Page 33

CHAPTER 33

T he dragons were sleeping, taking up most of the car park behind the pub. The male lifted his head and chirped a thank you as Pan walked to the door. He paused and put his hand over his heart and nodded, glad that he had fulfilled one promise. Overhead, the moon was creeping to fullness. He turned the ring on his finger. He had no followers and had done nothing for the people of Beita.

Perhaps Feryn would take back the ring and resume his position as lord. That’s what should happen. But without magic, or borrowed power, who was he?

It was a bitter realization that he needed the ring because without it he had nothing, and no one would listen to him…except for the dragons and possibly Noah.

As much as he hoped Noah was there, he wouldn’t be surprised if he’d gone home to bathe. Something he also wanted to do. However, another night spent with the dragons was better than being a guest of the centaurs.

But when he turned the door handle, it opened, and music filtered out along with laughter. The scent of food made his stomach gurgle with anticipation.

“Linda? Noah?” he called as he shut the door.

When no one answered, he walked toward the light and music.

Noah stepped into the hallway. “You made it back.”

His eyes were bright and his words soft, the edges filed away with alcohol.

“And you managed to reunite the dragons. Well done.” It was a shock how much he meant it as the words left his lips. A human, who didn’t speak any Dragon, had managed to get her to her mate. “I’m assuming no one got eaten.”

Noah smiled. “No one got eaten. When he saw her, it was so cute. They were so chatty and excited. Come and have a drink. Lord Feryn has been telling us about Beita.”

Pan blinked. “He’s in the pub?”

Everything was slipping away.

Noah ran his fingers through his hair. “Yeah, they were having a wake for the dead and the loss of their looks when I got here.”

Oh. Feryn had left the palace to bring out the dead.

And he’d missed the party. He hated missing parties.

His stomach grumbled, loud enough that he was sure everyone in the bar heard. “Is there food?”

“I’ll heat you a bowl of stew.”

Instead of going into the bar, he followed Noah into the kitchen, unable to walk away from him. It was the magic that was drawing them together, that was all.

Noah put a bowl into a box with a glass door and jabbed a few buttons. It lit up and hummed. He turned, resting his hip on the kitchen counter, then beckoned Pan closer.

He hesitated for a second, because who was Noah to order him around? To make demands of a god?

But they had established that Noah was the one with power, so why shouldn’t he act as a supplicant, pleading for a blessing?

He took that first step, and it was easy to close the few steps between them.

Noah slid his hand around Pan’s waist and kissed him, without pausing to ask. And Pan didn’t mind at all as their lips met. The heat and sweetness of Noah’s lips took every thought. And it wasn’t magic that he wanted.

It was the man.

Which was odd, because he was so used to having whoever he wanted that he never craved anyone. Noah’s tongue traced over his lower lip and Pan invited him in. A shiver of expectation raced through his blood, and he didn’t want this to end.

Is this how others felt when he had invited them closer?

Something beeped.

Noah drew back, his teeth raking over Pan’s lower lip. “I wasn’t sure if it was a one off.”

Pan frowned. One off?

“You know, in the tent…” His cheeks reddened.

“Ohh, I know.” He ran his thumb over Noah’s lower lip. “Not a one off. You are turning me into a sex demon.”

Noah licked the end of his thumb, then pulled away. “Your dinner’s ready. Come and have a drink.”

A drink was the last thing he wanted. He wanted to take him to bed. Not that he had a bed. He had nowhere to sleep.

“Were you waiting for me to get back?”

“Yeah. And everyone has had too much to drink to drive home. Feryn said we can sleep in the palace.”

Feryn must be impressed with the humans…or he planned to ask them for a favor. “That is quite the honor.”

“Well, it was that, or sleep with the dead vampires, which to be honest, sounds like the start of a horror movie.”

Pan lifted one eyebrow, not understanding the words, yet sensing the vibration of fear. “You fear the dead?”

Noah lowered his voice. “They are vampires,” he said as if that explained everything.

While Pan had questions about Noah’s assumptions about vampires, they could wait for another time. “If Feryn has offered you a place to sleep in the palace, you will be safe. It is his duty as host.”

Noah nodded and opened the box. He pulled out the now steaming bowl of stew, which smelled amazing. “That’s what he said.”

