by Katie Cherry
“…Did you,” he remarks, wondering what it is she heard.
“Yes… Thaddeus told me about the Abonsam that was in that other room… and how you had to give it something in order to escape. I don’t know what it did to you, but I was told you came out and Vlad found you unconscious and cold as ice! He quickly took you here, of course… and you look better,” she notes, looking him up and down.
“Yes, I’ve been sleeping and recovering while you’ve been… locked in here. What have you been doing this whole time?” Hunter asks curiously, although he fears he already knew the answer.
“Oh, just reading a little bit of Patrick’s journal,” she casually says. It’s clear from her voice that she had discovered something, and that she was certainly not going to tell him what it was.
“And did you find anything interesting?” he probes.
“Not particularly… just that he and Susan have quite a past, really,” she remarks.
“Oh?”
“Yes… but I don’t want to talk about all that,” she says, pulling up close to him and looking deep into his eyes. “We might as well have some fun while I’m here, don’t you think?”
“Uh…”
“Come on!” she invites, grabbing his hand and tugging him along behind her. “I have a pool, a ping pong table, my own chef, and a gorgeous balcony that looks out over everything… take your pick!”
“Um… whatever you want to do, I suppose…” he stalls. “Although I don’t have much of my energy back, so I don’t know that I’ll be that much… fun… today,” he warns.
“So the Chef and the balcony, then?” she quips cheerfully, tugging him through various rooms until they stop in one that is bathed in heavenly smells. Hunter’s stomach gurgles loudly, surprising him. He hadn’t realized he was hungry.
“Steve!” she calls, smiling.
“I am already here, milady,” A well-dressed man says, stepping up from behind a counter. “Your friend’s stomach called me out,” he chuckles, winking.
Crystal grins, delighted. “Wonderful! Would you happen to have anything for us?”
“When do I not, Princess?” he smiles as he leads them to a table. “I shall be right back with something for you both,” he says, bowing slightly to each of them before turning and returning to his cooking station.
As soon as he leaves, a red-tailed hawk appears out of nowhere as she lands on the table between them. The Familiar cocks its head to the side as it relays some information to Crystal, whose mood instantly dampens. She nods, and the bird climbs onto the girl’s shoulder and begins preening itself.
Curious, Hunter sends a mental ray outward to pierce Crystal’s mind and discover what it was that she was keeping from him and is immensely surprised to detect a wall around her thoughts, smooth and impenetrable. He gapes in surprise.
“Chet? Is something wrong?” Crystal casually asks, intelligence gleaming in her stormy blue eyes. She knows what I tried to do! Hunter realizes, panicking. Just what did she read in that journal?!
“No, nothing’s wrong… I just… need to go to the bathroom,” he says, rapidly creating an excuse to leave.
“Alright. It’s just down there,” she says, pointing back the way they came. Hunter hurries off without another word, anxiety causing his thoughts to roll and boil. How could this happen?? He had to switch those journals before she discovered anything else… although he’s sure that whatever she found thus far would already harm their designs for the war. He just had to keep it from getting any worse, if possible.
He races back into Crystal’s room and hurries over to the bed. Sure enough, Patrick’s journal lies open with a sketch of the Dragon Slayer device sitting beside it. He quickly switches the books, stuffing the actual one in his back pocket before taking a deep breath and hurrying back to the snack room with Crystal.
“Hey,” he greets as he slides back into his seat across from her.
“Hey,” she replies, her mood obviously stormy.
“…What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. …I’ll tell you later,” she sighs, picking up a French fry and sadly munching on it.
“…Alright… if that’s what you want,” he says, snatching up a cinnamon roll.
<<
I feel like crying. Those things I read in Patrick’s journal are true; Nora just confirmed them. She felt him trying to read my mind, and she saw him switching the journals. Still… I’m going to give him one more chance to prove to me whose side he’s really on. One more chance to save my heart, one more chance… before I alert Thaddeus to his deception.
