Page 18 of So I Dared a Dragon (The Mating Game #6)

eighteen

. . .

Calista

Nothing ended a meeting faster than the unfortunate discovery that I could make ancient wisdom disappear. I was pretty sure I was banned from the library to make sure I didn’t completely erase all of shifter history.

Ugh.

The worst part was we didn’t find anything worthwhile for Aarix to work with. I’d daydreamed of finding the one buried piece of information that would save those dragons. That would finally give my sweet, tortured mate peace.

I sighed loudly, but it was wasted because I was alone at Bibi’s house. I kept looking at my phone, hoping for some update, even though I had a bad feeling there was an emergency production meeting in progress with my name all over it.

The scales on my arm throbbed like they were just as frustrated as I was. I’d handed over my life to Bibi and her team, daring them to fix it, but I craved having some control over the situation. Or at least an understanding why things were happening.

I wasn’t sure anyone had answers. None of the ladies in the library had ever seen words vanish from a book before. Aarix would know, I was sure of it. All I had to do was get him alone.

I topped my late afternoon matcha with a healthy dollop of vanilla cold foam and retrieved the journal Bibi had gifted me with when my episode started. I had yet to use it, because pretty notebooks intimidated me. I didn’t want to make a mistake, cross something out, or somehow sap its beauty away.

But it was perfect for conducting this experiment. I pulled a purple felt-tip pen out of the cup Bibi kept in the utility drawer in the kitchen, then took a seat at the table. Indulging in a long sip of matcha, I wondered what I was trying to prove.

I started writing.

Nothing was scarier than walking into that mountain for the first time. Those dark, craggy hallways only illuminated by fire. The guards barking at us to stay in line. I swore they were leading us straight to hell, and in some respects, I was right. They brought us straight to the stage to be bid on, fought over, and sweet moon, did I ever want to run. But those guards were all too willing to punish us like they’d punished you. And when Darcy’s name was called out, I knew I couldn’t leave her. I’ve always been loyal to a fault, everyone’s ride or die, even when the latter felt like a real possibility.

My lips curled into a smile, and my hand started to cramp, but I kept writing. Bibi had thought I might like to journal about my experience, give myself something to look back on. And maybe I could do that. I could tell the story of how Aarix claimed me, and maybe I could give it to him at our mating ceremony. If history was something that could be taken from us, I’d record it as it happened, when it was still the present.

Warmth flooded my body as I started to write about our very first encounter. How he’d shown me that he was very much in control of the situation, but he didn’t make me feel helpless. How he’d wanted to know everything about me. My life. What the world was like outside that mountain.

So I let myself get lost in every single detail, channeling the feeling of his lips on mine and those talons against my skin. Everyone was tiptoeing around these dragons, unsure of how to help them acclimate to modern life. I was far from an expert, but if we simply let them follow their curiosity, I was sure they’d find their place.

Maybe I wanted for them what I wanted for myself.

The corners of my vision blurred, and my handwriting changed. Not surprising, since I probably hadn’t written this much by hand since my last high school essay. But then, my reality started to melt away and I was no longer in Bibi’s kitchen. I was in the mountains, somewhere? It didn’t look familiar at all. But I still had my notebook and my matcha.

I kept writing, fixated on how none of the words looked familiar. Not just the handwriting, which was becoming increasingly more flowery, but much neater than my regular penmanship. The words were changing. I was spelling them with extra letters, but somehow, they looked right. Some of the words I’d never seen before but I knew exactly how to use them in sentences.

Language has evolved over time, Wendy had eagerly told us just hours before. If there’s anything you don’t recognize…

Forcing myself to pull the pen away from the paper, I read over the words, astonished at what had poured out of me. I had no idea whose history this was, but it belonged to someone.

I had to take a picture of this before it disappeared. There was something important here, but I had no idea what it was.

Where did I leave my phone? I got up to grab it when I heard car tires crunch on the gravel driveway. A quick peek out the window revealed Bibi’s Firebird.

Shit. I hated feeling like I had to hide things, but there was no way she hadn’t gotten the full report on what had happened at the library.

If I was going to help Aarix, I needed to take control of this situation. I needed to see him now. But we’d just had our first date, and I didn’t have say over the show’s schedule. It was his turn to plan the next date.

I had to take matters into my own hands. A jumbled plan came together in my head. I didn’t have time to perfect it, but this message couldn’t wait.

“Hello!” Bibi called out as she walked into the front door. Giving up on finding my phone, I tossed the notebook into the spare boudoir and shut the door more forcefully than I intended.

“Hey,” I said, taking her in.

Wait. Her wig was crooked, her makeup was smudged, and she was absolutely glowing.

“I have to talk to you.” I had to go through with the plan I’d just concocted, but moon knew I was dying to know what had happened.

“Of course.” Bibi frowned and settled into one of her chairs. “Is everything okay?”

How did she not know everything wasn’t okay? Where the heck did she just come back from?

“I don’t know.” I hugged my arms across my chest. “I just keep thinking about Aarix. Last night. I’m…not sure our date was a success.”

