Highland Dragon (The Treasure of Paragon #6) - Genevieve Jack Page 0,17
her.
Nathaniel lifted his wine and swirled the red liquid in the belly of the glass. “Avery is a grown woman. She’s extremely resourceful. So much so, she cared for your child on her own the entire time you were in Paragon. Not to mention she faced Aborella alone and lived to tell the tale. Unless you want to suggest to Rowan that Nick has to go? Excuse me for not wanting to be in the room for that conversation.”
“She has no magic!” Gabriel protested, pointing a hand at Avery.
“Exactly why she is the only one who can enter the builgean.” Nathaniel’s finger tapped the table beside his plate.
“You can’t seriously think it’s a good idea to help her through the gate to the builgean with no idea what she’ll encounter inside?” Gabriel narrowed his eyes on Nathaniel incredulously.
Clarissa leaned toward him. “We can send the shadow-mail candle with her. If she runs into trouble—”
“Actually…” Nathaniel shook his head. “I gave my candle to Sylas in Paragon.”
“What?” Clarissa raised a brow.
Nathaniel glanced between Raven and Gabriel. “In the cave under the palace, while you and Rowan made sacrifices to the goddess, Sylas told me he couldn’t come with us. He needed to continue his work with the rebellion. I gave him the candle so that we’d have the means to find each other when the time came.”
“We’ll make another,” Clarissa said hopefully.
Nathaniel shook his head. “I can’t… It’s a complex spell, and I’d have to wait until spring to gather the right ingredients.”
“Borrow Warwick’s?” Clarissa shot Nathaniel a pleading look across the table.
“He’s gone on a mission to collect magical herbs for the Order. He’s somewhere in the Australian outback. Even if I could get a message to him, getting it back in a timely manner would be… problematic. I’m afraid if Avery goes, she does so alone,” Nathaniel said.
Gabriel slashed a hand through the air between them. “That settles it. It’s too dangerous. We’ll have no way to help her if she gets into trouble. No way to know she’s in trouble! She doesn’t go.”
“She is sitting right here.” Avery’s fork clattered to her plate. “And she has decided she wants to do this.”
Gabriel growled at her. “You’d risk your sister’s power?”
Raven clasped a hand over her mate’s mouth. “Gabriel, Avery is right. It’s her life and her choice. Plus we need her help. We need Xavier.”
When Raven slid her hand away, Gabriel narrowed his eyes on her and then Clarissa. “You two knew about this, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Raven, it’s a terrible idea. It’s too risky.” The dark depths of Gabriel’s eyes flickered with red fire.
“I think it’s Avery’s choice.” Clarissa gave her a little nod. “It is dangerous, and I’m scared as hell for you. But I can see that this is something you want to do. Something we need you to do. And if you are brave enough to go, we should be brave enough to let you.” Her eyes bore into Gabriel’s head as she said the last sentence.
Avery scoffed. “Thank you, but I don’t need anyone’s approval. I’m an adult. Nathaniel asked me to do this, and I said yes. While I appreciate all the concern, I’ve decided. I’m going.”
“I’ll have the oreads start on your wardrobe tonight.” Nathaniel pulled the napkin from his lap and folded it beside his plate as if he’d finished eating even though he’d barely touched his food.
“Wardrobe?” Avery hadn’t thought she’d need anything but the clothes on her back.
“We have to assume that everyone behind the ward still dresses and acts as if it is 1745. Aside from a handful of adventurous souls who have visited me over the centuries, there have been few outside influences since we created the bubble. Most of the people there have likely never seen a pair of jeans. If you are going to successfully traverse the considerable distance from the doorway to Castle Dunchridhe, circumnavigate its defenses, and get close enough to Xavier to speak with him, you’ll need to be prepared. I will help you with everything.”
Considerable distance. Castle defenses. Avery’s stomach clenched. Did she have any idea what she was getting herself into? She reached for her wine and took a fortifying gulp.
“I’m ready when you are.”
Chapter Five
“How do I look?” Avery turned slowly, modeling the clothes the oreads had made for her. She shuffled her feet for fear of tripping over the long, heavy skirts.