After a few minutes, I know that I can’t really eat anything. I’m too distraught to stomach anything. So I wait until Chet/Hunter is done eating his cinnamon roll, then have him follow me to the balcony. I’m not sure what I’m going to say to him there, but I know I need to say something.
I open the door and breathe in deeply, enjoying the fresh, early-fall air. I collapse into a chair by the edge of the balcony. Chet/Hunter sits cautiously in the chair next to me. He watches me for a few seconds, then turns to look at the view. After a few minutes, I sigh. “It used to be so much more… just so much more beautiful. Pristine… full of life,” I point out as I stare at the burned sections of the forest and the blackened sections of the sea where the Mermaids reside.
“Yeah,” Chet/Hunter agrees, looking out with a little bit of sorrow on his face. I carefully observe him. “…Hopefully it will be better again once this war is over.”
“Yes… but if the Dragon Hunters are victorious, it will never be the same as it was.”
“Oh?” he says, cocking an eyebrow at me. “And how do you know that?”
I stare at him in disbelief. “Seriously? Okay. Who started this war?”
“Well, that depends on who you ask…”
“I’m asking you.”
“…Your parents.”
“And why do you think that?” I ask, trying to keep my rage down and try and help my poor, lost brother to understand.
“Because…”
“Because that’s what Patrick told you?” I intercede, my face hard as I stare at him. His eyes widen in surprise and disbelief. I press on before he can say or do anything. “When I was in his clutches, he told me a great many things too. However, they were so obviously wrong that I felt sick that you were being led astray so easily… Hunter, listen to me.” His face hardens when I speak his name, and my stomach sinks. So it is true, then. “Hunter…”
“Shut up,” he says, standing. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Patrick has told me nothing but the truth.” His body ripples and becomes that of Hunter’s. “You know, I gave you the wrong journal. You were supposed to read a fake one that would convince you to come back to us willingly so you would be on the right side…”
“The right side?!” I retort, also standing. “You don’t even know what you’re talking about! Patrick started this war! He loves destruction- he wants me back to see if he can break me emotionally! He thinks it would be oh-so-satisfactory if he saw me breaking inside!”
Hunter’s breathing heavily now, clenching his gloved hands. “Liar.”
“I am not the liar,” I assure him, reaching back and pulling the journal out of his back pocket. I start flipping through the pages, trying to find the right spot. He snatches it out of my hands before I can find it. He’s seething in anger. I back up a step, suddenly fearful. What have I done?
“You are going to come with me, whether you like it or not,” he says, putting a hand on my head and concentrating. I can feel the barrier around my mind that Nora helped me with begin to wobble. I stumble back, putting my hands up and trying to push him away, but he just follows me, seeming to grow stronger by the second. “You cannot fight me,” he growls as the barrier around my mind finally crumbles. Nora flies up and beats at his face with her wings, but he backhands her so she flies hard into the wall, breaking a wing.
I sink to my knees as I feel his thoughts forcibl
y enter mine and seize control. So this is how all those poor animals he controlled felt… It’s almost an out-of-body experience. My mind is in a haze. I hear his thoughts pierce through the haze. Stand, he orders. I struggle to my feet without really realizing what I’m doing. Alright, Vincent, we’re ready now, I hear him say. In my blurry vision, I see the black dragon descend and hover beside the balcony.
Hunter turns to me. Climb on to him. Hold on tight, do not fight him or me. Do not call for help. My feet stumble over to the dragon and before I can stop myself, I leap onto his back. Hunter climbs on behind me. Within a few wingbeats, I am being borne away from the castle… towards Patrick. I start panicking, but there’s nothing I can do. My body won’t do anything to disobey Hunter’s orders. I am helpless as my poor, misled brother takes me back to the one place I most dread to return.
<<
Thaddeus sighs. “Alexander, what do you think the girl could possibly be doing? She’s still locked in her room.”
