Page 186 of Scales ’N’ Spells: Volume Two

Cassie sighed. “It was easier for them to find the mages. They’ve been finding them for far longer. Just seemed to know where to look, or maybe they had far more people looking than the dragons could ever manage.”

“Have you been able to find something of value in all of this?” Gunter asked, waving his free hand at the screen. He didn’t want to linger on the idea of the Jaeggi hunting mages. They needed to move forward with finding them.

“We think so, but we need some help from Nikki,” Cameron began.

Nikki immediately perked up. “Anything. What can I do?”

This time, Cassie turned back to the keyboard and made a rapid-fire clatter of keys.

“We analyzed the data and came up with clusters—areas where this Jaeggi either returned to or lingered around more than any other places. We tossed out any place they went to only a few times, as maybe they were just passing through.”

The screen changed again, both the yellow and white dots disappearing, to be replaced with twenty bright red dots spread across Europe.

“We came up with twenty possible locations,” Cassie announced.

“Twenty isn’t bad,” Dimitri hedged. He lifted one hand in a gesture and then dropped it again. “It will take some time to check them all, even if we just send dragons for a quick fly-by, but it’s manageable.”

“A lot more than that other mess,” Gunter murmured.

“True.” Cameron spun back and smiled in a hopeful manner at Nikki. “But we’re hoping that maybe Nikki can cull the list a little. Or help us prioritize. Even if you can only tell us what might be a good starting point, that would be helpful.”

Nikki chewed on their bottom lip for a moment as they stared at the screen. Gunter squeezed their shoulder in encouragement before Nikki rose to their feet and walked up to the screen. Gunter could barely make out the lines furrowing across their brow, but one by one Nikki steadily marked off ten locations.

“Why not those?” Gunter asked when Nikki paused.

“I remember living in all of them,” they replied softly. Nikki turned back, their face a little pale. “This was a while ago, several years back. I didn’t really think of them. The Jaeggi never return to a place they’ve stayed in the past. It’s too dangerous. Even if it’s not been discovered by dragons, they won’t go back.”

An ugly, horrible thought flashed across Gunter’s brain. He prayed it wasn’t right, that the connection he saw in the timeline wasn’t correct. Curiosity and the need to know burned in his mind, and he couldn’t stop his tongue from voicing it. “Were you with the part of the clan staying in Germany a year ago? Just outside of Sonthofen.”

Someone in the room gasped, but Gunter wasn’t sure if it was Cameron or Cassie. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from Nikki’s worried expression.

“I was,” Nikki whispered.

Gunter’s dragon roared in pain. Gunter couldn’t tell if he uttered a noise or not. Now possessing the knowledge, he almost wished he hadn’t asked. It tore his heart apart to know Nikki had been so close, and yet, with his ignorance, it might as well have been an ocean between them. He couldn’t hear anything over the cries of outrage and frustration. Nikki had been just minutes away from him, and he’d never known it. At his fingertips. If only⁠—

Nikki was suddenly in front of him, stepping between his legs and wrapping their arms around his neck. “I’m right here now. It’s okay. I’m safe,” they murmured.

Gunter pressed his face into Nikki’s chest, but all he smelled was Sasha in the sweater. Gathering Nikki up, Gunter pulled Nikki onto his lap so he could press his nose into their neck. He breathed deep. Lightning, spun sugar, and maybe even the tiniest hint of his own scent. Yes, Nikki was theirs. Nikki was safe at Burkhard. Nikki would never be touched by the Jaeggi again.

“Well, ten is a much better starting place than twenty,” Cassie said with a relieved sigh.

“Nikki, can you give any more advice on the remaining ten?” Cameron asked.

Gunter felt a little calmer and could turn his attention back to the screen with Nikki, though he wasn’t ready for the mage to move from his lap. Not yet, at least.

Mentally, he memorized the locations remaining:

Valencia, Spain

Varde, Denmark

Boga, Romania

Samobor, Croatia

Bormio, Italy

Sazos, France