This morning, Octavia’s ankle had been inflamed when she woke. Flynn had used his magic to ease the pain, and her foothad felt better than it had in years. She vowed to get another brace made, but she couldn’t deny the benefits of having a witch around.
Each day, Octavia was getting more comfortable with the idea of having a mate. Things with Flynn were simple and easy, and she liked that a lot.
The pair strode to the bar at the back.
“Can I help you?” The bartender, a muscular bald human, put down the glass he was cleaning.
Octavia nodded. “Yes, please. I need to see Mrs. Black.” Flynn’s hand was a steady presence on her back, and his touch grounded her. She added, “It’s urgent.”
“What do you want with Mrs. Black?” The bartender crossed his arms and stared them down.
“I have a delivery for her.” Octavia tried not to let the man’s questions irritate her, but she’d come so far and done so much. She just wanted to finish this and move on with her life.
“What if I told you she's indisposed?” the man asked.
“Then we would wait.” The dragon shifter adjusted her weight, standing on her good foot. “Please tell her Octavia Ashbloom is here for her. Dawn is early, and the night is short.”
The last sentence was a signal that the Elders had forced Octavia to memorize before she left.
The bartender stiffened when he heard it, and his fingers curled on the countertop. Three long seconds passed before he nodded. “Alright. Stay here.” He turned and stomped up the stairs before disappearing from sight.
Come to think of it, maybe Octavia should have used the code phrase right away.
She glanced at Flynn. “He seems…”
“Grumpy,” her witch said, nuzzling her neck. “You did great.”
When had she started thinking of the witch as hers? Octavia wasn’t certain, but she liked it. It feltright, in the same way thatwhen Flynn held her, she felt safe. She’d never had that before. It was like her soul recognized his as a haven.
“Thank you,” Octavia murmured.
Footsteps pounded on the stairs. The bartender stopped halfway down, gripping the railing for balance. “She’ll see you.”
A flash of blue slipped from Flynn’s palms. It was so quick that Octavia was fairly certain no one else noticed, but she did. The fact that he was pulling magic, just in case something went wrong, was sweet. Little did he know that once she shifted,shewould be the one protecting them.
She couldn’t wait to see the look of surprise on his face when she finally showed him her dragon form. She still hadn’t told him what she was, although he likely suspected it, but that would soon change.
Flynn laced their fingers together as they followed the bartender up the rickety stairs, and Octavia leaned against him.
Once they reached the second level, the dual purpose of the building was even clearer. From a room on the left came a trio of muffled cries—two females and a male, by the sounds of it—and from another, someone begged loudly for release. The room on the right simply boasted the rhythmic pounding of a headboard against the wall.
Octavia’s cheeks flushed, and her grip tightened on Flynn’s hand. This place, with its sounds and scents of desire, only amplified the feelings she already had for the witch.
Soon, she promised herself.
Once the rose was out of her hands, she would find out whether Flynn was as skilled in other departments as he was at kissing.
The bartender led them to a door at the back of the hallway. “Mrs. Black is very busy.” He paused with his hand on the knob. “Make it quick.”
Octavia nodded, and the human knocked twice.
“Enter,” an ancient, wizened voice called out.
The bartender opened the door and stepped back, revealing a dimly lit office. A single armchair faced the hearth. Where a blazing fire should have been, a few logs smoldered.
“Come here, child.”
Exchanging a glance with Flynn, Octavia let go of his hand and stepped around the chair. Bright blue eyes met hers, set in a face lined with age. It was impossible to see where one wrinkled ended, and the next began. Long snow-white hair flowed down to the woman’s waist, hiding her ears from sight. A heavy black gown covered her from neck to toe like a blanket of death.