That had sounded so much better in my head. I had no choice but to roll with it now.

Bibi waved her hand. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that. The two of you have such a beautiful connection.”

She wasn’t buying it. Damn it. I had to double down.

“He didn’t kiss me. Doesn’t that automatically mean the date is a failure?” The date, of course, had been preempted by the news of the note, and Aarix’s need to protect me.

Bibi’s cheeks turned as red as her favorite signature lipstick.

“Okay, spill it.” I took the seat closest to her on the couch. “There’s no way you just came from a production meeting.”

“No.” Her eyes widened and she swallowed hard. I’d never seen Bibi nervous before. “Hugo and I are back together.”

“That’s so exciting! What happened?”

“When we got word…we went to his house, hoping to find information about the dragons. And Calista, I wanted to run out of there the moment I walked in. It was so…him. His scent was everywhere. It was overwhelming. And all I could think of was, what if I never see him again? And then he walked in—”

“Wait. You broke into his house?” I might have loved this little detail.

“I have a key,” she said. “Anyway, he kissed me like I was the oxygen he needed to breathe. And I felt like I could tell him all those things I didn’t have words for. Neither of us wanted to stop.”

“I love this so much.” I got up and hugged her. “You look so happy. I’m so glad the two of you were able to work things out. I hated how sad you were without Hugo, and even more that I felt like I was the reason the two of you broke up.”

“You weren’t, I was.” She smiled sadly.

I went back to the couch, leaning against the cushion. “You know, that confirms it. Aarix isn’t that into me.”

Ugh. This felt so traitorous.

“What on earth brought this on? He gave you that.” She leaned forward, and I held out my arm for her to examine. “Has there been any changes with them?”

“Still the same.” I sighed. “What if he gave me these scales to avoid kissing me?”

“What would make you feel better about this?” Bibi couldn’t resist a little romance.

“We go out on the next date as soon as possible.” My plan was officially in play. “I need to kiss him again, Bibi. You know how it felt when you thought you might never kiss Hugo again.”

“I’m not sure that’s the best idea.” She frowned. “Production thinks it might be better if we slowed the dates down while we find who was threatening you.”

It was a strong point, and probably the most responsible idea, but time was our frenemy. “What if Aarix figures out I’m more trouble than I’m worth while we find these answers?”

“I assure you, that won’t happen.”

“But you were convinced you’d lost Hugo forever,” I reminded her. “You did your best to act like everything was okay, but you didn’t have to do that for me. I knew that sparkly heart of yours had been torn in two. Meanwhile, we all knew the two of you are destined to be together. You can fight me all you want on this, Bibi—but I know you would’ve never believed me until you kissed that wolf.”

“You’re right,” she said with a contented sigh.

I cocked a brow. “Does that mean we can start planning the next date?”

“Traditionally, the chosen partner is the one who plans the second date, so you can get to know him better.”

“But Aarix is still so unfamiliar with modern life,” I countered. Someday, that would no longer be true. “And so focused on freeing the dragons.”

I wished I could tell her what had just happened. I hated keeping secrets. But I didn’t know what I’d discovered in that journal, and I had a feeling it was for Aarix’s eyes only. I didn’t want anyone to take it away from me.

“We should really get those scales checked before we do anything else—”

The scales throbbed—in warning? Confirmation?

“—I’m concerned about your wolf.” If Bibi had said anything else, I’d totally missed it.

I scoffed and shook my head. “What good has a Montana wolf ever done?”

Bibi’s face fell. “I like to think I’ve done some good things. And you have too.”

“You’re a fairy dragmother. You fix people. I break things.”

Bibi came and sat next to me, taking my hand in hers. “You broke the mold. You didn’t listen to anyone who told you that you couldn’t do something. Which is the reason why I’ll help you plan this date. But don’t forget, sometimes things break to make room for something even better.”

I just hoped my plan didn’t hurt Aarix. That this bizarre and unfamiliar writing I didn’t understand was simply gibberish and not some doomsday prophesy.

“I’ll try not to break anything else.” It might have been an empty promise, but I would do my best. I wanted to be a Montana wolf who did the right thing.

“Where would you like to take Aarix on the next date?” Bibi asked.

“To the new shifter museum.”

She frowned. “That’s a wonderful idea, but it’s not finished yet.”

“But most of the exhibits have to be in the building already, correct?”

“I believe so. My focus has been on The Mating Game , but I have been keeping up with the updates.”

“I’d love for him to have a chance to see everything before anyone else. Especially before it opens to the public.” The scales were throbbing again. “Something in there might hold the clues he needs.”

“That’s actually an excellent idea.” Bibi rose from the couch. “I’ll get busy planning. Start thinking about what you want to wear to guarantee that dragon can’t keep his lips away from yours. I’ll give Wendy a call and request early access.”

Bibi disappeared into her boudoir. Damn, I forgot that we’d have to ask Wendy’s permission. I just hoped she didn’t think I had the power to make everything in the museum disappear.