The Dragon of Cecil Court Read online

  Contents

  Author’s Note

  About This Book

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Epilogue

  Meet Genevieve Jack

  More From Genevieve Jack!

  Acknowledgments

  The Dragon of Cecil Court: The Treasure of Paragon, Book 5

  Copyright © Genevieve Jack 2020

  Published by Carpe Luna Ltd, Bloomington, IL 61702

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author or publisher.

  * * *

  First Edition: August 2020

  eISBN: 978-1-940675-56-5

  Paperback: 978-1-940675-52-7

  v 1.6

  Author’s Note

  Dear Reader,

  Love is the truest magic and the most fulfilling fantasy. Thank you for coming along on this journey as I share the tale of the Treasure of Paragon, nine exiled royal dragon shifters destined to find love and their way home.

  There are three things you can expect from a Genevieve Jack novel: magic will play a key role, unexpected twists are the norm, and love will conquer all.

  The Treasure of Paragon Reading Order

  The Dragon of New Orleans, Book 1

  Windy City Dragon, Book 2,

  Manhattan Dragon, Book 3

  The Dragon of Sedona, Book 4

  The Dragon of Cecil Court, Book 5

  Highland Dragon, Book 6

  Hidden Dragon, Book 7

  The Dragons of Paragon, Book 8

  The Last Dragon, Book 9

  Keep in touch to stay in the know about new releases, sales, and giveaways.

  Join my VIP reader group

  Sign up for my newsletter

  Now, let’s spread our wings (or at least our pages) and escape together!

  Genevieve Jack

  About This Book

  Old flames still burn hot.

  * * *

  He's only ever had one weakness.

  Nathaniel Clarke has a secret. Before he became the owner of an occult bookshop on Bookseller's Row, he was a prince of the kingdom of Paragon. Now the dragon shifter is the high priest of the Order of the Dragon, a society of the most powerful supernatural beings in London. He's only ever had one weakness, and he hasn't seen her in a decade.

  * * *

  She's only ever been good at one thing.

  American pop singer Clarissa Black survived by singing on street corners before Nathaniel came into her life and unlocked the latent magic inside her. Despite their passionate affair, she refused Nathaniel's proposal in order to pursue her music career. Her multiplatinum albums have made her a star but one with few people she can trust.

  * * *

  It only takes one spark to change two lives forever.

  When Clarissa's voice fails her during a show in London, it's an excuse to reconnect with the man who remains her deepest regret. Nathaniel is reluctant to open old wounds but can't refuse Clarissa's plea for help or the passion her nearness awakens in him. But as he closes in on breaking the curse, Nathaniel learns the cause of what ails her is tangled with the deadly past he left behind.

  Prologue

  Paragon

  Aborella woke in her chambers, feeling like she’d been torn apart and pieced back together, and of course she had. That damned dragon, Alexander, had bitten her in two and left her to die. Only by siphoning the life force of the plants around her had she managed to magically repair herself. But then that witch Raven had further drained her power, almost to the point of death.

  She curled onto her side and closed her eyes. At least she’d had the last laugh. Raven, Gabriel, and Tobias were now imprisoned in the dungeons of Paragon. They’d be punished for their insurrection. She would not be surprised if Eleanor, Empress of Paragon, ordered their beheading this very day. She’d avenge Aborella. Oh, how she’d enjoy watching the witch die. The brothers too, but the witch most of all.

  She opened her silver eyes and smiled against the sheets. The usually dark purple skin of her hand was a gray shade of lavender. Still not fully healed then. What she needed now was rest and time in the forest to rejuvenate. After the sacrifices she’d made for the kingdom, she’d likely be lauded a hero and given all the time away she needed.

  The heavy iron door to her bedroom swung open without the benefit of a knock. Eleanor strode in, her black gown swooshing with her steps. “Aborella, thank the Mountain you’re awake.”

  “Good morn, Your Highness,” the fairy said softly, pushing herself higher on the pillows and bowing her head in lieu of a curtsy. All of her muscles ached, and fatigue gripped her at the slightest effort. “I trust you’ve had a moment to speak with the Guard about the security of our new prisoners?”

  “Yes, about that…”

  Aborella waited patiently for the praise due her. She’d almost died bringing Raven, Gabriel, and Tobias back to Paragon, quite a feat considering the power the witch, Raven, wielded. She expected Eleanor would want to reward her in some way, and certainly her hungry belly felt overdue for a banquet in her honor.

  But the empress’s mouth bent into a scowl. “You left the egg behind.”

