herself, not even with Blaze, but Maksim had persuaded him. Charlotte knew he would know she was up to something and he wouldn’t waste any time coming home.
The two owls made their way through the night to the compound. She loved flying and she took the longer route, flying over part of the city, looking down on the lights. Cities could be beautiful, lit up as they were. Then she was over the lake and the water gleamed under the moon. It was a cold but very clear night and stars were out. Perfect. A perfect night.
Her little owl settled on the back of Liv’s green dragon and she shifted right there, so she was sitting on its back. She’s fine. She whispered the reassurance. The green color had dimmed without Liv’s interaction. Although she found it strange that a rock dragon would be worried or sad without the child, she believed it was so. She’s coming to you soon. When she does, I expect you to take good care of her. To entice her to stay in their world. She was certain when Liv rose from the soil, the terrible things that had been done to her would be with her worse than ever. She’d been taken from the safety of her home. What would it take to make her feel safe again?
Like Tariq and Val, she worried that conversion wouldn’t be enough for Liv to stay with them. The child had been so traumatized and when she woke and had to face what she’d done—allowing the enemy into their compound—she would feel more guilt. She wasn’t responsible, but she wouldn’t see it that way. Charlotte intended to find a counselor for the children, one maybe among the Carpathian people so Tariq would give his consent without reservation.
Danny was the first to spot her. He’d come to accept her a lot faster than she’d anticipated. She was certain that was due to Amelia. He gave her a quick grin. “Bella and Lourdes are going to freak when they see you. Lourdes wants you to take them for a ride on the dragons.”
She sighed. Of course the two little ones had learned the dragons could fly. They had been told in no uncertain terms by Tariq that they couldn’t fly without an adult. Genevieve was not comfortable flying on the back of a stone dragon so she adamantly refused to take the two girls.
“You’ll take them.” Danny made it a statement, grinning at her, knowing she rarely refused the little ones. He clearly wanted to fly as well. “I’ll call Amelia. She’s with Genevieve over by the swings.”
Charlotte could hear the delighted squeals of the two little girls as Amelia and Genevieve pushed them on the swings. She loved that sound. Normal. Tariq and Charlotte were trying to give the children as much normal as possible. They’d let them have a couple of days off from their studies and then gone right back to their normal routine.
“Have you checked on Liv?” Danny asked as he moved away from the dragons in the direction of the play yard.
“Of course. She’s fine. Tariq said another couple of days. He’s being overly cautious, but we’re hoping it helps heal her mind as well.”
“I can’t wait to see her. Amelia cried when she didn’t think I was looking. She’s worried about her.”
“I’ll talk to her,” Charlotte reassured him.
“Bella! Lourdes! Amelia! Charlotte’s here. We’re going to fly.” He bellowed it across the distance.
Charlotte winced and exchanged a grin with Blaze, who was sitting on the orange dragon. “He’s a boy,” she explained.
Blaze nodded, her smile widening. “I got that.”
The children came running, Genevieve trailing after them at a much more sedate pace.
“Want to come flying with us, Vi?” Charlotte asked, sliding off the green dragon to sit on the blue one. She leaned down to help Lourdes on as the blue dragon extended his wing to the child.
Genevieve gave an unladylike snort and shook her head.
Blaze sat behind Bella on the red dragon. Bella continually petted the neck of her dragon, talking seemingly without taking a breath. The dragon turned its head almost backward to rub along Bella’s lap. She giggled and leaned down to kiss the massive wedge-shaped head.
Danny all but leapt on the brown dragon, something he’d clearly practiced because he was very good at it. Still, like the girls, he rounded the dragon’s neck with his arms and leaned down to whisper in the stone animal’s ear.