Page 23 of Rhadan

“Not exactly, but this feeling is getting stronger. More urgent. I wish I could explain it, but I have no idea what is causing it.”

He zeroed in on the warehouse in the distance. He had the ability to zoom in and out. It was like focusing a camera lens only far more precisely as he surveyed the area for danger. It appears to be empty. I sense no signs of life, except for a nest of rats.

She shivered. “I don’t need to know about those.” As much as she loved animals, rats scared her. It was the teeth. Like little pinchers that bit into your flesh.

I would never allow a rat to bite you.

“Well, if you get hungry you can...”

Surely you jest. No self-respecting dragon would... He stopped when she began to giggle. You were teasing me?

“A little. I don’t want one for a pet, but I wouldn’t want you to eat one. Besides, it is probably less satisfying than a chicken nugget.”

I like chicken.

She laughed as he landed in the parking lot in front of the warehouse. She slid from his wing, but stopped when she reached the end of his line of sight. He remained connected to her as he shifted, and she felt his bones dissolve and the momentary pain as his mass condensed down to his human form. “That is pretty cool.”

He was beside her in a moment, and she slipped her hand around his waist. “I just realized I have seen your dragon and the city, but I still don’t know what you look like.”

He stopped. “I forgot to take you to a mirror. I will show you when we return.”

She smiled and grunted. “It’s getting stronger. Whatever it is, it’s inside the warehouse.”

Rhadan sighed. “I sense nothing, but be wary. The mage has great power and may be able to block his presence from me. Stay beside me at all times. This warehouse is filled with contraband artifacts, and many are dark in nature.”

“I can’t see without you, Rhadan. I won’t be going anywhere without you.”

He reached out and broke the lock on the door before turning the handle. Her skin prickled as they entered.

CHAPTER 13

Tempest waited as the door shut behind them. Rhadan’s vision adjusted to the darkness of the room, and she reached out with her hand to grab a small figure from the closest shelf. It was a small carved elephant with its trunk raised in the air. It was polished, but the craftsmanship was old and unique and as she held it, she imagined the carver wearing skins and using a crude carving tool.

“You possess some psychometry. I did not expect you to have a secondary gift.”

“What is it? What can it do?” She continued to roll the small artifact in her palm.

“You get some insight into the origin of an object. It’s not your true calling, so your sight will be limited.”

“Why would I have a second gift? I understand the gatekeeper’s role is to unlock the temple. Other places if needed. Why would I need psychometry?”

“I think we will answer that question when we discover what pulled you toward this warehouse.”

Tempest placed the elephant back on the shelf, trying to connect with the power that pulled her toward the warehouse, but she felt like she was in the center of the storm. Something was here, but with the hundreds of figurines, scrolls, and other items on the shelves, she had no idea which one had called to her.

“I feel something is here, but I have no idea what it is.”

Rhadan put his hand on the small of her back, guiding her forward. “Then we will inspect each shelf until you get the answers you are looking for.”

She tried not to be affected by the heat his hand created. “You will stay here all day? What if I don’t find anything?”

“Then we will return tomorrow. My brothers have visited this place on multiple occasions. It doesn’t surprise me that there is something here Adara wants you to find.”

She huffed. “How can you be sure it is, Adara? What if the mage is manipulating me? He seems awfully good at that.”

“You sound like you are speaking from experience.”

Tempest moved to the next shelf and picked up a small silver box. It was intricately carved, and she saw a woman wearing a Victorian-style dress, putting on makeup in front of her vanity flash in her mind. The woman was from another era but well off, as her silver brush was as intricately carved as her ring box. While she was beautiful, her face held a hardness that conveyed her vanity and station. She replaced the silver box, not liking the vision.

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