Page 21 of Fated by Fire (Dragonblood Dynasty #1)

Chapter 21

E lena

After a quietly uneventful drive from the cabin in the compact SUV that seemed to have been parked there for just such occasions, we arrive at my apartment block. I step into my loft, the familiar clutter of my life feeling strangely foreign after everything that’s happened.

Caleb lingers in the doorway, his presence filling the small space in a way that makes my chest tighten. He’s silent, his eyes scanning the room like he’s assessing it for threats. It’s unnerving, but I’m too exhausted to argue.

“I’ll be back in an hour,” he says, his voice calm but firm. “Get what you need. I’ll head out to get some things to stock the cabin. I don’t know how long you’ll be there.”

I nod, though the idea of being stuck in the middle of nowhere for who knows how long doesn’t exactly fill me with joy. But what choice do I have? The Syndicate—whoever they are—wants me, and Caleb’s apparently my best bet at staying alive.

As soon as the door closes behind him, I grab my phone and dial Mara’s number. She picks up on the first ring.

“Elena! Where the hell have you been? I’ve been calling you for hours! You promised you’d stay in touch.” Her voice is loud enough to make me hold the phone away from my ear.

“I’m fine, Mara,” I say, though I’m not sure how convincing I sound. “I just… I need to tell you something.”

There’s a pause on the other end. “What’s wrong? You sound weird. Like, weirder than usual.”

I take a deep breath, trying to figure out how to even start this conversation. “Mara, I need you to promise me something. What I’m about to tell you—you can’t tell anyone. Not your TikTok followers, not your conspiracy theory forums, no one. Got it?”

“Uh, okay?” She sounds equal parts confused and concerned. “What’s going on, Elena? Are you in trouble?”

“You could say that.” I glance toward the window, half-expecting to see Caleb’s dragon form swooping down. “Look, this is going to sound insane, but just hear me out, okay?”

“Obviously.”

I close my eyes, bracing myself. “Dragons are real.”

There’s a long silence. Then Mara bursts out laughing. “Oh my God, you had me going for a second. I thought this was going to be serious.”

“I am serious, Mara,” I say, my voice sharp. “Dragons. Are. Real. And I’m apparently caught in the middle of some kind of ancient dragon war.”

Her laughter dies abruptly. “Wait. What? You’re telling me there’s some kind of dragon battle over Seattle? Should I be looking out of my window? Heading for an underground bunker? Fuck. I knew I should’ve been prepping.”

“I know how it sounds, but I’m not kidding. Caleb—Craven—he’s a dragon. And there’s this other group called the Syndicate, and they’re dragons too, and they’re after me because I’m—well, they think I’m related to some kind of dragon-protecting witch and can give them access to a powerful crystal they keep at Craven Towers. It’s complicated.”

Complicated would be an understatement. I can’t even begin to explain this.

There’s another long pause, and for a second, I think she’s hung up. Then she says, “Okay, let’s say I believe you. Which is, you know, a huge leap because this is insane. What happens now?”

“I’m leaving for a few days. Caleb’s taking me to some cabin in the mountains to lay low. I just wanted you to know so you didn’t think I’d been kidnapped or something.”

“Uh, I’m pretty sure you have been kidnapped,” Mara says, her tone incredulous. “By a dragon. Jesus, Elena, this is… this is a lot.” There’s a muffled giggle. “Wait a bit. This is a smokescreen. You’re secretly going to the mountains for a booty call with a hot billionaire, right? Okay, I’m fully on board for that.”

“Dammit, Mara,” I snap. “How many of your ridiculous stories have I listened to without mocking you?”

“Not many,” she says drily. “Probably none.”

Shit.

“Okay. I’ll own that. But what’s so hard to believe about this story when you have literally believed every mad theory out there?”

“Because dragons are a myth , Len. A fairytale. My work is based on empirical evidence.”

“Empirical evidence? Mara, last month, you based an entire story on a picture of the Mothman somebody had drawn on a paper napkin from Hooters.”

“So what? It was a good picture!”

I groan in frustration. “I actually saw a dragon, Mara. With my own two eyes.” I rub my face. “Look, if you cut me some slack on this, I promise I’ll never make you another tinfoil hat again. Deal?”

She heaves a sigh. “Fine. Deal. But you know how crazy this sounds, right? And you’re taking this from the Queen of Crazy.”

“I know,” I say, my voice softening. “But dragons are real, Mara.”

“Dragons are real,” she repeats, her voice growing firmer. “Woah.” She laughs. “This is actually pretty freaking cool!”

“That remains to be seen,” I grumble. “But I need you to promise me you won’t tell anyone. Not even as one of your wild ideas. This isn’t a game, Mara. People—dragons—could get hurt.”

“Dragons could get hurt… God, do you know how long I’ve waited to be in a conversation like this, Lennie? You’ve made my day. No, my week. Hell, my entire year!”

“Glad to be of service. Now promise me,” I say firmly.

She’s quiet for a moment, and then she sighs. “Okay. I promise. But you’d better call me with updates, got it? I’m not letting you disappear into a cabin with some billionaire dragon guy without knowing you’re okay.”

“I’ll call you,” I promise.

“And if you get in any kind of trouble, you activate the Mara bat signal. I’ll be there with my best kickass boots on.”

“Sure.” I roll my eyes. She truly has no idea what I’m facing. “But Mara… seriously. Not a word.”

“Not a word,” she repeats. “But when you get back, you’re telling me everything. Dragons? Witches? This is the kind of stuff my TikTok followers would lose their minds over.”

“They’ll have to live without it,” I say firmly. “Love you, Mara.”

“Love you too, weirdo. Be careful.”

I hang up and slide my phone into my pocket, feeling a little lighter now that Mara knows. At least someone does. I grab a duffel bag from the closet and start shoving clothes into it, along with my laptop, my mother’s journal, and anything else that feels essential.

As I’m zipping up the bag, the door opens, and Caleb steps back in. He’s carrying a couple of grocery bags, which is such a bizarrely normal sight that it almost makes me laugh.

“Ready?” he asks, setting the bags down by the door.

“Yeah,” I say, slinging the duffel over my shoulder. I expect him to head out immediately, but instead, he walks further into the room and then stops at the corkboard.

“Do you mind if I take this?” he asks, unpinning the Polaroid of Mom that was stuck there. “There’s something I want to follow up on, and this might help.”

I feel a twinge of resistance but shove it down. “Sure,” I say. “As long as I get it back. I don’t have a lot of reminders of her.”

“Of course.” He nods solemnly. “I’ll guard it with my life.” He tucks it into his top pocket and pats his chest.

“I hope it doesn’t come to that.” I jerk my head at the door as I reach for my keys. We’ve agreed that I’ll make the drive to the cabin behind him, so I’ll have my car there if I need it. “Let’s get this over with.”

He gives me a long look, his eyes searching mine like he’s trying to figure out if I’m going to bolt. I’m not sure I’ve entirely ruled that out yet, but for now, I follow him out the door, bracing myself for whatever comes next.

I just pray it doesn’t involve being incinerated by a hoard of dragons.