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)
“The Sousa were tightly linked with the Tupã Dragon Clan, and I studied them,” Luka replied.
“Now, I know the Tupã are a total myth. There’s no way they existed,” Misha exclaimed.
Luka shrugged. “Maybe. But I also heard the Sousa Clan was a complete myth as well. Yet, this archeologist is here now. I’m assuming he’s got some kind of tangible proof that brought him all this way.”
“Whoa,” Ilya breathed, stacking his hands on the top of his head. “Could you imagine if the lightning dragons were real? That’s simply insane to even contemplate.”
Gregori glanced at Dimitri, unknotting his rope yet again. “What kind of team are we looking at?”
“Small would be the preference. Dr. Hunter has come alone,” Dimitri announced to stunned expressions.
“You’re shitting me.” Ilya rolled his chair out from the desk enough that he could clearly see the entire team. “That little guy I saw earlier? He came here alone?”
“Yeah.” Dimitri sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “And since I found him trying to get directions from a saci without providing an offering, you can guess how this trip is going to go.”
Luka groaned and closed his eyes as he lifted one hand into the air. “I’m on the team.”
Vasily frowned and squeezed his lover’s shoulder with one hand. “Are you sure?”
“Oh yeah. Saci aren’t that common in Rio.”
“And with the continued deforestation of the country, more of the spirits and creatures of the forests are finding new playgrounds in the cities,” Dimitri added.
“True. If he managed to stumble across one, then this guy’s luck is shit. The area he’s planning to go into is riddled with boiuna and iara, not to mention the jaguars, ocelots, black caiman, wolves, and anacondas between us and the mountains.”
Misha snorted. “It’d be our luck he’d pick up a poison dart frog because he thought it was pretty.”
It was on the tip of Dimitri’s tongue to argue that the archeologist probably had more sense than that, but he swallowed the words. He honestly had no idea what he was in for when it came to Sam.
“You’re going to need me,” Luka said firmly and then followed it up with a small smile. “And it sounds like fun. If he does know something interesting about the Sousa or can locate anything related to them or the Tupã, then I’d love to be there for it.”
“If you’re going, so am I,” Vasily chimed in.
Dimitri expected that. “You know there isn’t much need for a weapons specialist on this job.”
“There usually isn’t, but you know I’m more than capable of working protection. Whichever one of you is working tracker is going to be ahead of the group most of the time. Luka can’t be left alone to keep an eye on the archeologist.” When Dimitri continued to frown at Vasily, the dragon flipped him off. “I can keep my mind on the job. Luka can take care of himself.”
“So, then you still need a tracker.” Luka’s eyes darted from Ilya to Misha to Dimitri.
Dimitri immediately pointed at Ilya. “No!”
Not surprisingly, Ilya thrust his arms into the air and celebrated. Of course the dragon would much rather stay home and cuddle with his mate while eating delicious food. Who would want to wander through a dirty, bug-infested jungle and up a mountain for a clan that might or might not have existed at one time?
“You can work support in case we need help,” Dimitri told him. “I’ll go with the team this time.”
To which Misha issued a huge sigh of relief as he sank deeper into the couch.
“What about me?” Gregori demanded.
“You’re going. If we manage to find this clan, there’s a chance the area could be booby trapped. Plus, you never know whether we’ll need to blow up half a mountain to locate these ruins.”
Gregori dropped his rope into his lap and rubbed his hands together. “Do you think there could be some Indiana Jones-style booby traps? You know I love taking apart a good trap.”
Dimitri fought the urge to roll his eyes. “I’ll keep you posted.” Before he could continue, there was a soft knock on the door. He turned as it opened to see Panu stick his head inside, his smile sweet and a little crooked.
“Hey, sorry to interrupt your meeting,” the young mage said. “I was looking for Gregori.”
“I got it!” Gregori called back. Dimitri glanced over at the dragon, who’d gotten to his feet and was waving a small plastic container over his head.
“Awesome!” Panu shouted.
“Wait! Was the black powder for him?” Dimitri’s head whipped around to Panu, who was blushing. “What do you need black powder for?”
“It’s for an experiment.”
“And does Evora know about this experiment?”
Panu’s eyes immediately darted away and he rubbed his nose. “Oh yeah. Totally. Of course.”
Gregori crossed the room and patted Dimitri on the shoulder a couple of times as he passed by to go to the door. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on him. Keep me posted if you need me.”