The Dragon Shifter’s Desire by Harmony Raines

Chapter Twenty-Three – Larisa

Larisa helped Gilliam in the kitchen. The fae insisted on preparing the coffee and food, but she did her best to find enough plates and cups for his visitors.

“Look in the dresser in the second room on the right,” Gilliam suggested when she could only find three plates. It seemed visitors were so rare that Gilliam didn’t keep more stuff in the large, but basic, kitchen.

“Okay.” She headed out of the kitchen and along a wide hallway. The palace was like a maze with various rooms leading from a labyrinth of hallways. Larisa longed to explore the building, but this was Gilliam’s home, and she had no right to snoop around without his permission.

Pushing open the second door on the right as instructed, she entered a sparsely furnished room, her eyes instantly drawn to a tapestry on the wall. She stepped back and stared at it. The tapestry depicted the prophecy Gilliam had told them about.

A massive dragon with red scales that shimmered in the sun stood on a raised platform looking down on a smaller dragon with blue scales. The larger dragon bore down on the smaller dragon breathing fire. But from the left side of the platform, someone threw a spear directly at the dragon’s heart.

“I forgot the plates are in the third room on the left.” Gilliam appeared in the doorway behind her. “Ah, I see you found the tapestry.” With his mouth downturned, he crossed the room to stand next to her staring at the images.

“Is this the prophecy?” She pointed at the intricate work.

He shook his head. “No, I made this in the months following Andor’s death. I call it Gilliam’s revenge.”

“Revenge for what?” she asked.

“The red dragon is responsible for the death of Ivan’s father.” He jabbed his finger at the tapestry. “This is me throwing a spear attempting to take revenge for Andor’s death.”

“So you know who is responsible for Andor’s death?” Larisa turned to Gilliam.

“Argothorn. He is responsible.”

“He murdered Ivan’s father?” This is the information they needed. Surely the pendant belonged to him, too.

“If Argothorn hadn’t banished Andor from the dragon isle, he would never have been murdered in the world beyond.” Gilliam choked on his words as his emotions threatened to take control of him.

“So he didn’t actually murder Andor?” Larisa felt deflated.

“Andor was murdered by a human from the world beyond.” Gilliam wiped his hand across his eyes.

“No. He wasn’t.” Larisa shook her head firmly. “It was a lie. We’re certain that he was murdered by a dragon shifter. We have the pendant that was used as payment for the information that led to Ivan’s father being murdered.”

“A pendant?” Gilliam asked. “Don’t people in the world beyond usually pay in cash?”

“They do,” Larisa confirmed. “But the person who killed Andor wasn’t from the world beyond.”

Gilliam frowned. “The person responsible for the murder, a man named Reginald, went to prison for other crimes, but the police were convinced he had something to do with the murder. He had an accomplice but the accomplice was also murdered.”

“Your detective was thorough, I’m sure,” Larisa said.

“But you’re telling me this is not true?” Gilliam asked.

“My father was framed for Murray’s murder. He was framed by the person who killed Andor.” Larisa reached out and touched Gilliam’s shoulder as his face paled. “Are you okay?”

“Are you sure? Are you sure you are not just trying to clear your father’s name by blaming someone else?” Gilliam’s gentle tone wasn’t meant to offend her. Of course, it was a natural conclusion to jump to.

“I’m sure.” She smiled sadly. “My father was a friend of Andor. A good friend. He was devastated by the death of Ivan’s parents. Then his face appeared on the TV and in newspapers. He was the prime suspect in Murray’s murder. It has haunted him ever since.”

“So who killed them? Who does the pendant belong to?”

“We thought you might be able to help us with that. We came here because Hannah thought you might know.” Larisa guided Gilliam to a solid wooden chair in the corner of the room. He reached out his hand and the chair rocked as he gripped the back of it tightly.

“Why would she think I’d know? I only ever visited the dragon isle once.” Gilliam sat down on the chair, his head in his hands as he stared at the floor. “Hannah is the only person I ever told. When we were young, we used to meet in the wildwood and explore together. She was my most trusted friend.”

“Hannah never told us why you might be able to help us.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the pendant but kept her fingers closed around it. “Perhaps if you looked at it, you might recognize it.”

Gilliam nodded and Larisa opened her hand and showed him the large diamond pendant. He stared at it for a long moment before he picked it up and held it in his hand. He closed his eyes and stayed still as if he were meditating.

Larisa held her breath not daring to hope he might have some answers for her, that they would make a breakthrough in their hunt for the dragon shifter who framed her father. But when Gilliam opened his eyes once more, there was no sign of recognition.

“I’m sorry. I have never seen this before. There’s nothing I can tell you about it.” He handed the pendant back to Larisa. “We could try a location spell.”

“Hannah already cast a location spell on it. Ivan has the map. It does seem to belong to someone on the dragon isle, but they are not moving.” She wrapped her arms around her body and walked to the window. “I want to find him to clear my father’s name and so that Ivan can get the answers he needs.”

