Origin (Scales 'n' Spells 1)

“Idiot,” Lisette snarled. “He just used an anti-spell to free himself, and now he’s dead because of it. We wouldn’t have killed him.”

Alric groaned low. “Panicked men make poor decisions. Baldewin, double check if he’s still breathing.”

Baldewin strode over and knelt on one knee, putting two fingers to the man’s neck. He shook his head immediately. “No pulse. This is beyond aggravating. Now what do we do with him?”

With a sigh, Dieter instructed, “Search his body. See if there’s any clues to his identity. Then fly his corpse away from the city and dump it somewhere not to be found. Water would be best.”

Baldewin gave them a nod. “I’ll do that. Do we have a flight back yet?”

“Not yet. I need Noh Ha Na’s information before I can buy all of your tickets. As soon as she arrives, give the phone to her.”

“Will do.”

In the background, Cameron could hear Cassie say in a soft, charming voice, “Thank you for shielding me, Sasha.”

“It was my pleasure,” Sasha all but purred back.

Cameron pinched the bridge of his nose, more than a little irritated with his sister. Of course the smoking hot dragon took precedence over a body in her living room. Of course she fucking did. He thought about verbally prodding her.

Then thought better of it.

Alric leaned in to murmur near his ear, “I promise you we will get to the bottom of this.”

Cameron lifted a hand up to squeeze the one still holding onto him. “I know you will. Sis, maybe focus on packing. And isn’t Halmeoni supposed to be there soon?”

As if his words had summoned his grandmother, there was a knock at the door. Halmeoni didn’t wait for someone to answer it before going right in. “Cassie!”

“Halmeoni, wasseyo?” Cassie hurried to her front door, narrowly scooting by Baldewin in the process. Her eight hundred square foot apartment really wasn’t big enough to hold this many people at once. “Be careful, we had something bad happen.”

His grandmother stepped just into visual range of the camera. She was in slacks and one of the billowy, loose shirts she favored, her purple hair done up in a sleek bun. She peered first at both dragons, then the man on the floor. “That one looks dead.”

“He cast an anti-spell and it backfired,” Baldewin explained, standing and offering her a hand. “I’m Baldewin, King Alric’s retainer.”

“Noh Ha Na, pleasure to meet you. Anti-spell, you say? That sounds nasty. Oh Cameron, I see your face.” She turned to face the camera directly. “Lots of faces. Hello, faces. How are you doing this evening, Alric?”

“Very worried about what is happening over there,” Alric answered in that formal, soft-spoken way of his. “Hello, Ha Na.”

A smile took over Halmeoni’s face, and as any one of her children or grandchildren could tell you, nothing good followed that smile. “Likewise, Alric. Very worrisome, what’s going on here. I think it’s better for us to come to you.”

“Please do,” Alric invited. “I’d prefer it, in fact. If you don’t mind, can you face Baldewin for a moment? He wants to test if you’re a mage.”

“Oh! Oh, he does? That sounds exciting.” Halmeoni promptly turned and faced Baldewin. The camera angle was such that they all could see the triangle light up immediately. “Oooh, please tell me that means I am.”

Baldewin cast a glance at the people watching that said, Seriously?! Then he blinked, smoothing out his expression. “Yes, you are. Most definitely.”

Halmeoni cackled. Outright cackled and threw a fist of victory into the air. “I knew it! Look out world, here I come!”

His grandmother. A mage. Cameron couldn’t say he was surprised. He’d kind of expected it on some level. But on the other hand…his grandmother. A mage. Magic, apparently, didn’t care how old you were.

It was kind of a nice thought. Although it seriously made him wonder about his mom.

Dieter cleared his throat. “I realize it’s quite late both here and there. You’re not going to be able to board a plane immediately. But let’s get tickets bought and bring you here as quickly as we can.”

Both women zeroed in on the phone in near tandem, the same excited expressions on their face. In unison, they said, “Yes, please!”

Cameron watched this and just shook his head. Now they were in for it.

* * *

After that, Cameron understandably went to bed. It was the wee hours of the morning, after all. He woke up to a single text message from Baldewin.

You owe me for this.

Wincing—as he could well imagine what poor Baldewin was juggling with both women likely beside themselves with excitement—he shot back a query: How bad are they?

The answer came within seconds. Cassie and Sasha are making eyes at each other. I give it five minutes before they’re making out despite the audience. Your grandmother has been peppering me with questions for hours non-stop. You owe me.