Embers (Scales 'N' Spells 4)

“There’s that.” And Nikki was glad of that. Sneaking in to the cell to speak with Ravi was one of the best decisions they’d ever made. Ravi had led them directly to Gunter, freedom, and magic.

“So, they like to stay within a large, general area. Hmmm. I assume you went looking at all the places Nikki knows?”

Gunter gave him a terse nod. “Fly-bys, for the most part. We picked up no hint of them.”

“It’s not really a surprise,” Nikki said with a shrug. “They don’t repeat places. They’re too paranoid for that. I don’t remember revisiting a town even once.”

“Could be that after the war they were afraid the dragons would find them and enact revenge.” Dimitri’s eyes narrowed in thought. “And now it’s just habit. Or maybe they’re still afraid we’ll visit and rain fire down on them.”

“I’m personally of the opinion that the only good Jaeggi is a dead one,” Gunter said flatly.

“I’m with you on that.” Dimitri’s smile spoke of lye and iron maidens. “Which is why I’m so keen on finding the bastards. Nikki, I understand that when you went in to scout their last known location, you ran into a boobytrap? Is that something they do every town?”

“Every single town,” Nikki confirmed with an adamant nod of the head. “So be very, very careful while you’re hunting them. Anything that leads to a vehicle, storehouse of elements, or their operation center is sure to be boobytrapped. And it’s not always obvious from the outside that the building has those things in it.”

“Because it’s all makeshift, none of these buildings are made for that purpose.” Dimitri didn’t seem at all deterred by this. In fact, the grin on his face was delighted. “Sounds like a challenge.”

Gunter didn’t seem to like Dimitri’s take on this. “Hunting our sworn enemy while avoiding magical boobytraps sounds like fun to you?”

“Best fun I’ve had in ages. And it’s not even my birthday.” Dimitri rubbed his hands together, nearly bouncing with anticipation. “Seriously, I cannot wait to get started. When do you want to go?”

Nikki wasn’t at all sure on that. They weren’t in charge of this circus, after all. They gave Gunter a glance askance.

“I’m not sure what our timeline is, but I would think in the next day or so.” Gunter frowned as he reached for his phone. “I’ll confer with Hoheit and get back to you. I believe we were only waiting on your arrival.”

“I’d like to rest today, as it was a long flight yesterday, but I say let’s pick up the trail again tomorrow, if we can. We’re not doing ourselves any favors by letting it go colder.”

Gunter grunted in agreement, typing a message into his phone.

“But that does bring up a question. When we do find the Jaeggi, what’s the plan?”

Nikki looked him straight in the eye and said seriously, “Explosions.”

“Are you going to be part of those explosions?”

“Absolutely.”

Dimitri high-fived them.

“I love this whole clan’s attitude,” Dimitri said with a happy sigh. “Can’t believe my king didn’t think to call me earlier, when shit was going down. I’m going to have words with him about that. For now, though, I’m going back up. There’s good food to be had, and pretty people to flirt with.”

Nikki canted their head in interest. “Are you unmated, Dimitri?”

“Most of us are, little mage. But for the first time in five hundred years, we have hope that’ll change. So many mages are being discovered again, like you. Surely my mate is among them. And even if that person isn’t upstairs in this castle, I can at least meet people, get names and stuff, and tell my clan in Brazil about them.”

That was so sweet of him, to be thinking of his clan as a whole. “I hope they are up there, Dimitri.”

“I hope so too.” Dimitri gave them a wink before standing. “Let me know when you want to go.”

“We will.” Gunter waited until he had left before lifting his head and giving Nikki an odd look. “So, is that your type? Big and feisty?”

Silly dragon. Why was he even asking Nikki this question? Like Nikki hadn’t made their preferences perfectly obvious. “Not really. Well, sort of. But there’s more than one dragon near me who’s big and cuddly.”

“Hmm.” Gunter didn’t seem to know how to take that answer. He also apparently didn’t realize Nikki was talking about him.

Nikki gave up. Short of telling Gunter outright, they didn’t know what else to do. But that would be awkward. And Nikki wasn’t willing to live in the land of awkward just yet. For now, they let it drop. “It’s almost time for lunch. Why don’t we go up and eat something too?”

“It is?” Gunter looked at his phone again. “Oh. I guess it is. Alright, well, I suppose I’m hungry enough to eat.”