by Sarah Noffke
“I don’t disagree, but let’s put it to a vote,” Haro suggested.
When everyone agreed, the council voted whether to spend their time earning the elves’ favor. As usual, Hester, Raina, and Clark voted to continue to build bridges with the elves. Bianca, Kayla, Lorenzo, and a seemingly torn Haro voted against it.
“Councilor Carraway, how do you vote?” Hester asked.
He suddenly looked at Liv, nervous tension in his eyes. She simply smiled at him, knowing he’d make the right decision.
“I vote for building a partnership with the elves,” he said confidently.
“And since mortals’ votes count twice, that means it is five to four,” Clark said, enthusiasm lacing his tone.
Chapter Nine
Kayla Sinclair entered the Black Void without a hint of hesitation. Yes, it smelled horrible. Yes, it filled the pit of her stomach with revulsion. But so did many ingredients used in complicated and strong potions. The God Magician was like that, she reasoned. He was a necessary part of the magical world, and one day he would rule it, with her help.
Talon casually glanced up from the many lizards and snakes encircling his throne, blinking mildly at her, his flashlight eyes making her squint at first. “You are angry,” he observed.
Kayla pointed toward where she’d come from. “Did you hear what just happened?”
He was silent for a moment and shook his head. “I do not hear all that happens in the House of Seven, only some things. I can more or less sense things, but only as my power grows.”
Judging by the way he spoke, he was getting stronger, Kayla thought. “The chimera. Why didn’t you tell me the Mortal Seven are guarded by them? That would have been helpful.”
The God Magician’s eyes dimmed as his gaze fell downward. “They are still guarded by chimeras?”
“So you knew about this?”
He shook his head. “In the past, before the great war, the Mortal Seven had chimeras. However, I was certain they all died when the Magician Seven were killed, besides me, of course, and magic disappeared for mortals.”
“Well, they didn’t die,” Kayla stated. “And the first Mortal Seven has been recruited and brought into the House.”
Talon nodded. “I thought so. I felt as much but didn’t want to believe it.” He rose like a ghost and floated across the stone floor. “It will be that much harder to fulfill my destiny if the Mortal Seven are brought back into the House.”
“I know that, my Lord, but I can’t help you unless you share these important details with me, like about the chimeras. This mortal who is one of the Seven, his chimera was unlocked, and that’s how he was brought in and determined as a Royal. If I had known, my job might have been easier.”
“Long ago, when I murdered the founders and forced mortals out of the House, I was supposed to rise to full power,” the God Magician explained. “Father Time prevented that from happening, and I’ve lain dormant ever since. The chimeras have been the least of my concerns all these years.”
“Well, they are mine,” Kayla nearly yelled.
Talon continued to pace, his robes and long white hair trailing over the bones of his prey. “That is worrisome.”
“Tonight I’m going to hunt down this John who is a Mortal Seven,” Kayla stated.
“You mustn’t,” Talon warned. “If his chimera has been unlocked, the mortal will be very difficult to kill. It’s not worth ruining your cover. Your energy is better served trying to find the others of the Seven before their chimeras are released.”
Kayla let out a long, frustrated breath. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do, but between what you have me doing with the elves and council business, it’s not easy to find the time.”
“I assure you that the mission I sent you on to infiltrate the elves was worth your time,” Talon said, pleasure in his voice. “It is only a matter of time until I know exactly where Father Time is located.”
“And the hourglass?” Kayla asked. “You didn’t want that?”
The God Magician halted his pacing and waved his hand. “No, I have no use for that. It is simply a means to an end.”
“Then what should I tell Mac Shazia?”
“Tell him to unload the hourglass or keep it, or whatever he wants,” Talon ordered. “Just ensure that Father Time doesn’t get it back. The longer he is without it, the easier it will be to find him. And once we do, I can finally rise to full power.”
Chapter Ten
Every time Sophia wanted to change the channel on the television, she simply blinked. There were a ton of options, none of which she and the dragon could agree upon. The egg, which she’d rolled with great effort into the living room, lay in front of the sofa next to her.
