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“Hold it right there!” the newcomer commanded.
The captor dragged his captive back to us through the crowd and I had a good look at the man. He was a little above average height with short black hair and a stern expression on his face. The man wore a stiff uniform of drab gray with a buttoned flap across the chest. His high collar surrounded his neck and was made of a lightweight metal that shimmered in the morning light. He had a long sword on one hip and a pistol on the other. A name tag on the breast revealed his surname to be Folcred.
The man stopped in front of us and narrowed his eyes at Will. “You are under arrest.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
My mouth dropped open. “Why?”
“This man allowed a thief to escape proper punishment,” Folcred pointed out as he continued to glare at Will. “That cannot stand.”
Will smiled. “There’s no need for that. I released him so you might catch him. You are rather visible even in these crowds.”
The officer frowned. “Can you prove your statement?”
“Can you prove I’m lying?” Will countered.
Folcred’s jaw stiffened. “I witnessed the release with my own eyes.”
“And as a guest to your city I object to your version of the events,” Will insisted as he swept his eyes around us. A small crowd had begun to form. “But shall we take this disagreement somewhere more private or shall you release me?”
Folcred looked ready to book Will, but instead, the officer nodded at the trinkets in Will’s hand. “Give me those.”
Will handed over the string of stolen goods. Folcred stuffed them into his breast coat and tightened his grip on his captive. His hard eyes met Will’s. “Mind your step, dragon. This isn’t your land.” And with that, he marched past us dragging the young man along with him.
“Friendly fellow,” I mused as the crowd, disappointed with the outcome, dispersed.
Will pursed his lips and watched the man disappear into the flow of people. “So friendly he desired my company longer than I desired his.”
I looked him up and down. “And he knew you were a dragon.”
Will nodded at the nearby carriage with its markings. “Not an impossible guess, but I can see your worry.”
He guided me over to the vehicle and helped me inside before he looked up at Raines. “A view of the ancestors, if you would.”
Raines nodded and Will climbed in after me. He had hardly shut the door when we took off down the street. I fell into my seat and sighed. “I really thought he was going to take you.”
“As did I,” Will admitted as he took up his spot beside me.
“And are you dragons always so popular with the police?” I wondered as I studied my serpent lover.
“He did act as though I had given him some reason for a personal offense,” Will mused as he folded his arms over his chest. “His face didn’t appear familiar to me, but I have been out of the city for many years.”
“Do other people not like dragons?” I asked him.
A bittersweet smile slipped onto his lips. “We’re ever popular with the poachers. The last time I checked, our scales sold for a very high price on the underground markets.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Do those grow back?”
“Fortunately, they do.”
“So in theory a dragon could sell their scales and crash the market?” I guessed.
He chuckled. “It has been done before.”
I detected a hint of something mischievous in his words. “By you?”
He lifted his chin slightly and his eyes twinkled. “Perhaps.”