What else had Feryn said? Did they all know what he was?

If all the people from Tariko knew he had no magic, they’d never worship him again. While it was interesting to be on the other side of magic use, he didn’t want to live like this forever. He wanted Noah to whisper his name in prayer…and he wanted to be able to respond and give him everything he wanted.

Which was magical objects. That’s what Noah liked.

“Feryn has been keeping the magical object I promised you.”

Noah’s eyes lit up. “It’s from your world?”

Pan nodded. He took the bowl out of Noah’s hands and grabbed a spoon out of the drawer. “Come on.”

He led the way to the bar but stopped in the doorway as if unable to take another step. The pile of sheet wrapped bodies was so neat, and the lighting was so dim, that at first glance it almost looked like rolls of blankets.

Almost.

How many were family and how many were staff?

Were they vampire, human, werewolf or something else?

Noah put his hand on Pan’s lower back. “There are twenty-seven. They are being collected tomorrow. The human authorities said they will photograph and document them before they are cremated. My grandmother and her friend helped the vampires write their details in English, as no human can read Tarikian.”

“That was very kind of her.” He forced the words out, not sure what else to say.

“It needed to be done.”

But plenty wouldn’t have done it. They’d have run away, especially given the way vampires looked now. He needed to find a way to thank Linda and her friend, unless Feryn had already done it. Perhaps offering them a safe place to stay was part of the deal.

Laughter broke through his thoughts. Still standing in the doorway, he took a spoonful of the stew, fortifying himself to step into the bar.

“Silas, you have returned. And returned the dragon to me.” Feryn put his hand over his heart as if the dragons were his own. “I hear you have also appeased the centaurs.”

Pan inclined his head. “As much as anyone can.”

One of the other vampires gave a soft laugh. All of them wore their hair loose and kept their faces tilted down and away from the light. Linda was behind the bar, and another woman with short white hair was sitting next to the vampires as if they were old friends.

He should pull up a stool at the bar and eat his stew with them, but he was too tired for conversation and stories, and he didn’t want to hear about the lives of the dead. Which was a callous thought, as the dead only lived in memories. But he had dealt with enough pain and suffering today.

Tomorrow, he’d ask about them.

Tomorrow, there were living Tarikians who needed help. And the only way he could help was by asking humans for favors.

“Feryn said we should all thank Pan for the return of the dragon,” Linda said, her gaze a little too sharp.

“The centaurs also praised him for the vet’s aid.” It wasn’t a lie, and they had. But he hadn’t felt a fucking thing. It was only with Noah that he tasted magic. He turned to Feryn and spoke in Tarikian, “It has been a long and difficult day, and while I ache for your loss, I need stillness.”

He would not beg for a bed, but he hoped one might be offered.

“And I need the coat I asked you to mind. The witch collects magical objects, and it may be of use.”

“Of course.” Feryn stood and spoke in English. “I will return once I have shown Silas his room.”

Pan glanced at Noah, needing him to follow but not wanting to ask. He was so used to people obeying his every inclination that thinking about asking grated.

Noah picked a glass of the bar and drained it.

Pan didn’t miss the shake of Linda’s head. It wasn’t that she didn’t like him…no it was worse, she didn’t trust him. And since she loved Noah, she viewed him as a hazard. He needed to tell her how important Noah was to him and magic.

But he needed all of his energy to eat the stew, take off his boots and fall into bed.

Another problem for tomorrow.

Tomorrow already had far too many problems with no easy solutions.

“Any news on the Strega?” Pan asked in Tarikian, hoping he didn’t sound too desperate.

“None, nor the knight.” Feryn said as he walked toward the palace door. “You will need to visit the temporary housing for what they are calling mythological beings. You will need to?—”

“And what will you be doing?” Why was it all on him?

Feryn bared his fangs. “Stopping the rest of the vampires from flinging themselves down the stairs.” He stepped through the doorway into the palace and was swallowed by shadows.

Vampires, always ones for drama. Like they were the only ones suffering from the loss of magic.

“You are my public face, Silas . Encourage my people to pray to a new god, so that Pan may deliver us a place in this world.”