It was hard for her to believe the dragon egg had gotten so big. Harder for her was how much bigger she’d gotten in a matter of an hour. She’d read the concern and disappointment on Liv’s face when she’d entered her birthday party. Inside of sixty minutes, she grew an entire year older and sprouted up, her features maturing and her mind following suit. Afterward, Sophia had slept for almost a whole day.
Now you get why I sleep so much, the dragon, which she refused to name yet, said in her mind.
No, I actually don’t, she replied telepathically, changing the channel again. It’s incredibly boring when you sleep for twenty-hour stretches.
I’m growing, he argued. We need our rest.
I only slept for one day. You do that pretty much every day, only waking for a few hours at a time.
You’re a bit ahead of me on the maturity scale, the dragon explained. Don’t worry, I’ll catch up fast, and then you’ll have your work cut out for you.
Sophia faced the large blue dragon egg. What’s that supposed to mean?
Nothing, he answered at once. It’s just that by the time I hatch, I’ll be leagues ahead of you, magician.
She huffed. You think so?
Well, not if you don’t turn off this nonsense. What are we watching?
Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Sophia said with mischievous delight.
Sophia Beaufont, change the channel at once!. You know I prefer historical documentaries or the science channel.
Why don’t you come out here and make me? she teased.
If I do, then I’m scorching off all your hair, he threatened. What color is it, by the way?
Red, she lied. Flaming-hot red.
No, it’s not. I’d never magnetize to a redhead.
Because they have bad tempers? she asked.
No, I love a bad temper. Because their hair would clash horribly with my scales.
You’re so superficial, Sophia said, laughing out loud.
“What’s that?” Clark asked, coming out of the kitchen with a towel slung over his shoulder.
“Nothing,” Sophia called. “Just laughing at the dragon.”
“Right, because that’s not weird,” Clark stated, going back to work in the kitchen.
Most would think the conversations she had with the dragon were pretty strange. They probably thought they discussed riding styles or fighting techniques. So far, that hadn’t been what they’d covered.
Sophia decided to comply and switched the television to a program the dragon would enjoy more. When the narrator started to discuss super volcanoes, she felt the dragon perk up.
Describe what’s happening on the screen, he demanded.
There’s a mountain, she stated dryly. It’s on fire, sort of. It’s hot. There’s lava.
He sighed. I was thinking about something a bit more specific. Hey, can you turn the heat up?
No, the last time I did that, Liv was livid when she came home to a sauna.
She’s so unreasonable, dragon complained.
It was a hundred and five in here that day.
Mmmmm, the perfect temperature.
How is it that you and I are supposed to live together if we desire such different living conditions?
You’ll adapt, he stated at once.
; Sophia laughed. Seriously?
It takes a bit of compromise on both our parts. And in truth, I won’t always be with you. My size will prevent it. But over time, the heat won’t bother you, and cooler temperatures won’t be such a nuisance to me. However, for right now, they are harder for me to tolerate.
I know, Sophia stated sympathetically. Don’t worry, we’ll figure that out.
When? The dragon asked, always impatient.
Sophia heard the front door close, signaling that Liv was finally home. She popped to her feet. Right now.
Liv was unsurprised to find Sophia lounging on the couch beside her dragon egg. They had been hanging out there lately in the afternoon. Thankfully it wasn’t an ungodly temperature in the house again. What surprised her was that Clark was wearing an apron and holding a tray of mini-quiches.
“What are you doing?” she asked her brother. “You realize you’re not my butler or personal chef or whatever you’re going for here, right?”
He extended the tray to her, urging her to take one of the mini-quiches. “Come on. It’s a new recipe.”
“You don’t have to keep baking to earn your keep,” she stated. Clark had moved in recently, saying that the House had felt stranger lately and he didn’t like living alone. Liv had invited him to move in with her and Sophia, and after adding another wing to the once-tiny one-room apartment, everyone fit perfectly.
He shook his head. “That’s not why I’m doing it. There’s something about baking that makes me feel less stressed.”
“Then I suggest you bake all the time,” she quipped.
