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  “I have to get back to Alyson’s place. She’s most likely worried sick about me. We can come up with a plan tomorrow. Just show me the way to Sepulcrum and I’ll go there myself,” I told him. Despite everything he had done for me, I still wasn’t convinced Idris was doing this because he cared about the truth.

  He approached me wearing old jeans and a dark navy shirt. He had lot of different bands on his wrists with strange signs. I felt the zooming connection between us, our magic was turning and shifting inside me.

  “I don’t think that’s a very good idea. You should stay—”

  “No, this is final. I really don’t need your help, man,” I interrupted, cutting him off again. “I know you don’t like Nicolas.”

  He sighed with obvious frustration and then dragged his hands through his hair. Man, he was so good looking, and I had to squeeze my thighs together, remembering the last time we were together. This was so stupid, because we were from different worlds.

  “Just shut up, little one. You’re not going there alone. Besides, it’s going to take me at least a day to find someone who can help us cross over to Sepulcrum.”

  “All right,” I muttered. and he rolled his eyes at me.

  We left his enormous second home an hour later, although I was still struggling to walk properly. My breathing was laboured and the pain around my wound was intensifying with every passing moment.

  Avianna had to be squeezed inside the backpack again and she wasn’t too happy about it. Idris lived around humans. He was used to not feeling any magic around him, but something always happened with my energy when we were around each other. I didn’t know what to make of it and this was especially difficult when he asked me to get inside his car. Our arms brushed a few times, and an overwhelming desire of heat kept coming back. It was early evening; the sun was slowly hiding behind the horizon. Avianna was in the back seat; she was complaining that she was too hot, but I couldn’t risk letting her out just in case someone saw her.

  “Sooner rather than later, she’ll be much more difficult to control. I think she’s already grown,” Idris said once we were stuck in traffic, finally breaking the intense silence between us. I wanted to touch him, maybe even run my finger over his arm to ease the tension. No, I told myself. This didn’t make any sense. He was the enemy and I had more important things to worry about.

  “As soon as I help Nicolas get out of that shithole, I’m going back. There are other cracks in London, I just have to find one that isn’t controlled by your kind,” I said, and he shot me a deep, intense look again that was breaking me apart from the inside out. We didn’t talk again throughout the rest of the drive.

  The tension zoomed between us wrapping itself around us like an invisible thread. Idris knew where we were heading to. He remembered the way to Aly’s house, and after some time we finally reached our destination. My usual anxiety was in control. I didn’t need to flick my wristband anymore, and I knew this had something to do with my magic.

  I didn’t want to fool myself, thinking I was completely healed—no, but it was a hell of a progress. Idris parked the car right outside’s Aly’s home.

  “Give me twenty-four hours. I have to head over to Zuzanna’s place and show my face. I’ll come back tomorrow morning and by then, I should know how to cross over. Concentrate and accumulate your magic; the Dark Ones there are much more powerful than you think, especially in the Lower World,” he told me and then leaned over. I thought he was going to kiss me, but he only reached for the side storage that was by my knees. I caught the scent of his cologne and inhaled deeply. Crap. What was wrong with me? These sexual vibes were getting out of control. I was ready to kill him just after Avianna hatched out.

  “Goodbye, Idris,” I said, but my voice sounded hoarse and uneven. He winked at me and I was lost in the darkness of his neon eyes. Then, I got out of the car, wondering if he was going to follow me when I picked up the backpack. He didn’t, so I ran to the door with my heart pounding in my chest. Something strange was going on with me and I didn’t know what. That heat between us was too much; he was too intense, but I wanted to get Nicolas out. So, I needed to forget about my trust issues.

  “Oh, dear girl, you’re all right. I’ve done a terrible, terrible thing and you’re probably going to hate me,” Aly said, hugging me before I could even get inside her house. The kitchen smelled of wild flowers and freshly baked cake.

