Page 64 of Jay's Silence

Wiggles crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the floor.

Og held his hands up. “Jay, relax, this is exactly what I wanted. You to explain things so we can talk about it. I’m not doubting you.” He dropped his hands. “We want to hear your thought process and help.” He stood and slid to Wiggles' side. “You are not alone. You don’t have to process all of this alone. If I have to say it a thousand times for you to feel it, I will. I’ll say it as many times as it takes.”

Og’s aura turned a fierce blue while Wiggles flickered with reds, greens, and a little spark of the same blue. I scrubbed my eyes, wishing I could turn it all off.

“My ex used magic to project himself, but someone abruptly cut him off. He didn’t come to us in person. He didn’t use technology,” Wiggles said slowly. “I believe he’s either helped or handicapped us, and relying solely on him will only give ushis answers. I’m not comfortable with that.”

Ogden nodded. “When you put it that way, I’m in complete agreement.”

More of the blue filled Wiggle’s aura, and her features softened.

“Are we all in agreement to stay in England?” Rehan asked. “Trust our people to keep their eyes open and their guard up while we recover Jay’s memories?” Although the water dragon’s face remained impassive, his aura flickered like a candle.

These auras had to be the side effect of the pixie dust… unless they weren’t. The colors felt familiar and not in an uncomfortable way. Everyone stared at me, and it took me a moment to realize they were waiting for me to agree with them.

“Yes, stay in England,” I growled.

Wiggles bobbed her head.

“See, that wasn’t so bad,” Og squeezed her to his side.

Wiggles batted him away, but a soft smile pulled at the corners of her mouth, and her aura turned a lovely deep purple. I liked the color. A little more red and it would match my scales.

“So, back to the British Museum,” Jay said. “I think our best plan is to avoid the British authorities completely and hit the building itself.” She brought up a picture of a large Victorian estate flying an assortment of flags on the laptop. “Although they turned in their CCTV footage to the human police, they should still have their backups in their server room. So, all we need to do is break in and watch it.” Her aura changed to yellow.

I ate another fry and studied the colors. What if they meant something? “That doesn’t sound so bad,” I commented, waiting for the colors to shift.

Wiggles nodded. The yellow grew brighter. “Just a few guards, a few locked doors, and a security code, we should be fine. No clubs or bars for your guys to mess about in.” She grinned, though the color surrounding her took on a pink tinge.

A flash of pain split my head, and my sire’s voice echoed in my memory.

You can’t act this way, son. You are of my blood, a prince, a fire dragon who wields fire magic. Empathy is a weakness others will use to exploit you, us. Your weakness is the reason you still can’t shift. And until you learn to block out extraneous information, no one can help you.

By the time the words stopped, I saw my sire, impossibly tall above me with his wings spread wide. Darkness surrounded him despite the sunlight glinting off his scales. All I’d wanted was to be like him. But I hadn’t stood a chance.

“Earth to Tyson,” Wiggles said.

I shook my head, trying to dislodge the memory and focus on her concerned face.

“Are you well enough to hit the museum tonight?” she asked.

I rolled my chair forward to rest my hand on her knee and nodded. “Aye.”

Although I looked at Wiggles, all I saw was my sire, his glowing black aura telling me something I didn’t want to remember.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

JAIYANA

An array of computer screens filled the longest wall in the British Museum’s security room. Dead center, a metal desk with three more monitors cast an eerie light into the otherwise dark space. Seated on a wheeled office chair, a single poor soul shook with fear. His social media refreshed for the second time on the left-most screen. The middle held an empty video player, and the third waited patiently to have a password typed into it. Much like me, calmly hovering, ready for his fear to change into acquiescence.

The man’s official-looking dark uniform was sharp. He even had a little star on the breast for night shift employee of the month. I almost felt bad for the guy.

Og crowded his other side while Rehan watched the door. I’d left Tyson and Lux manning the side entrance we’d used to secure our exit.

“How did you even get in here?” Employee of the Month asked. His thin shoulder trembled harder under my fingers.

My reflection in the dark center screen smiled. “Magic. Now.” I whipped up a little whirlpool of air at my side. It blew the strapsof my backpack and made my hair frizz as it created just enough electricity to give a little shock.

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