Guards holding rather pointy-looking lances stood firm at the door. One glanced my way when I stared too long, and I quickly averted my gaze and rounded the corner.
Absently, I thumbed the travel stones in my pocket. I hadn’t really thought past finding Dante and having him warp us out of here. But the travel stones and cinnamon weren’t much use to him if I couldn’t get near him. Snapping gators, I wasn’t even sure if cinnamon would work on this curse. They may have been using a different one from the false goddess.
“Now I wish I’d spent more time looking through his big book of magic rather than the one for the beasts. A sleeping spell would be great right now,” I muttered. I worried at my bottom lip and ducked into a seat in the stands.
I needed something to distract a whole mess of people at once. The more guards I could drive away the better. What gets a crowd of people running?
“Gah, there’s so many bees over here!” A woman in a fine green dress waved her fan at the pesky bees surrounding her. Her waving only aggravated the insects further, and they began attacking her in earnest.
I grinned. “That’ll do.”
I abandoned my seat and ducked into a dark corner away from the crowd. Fishing the travel stones out of my pocket, I placed the return stone on the ground and held the other one with both hands. “Alright, I’m pretty sure I have to leave one of you here, which means you should be able to take me to the third stone back in his castle.”
The stone in my hand gave no response.
“Or you should,” I muttered, narrowing my eyes at the rock. “As soon as I figure out how to use you.”
I hit it.
Nothing.
“Damn.”
I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the magic flooding through my veins. It was risky, considering what had happened last time I tried to use Dante’s magic. But beggars can’t be choosers. “Please don’t blow up in my hands this time.”
Swirling wind pulled around me, and I damn near cried in relief. When the wind cleared, I found myself standing in the golden coin-covered floor of Dante’s hoard. “Yes, I did it!” I cried out, throwing my hands up.
“Why yes. Yes, you did.”
“Dante?” I asked, turning around at the sound of the deep voice. It belonged to a dragon alright, just not the one I was used to seeing.
This one was far paler than Dante, with hints of violet tipping the larger scales running down its back. The dragon lay upon a pile of coins and looked down at me with an almost bored expression. It lifted itself off its perch and slinked forward like a cat stalking a mouse.
Nothing is ever easy, is it?
“Tell me, little human, what would cause a frail thing like you to make the foolish mistake of breaking into the hoard of the Lord of Storms?”
Knees shaking, I swallowed the fear back and straightened my spine. “Hello,” I greeted cheerily. “You must be Kohara. I’m your new sister-in-law, Cherry.”
My greeting was met with laughter that clattered the coins at my feet.“Of all the excuses I’ve heard over the years, that may just take the cake.”Kohara took another step forward, her mouth glowed with orange flame.
I quickly backed away behind a treasure chest. “It’s not an excuse! I really am your sister-in-law. As a matter of fact, Dante needs your help and—”
“Enough,”she barked.“I grow weary of your excuses, though I commend you for being brave enough to get this far. Come out from behind your little hiding place and I’ll grant you a swift death.”
“Wow, that is so generous, but I think I’m just going to stick with living for now.”
Smoke hissed around her snout.“Fine then, I’ll come to you.”
“Oh that’s so not necessar—” The last of my words were cut off in a high-pitched scream as I dove out of the way of her claws.
“Hold still, you little vermin,”Kohara growled. She took another swipe at me, nearly taking off my head before I ducked and rolled down a pile of coins and took off running.
“If you could just listen to me for a second!” I cried, ducking behind a column to avoid the stream of flames my sister-in-law shot forth. When the flames dissipated, I bolted toward the exit, only to be stopped by a wall of pale scales as she slammed her tail down in my path.
Skidding to a halt, I veered away and ducked behind the large throne sitting on a dais. “Listen dammit, Dante is in danger!”
“As if I would believe the words of a lying thief,”she hissed.“Any idiot could see you’re just trying to save your own hide.”
