“No good can come of this,” he said. “We’re risking our necks and for what?” Iago only smiled at his companion.
“The reward out weighs the risk, Mateos,” Iago said. Mateos was so moral. He made a horrible bounty hunter but he was the brain to Iago’s brawn. Ever since they were children, orphaned and surviving on the streets of Madrid, Spain. A Jew and a Catholic best friends. Iago’s ancestors were turning in their graves if he knew them at all. But Iago would spit on them all the same.
Iago and Mateo were both swarthy in complexion with dark eyes. Yet Iago maintained a thin black mustache and dark stubble while Mateos was freshly shaven. They were around the same age but Iago always looked older. Their exotic appearance made all these American girls swoon. Iago loved the effect he had on women. He didn’t doubt that his charms would work on this particular woman he and his partner were sent to retrieve.
“What if she doesn’t come with us?” Mateos asked. They approached the carnival, joining the flow of customers.
“If our charms aren’t enough,” Iago padded his jacket pocket. “Then I have something else that will persuade her. Works every time.”
Mateos’s face became grim. Hopefully his plan wouldn’t call for that measure though Iago would be pretty upset with him later if his plan pulls off.
* * * *
What a waste of time. Ariana pouted outside Damon’s tent. She should have known what Uncle Balthazar’s answer was going to be. He always said no. Next town. Not likely. Usually it’s on a leash. Ariana can’t go anywhere without Uncle Balthazar or that bejeweled choker he makes her wear whenever she leaves the carnival grounds. A tracking collar, he said. Ariana took out her book of fairytales and continued where she left off on Arthur’s adventures for the Holy Grail.
“That’s a good one,” she heard a throaty accented voice then a shadow cast upon her. Ariana looked up to see a smiling young man with dark eyes, swarthy skin, and dark facial hair.
“You read it?” Ariana asked her eyes brightening at the prospect of talking to another person who didn’t have scales or feathers.
“No but my brother has,” the man chuckled. “My name is Iago.”
“I’m Ariana.” Ariana quickly climbed to her feet and held out her hand, the usual polite way to greet someone she observed her uncle do. But instead of shaking it Iago held her hand to his lips, his stubble tickled her smooth skin.
“Ariana,” Iago rolled his r’s that made her name sound more exotic. She blushed. Iago kept hold of her hand, the heat from their made blood rush to Ariana’s cheeks making her glow.
“Such a beautiful name for a beautiful girl,” he complimented. “I have to say I was not sure I wanted to come to this Strange Carnival but my brother insisted. I’m glad he did. I heard there were majestic creatures at this show.”
“I wouldn’t call some of them majestic,” Ariana peeked over her shoulder sardonically watching Damon through the curtain.
“At least one of you is,” Iago smiled.
* * * *
Damon sat in his large cage, weighed down by misery as well as his chains. The next crowd would be in after 10 minutes. He closed his eyes trying to imagine his life before all of this. 10 years seemed like a long time ago. Ariana was about 11 years old when he “found” her. Her violin playing was so beautiful. Dragons loved music. It often made them sleepy. That’s how Damon was captured. He was in his lair on an island in Greece when he heard the painful longing of a violin. Who knew such a horrible brat could make such beautiful music? As Damon remembered the white rocks and warm salty breeze of his home, he heard someone outside his cage. Damon ignored him.
“I’ve seen a few dragons before but rarely in human form,” the young man said. Damon didn’t respond.
“There was this one where in Romania though that loved playing cards,” the young man continued. “Terrible at cards. Lost all of his gold. Dragons don’t know how to bluff you guys are too proud.”
Damon opened his eyes, flashing his angry golden pools at a young clean shaven young man with swarthy skin. A low growl rumbled from Damon’s throat. The young man held up his hands, “Easy there, dragón, I have come to make you an offer.”
“I’ve had my fill of business men making me offers,” growled Damon. “The last one is my jailor along with his white haired she-devil of a niece!”
“My name is Mateos,” the young man knelt down before the dragon. “And it’s this so called she-devil that I’ve come to talk to you about.”
Damon narrowed his golden eyes but listened intently.
“If you help me and my friend take the girl then I promise you your freedom,” Mateos took something from his pocket. A small thin bone-like iron rod with arcane symbols carved into the surface. “This is a skeleton key that can open any lock, even enchanted shackles.” Mateos tossed the key into the cage. Damon picked it up but he still glowered at Mateos suspiciously.
“All you have to do is bring Ariana LaStrange to the harbor and my brother and I will take it from there,” Mateos swore.
Damon pondered the offer. The memory of his home was like a dream but holding the key to his freedom made it more of a reality again.
“There’s something else I can give you,” Mateos had something that could seal the deal.
“What can be more valuable than my freedom?” Damon asked.
“An answer to a question you’ve asked the Oracle 40 years ago,” Mateos said, his dark eyes intense. Damon froze. How did this human know about that?
“So…,” the tent was already filling for the next show. “Do we have an agreement?” This man was offering Damon not only a way out but something more valuable to him than any treasure.
“Yes,” Damon agreed full heartedly.
Mateos smiled. His plan was in motion.
* * * *
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