Page 95 of Dragon Fires Everywhere
Gideon smiles. It is... not pleasant. “I believe there is a saying amongst the witches and the humans, is there not? Youshould know it, having enjoyed so many of their witticisms while in the guise of a bit of furniture.Takes one to know one, asshole.”
All thisweandustalk makes it clear. “You’re a magical creature, aren’t you? Not just a bird?”
The Raven King gives me a withering violet look. “What in this world or any other isjustanything?”
Fair enough, I suppose.
But the king is still staring at me, and something... changes. In the air, like back in the alley. A kind of sharp, edgysparkle.
He moves close, though I’m not sure how. It’s like the world around us has gone a little fuzzy. The only thing I’m aware of, beside the two points of violet in his eyes, is a faint racket thatI’m pretty sure is Azrael back there spontaneously combusting, especially when Gideon reaches out and touches my neck.
I barely notice, though. Because thereissomething here. Not like the connection Azrael and I have, but still. This is strange, deep, but it is also... important.
Gideon pulls the chain around my neck, so the teardrop gemstone appears from beneath the collar of my white dress. He looksstormy and not quite solanguid. His eyes meet mine.
“My grandmother had a necklace identical to this,” he says.
He stares at the necklace another moment, then drops it and steps away from me. The magic that swirled around us seems todissipate.
The real world comes crashing back down—
Complete with Azrael growling threats and Ellowyn trying to talk him down.
But I don’t look at him.
I keep my gaze on the Raven King. “I don’t remember where I got this necklace. It’s just... always been with me.”
I remember that Jacob said the Wildes might be part magical creature. And if crows might be magical creatures, if my soulhas gone from body to body—
“You must tell me how you freed your dragon,” Gideon says, putting this strange development aside. I have the feeling he’sdoing it deliberately.
And I don’t think I’m ready for any more familial revelations, so I let it happen. “I honestly don’t know how I freed him.I read from a book. And then... there he was.”
He nods. “You will read to me from this book.”
“Like hell she will,” Azrael growls, and there’s that dragonish gleam of gold in his gaze and fire burning loud in his throat,but he can’t do anything from where he stands.
He knows that as well as we all do. As Gideon clearly does too.
“I thought you said you weren’t cursed,” I say, because if he’s not cursed, why do I need to read to him?
“I said I know how to getarounda curse.” His frown deepens, and his violet eyes glow. “Read to me from your book.”
I shake my head. “I don’t think it’s that simple.”
“I didn’t ask what you think, Georgina.”
I swear I hear Azrael growl.
Gideon is unfazed by the dragon, and focuses on me. “Itoldyou to read to me from the book.”
“You may beaking,” I say to him, smiling brightly. “But you’re notmyking.”
He nods toward the necklace. “Am I not? Because as far asIknow, it’s onlymypeople who wear dragon tears.”
Dragon tears.I feel the weight of the necklace around my neck. I look back at Azrael. His expression is grim and stormy—and it’s fixedon Gideon. “Because onlycrowswould be sadistic enough to wear another fabulae’stears.”
“I forgot,” the Raven King says with a silken disdain. “Dragons prefer trophies of the dead fabulae they murder in cold blood.So noble.”