  “It’s okay. I know you told Idris what I was planning. He showed up and kind of saved my skin,” I told her, shutting the door behind me.

  My wound was hurting again, and I wished that I’d kicked the werewolf who’d attacked me. She walked with me to the living room where I briefly explained what happened.

  “Bitten by a gang of werewolves? My dear Lord, that sounds terrible,” she said, staring at me with her eyes wide. Avianna was out of the backpack, telling me that we had to figure out another way to transport her around the city.

  “Yeah, it was stupid, and I was reckless. Idris mentioned that Nicolas was sent back to the Lower World prison in another city, but don’t worry. He’s going to help me get him out,” I said. She marched to the kitchen and suddenly, a new idea popped into my head.

  “What? You want to follow him around even after he saved us. He’s proven to you many times that we should trust him,” Avianna said, getting into my head.

  “Don’t be fooled by his pretty eyes. This might be a trap and his father is desperate. I just have to be sure.”

  Aly was in the kitchen making a tea and telling me about yesterday when Idris showed up unexpectedly.

  “I was ready to throw him out. I even made a scene on the street, but he acted like a total gentleman,” she said, with the loud sigh. Even her cheeks were a little flustered. She didn’t act like that around Nicolas. Man, everyone was suddenly affected by Idris’s charm.

  “He did help, but I have to be careful. He’s still a Dark One and I just don’t trust him,” I muttered to myself.

  “Well, he apologised and explained everything that happened on the bridge. After he was gone I felt so guilty, thinking that maybe I made a mistake,” she said, and handed me a warm cup of tea. She spread out some ham for Avianna and my baby dragon started eating it straight away.

  “Idris is good looking, and he obviously knows how to charm the ladies. We just need to be vigilant,” I said, already thinking about my plan.

  I could sneak out of the house once Aly went to bed. The less she knew about my plans the better. Nicolas was my priority, but I wanted to make sure Idris wasn’t planning to rat me out—that was crucial. The energy inside me stirred and it was a sign that my magic was agreeing with me.

  Chapter Seven

  Fairy magic.

  I didn’t like lying to Aly, but I knew she wouldn’t approve of my plans. Besides, she was spoiling Avianna like she was a little human child, not a soon-to-be dangerous beast. Right now, Avianna was consuming a giant chocolate cake and she was making a hell of a mess on the kitchen floor. Her skin was radiating with magic and her outbursts of fire were becoming much more frequent. Deep down I was petrified to think that at some point she might accidentally hurt me or Aly.

  My wound was a little aggravating, but in the evening after Aly forced me to practise some tai chi with her in the garden, I surprisingly felt stronger. I quickly forgot about the pain, but I had a feeling Avianna was using her magical energy to heal me, too. Aly and I decided to allow her in the garden with us, although she wasn’t supposed to get out anywhere near the fence.

  She made me feel guilty because I was restricting her so much. She didn’t understand that I was only trying to protect her. Anyone on the street would freak out if they saw her flying around. It was just too dangerous.

  “The meal was delicious, Aly. I wish Nicolas was here to appreciate it, too,” I said, feeling a little nostalgic.

  “Idris is going to make sure he’s back with us, dear. I could see in his eyes he was feeling really guilty about everything that happe
ned on the bridge,” she told me, squeezing my hand. She was way too kind.

  Idris was a complicated man and he hated Nicolas. That’s why I needed to make sure he wasn’t jerking me around. Aly put some kind of film on the TV and then went upstairs to bed. I felt bad that I couldn’t tell her about what I was planning, but I didn’t want her to worry.

  When I lived back in Draconia, I had never trusted anyone apart from Dara. She was like a sister to me; her death had changed me. I became much more withdrawn. On top of that, I spent a bit of time in prison because of my ex-boyfriend, Victor. After that, I was a nervous wreck for months.

  “I think you should stay here tonight,” I said to Avianna when she was zooming around the kitchen, probably looking for more sweets. She figured out how to use her magic to open the fridge. Seconds later, her energy was buzzing in my head.

