten my crown, my sister had been stolen, Sedara was threatening to seek her out—to no good end—and the two countries bordering me were gearing up for war. At the center of it all was my sister, who might be related to dragons, unless I believed the old coot.
Desperate is an understatement, you’re drowning, my mind snarked at me.
And it was. We were beyond desperate.
We all stared at Donaloo. I was curious, fascinated, and a little put off all at once by his appearance. Donaloo wore tunic and tights, a horribly outdated fashion, and his tights had a massive rip near one thigh. His curly leg hair peeked out like a tuft of dead grass. It was horrifying and also impossible to ignore as he chatted with Shiter as if the bunny spoke back.
The wizard snapped his fingers and suddenly Quinn appeared in the midst of us, blinking and shaking his head. When he saw the wizard, he looked starstruck for a moment. Until he took in Donaloo’s full appearance. And then he looked a little sad.
Still, he shuffled forward and gave the wizard a hug.
That set the old man chuckling as he patted Quinn’s back, “Welcome home, young sailor, well met. You have a ring or four I’ll bet?”
Quinn furrowed his brow. But his vest lit up with orange light. He dug into his pocket, producing four shiny rings.
“What are those?” I asked.
Took them off Abbas’ hand, remember? I thought one of them might control that dragon … remember how Abbas’ had a ring that kind of glowed? I’ve been holding the rings. I tried them on. Wished the dragon would come back to the castle, peacefully and help protect you. Lead you to Avia. That sort of thing.
