Page 48 of Damien’s Mate

The case was lined with blue velvet. Each artifact had its own spot, shaped perfectly to hold it. A small dagger with a golden hilt, two wide armbands made of solid gold, a crystal rod, and a torc—a curved gold neckband designed to lie on top of the collarbones.

There was one empty space—a narrow, shallow groove. Lila laid the bracelet she’d taken from Salzano’s vault into the box. It fit perfectly.

All six of the artifacts glowed faintly. The set was complete.

She’d expected to feel elated, but she felt suddenly empty. She’d spent her whole life searching for these artifacts. Now that quest was done.

She heard the bedclothes rustling behind her, and then Damien said thickly, “What are you doing?”

“Putting the artifacts together.”

He climbed out of bed and sat down on the carpet beside her, still wearing only his underwear, smelling of sleep and yummy bodywash. She resisted the desire to lean against him and kiss his muscled shoulder.

“What do they do?” he asked.

She’d never actually thought about it. “I have no clue,” she admitted. “It doesn’t really matter. They’re for the Draken.”

He reached out, stroking the velvet with one finger. “You sure?”

“Um, yeah. Didn’t you hear me when I told you? Royal House, etcetera etcetera?”

“Yeah, I heard.” He touched the bracelet ever so lightly. “But… this protected me from fire. If dragons can breathe fire, wouldn’t they already be immune to it?”

She’d never really thought about it. “I guess they would.”

“So why would they need an artifact to do something that comes naturally to them?”

She frowned. “Good question.” Her father had never encouraged her to ask questions, or wonder about the mission. She thought back, trying to remember everything he’d told her.

“I think my father told me a legend once, where a Draken made magical items to protect his favorite Lion Guard Commander and make him more powerful in battle. Maybe that’s what the bracelet is for?” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Our job was to find them. And now that I have, I can contact the Lion Guard.”

She pulled out a square leather box that was wedged in between the velvet interior and the side of the case. It held a gold sphere about the size of a tennis ball, and two identical pendants on gold chains, made in a complicated flattened knot pattern, like the Celtic art from this world.

Lila gently touched the golden ball with her fingertip. “This is a communication orb. Once I activate it, it will connect with the one at the Lion Guard headquarters, and I can speak to the Commander directly.”

Damien picked up one of the pendants. “And what are these?”

“Portal keys,” she said. “The only way to travel between here and the Dragonlands is by magical portal. I need one of these to anchor the portal at this end, and allow me to pass through.”

“Why are there two?”

She said softly, “One was for my father.” Another wave of sadness came over her, that he hadn’t lived to see this day.

Damien put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “He’d be proud of you.”

“I miss him.”

He didn’t say anything, just rubbed the back of her neck gently.

Then he said, “So are you going to call? Or are you going to wait until you heal up more?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “I—”

She was interrupted by a huge, snarling roar. Through the closed door of their suite, they could hear heavy footsteps stomping up the stairs, past their landing and up to the third floor.

A door banged open above them, and then the ceiling started shaking as the person stomped across the floor. She and Damien stared at each other, frozen, wondering what the hell was going on.

“Do you think the ceiling will hold?” Damien whispered.