Page 57 of Fated By Fire
He studies me for a long moment, then nods. “We’ll go together. Quick in and out. Then you stay here until this is over.”
I don’t like it, but I see the steel in his eyes. This isn’t a negotiation. “Okay.”
Chapter 21
Elena
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.”
“Iamserious, 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 youhavebeen 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 amyth, Len. A fairytale. My work is based on empirical evidence.”