  “No, we both know you’re risking too much. No one is going to see me at night. Humans aren’t very perceptive,” she disagreed.

  She didn’t realise that this whole trip was dangerous enough, but it was true; I needed her in case we came across another dangerous surprise. On top of that, I was still wounded, and my magic wasn’t fully restored.

  “Stop it, Fran. I’m a dragon and you’re my host. We have to stick together, and we need each other’s magic. And as you said, you’re still not fully recovered.”

  She did go with me, but this time around I didn’t force her to hide inside the backpack. I found a massive hoodie that probably belonged to Nicolas and I told Avianna to hide behind my hair. She was still small enough to fit inside the hood. I managed to sneak out of the house while Aly was snoring upstairs. This wasn’t ideal. Idris had promised to come back, but deep down, the tiny voice in my head reminded me that I had been screwed over way too many times before.

  I roughly knew where Zuzanna’s place was, and managed to get there faster than I expected. Avianna guided me using our connection. Despite the late hour, the tube station was busy, and people stared at me as usual. I was wearing several layers of clothing, but I panicked a little, thinking humans could sense that I was smuggling a real dragon behind my collar. Avianna kept telling me to calm down, but I was relieved when we finally left the underground and reached Zuzanna’s place. I had no idea if Idris was going to be there or not, but at least it was a starting point.

  I waited outside for over an hour, wondering if he was actually there. Avianna kept telling me this was stupid idea. That man was willing to help us, and I just needed to trust him. The weather was all right; it wasn’t cold, so I didn’t mind hanging around there for a bit longer.

  He finally emerged just before midnight and it instantly made me think he was up to no good.

  “He told you that he had to figure out a way into the Lower world, right?” Avianna reminded me, but I didn’t want to listen.

  Maybe I was obsessing about my safety way too much, but for now, I wanted to be certain I had nothing to worry about. I desperately wanted to find fault in him. Maybe that was my problem.

  “Exactly, just let it go and let’s go home. We have to accumulate our magic before tomorrow,” she told me.

  “I’m sorry Avianna, I just have to be sure. No one is going to fool me again,” I said aloud, then started following him when he vanished around the corner.

  It was strange to me that Idris was moving on foot; he didn’t take his car. He was with his sister and they were fighting about something. I could see them arguing on the street, keeping a safe distance. We had a strong connection and he stopped, turning around a few times like he knew I was around. I was very careful. He couldn’t have known I was there.

  Despite the late hour, the streets were busy, and we were walking in the main part of London. Zuzanna didn’t look happy, and eventually she waved her hands, then crossed the road, leaving him alone. Idris was shouting after her until he put a hat on and carried on walking. I didn’t know what they were fighting about, but it must have been serious.

  I wasn’t sure what to think about this, but my gut feeling told me that I needed to follow him. My magic was stinging me around my neck and Avianna kept wiggling; she was way too excited about this. Soon, I reached a small park and Idris vanished into a long tunnel further away. He was heading to the north and a few times, I must have lost him. I didn’t want to get too close, just in case he sensed my energy.

  Soon, I reached a poorer area of the city. I had a strange sense of déjà vu, like I was back in Draconia, because I kept passing more and more homeless humans. The streets were untidy and many buildings stood empty. The faint scent of magic drifted around me. Avianna told me that I needed to hurry. Idris was moving way too fast. I finally caught his scent further down in the alley. I decided to climb up to the roof of a building. It was the safest option and from the distance, I could see him more clearly. I found the fire escape and within minutes I was walking along the steep roof filled with old slates. The night was young, and I felt invincible.

  “He’s nearby, talking to another creature. It’s a female. I sense her strong magic. Let me fly over and check out the area. I promise I’ll be careful—no one will see me,” she said.

  “Fine but come back as soon as you figure out what’s going on,” I told her, wondering if this was such a good idea after all.

