Page 70 of The Black Dragon
Drust waved a hand and Chasevanished.
She could almost feel happy about the outcome, except for the tiny guilt winking inside her. Ariel slid her palm into Justin’s hand. “I feel like I have everything I want now. Except I feel bad about Parker. Is there any way you can tell him our engagement is off? I don’t want to hurt hisfeelings.”
“I doubt his feelings will behurt,” Drustmurmured.
“He’s not a bad person,” sheventured.
The Coldfire Wizard exchanged glances with Xavier and smiled. “Thank you. I rather fancy himmyself.”
The wizard suddenly shapeshifted, and a geeky young Mage with glasses stood before her.Parker.
Her jaw dropped. “What…why…how?”
Drust waved a hand and shifted back into the Coldfire Wizard. “We couldnot risk Leo doing anything drastic that would affect your future, Ariel. He was desperate for money, and mostly, desperate to secure your future. He placed an ad to find you a husband, so I invented Parker Covington and his millions to intervene before another could. Playing the part of a hopeful fiancé gave us time to investigate your true heart’s desire – forJustin.”
“And Justin’s interestin you had to be tested. Affairs of the heart are complicated matters,” Xavier murmured. “We are forbidden from interfering, except when it comes to stalling tactics. If you were not in love with Justin, the ruse would have ended and you would have been free to pursue other suitors youdesired.”
“No other suitors would have wanted me.” She glanced at Justin. “Not that itmatters.”
Drust gave a deep laugh. He snapped his fingers and a long sheet of paper appeared in his hands. “You’re quite wrong. Your father shielded you most effectively over the years, making you believe no man wanted you. He was overprotective. These are the suitors who responded to the ad before we pulledit.”
Astounded that so many expressed interest she shook her head. “And yet my father choseParker Covington? All formoney?”
“For security, which he saw as money.” Drust shrugged. “Many Mages make the same mistake. It was all too easy to convince him that Parker was perfect foryou.”
Recalling the vision in the soap bubble, she blushed. “But you… I had a prophetic vision about you…and myself…on our weddingnight.”
Xavier burst into laughter. Drust elbowed him. “Iam not that bad of a lover,” he told the other wizard. Drust sighed. “I know. It was a vision of what you anticipated from Parker – what you expected fromhim.”
“Which was not much.” Xavier laughed again as Drustscowled.
Her visions of Justin had come true, she realized, when he covered her with fire that had not burnedher.
“But what about Parker’s parents?” Ariel rememberedthe mother who polished the silverware and the father whofrowned.
“The Covingtons are powerful Mages from Seattle who like their privacy. They were happy to play the part of Parker’s parents in exchange for a promise to shield them from other Mages who kept badgering them for outrageous favors,” Xaviersaid.
Justin frowned. “Why go through all this trouble, if you believed Arieland I were in love? Why not simply put ustogether?”
“As I said, stubborn dragon, affairs of the heart are complicated,” Xavier said in a mild voice. “You were too angry and wounded to realize Ariel was your soulmate, which is why you can communicate telepathically. Love has to find its ownway.”
He gave a rueful smile. “Even powerful wizards of the Brehon are no exception to thatrule. And speaking of which, I mustleave.”
With a small nod, hevanished.
They were left alone with Drust. Sweat trickled down her back. She’d been terrified when Justin blew fire at her, but this wizard scared her more. Suddenly he smiled ather.
“Do not fear me, little Ariel. I am here to helpyou.”
She licked her lips. “Deceiving me by playing the part of a hopefulboyfriend isn’t a way to win my trust…Drust.”
He laughed. “I like you, Ariel. You have spirit and fire, a fascinating combination of Mage powers and dragon abilities. You will make an excellent guardian, along with Justin, of the babydragons.”
Her hand squeezed Justin’s palm. “Is this a command? Do you mean to turn us into monsters like theDrogmire?”
The wizard’s expressionturned serious. “Chase was turned into the Drogmire because he was punished. The ugliness he felt at killing your mother, accident or no accident, caused him to become grotesque. You two will not experience such transformation. The job is not easy, for it requires you to maintain a presence in Sedona a few times out of theyear.”
Drust stretched out his hands and bolts of blue energy shotout, tangling in the cave door. “I’ve sealed the cavern. The babies are entering their hibernation period where they will sleep for several months, and with my warding the cave, no Others or Skins, will gain access here. You and Justin are free to travel as you please for at least another year. When I have need of you to check on the dragons, I will alertyou.”
