Page 21 of Vicar
Chapter Ten
VICAR HAD NO idea whatto think when Trinity stopped short and glanced around with a mortified look. Gone was the ruthless usurper dragon she’d been moments before. In her place, the woman she had been when she’d first arrived.
“Oh my God, it worked.” Jade closed the distance and clasped Trinity’s shoulders. “How do you feel, sis? Are you okay? More yourself now?”
“Yeah.” Trinity blinked at her surroundings as if waking up and blushed when too many brazen males for Vicar’s taste eyed her. Not Múspellsheimr dragons this time but Ancients who swore no allegiance to him. Ancients who sensed the shift in Trinity from a dragon who would tear their throats out in bed to one far more docile.
“I...” Trinity swallowed hard, once again avoiding eye contact when Vicar joined them. “I’m so sorry.” She shook her head. “Not sure what came over me.” Her gaze grew apologetic when she looked Jade's way. “I'msosorry about how I treated you.”
“No worries.” Jade waved it off, clearly grateful to have her sister back. “I had it coming.”
“Why has she returned tothis?” Wanting the Trinity back that took him out mid-air, Vicar glared at Jade. “What did you do?”
He ignored the little voice in his mind that welcomed Trinity being back to herself. That was eternally grateful she wasn’t so cutthroat anymore.
“Returned tothis?” Trinity asked incredulously, surprising Vicar when she stood up to him. Not in the way her former self would have, with a knife to his throat, but with a wounded frown. “Thisis a thousand times better than what I just was.” She looked at Jade. “What did you do because I’m so thankful.”
“I took Thor’s advice and tried something.” She patted Trinity’s pocket. “Whatever you do, don’t lose it.”
Trinity reached in and took out a pebble. “What is this?”
“That’s my brother-in-arms meddling where he shouldn’t,” Loki grumbled, manifesting beside them in a burst of flames. He held out his hand. “Let me have it so that you progress as you should, Trinity.”
“No.” Thorulf looked at Trinity with reassurance. “Keep the stone. Thor retrieved it from the Alfheim cave in hopes that it would even you out some, and it clearly has.”
Though obviously uncomfortable disobeying Loki, Trinity again showed gumption when she shoved it back in her pocket. “I think I’ll hold onto it for now.”
“Good call.” Jade scowled at Loki. “Now I know what you meant by Trinity soaking up this place. You wanted to see just how crazy she got.” She shook her head. “Seriously not cool. Not when she put her life on the line acting the way she did.”
Though tempted to make himself scarce and find a more entertaining female, Vicar sensed something interesting churning in Trinity. Yes, fear and nervousness, but something else. A nugget of who she had just been hovered beneath the surface. Perhaps because of its small size, she could push past the pebble's influence if given the right motivation?
“Trinity’s actions upon arriving here at the Keep were impressive,” Loki praised, manifesting a horn of ale for all. He eyed her over with renewed approval before shooting Vicar a telling look. “I can only hope she returns soon so I can show her what to do to gain ground in these parts.” There was no mistaking his implication. “After all, claiming a god as one’s own, no matter how briefly, would impress every last dragon here.”
He was right. It would. Vicar scowled at the thought of Loki sampling her first, no matter which personality. Did he care nothing for the Forge? Or was this his warped way of driving them closer? Impossible to know. Either way, Vicar wouldn’t accept leftovers and said as much.
“Hell,” Jade muttered. “You’re really pushing your limits.” She rolled her eyes at Vicar and led her sister up the Keep’s stairs. “C’mon, sis, let’s get you acclimated.”
