Page 39 of Dragon Compelled
“There are hex wards set up all over town, alerting us of any newcomers,” Dutch explains. “You want to tell us what you’re doing in our town?”
“This kingdom belongs to you then?” Mag asks.
They exchange a look, and Dutch shrugs as he turns back to us. “You could say that. What did you say you were doing here?”
“We’re looking for a friend of ours who was taken,” Mag explains.
“We haven’t had any other male visitors,” Dutch says.
“Female then?” I say, and Grey’s eyes immediately narrow.
“What the hell is it to you?” he asks in a low voice, and I realize I’ve hit a mark I wasn’t aiming for.
“We’re just looking for our friend,” Mag interrupts, casting me a look that says ‘shut up’ to which I roll my eyes. “He’s a troll. Big guy, you can’t miss him.”
“We haven’t seen him,” Dutch says, and my dragon’s senses tingle with an awareness of certainty. While they’re clearly keeping secrets, I don’t think Hoc is one of them.
“This looks like a big place,” Mag says, “Mind if we look around just to be sure?”
“We do mind,” Dutch says, eyes narrowing. “Matter of fact, we mind a whole damn lot.”
The tension increases, and I wonder again about the female visitor Grey alluded to and whether his resistance has anything to do with her.
“Look, we just need to be sure—” I say.
Both men exit the car. They step onto the sidewalk, forcing Mag and me to back up a few paces. My dragon strains beneath my skin at the silent threat they pose, but I remind myself of our rule against doing harm.
“This is my city,” Grey says, his eyes flashing with a possessiveness I recognize as belonging to a king or ruler. “I know everyone who comes and goes, and I’m telling you, your friend isn’t here.”
“If you insist on looking, we’re happy to give you a close-up look at a prison cell,” Dutch adds smugly.
Mag takes another step back. “Not necessary. Thanks for your time. Come on, Aries.”
I don’t move, my gaze locked on Grey’s. There’s an integrity in him that surprises me because he’s clearly hiding something about the female he mentioned. But, in this moment, his gaze is clear and direct. Something tells me he’s not lying about Hoc, and my ability to sense the truth has yet to lead me wrong. “Aries,” Mag says again, and I finally nod.
“Thank you,” I tell Grey. “We’ll take our leave.”
Grey nods back, and then I turn and follow Mag back into the alley.
“We’ll have to come back later,” Mag says quietly when we’re out of earshot. “I don’t trust them, and this city is huge, so I say we search for ourselves.”
“No need,” I tell him confidently.
“What?” He cuts me a look.
“He’s not lying.”
“How do you know?”
I shrug. “My dragon has a gift.”
He stares at me. “A gift.”
“I can sense the truth in him.”
“And where has this truth sensory been in every other world we’ve searched?” he demands.
“It’s been there.”
