“If you’d have listened to me earlier… Kieran thinks this could be the answer.”I flew faster as my brother increased his speed.“There’s a third woman. Don’t you at least… Malachy, wait!”

I chased after him as he tucked in his wings, doing the same technique I’d taught him as he tried to get away.

But the asshole wouldn’t escape that easily.

“Seriously, what is wrong with you?”I yelled as I matched his lower flight path and finally caught up.

Just when I was about to smash into him again, Malachy turned a tear-filled dragon eye my way.

The sight of it wrenched my stomach.

“You’re wrong, you know. I’m not jealous. I don’t want a mate.”His haunted voice made me sick, reminding me of our father during his final hours after our mother passed and his heart went with her.“All I want is for this curse to die with me.”

23

Riley

Curiosity & the Cat

“We really shouldn’t be doing this.” I held Dobby pressed against my chest as I tested the door handle to the second bedroom—the room Lucan said didn’t have a bed and held his special treasures.

He didn’t exactly forbid me from entering this part of the house, but he hadn’t shown me it himself either.

The door was unlocked.

I was bored from sitting around all day waiting for Lucan to return. There wasn’t anything good on TV. The major news networks broadcasting the stay-home and lockdown orders for the rest of the world were too depressing. I wanted to explore and stretch my legs a little bit.

Dobby was the perfect scapegoat.

“Oops.” I placed my cat on the floor as I pushed open the door.

Dobby sat down and meowed, not moving.

“Don’t be a scaredy-cat,” I laughed. “It’s not like he can get mad at you for being curious.”

I gave him a little nudge with my foot.

Dobby climbed dramatically to his feet and stuck his tail in the air as he walked inside.

I didn’t even recognize myself anymore.

That’s not true.

The old, old me wouldn’t have taken so long to investigate every place that’d been closed off. It was only the jaded adult version of myself that refused to take risks and cause some trouble.

Apparently, dragon-peen made me bold.

I missed not being afraid of everything.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door wide enough for me to step foot into the room. “Here kitty, ki—”

I gasped. “Oh, no. Dobby you can’t be in here.”

No wonder Lucan closed the door.

Baskets of yarn filled the shelves. A row of multi-colored needles was organized in a wood rack against the wall. On the corner chair sat the yarn we’d picked out at the store and the beginnings of what looked like a scarf lay across the arm of the chair.

I should’ve guessed what was in here.