The Emerald Dragon (The Lost Ancients Book 3) by Marie Andreas Read Free Book Online Page B

Antiquities Museum.” She shook her head. “Or rather what’s left of it. You weren’t kidding that it was destroyed. I don’t recall anything after that except Taryn tackling me.”
    I really didn’t want to stay out here having this discussion. “How about we go somewhere else?”
    “Sure, Foxy and Amara should be back by now,” Harlan said as we walked out of the ruins.
    I nodded. Some serious food and a nice glass of ale would settle this day down nicely.
    Covey had been scowling at the trees around us, then aimed the scowl at us. “This is wonderful. However, I have somehow lost an hour of time, I have scrapes and cuts that I have no memory of getting, and I need answers. I’ll even go to that place, if it will get you two to talk.”
    Covey wasn’t a big fan of pubs in general, and The Shimmering Dewdrop in particular, since she felt I spent too much time there.
    She didn’t wait for either of us to respond, but stomped down the path to the pub.
    Neither Harlan nor I were motivated to try to catch up with her. She was in a foul mood and those were never healthy for folks around her. Maybe, if I was lucky, Alric would be at the pub and she could take him down a few pegs.
    “Where did you leave Alric?”
    “I knew you weren’t that mad at him,” Harlan said with a chuckle. “But I was about to ask you how you managed to stop that knife, since I don’t think that would be good talk for the pub.”
    Damn it. “I’d hoped maybe you hadn’t noticed that.” I lowered my voice. “Yes, I used magic. No, I have no idea what spell it was. Yes, you’re welcome for saving that thick head of yours.”
    Harlan gave me a polite sniff. “No dragon bane?”
    “Of course not. I didn’t know Covey would turn into a knife-flinging monster before my eyes. I….” I let my words drift. No dragon bane, yet no fire ants in my skull. That was an improvement. And hopefully not the start of some new side effect that just hadn’t shown up yet.
    “Ah.” Harlan’s smirk told me all I needed to know—he made the connection too since I wasn’t bitching about my head.
    “We can talk about it later.” Much, much later, if I had my way. I had no idea where this magic came from, or what I could do with it. Harlan was certain I would become some mighty mage and live a life of power and wealth. Or something equally ridiculous.
    “Now where’s Alric? Did he find anything of interest?” We were approaching the pub so we both had to watch our words. Not that it would last long with Harlan. He could spread gossip faster than an entire henhouse of grandmothers.
    “He found something. But he wouldn’t tell me what it was; just rolled up the scroll he’d been looking at and left.” Harlan held the door to the pub open for me. “I had to put the mess away, but I will not be the one telling Covey about the missing one.”
    “He stole another scroll?” Obviously, the hopes I had for a reformed Alric were completely unfounded.
    Harlan scowled but the way he tapped his teeth told me he was scowling about something in his head, not me. “He muttered something. No, I simply can’t recall it.”
    Covey had gotten to the pub first and commandeered one of the best tables. From the disgruntled but trying-not-to-let-her-see-it looks on the faces of the people at the tables around her, it may not have been empty when she took it.
    I couldn’t blame folks for getting out of her way. She had clearly been trying to find her missing time on the walk over here, and just as clearly hadn’t been able to. She looked ready to spit nails, and then hammer them into someone with her fist.
    “This is acceptable?” At the nods from both Harlan and me as we sat, she nodded as well. “Then talk. I already told Foxy to bring you both whatever it is you drink. But you need to talk now.”
    Harlan jumped right in. “You left your office, then an hour or more later, you threw a knife at my head in the ruins.”
    “That was not helpful.” She