  Humans and even wardens were flawed. No one was perfect, and I had been stung too many times to just put my whole trust in someone else’s hands.

  Avianna flew away from my hood and soon vanished in the navy sky. I kept looking down the streets but could only see Idris’s back. I saw her flying low a minute later, her golden scales were shining in the moonlight.

  “He’s waiting for someone two blocks down from here,” she told me, flapping her small wings like a giant golden bat.

  I really had to stop making comparisons like that, but deep down her magic was freaking me out a little. I carried on walking alongside the edge of the roof, seeing the stars and people in their homes on the other side of the building. They were all unaware of another world where most wardens were trying to survive.

  I finally noticed Idris. Avianna was right: Idris was talking to a woman. I used the emergency stairs to get to the lower floor. He couldn’t see me from where I’d situated myself. They were standing right underneath the street lamps in a dark alley.

  “She’s bloody stunning and she’s a fairy. Why the hell is he meeting with her?” I asked myself, as vibes of jealousy stormed through my body. The woman was blond, tall and had a figure to die for. She was even more stunning than the one in the station who was trying to feed on people’s energy. Apparently, humans weren’t aware of them, and all fairies were able to connect with their internal souls and deepest desires. They also fed on humans’ lusty vibrations.

  This one was touching Idris, standing very close to him. She was moving her finger over his face and he seemed to enjoy it. I hated that goofy smile on his face. Maybe he was affected by her and didn’t even realise she was trying to charm him, feed off of him. My palm burned part of the metal balustrade I was holding on to, and several sparks shot beneath my fingers.

  “See, I told you he was up to no good. What’s he even doing out here with that fairy?” I asked, noticing Avianna creeping on the other side of the building.

  “I don’t know, he sounded so genuine in the basement,” she told me, a moment later when she returned and sat on my good arm.

  The fairy leaned over probably because she wanted to kiss him, but he backed away from her. He seemed tense. Moments later, he took something out of his coat pocket and handed her a white envelope. I had no idea what was inside, maybe human money, maybe diamonds, but she seemed satisfied with the content. Then she picked up a bag off the ground and handed it to him.

  They exchanged books and Idris glanced at several of them, nodding his head with approval. She leaned over when he wasn’t looking and placed a sloppy kiss on his cheek and then started walking away. He kept staring down at her intensely. A split second later, when I turne
d to glance at Avianna, he was gone. There was no one else standing near the streetlamp, and I panicked.

  “Where the hell did he go? He must have taken the books. Come on. We have to follow her,” I said to Avianna who’d already flown down.

  I started moving quickly, climbing down the stairs, wondering if maybe I had made a mistake by showing up here. Fairies could open the cracks, and they could get rid of the Dark Ones. Their magic was much more powerful and twisted.

  Idris was nowhere to be seen, so instead of following him, I turned in the opposite direction. I had to find out why he needed to meet a strange fairy in the ally. The books were a mystery.

  Avianna was flying above my head until I caught up with the strange fairy by the back entrance to some nightclub. She was strolling wistfully, wearing high heels, singing to herself. She had on a very short skirt that barely covered her thighs. What the hell was wrong with her? Magic was nearly dripping off of her and I was just about to shout, when tar darkness filled the street. Suddenly I couldn’t see anything; it was as if someone had dropped me into another dimension where everything was black. Avianna wasn’t responding at all, and fear shot through my core. My hands stopped sparkling and shimmering.

  “Who are you? And why are you following me?” the high-pitched voice of a woman asked. My magic came back, and I created a ball of energy, trying to see where she was standing. The wind blew and ruffled my hair. The pain in my arm jolted through me, and my knees were just about to give out.

  Seconds later she stood right in front of me; bright light was radiating around her. The pain on my side, in the exact same place where I was bitten yesterday, became excruciating. My knees gave out and I screamed. What the hell was going on? Where was Avianna? She couldn’t have left me alone out here. It was dark, twisted magic that penetrated me from the inside out.