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I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. All eyes were on me as I drew the flute from its container and held it up to my lips. I took a deep breath and blew.
A sweet melody floated out of the instrument, one I didn’t remember learning from Elias. The gentle song reverberated around the cavern and wrapped us in a soothing blanket. I noticed Edouard’s eyes half close and the man swayed a little. Cal set his hand on his compatriot’s back and pinned Edouard against the column to keep him from falling backward.
The song had the same effect on the dragon. The creature swayed from side to side and its eyes became half-lidded. It dropped onto its stomach, shaking the ground, and opened its mouth for a nice, big yawn. The dragon set its head on the dirt and closed its eyes. Soon the music was mingled with the sounds of its snoring.
I tentatively stopped playing and lowered the flute. The dragon remained in restful sleep.
I breathed a sigh of relief as Ben crossed the column gap over to me and wrapped me in a warm hug. “Brilliant,” he whispered as he pulled us apart.
Cal joined us with a still-drowsy Edouard following behind him. I clutched the flute close against me to hide the tell-tale markings as the former owner smiled at me. “A wonderful song, Millie. Where did you learn it?”
I shook my head. “I-I don’t remember.”
“Can we give out the congratulations somewhere that isn’t so warm?” Dreda spoke up as she nodded at the stairs. “And those might need to be put on hold until we give the house another search for more of this detestable fog.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
We trampedup the steps and Fyson fluttered ahead of us.
Edouard kept his eyes on Ben as he nodded at Ben’s hand. “That is a very unique fire you have there, Count Castle. I had no idea you were even gifted with such a flame ability.”
Ben grinned at him. “I’m full of surprises.”
I gladly breathed in the cool air of the drafty old house and relished the open air after the dark hollow tucked underneath the house. However, a sudden squawk from our vanished feathered friend made me jump.
“Fysan!” Dreda shouted as she raced ahead toward the front of the house.
We followed her and soon caught up to Dreda in one of the front rooms. She had stopped in her tracks because a thick carpet of fog covered the floor. Cal flung up his arms and his wind blasted away the mist. His magic revealed the prone body of Fysan who lay on the floor where the mist had dragged him.
A horrified gasp escaped Dreda before she rushed forward and dropped to her knees beside her bird companion. She grasped his shoulders and gave him a shake. “Fysan! Fysan, say something!”
The owl’s eyes fluttered open and instinct ordered him to thrash his wings about. “The mist! The mist!” he shouted as Dreda pinned him to the floor. “Off, damn thing! Off, I say!”
“Fysan, it’s me!” Dreda shouted before she slapped the side of his fluffy face.
That did the trick. Fysan blinked at her in a hooty fashion before his eyes grew large. “My Lady! My sincerest apologies!”
Debra shook her head as she helped him climb to his claws. “It’ wasn’t your fault. One of the windows must have been opened.”
I furrowed my brow. “But we checked all of them on the first floor. They were shut.”
“Then we must check the other floors,” Dreda insisted as she lifted Fysan into her arms and marched toward the front of the house.
We hurried after her but none of us made it to the second floor. Instead, we were met with a low wall of fog in the entrance hall. The mist had entered the house through the front door that now stood wide open.
Cal pushed the mist back outside and strode over to the door. I followed him as he grasped the door and peered into the darkness that still covered the area. The thunder we had heard earlier now boomed overhead. The windows rattled and the sky was shattered by flashes of brilliant lightning. The light provided by the fury of Mother Nature and whatever curse was upon us illuminated the courtyard, now cleared of fog by Cal.
A figure stood in the center of the clearing and faced the house. My heart gave a leap when I recognized the pale, burnt face that belonged to Werd. He stood as still as a statue with his unblinking eyes staring at us.
“Werd?” Dreda called out as she pushed past us and hurried onto the stone path. “Werd!”
“Wait!” I shouted as I rushed after her.
I caught her near the end of the trail just as a dozen shadows leapt out of the woods. Their gnashing, lengthened snouts and glowing yellow eyes gave me a hint as to the identity of our attackers. The werewolves hit the ground running on all fours as they raced toward us with their fur blowing in the wind.
One of them barreled toward us with his hideous eyes focused on me. He didn’t make it as the shadow of Ben slammed into his side, sending the werewolf tumbling head over tail across the driveway.
Ben stood between me and my foe and his hands flexed at his sides. I grabbed his sleeve and gave it a tug. “Ben! Not here! Edouard-”
