Dragon Scales by Sasha L. Miller Read Free Book Online

away almost immediately. "For nothing good, I'm sure. There are plenty of spells he could cast on me with them."
    "Is that why he won't take them from your sister?" Amantea asked. "Because he needs yours, specifically?"
    Isaia nodded. "It's a personal squabble. I'm sorry you were involved, but I will make sure he leaves your nest alone."
    "And I'll be there to confirm that," Amantea said firmly. He smiled sweetly at Isaia. He held the cards here; without him, Isaia was stuck in an unfamiliar place until he managed to find someone to tell him how to get home. Even then, there was every chance that they were days or weeks or months from home.
    "No," Isaia said. "It's too dangerous. You were already hurt—"
    "Because you locked me up and ruined my plan—"
    "Was it as good a plan as trapping me?" Isaia's eyebrows rose, and Amantea wanted to hit him.
    "Fuck you, you weren't supposed to break free—"
    "You're too young, and I don't need Naldo having more leverage against me," Isaia said. He was looming over Amantea, but Amantea ignored that. He wasn't stupid. If Isaia wanted to get to Naldo, he'd need Amantea's porting magic.
    "You don't know where he's keeping your sister?" Amantea asked, though if Isaia did know, he would have rescued her, wouldn't he have? If they could find her, that would let them take Naldo out without any loose ends.
    "No." Isaia grit his teeth. "Whatever you're thinking, no."
    "You don't know anything about where she is?" If he had even one landmark and maybe something of hers to cement the link, there was the chance he could make a portal to where she was. He'd never done it before, but some of the older faeries in his nest had, and it shouldn't be too different from a normal portal.
    "He said she was near that lake," Isaia ground out. "Why?"
    "Do you have something of hers?"
    "At my home. Why ?" Isaia looked to be running out of patience, but Amantea persisted. If Isaia was allowed to be infuriating to him, he was allowed to return the favor.
    "I don't know if it would work," Amantea said. "But I might be able to make a portal to where she is."
    Isaia stared at him, his expression not changing, which... wasn't the reaction Amantea had hoped for. "You can do that."
    "Maybe? I've never ported on so little, but in theory—"
    "What if it doesn't work? Do we end up nowhere again?" Isaia demanded, jerking his arm around to point to their surroundings.
    "No," Amantea said quietly. "It just doesn't work. We go nowhere."
    Isaia narrowed his eyes. "And what do you want for it?"
    "What?" Amantea gaped. "Nothing! No, wait." Amantea stood up. He was still shorter than Isaia, but it was less distance to stare up at him from. "I want you to take me seriously and let me help you stop Naldo."
    Isaia stared at him, then nodded. "Done. Thank you." He shifted, looking uncomfortable. Was that the first time he'd ever thanked someone?
    "It might not work," Amantea said, suddenly nervous. He wiped his palms on the front of his trousers. What if it didn't work? Would Isaia dismiss him completely?
    "We'll see. You need something of hers?" Isaia asked. "We'll need to go to my home for that."
    "I'll set up a portal," Amantea said. He turned to scout for something to use. They were at the edge of a field, near a forest... maybe he'd be able to find some mushrooms—
    "How do you know where my home is?" Isaia demanded, grabbing Amantea's arm and pulling him around.
    Amantea tried to shake his grip off, but Isaia held fast. He was probably leaving more bruises, and Amantea glared at him. "I was there! You locked me in, or do you not remember?"
    "Oh," Isaia said softly, releasing Amantea's arm. He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face tiredly. "That's not my home."
    Amantea rubbed the sore spot on his arm, frowning. True, there hadn't been a horde, and he thought he remembered Isaia saying something about it not being his home, but how was he supposed to know that hadn't been what Isaia meant? "I can't port us there. I haven't