The King continues pacing. “I have no idea… I just have this feeling…”
“Fine,” Thaddeus concedes. “I’ll look in on her with magic.” He leans forward in his chair and holds his hands palm up on the table. Closing his eyes, he begins muttering. After a minute, he gasps and his eyes fly open. “Oh, Dragonfire…”
“What? What is it?” Alexander pleads, knowing that Thaddeus would never be so vulgar unless it was something big. “Where is she? What is she doing? Is she…”
“Alexander,” Thaddeus interrupts. “Crystal is… she’s been kidnapped… again.” The King gasps in horror. “I saw her… on the back of a dragon… that was being controlled by Hunter.”
“My own son…” the King collapses into a chair and drops his face into his hands. “What are we going to do?”
“We have to stop them before they can get back to Patrick. They seem to be traveling alone for now.” The King jumps up and strides to the door. “Um… Alexander, what are you doing?” Thaddeus inquires.
“Getting my daughter back,” he growls as he yanks the door open. “Don’t let Pearl follow me. Send as many soldiers as you can find after me. I’ll get her back myself if I must,” he declares as he storms out the door, slamming it behind him.
<<
Oh, what have I done? Hunter groans to himself as they fly. I just kidnapped my sister! What will Patrick say about this?... He told me to let her come of her own free will… but he also said that I need to make sure my cover isn’t blown… he sighs. I guess that I’ll just have to risk Patrick’s wrath… surely he’ll understand…
Still, he’s tense and nervous by the time they touch down just outside the boundary line for the Dragon Hunters. After helping Crystal down off the dragon, he turns to address their ride. Thank you, dragon, that will be all. The black beast takes off without a word. Hunter feels proud of himself for how thoroughly he had taken over the proud creature.
“Please… please don’t do this, Hunter,” Crystal whimpers, dread etched clearly on her face. The fear in her eyes was so evident that he actually paused. Why was she so afraid? Patrick wasn’t going to do anything to her but talk. It’s not like he was going to take her Gifts away again or anything. There wasn’t any reason for her to fear like this.
“It will be fine,” he sighs as he leads her across the boundary line. However, the further they walk into Dragon Hunter territory, the more unruly she becomes. She even fights hard enough at one point to turn and start running back the way they came, despite his order to not try and escape. She really is terrified, he realizes. I just need to show her that there’s nothing to be afraid of. After renewing his hold on her mind, they continue toward Patrick’s castle. The instant it comes into sight, she collapses. Sighing, he picks her up and carries her into the building and past the small red dragon now standing guard in place of the porcupine-tiger that he had killed to gain Crystal’s trust.
Once inside, he signals a guard over and hands him the unconscious girl. “Follow me. Don’t drop her,” he warns before heading to where he knew Patrick would be.
He knocks on the door. “Patrick, sir, I have returned with… an update,” he gulps. “May I come in?” The door is opened by a Dragon Hunter from the inside. Taking a deep breath, he steps inside with the guard holding Crystal right behind him.
Patrick doesn’t turn from his chair, keeping his head down as he works at some papers on his desk. “What is it, Hunter? And why are you contacting me this way rather than with the mirror? You need to stay with Crystal.”
“Um… sir?”
“Yes, yes! Out with it!”
“Things… didn’t exactly go according to plan.”
“What do you mean?” he sighs, finally spinning around in his chair. He freezes as he catches sight of Crystal, then groans. “What happened?”
Hunter breathes a sigh of relief. He understands. He’s not going to punish him. After Hunter explains the situation to him, he sighs. “Very well. I suppose it might be better this way regardless. She was dangerous while she was out and about- especially with my journal. I can break her just as well from within these walls.”
“What should I do with her?” Hunter asks, glancing at the unconscious girl.
“Put her in the room next to Chet’s. I have an idea for how to begin breaking her,” he says with a grin.
“…Sir? I thought we were showing her that she’s on the wrong side in the war?”
