Breath (Scales 'n' Spells 2)

“She does not exaggerate,” Cameron assured him, making a face. “I only got a different reaction because my job is also consort to this clan. I think they could wrap their head around it better.”

“I don’t remember a clan called the Taavi,” Warin said slowly, setting his spreadsheets aside. “We had several magical clans from Finland, but they were all small. Still, I’d think the name would sound familiar.”

“I don’t remember them either,” Alric admitted. “Has Lisette or one of the other mages confirmed that he’s a mage?”

“Yep,” Cassie said with an enthusiastic bob of her head. “Lisette actually cast the seeking spell the last time to verify I didn’t make a mistake while I finished my Googling. Nestori Taavi is definitely a mage, whether he knows it or not.”

Cameron was already typing away on his phone. “I’m shooting this over to Gunter to look up. Cassie, did you get an address for this guy?”

“Yeah, I did, and here’s the thing. I don’t think he’s part of a clan. His address is a motel room, and not the nice kind. I took a quick look at the place. It’s one of those cheap places you rent for like a week at a time.” Her eyes darted from one face to another. “I will bet you dollars to doughnuts he’s alone.”

Not for long, he wasn’t. “Hoheit, I want to go,” Baldewin volunteered.

Alric took in the request with a slow blink. He met his old friend’s gaze, trying not to mentally flinch as Alric attempted to read his thoughts. Not that the dragon could. No dragon could. But they’d been friends for centuries. If anyone knew the thoughts zipping through Baldewin’s head, it was Alric. The dragon king could undoubtedly read he was still smarting over his failure to protect Cameron from being kidnapped. Another mage was not going to suffer that fate on his watch.

“Yeah, send Baldewin,” Cassie seconded. “He’s great at mage retrieval. I speak from experience.”

Baldewin shot her an amused smile. In retrospect, watching her and Sasha climb all over each other while a very excited Ha Na wore his ear off was funny. He could laugh about it now, but at the time, he might have hidden from the tiny woman in the plane bathroom a few times.

“You do have experience with this,” Alric allowed. “And your Swedish is certainly better than most.”

“Why Swedish?” Cameron questioned, head cocked.

“Second major language in Finland,” Baldewin explained, shrugging a shoulder. “My Finnish is rusty, but either way, I should be able to communicate with him.”

“You’re probably the best to go.” Alric gave a firm nod, pleased with his own decision. “Alright, request granted. But not alone. I don’t want to send anyone out alone right now. Who do you wish to go with you? Sasha?”

Cassie squawked in protest and dismay. “Nooooo! Alric, favorite brother-in-law, I thought we were friends! Why would you try to take my snuggle bunny away from me like that?”

Alric rolled his eyes at her.

Lifting a hand, Warin volunteered, “Why don’t I go? I know enough Swedish to get by, and I wouldn’t mind the chance to stretch my wings some.”

Baldewin nodded in support. Back in the war, Warin had been one of their more intelligent, accomplished fighters, and the man’s usually polite manner often charmed people. On a short list of people to take with him on a meet-and-greet in possibly dangerous territory, Warin definitely featured.

Alric looked between the two of them, gauging this. “Fine. Can the two of you leave today? The expense reports can wait. I don’t want the mage to disappear on us now that we know his location. It seems he’s in a transitory state.”

Baldewin spoke while looking at Warin’s face to see what the man thought of the idea. “I think we can get all of the information from Cassie, pack, and be out by this afternoon. It’ll mean a night landing, but that’ll make it easier for us to shift and walk into the city.”

Warin nodded in support. “I can finish my meeting here quickly and be ready to go soon.”

Cassie patted Baldewin on the arm. “Then follow me, big guy. I can show you his picture, send stuff over to your phone so you’ve got an address for him.”

He followed her out of the room with Cameron calling after him, “Keep us updated!”

“Of course!” Baldewin assured him.

Cassie, never meeting a silence she couldn’t cheerfully destroy, chattered as the ears on her bunny slippers flopped with each step. “Just an FYI, he’s a hottie. Not that I would know what to do with a guy, but still, he’s really cute. He also looks as if life fucked him over several times and forgot to use lube.”

He didn’t doubt her, but this description did worry him. “Why do you say that?”

“It was more his work history. And his smile looked a little strained in the picture, like he was trying to put a good face on things and couldn’t quite manage it. But mainly the work history.” She took a right at the next hallway, going up to the set of rooms she shared with her wife Sasha or, as Cassie liked to refer to it, her evil lair. “He’s worked a lot of odd jobs, temporary things that never seemed to last more than six months. And all in this small town that’s waaaaay north in Finland. Like, right smack on the border.”