Trial By Fire (Going Down in Flames #3)(89)

“Zero to none.” Bryn squinted in order to see anything out in the darkness. Lightning flashed and zapped the ground, kicking up chunks of dirt and sod.

“That looked like one of your landings,” Jaxon spoke without looking at her, but Bryn was pretty sure who he meant, and it’s not like she could argue.

“Okay…let’s see what we know: no cell phone access, but the landlines work, the power is out,” Bryn said, “and there are Black dragons attacking the campus but they aren’t attacking us…yet.”

“If they aren’t attacking,” Valmont said, “maybe they are distracting us from something else.”

“Something happening someplace else on campus, or something going on here in this building?” Ivy asked.

The lights flickered back on.

“Okay,” Bryn said. “They turned the lights back on. Does that mean they got what they came for?”

“They must have wanted something from another building,” Valmont said.

A terrible idea settled in Bryn’s mind but that was ridiculous. She didn’t want to alarm Jaxon based on suspicion. “Ivy, let’s go to the restroom.”

“Sure.”

Valmont followed along. When they were far enough away from Jaxon, he said, “You’re worried about Rhianna?”

“I want to make sure she didn’t fall victim to a troll.”

Inside the restroom, there was no sign of Rhianna. “Do you think she went to a different bathroom?” Ivy asked.

“Any luck?” Valmont called through the door.

Bryn pushed it open. “No. Let’s go tell Jaxon and see what he thinks.”

“What do you mean she wasn’t in the restroom?” Jaxon jumped to his feet and then stood on his chair scanning the room. “Damn it.” He hopped down. Frost shot from his nose. “There are other restrooms. Right?”

“Yes, but she walked in that direction.” Bryn frowned. “We can have Clint tell the guards while we search the other bathrooms.”

A guard came toward Jaxon. “Someone called on the landline and asked us to give you this message. Rhianna needs you to bring a waiter named Zane to the library.”

Jaxon paled. “Did you speak to her?”

“No. Is there a problem?”

“Yes.” He explained how Rhianna had gone missing.

The guard frowned. “Why would they want the waiter?”

“Good question.” Jaxon stared at Bryn.

Something in the guard’s jacket beeped. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell. “That’s strange. They appear to be working again.”

“I should probably call my grandfather.”

“No,” Jaxon said. “I’ll call my father. You go find this Zane person and bring him to the front door.”

“I don’t like this,” Valmont said as they headed toward the buffet where a waiter was refilling pitchers of lemonade.

“I don’t like it, either, but since it’s Rhianna, we have to let Jaxon call the shots.”

“Hello,” the waiter gave a friendly smile at their approach, “did you need something?”

Valmont nodded. “Are you Zane, the new waiter my father hired?”

Zane held out his hand. “I am. Nice to meet you,Valmont. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Valmont shook his hand. “This is Bryn, my dragon.”

“Nice to meet you, too.” Zane looked at Bryn’s face. “Something tells me this isn’t a social visit.”

Bryn opened her mouth to explain and then paused. “This is going to sound weird no matter how I explain it. Someone took our friend Rhianna, who is also Jaxon Westgate’s girlfriend, to the library. Then they contacted us to say we needed to bring you to the library.”

Zane’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean someone took her? And why would they want me?”

“We’re not sure what’s going on,” Valmont said. “All we know is Rhianna needs your help.

“This is weird,” Zane said, “but I’m in.”

“I’m sure it will get weirder before the night is over,” Bryn said. “Let’s go.”

Jaxon waited for them by the front door. “I called my father. The guards at the library haven’t noticed anything unusual.” He held his hand out to Zane. “I’m Jaxon Westgate. Thank you for agreeing to help.”

Zane shook his hand. “Zane Freeman. Nice to meet you. Now what the hell is going on?”

“Good question. Let’s go find out.” Jaxon pushed the door open, and they followed him out into the cool night air. “Bryn you need to fill Zane in.”

Valmont walked on one side of Bryn while Zane walked on the other. “Here’s the abbreviated version. There is a certain kind of magic that responds to the Dragon-Knight bond. Valmont and I were able to open a hidden door when we both touched his sword. I’m guessing that is what these kidnappers are after. They want to make you Rhianna’s knight.”

“How can they do that?” Zane said.

“I imagine they’ll set up a scenario where you rescue her,” Valmont said, “which will activate the dormant spell in your blood.”

“And then what?” Zane asked.