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19

Bo

I’m standing on Main Street, staring at the sign that reads Never Judge a Cover , when I hear words I can’t ignore.

“Thank you, Professor Novac.”

That name.

His name.

The dragon whose hoard magic trapped me for seventeen years.

Who stole almost two decades of my life.

You were going to steal from him , a small voice in my head tries to remind me.

But the consternation rises so fast in my chest that the words are drowned out.

I turn in the direction of the speaker, searching for the gray-haired man with purple eyes.

But all I see is a white woman with long black hair who sits at a table outside of Coffee & Claws.

She has a laptop in front of her and glasses perched on her nose.

As if sensing my attention, she glances up.

Through the lenses, I spy a set of purple eyes.

Novac .

I’m reminded that they said the dragon was dead.

But that doesn’t mean that he didn’t have any offspring.

I stalk up to the woman, fists clenched at my sides.

“Are you related to Dimitri Novac?” I demand, looming over her.

She flinches. The reaction doesn’t give me any satisfaction.

All my life, I have been scaring people.

You would think that I would be used to it by now.

I rock back on my heels, then step back.

Giving her space but still staying to hear the answer.

“He …” She blinks up at me.

“Yes. I’m his daughter, Delta. He passed away. Did you know him?” Her head tilts with the question as she continues to peer at me.

I frown. “His house cursed me.”

Her eyes widen.

“You’re the … Mor told me about you. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that happened to you.”

I don’t like her bringing up the red-haired witch.

I don’t like thinking of the kind woman in this moment when I am clutching my resentment like a safety blanket.

“Your father trapped me for seventeen years,” I say with disbelief.

“And you didn’t know about it?”

Delta shakes her head.

“If I had known, I would’ve told him to free you.” She shifts in her seat, gaze dropping to her laptop and then rising to meet mine again.

“But I’m also not sure that he knew how to reverse the enchantment.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that magic doesn’t always work under our direction.” She waves at her laptop like it’s got something to do with her hoard protection spells.

“I don’t doubt that the magic trapped you. But I also don’t know that my father knew how to fix what had been done.”

“Well, a witch did,” I grunt, glaring at the ground.

“He could’ve asked for help. I could’ve been freed years ago.”

But why would a mythic help a monster who had broken into his house?

It’s a completely valid question that, for some reason, Dimitri’s daughter decides not to ask me.

She doesn’t bring up how I ended up in my curse.

Only reasons through how I stayed there.

“You’re right.” She nods.

“He could have asked for help. He should have. But he didn’t, and I don’t know why.”

“And now he’s gone.” Giving me no one to direct all this anger at.

Not when I’m also spelled against harming Sev.

All this rage and nowhere to place it.

Will the fury live inside me and fester?

“Yes.” Delta fiddles with the corner of her laptop.

“He is.”

One thing that definitely doesn’t help my bad mood is knowing I’ve made this woman uncomfortable.

I just stomped up to her and started interrogating her about her dead dad.

Before I can think of another thing to say, a small whimper distracts me.

That’s when I notice for the first time that beside Delta’s chair is a carrier, and inside of it is a small dog.

The little creature is not particularly attractive.

It could be called cute in an odd way.

Eyes too big, snout too small, fur a strange exploding tangle.

The dog’s tiny body quivers in fear.

It’s scared of me.

I’m frightening a helpless animal because I’m having a temper tantrum.

Because I’m grumbling at a woman who did nothing to me.

Delta merely shares blood with a man that I originally wronged.

This is all my fault.

And my old friend shame comes back and takes over.

“I’m sorry,” I tell the daughter of the dragon, my voice gone low.

“I shouldn’t have said anything. None of what happened is your fault.” My eyes rest on the dog, wishing I could soothe the creature.

As if sensing my want, Delta reaches into her pocket and comes out with a tiny dog biscuit.

“I’ll forgive you if you give Gigabyte a treat.”

“Oh.” My thick fingers fumble to accept.

“Okay.” Taking a knee, I slowly extend my hand.

The quivering creature freezes.

Then its nose twitches.

Then it lunges forward and gobbles up the peace offering.

“There.” Delta hums. “We’re good.” Her purple eyes capture mine.

“And if there’s any way I can help you get settled here, let me know.”

I nod silently, then stand, turn on my heel, and stride away from the living Novac.

I pass by the bookstore with all its intimidating stories that I can’t read.

And I keep walking until I reach the end of Main Street, where I parked Mor’s truck.

As I drive out of town, trees rise on the sides of the road, and I let myself pretend that I am lost in the wilderness.

Try to forget that I’m returning to the scene of my crime.

To the house that punished me.

I’m going back to the woman who saved me.

The witch who has offered me something that I can use to leave this place.

I will work in the library.

And then, when I have enough money in my pocket, I’ll leave Folk Haven forever.