Origin (Scales 'n' Spells 1)

“Are you alright? Did they hurt you?” Alric asked.

“Fine. I’m fine,” Cameron panted. He lifted his trembling hand and carefully touched the side of Alric’s face. “But your jaw. And you’re bleeding a little from the corner of your mouth.”

“I’m okay. I promise.”

“Hoheit, you’re pale. Your arm?” Baldewin interjected in German, and Alric nearly growled at his old friend. Of course he would notice if Alric was in more pain than he was letting on. Sharp throbbing echoed down from his shoulder to his fingertips on his left side.

“Nothing Lisette can’t fix,” Alric replied in kind, narrowing his gaze at Baldewin. His friend wisely shut his mouth on this topic at least.

Alric turned his attention back to Cameron. The mage leaned against him, his own arm around Alric’s back as if he was afraid the dragon would release him. Not happening anytime soon. “Did you recognize any of those men? Did they say anything?”

“No. Nothing helpful. I have no idea why they grabbed me. It all happened so fast. I didn’t even see them approaching me. I was watching you in line.” To his surprise, Cameron chuckled. “Cassie is going to give me so much grief. Rescued by a dragon.”

Alric didn’t dare look too closely at the joy that gripped his heart at Cameron’s playful words. He was clearly joking, but Alric still loved the sound of it.

“I’ll always come for you, but for now, it would be much easier for both of us if you didn’t stray too far from me.”

“Speaking of, Hoheit,” Baldewin interjected. Alric glared at his friend, who was trying hard to hide his smile and failing pretty miserably. “We would be safer at the castle until we discover the reason behind this attack on Cameron.”

Cameron stiffened against Alric and loosened his hold on Alric’s waist. Alric wanted Cameron in Burkhard castle, but not like this. He’d wanted Cameron to come willingly.

“I know you didn’t want to go there today, but you will be safest there. No one can reach you.”

Warin and Sasha returned with grim expressions. “Tut mir leid, Majestät,” Warin apologized, looking pissed he had to report such negative news. “They’re long gone. We can’t track them, either.”

“Glamour or scent-dispelling spell, there’s something at work,” Sasha agreed, expression screwed up in a sour way. “But there’s nothing for us to track.”

Alric growled in annoyance. “They were well prepared, then. Thank you for trying. Cameron—” He turned his head to look at the mage still tucked up against him. Fresh alarm turned into dread at the idea that just a second later, Cameron would have been taken and Alric wouldn’t have any means of readily finding him. His tone became almost pleading. “I won’t force you. You won’t be my prisoner. If you’d rather return to your hotel room, I can assign guards to watch over you.”

Sucking in a deep breath, Cameron slowly released it and shook his head. “No, you’re right. The castle is the smarter option. We haven’t had a chance to talk yet, and it would be easier if we’re not looking over our shoulders. Plus, I have a feeling you’re more hurt than you let on. And you probably won’t allow this Lisette to care for you until you know I’m safe.”

Alric grinned at Cameron, not caring that it sent a fresh stab of pain through his face. “Is this your way of saying that I’m magically stubborn?”

Cameron groaned. “Yes, you are magically stubborn. Now, come along, dragon. Let’s get you fixed up. I think I want something stronger than that coffee you promised me.”

Alric pushed away from the wall, and they walked toward Cameron’s hotel with their arms wrapped around each other, while Baldewin, Warin and Sasha trailed behind them like an angry storm cloud. He didn’t know who was holding up whom, but Cameron didn’t seem ready to release him yet, and Alric was damn sure he wasn’t. Alric’s dragon side growled at just the idea of letting him go. It didn’t matter. Cameron was safe, and Alric would do whatever was necessary to make sure he stayed that way.

They had to split into two vehicles to drive back up to the castle, and Alric made sure to keep Cameron in the back seat with him. They didn’t discuss a great deal, too lost in their own thoughts to make much in the way of conversation. The one thing they truly wanted to know, they knew too little about.

Someone had called ahead, as by the time they reached the inner courtyard of the castle, it swarmed with activity. Alric saw two of his mages enhancing the ward around the castle, beefing up the level of security. Lisette and Dieter awaited, barely waiting for Baldewin to stop the car before Lisette opened the door and attempted to pull him out of it.