“Yes, yes, that’s what I meant, of course,” he sighs, turning back to his work. “Now go, get her out of my sight. I’ll deal with her tomorrow.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Changing the Rules
“Nathan, you don’t even know for sure if they did anything to her or not!” Angela protests, following him as she storms down the street. “They were probably just saying that for… for insurance or something! Or maybe they just meant plans for way… WAY down the road!” She continues to argue, although he doesn’t seem to be listening. She grabs his arm and spins him around to face her. “Stop, dang it!” she finally says.
“Why?” he retorts, fire burning in his eyes. “Why should I stop? Why should I just leave her alone- all alone, to face the Dragon Hunters with no Gifts?”
“Because you don’t have any Gifts either!” she bursts out, regretting it the instant it leaves her mouth.
He stares at her in disbelief. “That was a low blow,” he rumbles angrily.
“…But true,” she whispers cautiously.
Greg finally catches up to them. “Nathan… I know you are angry and hurt… and I know you just want to protect her, but…”
“But what?!”
“…You are not prepared to take on the Dragon Hunters at this time… Provoking them now could have catastrophic consequences… such as them hurting Crystal. You should take some time to make a plan. Use your new knowledge to help take them down from the inside. Don’t do something stupid. Calm down… and think.”
Nathan takes a few deep breaths and his temper cools. “Fine,” he breathes. “But I am saving her.”
“I believe it,” Angela murmurs, looking half in awe and half disappointed.
“I’m not going to school tomorrow… or ever again until this is fixed,” Nathan resolves.
“…And how long do you think that would take?” Angela inquires.
“I don’t know,” he says as he walks up to his house. “But I also don’t care. School is nowhere near the most important thing right now.”
“…Okay, then I’ll skip school too,” Angela declares.
Nathan spins around in surprise. “You don’t have to do that, you know.”
“Yes, I do… and not just for the Queen.” Nathan looks surprised, then nods gratefully.
“Thank you.”
“So, how are we going to do this?” Auna asks.
“We’re going to do what they’re least expecting,” Nathan replies. “We’re going to change the rules.”
<<
“It�
��s your own fault for treating this like a game,” Zarafa smugly scolds. Bryce stops his pacing to whirl around and glare at her.
“I was not treating it like a game!” he bites back. “I was doing what Patrick instructed me to do!”
“Yes, and then you decided to play with the boy. I’m not overly surprised it blew up in your face,” she mocks. “You know all this happened because you took him back into town when you knew perfectly well that he tends to get into the middle of our operations. Just wait until Patrick finds out…”
“He won’t find out!” he desperately cries. “And if you tell him, I’ll tell him about you and Dalwork!”
She frowns. “Fine, fine. But what are you going to do to fix all of this?”
Bryce collapses into a chair with a sigh. “I have no idea. I need to show him that I’m on his side somehow.”
“…I might have an idea,” Zarafa reluctantly says.
“Really? What is it?” he pleads. Before she can reply, there’s a loud beep echoing through the house.
She sighs. “That would be Patrick. I’ll be right back.” She then heads to the Hologram room. After a minute, she comes back out. “He wants to talk to both of us,” she announces, looking at him seriously.
He gulps and follows her into the room. Sure enough, Patrick’s hologram hovers above the blue square on the floor. “Bryce.”
“Greetings, Patrick,” he greets, bowing. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“This is just an update,” he assures, then pauses, frowning. “Crystal Dragon has become a bigger pain than I had anticipated. Hunter had to grab her and take her back to my castle by force… He has made far too many mistakes, I’m afraid… so you are reinstated as my right-hand man.” Bryce’s face freezes in shock.
“…Sir?”
“I know, you never expected to get back to that rank since your betrayal, but it was long ago, and I have decided to forgive you. However, Hunter is still next in line to lead the Dragon Hunters. So really, you are his right-hand man as well.”
“Th… thank you, sir,” he says, offering another deep bow. “I shall do my best to aid you both.”