Page 24

CHAPTER 24

W eb was losing his shit, shouting at the centaur guarding them. Liam was gripping the rope that linked their necks and telling Web to sit. Noah’s gaze flicked between the three of them.

“He fucking pissed on me!” Web pointed at the guard. “I’m not fucking sitting.”

The guard swung his spear. Noah took two steps forward even though he wasn’t sure what to do, but Pan grabbed his arm, pulling him up short.

The spear hit Web across the stomach, and he folded over as if bowing.

Liam dragged Web down to the log before Web had a chance to recover.

“What is going on?” Pan asked. His voice was crisp like a frosty morning that promised no warmth.

The guard and Beard spoke rapidly, pointing at Web and then Liam in a way that sounded very unfriendly. This wasn’t going well. According to Pan, they were trying to stop a war, not start one.

Beard issued an order, then turned to Pan and explained. Noah hated the way he didn’t understand what was being said…that, and he didn’t entirely trust Pan’s translation.

“It appears that Web pissed on the guard’s hoof and the guard retaliated.” Pan kept his voice low. “There is some debate among the centaurs, if that was the correct response.”

Noah stared at him. “How is that ever the correct response? Also, do you really think Web could pee that far?”

“No, it is more likely that the stream ran over the ground and hit the hoof. However?—”

“Don’t however this situation,” Noah hissed. Web was drenched in centaur piss.

“We are prisoners, Noah. There are a hundred different howevers. So unless you would like to spend the rest of your days polishing hooves and scraping dragon skins, I suggest you find the tent. Soothing Web’s ego is the least of our problems.”

Noah snorted. “That’s because you don’t know him.” Web was going to be bringing this up forever. Liam glared at Noah like he was the traitor, and Noah pointed at the bags against a tree. “Am I allowed to walk over there? Are you acting as translator?”

Pan nodded and spoke to Beard.

Noah left them to it.

He stalked over to the bags and grabbed Liam’s, hauling it over to a dry piece of ground to set it up.

“What’s going on?” Liam’s voice was little more than a whisper.

“Isn’t that clear? Noah’s made friends with the freaks while we’re prisoners,” Web spat.

Noah pulled the tent bag out of the backpack with more aggression than was needed. It really wasn’t that big, and it barely fitted two people, but it was all Liam had. He placed it on the ground and spoke without looking at his friends.

“We are all prisoners. They are waiting for the dragon to die to make a new tent.” He spread the pieces of the tent out. “I am showing them human tents in the hope of convincing them it’s better. All you had to do was sit tight and let Silas negotiate. Instead, you fucked us over.”

“He’s one of them. The only reason he gives a shit about you is because he’s feeding off you,” Web snarled.

“Like you didn’t want the same thing.” Noah pushed poles together, annoyance surging through his veins at the way Web had put them all in danger because he only cared about what he wanted.

“That is not a shining example of human tents,” Liam said.

“I’m aware. But since I know nothing about dragon skin tents, I’m assuming this is better.” He glanced at Liam. “Any ideas?”

“It has zips.”

Noah nodded. That was about all he had, too.

“And it’s lighter. Leather is heavy,” Liam added as if enjoying the idea of making up features.

“Is leather warmer?”

Liam shrugged. “No idea. But it has ventilation windows with mesh to keep out the bugs.”

“What happens if they don’t like the tent?” Web muttered, trying to hold the wet clothes off his skin.

Noah paused and glanced over. “Then we’re fucked. The dragon dies, her mate burns the city, and everything else, and the centaurs start a war with the survivors because they like fighting. So if you can think of any fancy tent features, please share.”

He finished sliding the poles into place and the tent snapped into position. Then he put the outer layer on and pushed the stakes into the ground. He stood and held out his hand as if he were a magician. “Behold the human tent.”

While he’d been occupied, he’d gathered an audience.

The gathered centaurs laughed.

Pan stepped closer. “They are saying it’s very small and making comparisons?—”

“Are they making dick jokes? They’re…” He drew in a breath and stopped himself from saying half horse. Because they weren’t really, nor were they half human. They just looked kind of human and kind of horse.

Pan gave a single nod.

Noah undid the window flap and folded it up. Then he undid the zip and crawled inside. How the fuck did he convince them it was better than a dragon skin tent?

