Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Rodrigo shook Anje’s hand with a broad smile. “We’ll also bring in mages who specialize in healing. They can help to look over your clan as well as assist in working through your current research.”
Lester scoffed. “We’ve not had any mages capable of healing in centuries.”
“All the more reason to bring them in immediately to help your people,” Evora pointed out.
Anje nodded, her sad eyes dropping to the ground. “Yes. Definitely yes.”
“The Abe family is still in Sonthofen, right? Staying with the Burkhards,” Rodrigo murmured as he glanced over at Evora. “I have no doubt that they would wish to be here for this discovery.”
“The Abe Clan? They still exist?” Lester gasped.
Lester took the words right out of Sam’s mouth. Every mage clan knew of the Abe Clan’s legendary healing skills, but as far as he knew, the Abe Clan had disappeared off the face of the earth during the Dragon Wars. If any one of those skilled healers could come to Brazil and help with the research, that would speed things along tremendously.
“Yes, we discovered them when one of their members was mated with a wind dragon from the Burkhard Clan,” Evora explained.
Sam raised a questioning eyebrow and looked wordlessly over his shoulder at Dimitri. The Burkhard Clan was a Fire Dragon Clan. How did they have a wind dragon?
Dimitri smiled and pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later. Ravi is an interesting character. I wish you could meet him, but I understand his twins are due to be born in the next few months. He’s not going to be leaving Germany anytime soon.”
“If you don’t mind, we would appreciate it if you would lower the ward. It would help to settle the minds of my clan,” Rodrigo politely requested.
“Oh! Yes! Of course!” Lester turned and shouted for a couple of other Jaeggi mages to remove the ward around the ruins. He turned back and graciously smile. “I hope you don’t mind, but we ask that we limit the number of people within the ruins to only a few at a time and to be accompanied by one of our archeologists or Dr. Hunter.”
Rodrigo quickly nodded. “Of course, completely understandable. You need to preserve the site and what you’ve uncovered. We don’t wish to hinder your work.”
Within a matter of minutes, the compound was filled with members of the Valerii Clan. Dragons and mages mingled with the Jaeggi mages, making introductions and chattering excitedly. Sam might have rolled his eyes at himself as he realized that all the Valerii spoke Portuguese, so the translations and English had been spoken purely as a courtesy to him.
Even if he couldn’t understand what was being said any longer, it was easy to read the mood of the place. Hopeful. Excited. Relieved. And definitely a good splash of curiosity.
How had these Jaeggi managed to fly under the dragons’ radar for so long? How had they escaped even the notice of their own clan?
Strong arms wrapped around him and carefully turned him to face the dragon who was quickly stealing away all his common sense. Dimitri should not feel like home to him—not already. But then he’d never met anyone in his life who cherished him the way Dimitri did. Everyone he’d tried to date had been a disaster one way or another.
Dimitri was never put off by his cold demeanor or his short temper or his too-sharp tongue. He approached Sam with patience, compassion, stubbornness, and a twisted sense of humor. His overprotectiveness wasn’t stifling, but rather warmed him down to his broken core.
“Congratulations,” Dimitri murmured, his lips brushing against the corner of Sam’s mouth.
“We still have a very long way to go,” Sam pointed out, his voice becoming a little breathless. It felt like it had been years since he’d last kissed this man. At the very least, days. He refused to believe it had been mere hours.
Dimitri’s low chuckle sent an enticingly cool breath across his lips and Sam shivered in his lover’s arms before burrowing closer. Dimitri kissed the other corner of his mouth. “Maybe, but you’ve accomplished something grand. You helped to bring the Sousa back to the rest of the dragons and mages. You have also probably saved these mages as well. How much longer do you think they could have survived on their own before the very last of these Jaeggi died out? You’re quite amazing.”
“You’re just saying that because you’re my dragon,” Sam mumbled, trying to catch Dimitri’s mouth for a real kiss and none of this evil teasing bullshit.
Dimitri lifted his head enough that Sam couldn’t reach his lips any longer. “I’m saying it because you are fucking amazing. Your dedication, perseverance, patience, and brilliance have paid off. However, as your dragon, only I’m allowed to tell you that you’re sexy.”