Page 19 of The Night Hunting

My father rubbed at his chin. “What about dragons?”

“Even dragons.”

“Have you ever hunted dragons, Kaz?” Ivy asked. “I thought dragons had been extinct for a long time.”

“People believe whatever they want.” Kaz looked at Ivy. “Yes, I have hunted one dragon before, the only one I had ever heard about. Though, that seems to have changed.”

My father nodded. “A dragon awoke from a magical slumber in northern Canada, but now we don’t know where he is.”

“Interesting.”

“How much for you to capture him and keep him alive until I get to him?”

Kaz seemed to consider this. “Capturing but not killing will be harder. Half a million to start.” Ivy sucked in a sharp breath. “Another half million when I deliver him to you.”

“That’s too—“

“Deal.” My father extended his hand toward the bounty hunter, ignoring whatever Ivy was about to say.

Kaz shook my father’s hand. “Would you have anything from the dragon, or maybe a weapon used against him, or even the clothes you were wearing the last time you encountered him? It’ll help me track him.”

“The scale,” I said.

“Ah, yes.” My father jerked his chin and Rotgar walked out of the room. Two minutes later, he strolled back in, taking his sweet time, the scale in his hands. He handed it to my father. “Will this do?”

“May I?” Kaz reached forward. My father placed the broken dragon scale in the bounty hunter’s hand. He wrapped a hand around it, closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply. When he opened again, a lopsided grin adorned his lips. “Yes, this will do.”

“Excellent. When can you start?”

“As soon as you make the first payment.”

My father smiled. “Of course.” He pulled out his phone and started messing with it. “Just one more thing. My demons will go with you.”

Kaz’s gaze hardened. “I work alone.”

My father held Kaz’s stare, impassive. “Not this time. My demons go with you.”

Kaz’s jaw worked overtime. Something about that tickled my mind, as if a memory wanted to come forward, to blast through whatever wall was holding it back, but when I tried grasping at it, it slipped between my fingers.

“Fine. But if they slow me down, I’ll leave them behind.”

“They won’t slow you down.” He shot a look at Ivy, one that said you-better-not-mess-this-up. Wait, what about me?

While my father and Kaz exchanged account numbers, I scooted closer to Ivy and whispered, “What was that look?”

“What look?”

“The one he gave you. Like he was telling you that you're in charge, but he didn’t even look at me. He won’t let me go?”

“I don’t know. He hasn’t said anything.”

“But I’m able to control the darkfire. I might not be able to do all you can, but I can defend myself. If he says I can’t go, you have to help me.”

Ivy’s brows curled. “I don’t—”

“Promise me you’ll help me. You’ll ask for me to go with you.” I needed this. I didn’t know why—I wasn’t even that excited about hunting a dragon—but I had to go. Finding my darkfire and being able to use it hadn’t worked to bring my memories back, but maybe being outside this house would. I couldn’t explain it, but I knew I had to do this. “Please.”

She sighed. “I’ll try.”

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