He sat in the tent, knees drawn up to his chest. Meredith was right. This was a dangerous, foolhardy quest. He was going to die out here, not understanding a word anyone was saying.

Pan stuck his head in. “It would help if I could tell them how big other tents are.”

Noah swiped at his cheek. Right . Now was not the time to have a breakdown.

Pan got into the tent and kneeled in the entrance. “Please don’t fall apart, as I don’t know how to put you back together and I need you.”

Noah blinked and wiped his face. “I’m trying not to. I really am, but this is all fucking weird and scary, and we’re fucked. Over a barrel, no lube, and with a horse’s dick.”

“I have been to many orgies, and I do not think you’d like it…” He tilted his head as if considering the idea. “Though it might be fun for some people.”

Noah frowned, not understanding what was going on in Pan’s head. “It’s a saying. An expression that means everything is bad and we’re going to die horribly.”

“Oh, in that case. Yes, we are weighed down with silver and swimming with mermaids. That is a similar expression.”

“Yeah. You’re…you…you’re a god. You’re supposed to be making this right.”

“I’m trying, Noah. But you are the most magical being here.” He lifted one of Noah’s hands and kissed his fingertips. “You are drawn to magic, or it is drawn to you. Either way, you have the power to get us out of?—”

“Thanks, I needed the pressure.” His throat was tight, and he wanted to curl into a ball and make everything go away, but Pan held his hand as if to anchor him in the moment. “I can’t even understand what they’re saying.”

Pan moved closer and placed his hand over Noah’s heart. “You are listening for words, not for the feeling. Words have their own magic, ask any elf.”

Noah glanced up at him. He did not need another mythological being turning up with more demands. “I cannot learn a language like you. I don’t…” But according to Pan, he did have magic. He had the most magic out of anyone there. “I can use magic to learn your language?”

“Which one? I speak many.”

“The one you use with the centaurs.” Pan’s hand was warm against his chest, and he wanted to lean into the heat.

“Tarikian, that is the main language of my world. Though many kinds also have their own language.”

Noah lowered his voice. “And I have more magic than Web?”

Pan laughed. “A random rock on this world has more magic than him.”

“Oh…” He frowned. “It might be best if he didn’t find out that you know that.”

“Yes, his fragile ego might implode.” Pan’s hand lifted from Noah’s chest to cup his cheek. “Witch Noah, by the magic in your blood you have the power to convince the centaur queen that a human tent is superior to one made of a dead dragon. I beg your favor, your blessing, to save us and the dragon.”

Noah smiled. “That was better.”

Pan leaned closer, but it was Noah who closed the gap, knowing that Pan wanted to taste the magic, and since he knew how to use it was only fair that he had some.

Pan blinked as if startled. “Thank you for sharing.”

“It seemed like the right thing to do. Was it?”

“Perhaps. Even if it wasn’t, I liked it. Ready?”

“No. But I’ll try.” He shifted his weight and his phone out of his pocket. “I can show them pictures of more.” He pulled up the camping store website and searched up tents. “And here are the qualities of human made tents.” He showed Pan.

Pan stared at the screen for several seconds. “I have learned to speak your language, but I cannot read it. The pictures are very impressive, though. The colors might win them over.”

“The colors?”

“They have to paint the dragon skin; otherwise, it’s only green.”

“They don’t all come in bright colors. And I doubt many tents will be big enough. Tall enough.” He scrolled through the website, hoping to find one big enough for a couple of horses.

Pan put his hand over Noah’s. “We need to go back out there.”

Noah nodded and lifted his gaze. A centaur child peered through the door. They grinned and asked a question in Tarikian, that was probably something like ‘can I come in’.

Pan responded and moved to the side. The child—or should that be foal?—walked in. They pressed a hand to the mesh and asked another question. It was easy to guess that it was about the mesh, something the child had never seen before. Pan answered.

He indicated for Noah to step out of the tent.

He put his phone in his pocket and crawled out with Pan following. His gaze took in the waiting centaurs, their harsh expressions and sharp spears, and his heartbeat quickened with fear. His throat was dry, but he needed to sell this.

