Tropical Dragon's Destiny (Shifting Sands Resort 10)

Several items of artwork had fallen off of the wall in the rumbling earthquake, and one of the kitchen table chairs was on its side.

Gizelle was at one end of the couch, curled into a tight shivering ball and Conall was standing beside her. “She’s doesn’t like the earthquakes,” he said to Scarlet. “And that was one of the worst yet.”

Scarlet took a gentle seat next to her but didn’t touch her. “Gizelle, I’ve come to talk about going away.” Though her words were pitched for the young woman, she was carefully facing Conall.

Conall scowled at her, glancing at Gizelle. Her face was still buried in her knees, her hair tangled loose around her, and she was trembling violently. “What’s this about?” he hissed. “Who’s going away?”

“You two,” Scarlet said serenely. “We’re evacuating the resort...”

Conall’s face grew alarmed. “You can’t just spring this on us,” he growled angrily. “What’s happening? Is it the earthquakes?”

For a moment, Scarlet thought she would tell him the same story that she was giving the guests, that there was a terrible storm coming, that it wouldn’t be safe for anyone on the island... it was the truth and she could keep the details vague.

Instead, she bowed her head and touched Gizelle gently on the shoulder. The young woman startled, but didn’t pull away. Scarlet thought her shivering was a little less.

“There is a battle coming,” she said carefully, looking up at Conall. “A battle that may not leave the resort in one piece. This earthquake was just a hint of what’s to come.”

Conall stared at her. “A battle that what? With who?”

Scarlet chuckled humorlessly. “An ancient two-headed monster who has been asleep beneath the island for hundreds of years.”

Conall squinted at her mouth dubiously. “A what?”

“An ancient two-headed wyrm,” Scarlet said, then shook her head. That might be nonsense if Conall didn’t have context. What could she say that be easy to lipread?

Conall put his hand tentatively on Gizelle and flinched at the contact.

“A great, feathered, two-headed wyrm that has been imprisoned underneath the island, hellbent on the destruction of the world.”

“Feathers...” Gizelle moaned. “Rain and wind. I don’t want to, don’t make me...”

“No one is going to make you do anything,” Conall said fiercely, glaring at Scarlet. “I’m going to need a hell of a lot more information than that.?

??

“We’re evacuating the resort today, but there will be a few days before the danger is imminent,” Scarlet said as calmly as she could. Gizelle leaned into Conall’s hand, and he rubbed her cheek with his thumb. His touch had calmed her, but she was still shivering. “We can arrange private transport for you, of course. I presume you’ll want to take her to Boston, and if you want to talk about sedation...”

“No, no sedation,” Conall said firmly. “I’ll handle the details.” He seemed inclined to believe her, at least.

“I’m canceling the lease, of course, and the purchase of the island altogether. I’m having Jenny see what I need to do to return everyone’s payments.”

“You’re treating this as a pretty final thing,” Conall observed.

Scarlet met his eyes without flinching. “I don’t want any loose ends in case I’m not around to tie them up later.”

Conall’s nostrils flared in alarm and his eyebrows knit. “Is that likely?”

Scarlet didn’t have an answer for him. Mal seemed confident that he could find a way to protect her, but she could feel his underlying thread of doubt and worry.

“I’m not going,” Gizelle said quietly. “The end was here.” Then she lifted her head. “Is Chef still making cherry chocolate cake tonight?”

“To the best of my knowledge, yes,” Scarlet said, glad to see Gizelle perk up. It wasn’t often that Conall’s touch couldn’t calm her.

“I should wear red.” The young woman slipped off the couch and padded across the cottage towards the bedroom. “So that I match the rain.”

“I’ll let you know what I arrange,” Conall said quietly, watching her go. “I’ll probably have a private jet come tomorrow afternoon.”

“Conall,” Scarlet said, and she wondered if he would be able to tell that her voice had cracked. “I have a favor to ask.”