Page 30 of Dragon Compelled
“You were gone when I woke up this morning.”
He leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead. “I came down to check in with Mag about today’s adventure,” he replies smoothly. “Though it sounds like we’ll be delayed.”
“Certainly seems that way.” I sigh and get to my feet. “Let’s grab everyone else and get this over with.”
Ten minutes later, we’re gathered in the stacks of the library. Bingo growls low at Kitty, who snarls back at him, each of them clearly annoyed with the other’s presence. The gnomes glare at me as I walk beside Aries, coming to stand directly by Blossom. Mag is on her other side, and I note the dark circles ringing his eyes—proof none of us is sleeping well these days.
So far, Tawny is nowhere to be seen, but Oliver takes long strides toward me, stopping just in front of where we stand.
“You told her,” I say quietly. “You said you wouldn’t.”
“I only told her that you had another temporary keeper here,” he corrects. “Nothing else was relevant. But she was going to see him sooner or later, better to get it out of the way, don’t you think?” He winks, and Aries growls, low and deep.
Oliver smiles at him. “Don’t worry, dragon man. Hands off.” In demonstration, he raises both palms and backs up, leaning against the far stack just as Tawny comes into view.
Cat-eye glasses are perched on her nose, making her look even more menacing when she glares at us.
I shove my own glasses higher on my face.
“It seems there is more going on here than meets the eye, I want everything out in the open after this meeting. No secrets leave this circle. After today, we will be caught up on everything happening in this place. Do I make myself clear?”
I glance at the gnomes, who continue glaring at me.
They could out Aries. Our relationship. His place in this world.
They could out me and my magic.
“Crystal,” I reply, turning my attention back to her. If the gnomes out me, then so be it. I have Aries on my side. Blossom. Mag. None of them will let this woman wipe my memories and throw me out. At least, not without a fight.
“First of all, I want to know why you’re here.” She points at Aries.
“Hoc hired me,” he replies coolly.
“And why did he hire you?”
“Because—”
“No,” she quiets me with a single, clipped word. “I will hear it from the employee that was brought on.”
Aries growls, and as much as I want to reach back and touch him to ease his anger, I know doing so would be a mistake. So, I keep my hands to myself. “You would do well to show our head librarian more respect than that,” he says.
“And you’d do well to answer my question. Based on your employment contract, you’re a dragon shifter. Seems risky, bringing a fire-breathing creature into a place full of paper.”
“Hoc believed the benefits outweighed the risks,” he replies.
“What exactly is the benefit? What do you do around here?”
“I was hired to help with security. Hoc was concerned about some things that had been happening around the library.”
“And whatthingswere those?”
“Falling chandeliers,” he replies, reminding me of the first time he’d saved my life. “Books getting loose.”
“What of his other two keepers.” She doesn’t even bother looking over at Blossom or Mag as she adds, “Were they not equipped enough to handle these issues?”
“Hold your fu—”
“Stop,” I tell Blossom.