He swallowed twice before finding his voice. “This is what is called a two-man tent, because it sleeps two humans comfortably, though you can squeeze three in.” Noah pointed to Web and Liam. They had discussed chipping in to buy a four-man tent, so they’d have a bit more room, but they never had. Sometimes he took David’s family sized tent, but that was too big for the three of them, and much more cumbersome to carry around and set up.

The child in the tent called out and two other children cantered over and dived inside.

Beard made a joke, and the others laughed. If they were comparing tent sizes again …Noah glared at Pan.

Pan smiled at him and translated what they were saying into English. “Three humans or three centaur children. They want a tent for a family.”

Noah looked at Beard as he spoke. “Humans also like family tents. My uncle has one, which also has an awning and an annex.”

Pan’s translation halted. “What is an awning and an annex? Perhaps you can show them. And by them, I mean the queen. Address her please.”

Right, just because Beard was doing the talking didn’t mean he was in charge.

Noah pulled his phone out and Pan seemed to describe it to them, as mixed in with the Tarikian, Noah heard the word phone. Which the centaurs then repeated, as if testing out the new word.

Pan ran his fingers through his hair and tugged on a curl. “They are asking what a phone does. I said it is a herald for news and also takes pictures like a painter, but they move. I do not think they believe me.”

“It also searches the Internet, but how are you going to explain that to people who’ve never had the Internet…which includes you. Shit. The Internet is like a giant library, but it’s the kind of library where anyone can add to it, so some of it is truthful and useful and some of it is not. There’s also social media where you can keep in contact with people. I use it to message my friends in Australia. Which is on the other side of the world. And I use it to call my parents and speak to them.”

Pan’s eyebrows drew together. “I know it’s not magic, and yet, it is a powerful magic. Your world created new technologies because you lack true magic.” He was silent for a couple of seconds before turning to the queen to tell her more about the phone.

“What about the yurt where the meditations were held at the last festival? That was a big tent,” Liam said.

“That’s a good idea, but I don’t know anything about them. Or where to get one.”

“What are you going to do? Rob a camping store?” Web asked.

He hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I’ll worry when they have agreed human tents are better, then I’ll ask my aunt to requisition one, or something?”

The queen beckoned Noah forward. He pulled up the camping store website to show her and scrolled through some photos. When he reached the biggest tent, he tapped on it, so she could see a bigger picture.

She asked questions he couldn’t answer, and from the look on Pan’s face, he didn’t know where to start. There was a little conversation between the queen and Pan. Which involved Pan pursing his lips and tugging on his horn again.

Noah had the feeling that if Pan had magic, they’d have all been smited so he could have some peace.

“She wants you to explain how the phone works,” Pan said eventually.

Noah blew out a breath. “I don’t know the details. Like, a website is made with coding. It’s a language made for technology that tells it how to work.”

Pan told her something, and she gave what appeared to be a very sage nod before responding and waving at Pan to translate.

“It is the same as the vampire language, which is only written, never spoken. She thinks you are a powerful witch for being able to operate the phone.”

Web laughed but stopped with his mouth still open at Pan’s glare.

That was enough for Noah to remember Pan had called him the most magical being there. That he either attracted magic to himself or was drawn to it. He had a whole ass god on his side. And Web had nothing except for a collection of black clothes and an attitude.

“Please tell her more about the tents,” Pan said.

So Noah showed her the video on the website of the tent being set up. And he listed off the features, before demonstrating how a zipper worked. Which everyone was very impressed with, and they all wanted a turn to see if they could operate it.

“The queen said she will keep the small tent for the children, and that she will take two big ones in exchange for the dragon.” Pan nodded, as if agreeing that the queen had made the correct choice.

Great, now he needed two large tents, not just one, but he wasn’t about to argue if that’s what got them out of there. “When can we see the dragon?”

Pan winced at the answer. “Tomorrow, it is too dark now. We are their guests for tonight.”

“Guests?” Noah didn’t want to stay there tonight. Though he didn’t really want to be camping near a dragon either. “I need to know where the dragon is, so I can organize for the vet to meet us there.”

Pan gave him a small smile. “You know where she is.”

No, he didn’t. He’d let his necklace land on the map, that didn’t mean the dragon was there. He didn’t trust it. He didn’t trust himself or his magic. But Pan did.