  An uncomfortable prickle ran along the underside of her skin at the sight of Eleanor’s tightly drawn lips.

  “It couldn’t be avoided,” Aborella said. “Raven’s powers are immeasurable. Had I waited to return until I had the egg, she would have killed me.”

  “Then perhaps you should have died.” Eleanor narrowed her eyes.

  Aborella frowned and reached for the silver robe that hung on her bedpost. “If I had died, none of the heirs would be in your dungeon, least of all the eldest and the witch.”

  Eleanor let out a huff. “Yes, well, be that as it may, I am pleased that you’ve returned in one piece. There is much more work to do.”

  The silver robe dragged on the floor as Aborella painfully hobbled to the bar cart the servants had left in her chambers and poured herself a glass of water from the pitcher. It was flavored with bullhorn root. The refreshing, spicy beverage tingled in her throat and temporarily revived her. The effect was not unlike human coffee, although even more temporary for a fairy.

  “What are your plans for the pris
oners?” Aborella asked. “Will you use them as bait to draw out the others?”

  “Yes, most certainly, but I have greater plans for Gabriel. Ransom has captured the leader of the resistance. He resides in the dungeon even now.”

  “Who? Who is it?”

  Eleanor coupled her hands in front of her hips. “I cannot tell you. For now his identity is secret, for good reason. Suffice it to say, we have our work cut out for us to squelch the rumblings he’s started among our citizens.”

  “What sort of rumblings?” Aborella’s eyes narrowed. She’d not seen this in her visions.

  “Some of the people do not believe that Brynhoff’s actions against my children were justified. They refuse to see the evidence of their traitorous intent or accept that Marius’s rule would have driven Paragon to ruin. The rebels say that Brynhoff and I have no claim to the throne and that the longer we’re here, the more severe the goddess’s wrath. Can you believe such nonsense?”

  Of course Aborella could believe it. Both of them knew that Eleanor had eliminated her children for precisely the goal of securing the throne for herself. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t the right thing to do. Eleanor and Brynhoff understood what Paragon needed, that a common and supreme ruler was necessary to keep control over the five kingdoms. At the moment, the kingdoms were only loosely united by a mutually-agreed-upon pact that had been in place for centuries. As a result of that pact, Paragon held a precarious position as the leader of the five cooperative but independent kingdoms. But if Eleanor had her way, she would become the supreme ruler of all, conquer the other kingdoms, and make them her subjects. The unification of their world would improve life for every Paragonian and most of the other kingdoms as well… if they cooperated.

  Aborella longed to see that day. All those fairies in the kingdom of Everfield who had taunted her and tortured her for being different would fall to their knees when Eleanor succeeded. And when that happened, it would be Aborella by her side. She’d rain hellfire down on anyone who’d ever been against her.

  “They are jealous of your leadership, Empress. If you have a list of names, the right potion might change their minds, or ruin them if necessary,” Aborella said of the gossipers.

  “No. The true identities of the rebels have been well hidden. What I wish to do is control Gabriel. If my eldest son comes to my defense, admits his wrongdoing, and agrees to rule at my side, it will put all the rumblings to rest.”

  “Hmmm.” Aborella rubbed her chin. “Controlling Gabriel won’t be easy.”

  “You sound unsure of your abilities.” A muscle in Eleanor’s angular jaw tensed.

  “My influence does not work on dragons, Empress, as you well know. There are complex spells I can try, but their ongoing effectiveness can’t be guaranteed. Your kind are powerful magical creatures after all.”

  “What if the two of us combine forces and work together on a spell?”

  “Maybe. I need time to recover and research the possibilities.”

  “How long?”

  “At least a week.”

  Eleanor grunted in disappointment and paced the room, her hands curling into fists.

  “And then there is the matter of Raven,” Aborella said.

  “What about her?”

  “She is an extremely powerful witch. She has likely already covered Gabriel in protective enchantments. I will never be confident he is truly under our compulsion as long as she’s alive.”

  The empress tilted her chin up. “It would be foolish to execute her. We might need her. If you truly can’t compel Gabriel magically, we will have to use her to force his compliance. Not to mention she may prove useful when it comes to the others. Her power is inconvenient though. Every moment she remains in the dungeon, I worry she schemes to kill us all. Power like that can never be trusted.”

  A vision ignited inside Aborella’s head, like a ray of light shining directly into her eyes. At first it almost knocked her off her feet. But once she interpreted it, the thought spread her mouth into an eager grin. “You’re absolutely right,” she said slowly. “We don’t need to magically compel Gabriel’s cooperation, Empress. All we need to do is incentivize him.”

