Page 51 of A Dragon's Miracle (Fires of Fate)

“Finalys.”

He merely smiled. “Goodbye now.”

Once Jin turned his back to me, I got out of his apartment as quickly as I could. All in all, this had gone well. I'd gotten the medicine and I hadn't killed anyone. And Jin hadn't asked too much of me. Not yet, anyway, but I tried not to think of whatever his future request might be.

* * *

My cell phonerang almost as soon as I stepped off the airplane back on the Island of Dragons.

“Hello?”

“Hey.” It was Zed.

I smiled. “Hey, what's up?”

“I heard you were leaving the island?”

“Where did you even hear that? I'm already back. Just arrived.”

“I went by your place earlier because I wanted to talk to you.”

“Right. Well, if you want to meet, I'm going to Ryan's now. I don't think he'll mind if you come along.”

“Good. It might be better if Ryan's there too, anyway.”

“Uh, okay then. I'll meet you there in fifteen.” I ended the call and put the phone away, wondering what Zed had to discuss with both Ryan and me. At first I'd thought he needed me for band business, but now I wasn't so sure.

Oh well, my top priority now was getting the medicine to Ryan, and then I'd find out what Zed wanted anyway.

* * *

Zed was alreadyat Ryan's when I got there. They were drinking coffee, Ryan still in his pajamas.

“You need to start telling me ahead when I'm getting visitors,” he mumbled as he let me in.

“Yeah, why? You're cute in your pajamas.” And he was, like I could just drag him back to bed. Sadly there was no time for that now, but I got myself a kiss before we joined Zed at the kitchen table. There, I made Ryan sit down and got myself a coffee.

“How did it go?” Ryan asked, sounding just a little bit anxious.

“Well, I didn't kill him. That's good, right? And believe me, I was tempted.” To an extent I didn't even want to admit to myself. I took the small vial out of my bag. “He gave me this.”

Zed and Ryan both eyed the blue liquid. Ryan with relief, Zed with curiosity.

“That's magic?” Zed asked.

“Partly,” Ryan supplied. “Anyone could probably make the potion, but you have to imbue it with magic to work.”

“Interesting.”

Ryan turned to me. “What did you have to give him for that?”

“Don't worry about it.”

“No, I want to know. There's hardly anything in there, which must mean he wants you to come back, and soon.”

He'd caught on to that quickly. Sick and pregnant or not, my love was not stupid. “It's not too bad, really. He wants some stuff. No big deal.”

Ryan shook his head. “You shouldn't have to give your family's valuables away for me.”