Breath (Scales 'n' Spells 2)

“We’ve lived a very long time without much hope. Cameron, his family, and you are all proof that there are mages out there. We just need to be patient, and we will find what we’re looking for. And if we need to spread our wings a little more to attain that patience, then our king is more than willing to indulge us.”

Tori fell silent, and Baldewin glanced over at the GPS to check for the next turn he would take that would move them closer to the hotel he’d booked for the night. It was a significant step above the place Tori had been staying in. The mage deserved some pampering.

He’d briefly wondered if he should tone down his efforts out of fear that Tori would suspect him of trying to buy his trust, but Baldewin shoved the thought aside. The important thing was that Tori was properly taken care of. They’d made steps forward with his eating habits, but now the mage needed to be warm and comfortable. All three went far to create a feeling of safety. Tori needed to feel safe.

“You know…glamour spells aren’t overly complicated. The ingredients are relatively common,” Tori volunteered suddenly.

“Really?” Baldewin said, not quite sure where he was going with this conversation.

“If you wanted to stretch your wings tonight, I think I could create a glamour spell that would hide you from people.”

Baldewin’s mouth fell open at the unexpected offer, but Warin’s voice piped up before Baldewin could gather his thoughts.

“I want to fly,” Warin said.

“I thought you were asleep back there,” Baldewin snapped.

“I woke up when he started talking about stretching our wings. I want to fly.”

Baldewin rolled his eyes at his companion in the rearview mirror. “You flew just the other day.”

“Yes, but it was only for a few minutes, and I had a frightened mage in my hands. Not really an enjoyable experience.”

“If you can promise to not do that again, I’ll glamour you too,” Tori offered. “I mean, I can at least try. You have to remember I’m not good at magic. It might not work.”

“Done!” Warin declared, tapping Tori excitedly on the shoulder. The dragon lifted his head and flashed a cheeky grin at Baldewin in the mirror. “I get to fly, too.”

“I have no doubt that you can cast a glamour spell if we can get you the ingredients,” Baldewin said confidently, secretly loving the little flush that unexpectedly rose in Tori’s cheeks. “Let’s just get to the hotel, and then we can figure our plans out. We need to make sure the area is secure, and Tori has what he needs to be comfortable.” His words did nothing to dim Warin’s smile. Tori chuckled next to him, and Baldewin relaxed a little more.

Warin remained awake for the rest of the drive, his grin broad and his manner engaging. They talked about random things, mostly comparing winters in Sonthofen with Tori’s hometown. The Finn was definitely winning in terms of cold temperature and the amount of snow, but Baldewin thought Germany’s traditional winter comfort foods sounded better.

It was after 17:00 when they finally arrived in Riga. Baldewin had never spent time in Latvia’s capital, but he was immediately charmed. It was like he’d stepped back in time. While there were the typical steel and glass structures he was accustomed to seeing in places like London, Paris, and Berlin, it was the perfectly preserved architecture of Vecriga—Riga’s Old Town—that captured his interest. It was like he’d stepped backward in time as he took in its cobblestone streets and charming buildings.

As they drove slowly through the town, Tori suddenly twisted in his seat and then laughed.

“What did you see?” Baldewin inquired as the mage shook his head.

“A shop called Black Magic.”

Baldewin’s brow furrowed. That was a strange name. “Do you think it would have the ingredients you need for the glamour spell?”

Tori laughed again and shook his head. “Definitely not, but I wouldn’t mind stopping there. It’s a chocolate shop. It looks like an old-fashioned apothecary shop turned into a chocolatier.”

Baldewin nodded, making a mental note. Tori needed chocolate. He would get Tori chocolate.

“Are you kidding me?” Tori scoffed as they parked in front of the hotel. A valet jumped forward, quickly opening their doors. Tori hesitated, looking over at Baldewin with one eyebrow raised in a mocking question. “A little extravagant, don’t you think?”

“After the place you were staying, I thought you could use some extravagance. Plus, when added to where you were staying, it all evens out to a relatively moderately priced trip.”

Tori snorted. “It doesn’t work that way.”

“It should,” Baldewin muttered at Tori’s back as he climbed out of the car. The dragon bit back a groan as he unfolded his long body and got to his feet as well. It was so nice to stand and stretch after the last two hours. Over the roof of the car, he caught a knowing smirk from Warin, but his friend wisely kept his comments to himself.