  Eleanor folded her arms. “And how do you suppose we do that?”

  “By threatening his mate.”

  Eleanor scoffed. “She’s had his tooth and in your own words is a witch of immeasurable power. How exactly do you plan to do that? If we kill her, all we will inspire is his wrath.”

  Aborella poured another glass of water and took a sip. “When I was living with the humans, her father told me she was once an ordinary girl, one who was dying of cancer until she swallowed Gabriel’s tooth. What can be done can be undone.”

  “Don’t waste my time, Aborella. A dragon’s tooth cannot be removed from its host. It would kill her.” Eleanor drummed her fingers in obvious annoyance.

  The fairy gave her wings a good stretch and rolled her neck. “I must use my crystals to know for sure, but I’ve sensed there is another way. The secret is to undo what made her a witch before the tooth enhanced her power. If we can do that, if we can neutralize Raven, then I predict Gabriel will be far more motivated to preserve his vulnerable mate.”

  Slowly, Eleanor’s lips spread into an angular and wicked grin. “I know that twinkle in your eye, Aborella. You sense this is the answer. You’ve seen it, haven’t you?”

  Aborella raised her chin and gave a confident nod.

  The empress’s lips pulled back from her teeth in a tight smile. “Then take your time. We must get this right. The kingdom depends on it.”

  Chapter One

  The good thing about being locked in a dungeon in Paragon without visitors or explanation was that Raven had plenty of time to think. That was the end of her list of good things. The bad things were far more numerous. Hours had passed since Aborella had captured them and brought them to Paragon. In that time, they’d been offered nothing—not food, not water, not clothing. She was still dressed in the same outfit she’d been wearing in Sedona. Unfortunately, Gabriel and his brother Tobias were completely naked because they’d shifted from their dragon forms moments before being captured. Not that she minded so much about Gabriel, but Tobias’s state of undress was awkward, especially considering the floor and walls were made of reflective, polished obsidian.

  “How are you feeling?” Tobias asked her.

  Last time Raven was in Paragon, she’d become ill to the point of death. At the time, their best theory was that she’d absorbed the realm’s magic and overwhelmed her human body. But the true cause of her illness had been ultimately unknown, and so far, she was in complete control of her magical resources.

  “So far, so good,” she said through cracked lips.

  “Excellent! It would be a shame if you were ill for our beheading.”

  “Tobias!” Gabriel barked.

  “Brother, your mate knows what we are in for. She’s not an idiot. If Mother and Brynhoff meant to keep us alive, we’d have water.”

  He was right. Raven did know. And she was already searching her magical arsenal for how to get them out of this. “I’d like to conjure food and water but the way my spell works, I have to know precisely where what I’m after is and what it looks like. I don’t know anything about Paragon. I’d be casting a net into the void. The only beverage I’ve tried here is Tribiscal wine, and the Silver Sunset must be too far away because I can’t seem to sense the drink when I cast in order to draw it to me. Already tried.”

  Damn, it was hot. At least the brothers were more tolerant of the heat than she was. The dungeon had to be at least ninety degrees. Sweat dripped down her temple.

  “Don’t bother,” Gabriel said. “The obsidian in the walls is enchanted against all forms of magic. Otherwise Tobias and I could melt the door with our dragon fire. Believe me, your magic won’t work here.”

  Raven raised an eyebrow at the challenge. “The walls are enchanted? What about…”

  She tipped her head back and murmur
ed an incantation under her breath. To her relief, it started to snow. “Oh, thank the Mountain,” she said. “There’s moisture in the air.” She caught a snowflake on her tongue and relished the cool feel against her skin.

  “Shhh. Do you hear that?” Tobias said.

  Raven quieted. Footsteps on stone reached her ears. Snapping her fingers, she stopped the snow above her and shoved her brain into gear, sorting through the spells she’d absorbed, practiced, and kept at the ready. Was Aborella finally coming to finish them off?

  The fairy appeared on the other side of the cell door, and Raven had to smile. She looked drained, almost white, and the symbols on her skin had faded to dull scars.

  “You look peaked, Aborella,” Raven said through her teeth. “Maybe you should go lie down.” And die, she added in her head.

  The fairy showed her sharp yellow teeth. “I feel well enough for this.”

  “For what exactly?” Tobias asked, a muscle in his jaw twitching.

  An intimidatingly tall and wiry woman dressed in a purple silk gown stepped into view. Raven would never forget the sharp features of her face or the long dark hair that reminded her of her own. Empress Eleanor.