“Does Ivan need these answers?” Gilliam got up from his chair and came to stand beside her. “You are caught up in the past. Does it matter to your future? Ivan has spent his whole life not knowing these answers.”

“You’re asking if I’m doing this for me? For my family?” She didn’t look at him as she contemplated his words. “Don’t you want to know? Andor was your friend and if he was murdered by a dragon shifter, don’t you want to know?”

She turned around and strode across the room to the tapestry. “Who is this dragon?” She pointed at the red dragon who seemed to shimmer as her swift movement disturbed the air in the room.

“He is Argothorn. He is the one who banished Andor. He’s the one who sent Andor to the world beyond. If he hadn’t gone, there would have been no murder.” Gilliam shook his head as he wearily got up from his chair.

“Could it have been Argothorn who murdered Ivan’s parents?” Larisa asked.

“No. Dragons don’t kill dragons. It’s...abominable.” Gilliam’s horror was real as he stepped away from Larisa. “Argothorn had already banished Andor. He wouldn’t murder him in cold blood. He had no need.”

“Are you sure?” She rounded on Gilliam. “Are you absolutely certain?”

“Do you have the map with you?” Gilliam asked.

“Yes. Ivan has it.” She glanced over her shoulder. They had been so deep in conversation, they’d both forgotten why they had come to the room. “I’ll go fetch the plates.”

Gilliam nodded but didn’t follow her from the room. “Third door on the left,” he murmured.

“Got it.” She left the room and took a left turn, counting the doors as she sifted through her thoughts. Gilliam was convinced a dragon shifter was not responsible for Ivan’s parents’ murder. But her father was convinced of the opposite.

If Gilliam was right, then the years spent looking for the pendant might have been a worthless waste of time. She brushed a hand across her eyes. She’d spent her life searching for dragons in an attempt to clear her father’s name. Were all those years wasted?

As she pushed open the door and went inside the second room, she squeezed her eyes shut as she fought back tears. Her search had brought her here. It had brought her Ivan. Her mate. The man she was meant to spend the rest of her life with.

Perhaps he was all she was searching for all along, she just didn’t know it before.

Larisa went to the dresser and knelt to open the door which looked as if it might drop off its hinges if she used too much force. The furniture inside the palace had received less care and attention than the building itself.

As she got up, she ran her hand over the solid oak surface. It needed some work, but it was a beautiful piece of furniture. Had it been carved by the elves who once lived here?

She turned on her heel and walked away. She had to focus on the reason they came here. They needed answers from Gilliam. They needed to be certain they were not chasing down a dragon shifter.

“I found the plates.” She held them up as she entered the kitchen where Gilliam was stirring a pan on the stovetop.

“Are you all right?” Ivan got to his feet and came to her, his eyes flickering in Gilliam’s direction as she took the plates from her and set them down on the counter. “You were gone for a while.”

“Gilliam and I were talking.” Larisa looped her arm through Ivan’s.

“Talking about what?” Ivan eyed the fae suspiciously before he focused on his mate.

“About the pendant.” She took it out of her pocket and dangled it in her hand before she leaned over Zara’s shoulder and placed it on the table. The gold chain coiled around with the large diamond resting on it. The light from the sun’s rays shone through the window and reflected off the many facets.

Karros caught his breath. “I know many fae lords who would pay a fortune for such a gem.”

“But it’s worth more than money,” Zara reminded him. “This pendant is going to lead us to the person who killed Ivan’s father and then killed Belle’s father.”

Gilliam tapped the side of his pan with a wooden spoon and turned around, his face still pale as he stared at the diamond. Then he took a deep breath. “Show me the map Hannah gave you.”

“You told him about the location spell?” Ivan raised an eyebrow at Larisa.

“I did.” She slipped away from Ivan and went to his pack. Picking it up, she handed it to the dragon shifter. “Gilliam doesn’t think that a dragon shifter was involved in your parents’ murderer. He doesn’t believe that the same dragon shifter tried to cover his tracks by killing Murray and then framing my dad for the murder.”

“Ah.” Ivan nodded and dumped the pack on an empty chair before unbuckling it and taking out the map. He spread it out on the table and all eyes were drawn to the mark made by Hannah’s spell. “It still hasn’t moved.”

“Maybe the spell didn’t work,” Zara suggested.

“Hannah’s spells always work,” Karros assured them.

“But the mark hasn’t moved in hours.” Zara stood up and leaned over the map. “It’s still in the exact same place.”

Gilliam came closer as if drawn to the map even though he didn’t want to look. He was like a child hiding under his bed who couldn’t help peeking at the monster in his closet. As he stared at the mark, he sucked in a sharp breath.

“What?” Larisa snapped.

“I know who the pendant belongs to.” He covered his mouth with his hand and sat down on the chair Zara had vacated.

“Who?” Ivan asked.

“The red dragon,” Gilliam whispered.