Light Dragons 03 - Sparks Fly

you?”
    Gareth laughed. “Nice try, but we’re the ones calling the shots. I’ll call you tomorrow to see if your dragon has the gold. And Sullivan-he’d better have it. Because any delay is going to make Brom very, very sorry.”
    My fire rose around us in a wall of red. Baltic’s arm tightening around me reminded me of the veracity of his words. I had it extinguished by the time I finished saying, “One hair, Gareth. If so much as one hair of Brom’s is harmed in any way, you will regret the day you first drew breath.”
    “Just have the gold ready, and save the empty threats. And don’t call here again-I will be the one to call you,” Gareth said, then hung up.
    “He will not harm my son,” Baltic said, his breath warm on my forehead as he kissed my hair. “He knows we will destroy him if he does. You will cease worrying.”
    I gave a shaky laugh, hugging him for a moment just to soak in his strength. “I’m a mother, Baltic. Worry is my middle name. Gareth may be many things, but he’s always had a strong sense of self-preservation, so I don’t think he’d do anything to endanger himself, and that means Brom is probably going to be left alone. I just ... I want him here.”
    “I know. We will have him within twenty-four hours.”
    “How can you be so sure?” I asked, watching him as he moved over to consult briefly with Pavel before eyeing Savian.
    The latter held up a finger as he listened to something being said in his phone before asking, “What’s the number of your phone, Ysolde?”
    I gave it to him. Savian repeated it, listening intently again, a smile suddenly softening the long lines of his face. “Got him. He called from Spain.”
    “Spain? We used to live there, but ... how did he get Brom to Spain so fast? He’s been gone only two hours.”
    “Portal, no doubt,” Savian said, thanking his friend on the phone and tucking it away. “I’ll check the local ones and see if Gareth used any of them.”
    “I will come with you,” Baltic said, gesturing to Pavel. “Mate, you will remain here, with Pavel’s friend.”
    “If you think I’m going to sit around here worrying myself to death while you big strong men go rescue Brom-”
    Baltic cocked an eyebrow. “I had hoped you’d make arrangements, and pack our things, as well as Brom’s, so that we can be ready to leave shortly.”
    “Arrangements?” Fear clutched my heart again. “Baltic, I know dragons avoid using portals because it makes you all discombobulated, but time is of the essence. It would take several hours to fly to Spain, even assuming we could either charter a jet or find a commercial flight that was leaving right away.”
    The look he gave me sharpened before he marched over and gave me a swift, hard kiss. “You should have more faith in me, mate. We will take the portal to find our son just as soon as we know where he is. See to things here so that we may leave once we have that information.”
    The three men left, leaving me standing in the room with a man of my height, with brownish blond hair and a little goatee. I stared at him for a few seconds, my mind whirling with worry and fear and anger.
    “We haven’t been properly introduced, have we?” the man said with a slight Welsh lilt. “I’m Elliot Holland. And I’m happy to help you locate your son, if you can use my assistance.”
    I looked him over carefully, too frazzled to care if I was being obvious or rude. “What are you? I mean, you’re not a dragon.”
    “I’m a knocker.”
    I blinked at him. “I beg your pardon?”
    He laughed. “A knocker is a Welsh being, traditionally heard warning miners from danger, although we also have the reputation of being somewhat troublesome. These days, we mostly concentrate on talking.”
    “Talking to who?” I couldn’t help but ask.
    “Birds, mostly, although I can understand some four-footed beasties.”
    I stared at him for a moment, and then shook my head. It didn’t matter who he was or what he could do-I wasn’t about to turn down an offer of help. “I’m delighted to meet you, happy you and Pavel have hooked up even if Baltic is being a poop about that whole thing, and will welcome your help.”
    Nico came in as we were stuffing a few necessary items in bags. He was immediately distraught and blamed himself for Brom being abducted.
    “I don’t have time for this,” I said, shoving two bags at him. “I know you’re sorry, and you can come with us if you want, but you have to