Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 41518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 208(@200wpm)___ 166(@250wpm)___ 138(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 208(@200wpm)___ 166(@250wpm)___ 138(@300wpm)
Her mom had to be going crazy. She’d blown a gasket when Ciel had chosen to attend the state university several towns away. Thank goodness none of her mom’s worries about her being harmed in the big city had come true.
Is this happening in Wyvern? The image of the giant dragon in the town’s center square popped into her head. That would be better than a bike. Laughter spurted through her lips at the preposterous idea of riding a massive beast through the air. Fables and fairytales.
Chapter 1
Argenis spotted her. An attractive woman about forty-five standing in the crowd at the square. There was something more than just concern about what had stopped all the technology—more than a concern about dragons.
After the mayor had dispersed the group into useful categories, he’d watched that woman and followed. When she stopped to talk to Aurora about a missing person, Argenis had acted.
“I will handle this one,” he told Aurora firmly, and took the paper gently from her hand.
He saw Aurora look at Drake. He met the gold dragon’s eyes solidly. As he suspected, Drake understood. Aurora’s mate nodded, and she relaxed.
“Of course. Here’s her mother. Would you like to ask her any questions?” Aurora asked, gesturing at the woman in front of her.
“Yes,” Argenis confirmed succinctly and walked a short distance away.
“Follow him,” Aurora suggested, pointing at the silver dragon.
He kept his face expressionless as the woman leaned in to whisper, “Is it safe? He won’t eat me, will he?”
Argenis could see the amusement that flashed across Aurora’s lovely face before she relieved the woman’s doubts. “You’re perfectly safe. Tell him everything you can to help him find your daughter.”
“Thank you, miss.” The woman hesitated and then asked, “Are you happy? You know, being with a dragon?”
“More than I ever thought was possible,” Aurora assured her. “Go talk to him.”
“Shouldn’t I stay with the others who are worried about someone outside of Wyvern?” she asked, wavering between nervousness in talking to a dragon and worrying about missing out on having help with her daughter.
“The missing Wyvern reports filed with that group over there will be prioritized, and dragons will be asked to investigate those deemed most urgent. If you wish to be somewhere in line for help, that’s where you should be. If you wish to have a dragon’s help, here and now…” Argenis let his voice drift away as she digested his message.
“Oh, please. I would love to have your help immediately. I meant no disrespect,” she said hastily before adding, “It’s my daughter Ciel.”
She searched in her pocket and withdrew a photo. “I searched for a picture to bring. We’ve kept so many on our phones in the last few years. The most recent printed one I could find is this one—from her high school graduation. She’s a couple of years older now.”
She handed Argenis a high school graduation picture of a young woman leaning against the dragon statue just across the square. He swallowed hard, controlling his visible reaction.
“Ciel is a very sweet person. She’ll know that I’m worrying and will try to get home. With no transportation, I’m worried someone will take advantage of her…. Maybe hurt her.”
“Where was she when you talked to her last?” Argenis forced himself to focus.
“She was in her dorm room, cramming for her last final. Ciel told me she was packed and would call me from the train station when she got there. I don’t suppose the trains are still running. They don’t use technology, do they?”
Argenis didn’t even acknowledge that question. Everything used technology now. It made life easier for everyone. “What university?”
“Oh. Sorry. She’s at the state university in the capital.”
“Got it. You think she’d head to the train station first?” Argenis asked.
“Yes. Then she’d start walking. I don’t even know if she has the roads memorized. We drove her back and forth a few times, but she was always on her phone,” Maureen admitted.
He could hear her feelings of helplessness in her tone. “Thank you. I will do my best to locate her and bring her back. Tell me something that only you would know. That way, she’ll know she can trust me.”
“Her childhood toy was a stuffed dragon. She still sleeps with it. Ciel wouldn’t leave the store until I bought it. She never acted like that. I tried to get her to like the bronze colored one because I was worried the silver would get dirty.”
The dragon inside Argenis roared his disapproval. He did not like the thought of Ciel with a different colored stuffie. Argenis retained control with an ironclad force. “Little girls know what they need sometimes.”
“She took such good care of Silly. He was in the bathtub with her frequently.”
Argenis felt his dragon nod with satisfaction. He thoroughly approved of this. “Silly was the toy’s name?”