Daegan grimaced at the regret in her voice. He understood the agony of choosing wrong, but Luigsech had made the best decision under the circumstances. He gently suggested, “’Tis possible Cavan had your friend in hand already by the time he made that threat.”
She nodded slowly and scrubbed her eyes with her hands. “I have had that thought.” Standing, she addressed both of them. “I don’t know why he took your friend, but the only hope I have of savin’ Fenella is to find that grimoire.” She held a hand up to Daegan. “Do not tell me what I can and cannot do. I don’t want the wrong person to have that book and you haven’t convinced me you’re the right person.”
Daegan had negotiated many cease fires and alliances when his father ruled. He found the best way to start those talks was by offering what the other person wanted. “We are willin’ to help ya find Fenella. Does that now show ya we are the right side of all this?”
He’d said something that piqued her curiosity. Her voice held hope. “How would you find her?”
His chest eased with the first sign that he might be able to get what he needed from this woman while helping her at the same time. He wouldn’t say he trusted her entirely, but neither did she trust him.
Fair enough.
But she held the most significant piece of information in her head and there was only one way to pull it out.
Keeping his tone as nonthreatening as he could, Daegan explained, “I can understand ya not wantin’ someone to be diggin’ around in your head, but Quinn is exceptional at this. His offer is not one given lightly and should be taken as the gift it is at this moment.”
“Oh, sure.” She shoved her hands up in the air then dropped them. “I’m supposed to just open my mind for someone to invade?”
“’Tis not what I’m sayin’,” Daegan shot back.
She shouted, “I’m not about to allow some stranger in my head.”
“Then ya must not care as much for your friend as we do for ours!”
Her head jerked back as if he’d smacked her.
His words had come out sharper than he would have wished, but his head pounded again and he could not be sure if his powers would return or continue to weaken.
The longer she put him off, the more she lowered his chance to save anyone from this Cavan.
Ruadh growled and banged angrily.
Daegan wanted nothing more than to free his dragon, roar at everything, and unleash the power pummeling his insides.
But he’d only add to his people’s troubles if anyone saw the real red dragon.
Tears formed in her eyes. She squeezed them shut, denying the tears to leak out. When she opened her eyes again, the pain in them hurt Daegan.
She challenged, “Would you open your mind to save your friend, Drake?”
He couldn’t spew out a quick answer.
Even he would not believe a reply rattled off with no thought. He gave her truth and hoped she would believe him.
“I have had to make split-second judgements on people to trust or not when in many a dangerous situations. I trusted ya last night to not stab me with your weapon when I turned my back on ya and ya were a dangerous stranger. If I had been presented with someone like Quinn who had not jumped into my mind when he could have at any second during this time together, yes, I would trust him to do as he offers and no more.”
She heaved a deep breath and her clenched fingers uncurled. She had not expected him to admit that, huh?
Quinn stepped in. “I do realize how anyone would fear this, Miss Luigsech, but on my honor, I would never intentionally harm you in any way or search for more than intended. I don't believe in entering someone's mind without permission unless there is no other way to save a person from death.”
Daegan admired Quinn’s ability to manage such a powerful gift many other supernaturals would destroy everything in their paths to possess. That’s why the world needed Beladors to protect humans and nonhumans.
Continuing in that same soothing tone, Quinn said, “If you’ll permit me to use my gift and you follow my instructions, I will be able to enter quickly, see Cavan’s face, then leave just as quickly. By the way, do you have a photo of Fenella with you?”
“No. Why?”
“It will accelerate our search to have visuals on Cavan and Fenella.” Quinn paused as she said nothing, hesitating again. He prodded, “If we do not do this, I have no idea how long it will take to find Cavan’s identity and then start to hunt for him, as opposed to searching for him immediately.”
Her shoulders drooped with the weight of all her troubles.
Daegan hated that he had put some of that burden on her.
She chewed on her lip, struggling to make a decision. After a little nod to herself, she lifted her chin to Quinn and jerked her head at Daegan. “He’s wrong when he said I must not care as much for Fenella as he does for his friend. I’d lay down my life to protect her. You say this mind power isn’t overly invasive. What do I have to do?”
Relief flowed off Quinn whose eyes warmed when he spoke to the woman. “That is correct. I will go no deeper into your mind once I have Cavan’s face. All you have to do is pull up his face and Fenella’s, then focus on each one alternately. I’ll tell you right before I enter.”
Still she wavered.
Daegan suggested, “If you’re not sure, lass, ask yourself if Fenella would do this for ya.”
Luigsech flinched, but straightened her spine. “I want your word, Drake, that you and your people will work with me to save Fenella as well as your friend.”
“You have my word.”
Focusing only on Quinn now, she said, “Fenella’s face should be clear, but I have no idea if Cavan allowed