Which is what he wanted. It is what they deserved. But even if he had magic, he didn’t know how to make it happen. It was too big and too vague. He couldn’t create something that affected the entire world, even if all the other gods had magic and helped him. He wasn’t sure that was possible as every person would hold a different idea about what that place should be.

“That is a very big ask of magic.”

“I am aware,” Feryn sighed. “Which is why I have given you my power.” Light flared and Feryn lifted the lamp. “We want the same thing. I could not have helped the dragon. Your success proves that you came to me for a reason. And that reason is to help our people.”

“Is everything okay?” Noah asked in English, stepping up into the palace.

“Yes. We are discussing plans for tomorrow.” And so far, none of them included a bath, a bath with Noah, or spending the day in bed with him. For the sake of magic, because he wasn’t interested in anything else. And not because he liked the way Noah kissed him in the kitchen.

He was thousands of years old and had been kissed more times than Noah had drawn breath. It meant nothing.

Feryn didn’t call him on the lie. He opened the wardrobe door and reached into the back, pulling out the coat. “When you step out of this room.” He pointed to a door the lead deeper into the palace. “Turn right. A room has been made up for you both.” Feryn cast his gaze over Noah and spoke in Tarikian. “I assume your witch is staying with you. I do look forward to tasting the magic in his blood.”

That was a conversation for another time in the distant future.

“I cannot make those promises for him.”

Feryn arched one eyebrow. “But you will gift him a selkie’s coat.”

“As I said, he collects magical items, or they are drawn to him. After all, your palace arrived here, which is where he was working at the time.”

“So you are merely following threads of magic.”

“I am a servant of magic.” Pan inclined his head. His entire reason for existing had been erased in the collapse. He was a conduit with nothing to conduct, and the emptiness was an ache that was only soothed by Noah’s touch. “Do you have a better plan?” An edge formed in his voice. “Do you know more about magic than me?”

“I do not. I know nothing of human witches, either. So I pray he is worthy of such a gift.”

So did Pan. But an instinct born of thousands of years of magic use told him it was the right thing to do. So even though he couldn’t sense magic or use it, he was not going to ignore that sensation. He had to believe in magic even if it was beyond his reach.

Feryn placed the coat on the end of his bed. “Rest well.”

“Is that possible?”

“I hope so. I do not want this waking nightmare to continue.” Feryn handed Pan the lamp and returned to the bar, pulling the door closed.

Pan had no idea how many vampires and other beings still lived in the palace. Given that there were children living here, someone must be watching them. And he had no idea where in the palace the children were, or how much was spread underground.

“Just because you two were speaking another language doesn’t mean I can’t tell that you were arguing.”

Pan took another spoonful of stew and ate it before answering. Noah was becoming more perceptive to the language. How long until he spoke Tarikian? Vampires and elves were adept at learning languages, more so than other kinds. He was not surprised that Feryn had learned after spending time with Linda. “He wants to remain hidden in the castle while I rule his city.”

“Human horror stories are filled with vampires who rise from the dead and bite and kill people. And given the way he looks, he kind of has a point.”

Great .

“He also asked if you intend on staying with me tonight. I assumed you do not need a room of your own.” Or was that something he should’ve asked Noah first?

Noah moved closer. “I do not.” He paused and stared at the coat, before reaching out and running his fingers over the sleek dark fur. “Is this the coat you were wearing when I met you?”

“It is. I do not think it was me you were drawn to, given that I have no magic. I think perhaps it was the coat calling to you. Do you feel anything?”

Noah’s lips curved. “Are we still talking about the coat?”

“I smell like dragon, need a bath, and this painfully mortal body needs to sleep…we are still talking about the coat.”

“We could bathe together.”

As much as Pan liked the idea of bathing, he doubted they would fill up an actual bath. The water supply that had once fed the castle no longer existed. “I suspect there will be a jug of water and cloths in our room and that will have to suffice.”

Noah sighed. “I should’ve gone home. At least then I could’ve showered.”

“Showered?”

“Um, like standing in rain, but it comes from a tap in the roof. Do you have taps?”

Pan rolled his eyes. “Of course we have taps and hot water…but it all used magic. You can show me your shower another day.”

“Can I pick up the coat?”

“Of course. Bring it to our room.”