“Ha-ha,” he said, pushing the tray in her direction.
She complied, taking one. “If I find out you’re spelling my food, I’ll put dung beetles in your bed.”
“Again?” he fired back. “You should get more creative with your retributions. You know, really keep me on my toes.”
“Hey, this baking thing really is working for you. Usually you wouldn’t have a comeback. What’s next? A girlfriend?”
He shook his head. “Between baking, the council, and the Forgotten Archives, I’m maxed out.”
“Yeah, I understand.” Liv took another of the mini quiches and popped it into her mouth, her eyes lighting up. “These are really good. I won’t starve with you around.”
“And what do you mean, you understand?” Clark questioned, striding into the living room where Sophia and the egg were watching a documentary on volcanos…again.
“Well, I’m fairly busy too, you know, with that whole finding the Mortal Seven thing,” Liv stated, following him and reaching for another quiche over his shoulder. He kept extending his hands, holding the tray just out of her reach.
“Save some for Sophia,” he warned when he set the tray down in front of her.
Sophia waved him off. “Thanks, but the dragon says I shouldn’t eat anything that wasn’t recently mooing.”
“Tell Sammy you aren’t a dragon,” Liv stated, shoving another quiche into her mouth.
“I don’t have to tell him things,” Sophia stated. “He can hear you.”
Clark laughed.
“He can hear you too, Clarky,” Sophia said. “Apparently, you snore really loud, and it wakes him up.”
“Here,” Liv said, magicking a pair of earmuffs that covered the top of the egg.
Sophia giggled in delight. “He says he likes them because they make him warmer, but he will need a bigger pair to block out the snoring.”
“Well, I’ll have Rory knit him some,” Liv stated.
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something related to Rory,” Sophia said, standing. She was wearing a blue-and-white-striped dress, and her hair was intricately braided and draped over her shoulders.
Liv gave Clark a cautious glare. “What is it, Soph?”
“Well, the dragon appreciates everything you’ve done to accommodate him,” she began, turning around suddenly to face the egg. “I’m not putting words in your mouth. I can’t do that if you don’t come out of your shell and speak for yourself.”
The two had been doing this a lot more since they’d started maturing at an accelerated rate. Rory had said they were going through their ’tween years. It apparently would get better…maybe. The giant explained this could just be a part of their dynamics. Apparently, since the dragon wasn’t being reared by a family of dragons and had mostly magician influences, his personality might be a bit different from other dragons’. When Liv pushed Bermuda for details, she had simply stated, “He will have a magician’s horrible sense of humor.”
Liv didn’t think that was such a bad thing, but the giant seemed to think this would make him very different from his own. This would cause things to be rather interesting when he hatched, and Sophia and he set off to join the dragon riders. Liv argued that different was good. It had served her well in the House. She was a nonconformist.
However, Bermuda was against the idea. “The dragon riders have done things the same way for a long time. They don’t tolerate those who are different.”
“Good,” Liv had said rebelliously, which made the giant scowl at her.
“Soph,” Liv said, to regain her little sister’s attention. “What’s going on with Phil?”
Sophia laughed, used to the many different names Liv called the dragon every day. “He says it’s too cold in here.”
“Well, we talked about installing a sauna,” Liv stated. “Now that Clark is here, he can help me. We just need to add another story, which is a bit complicated.”
“He also wants a water feature,” Sophia went on.
“Like a tub?” Clark asked. “I might be able to manage that.”
“Like a waterfall,” Sophia said, scrunching her face with nervousness.
“Is that all?” Liv asked dryly.
“A mound of dirt, a herd of goats nearby, and lots of fresh foliage,” Sophia listed in quick succession.
Liv turned to Clark. “Think you can add those into the renovation plans?”
He shook his head. “In a place that is on six hundred square feet? No, that’s very doubtful. I don’t have that kind of magic, not even after being close to John lately.”
Liv agreed with a nod. “Yeah, me either.”
Sophia’s face fell with disappointment.
Liv knelt, not having to get as low to be even with her little sister since Sophia was not so little anymore. Although she was nine, she was the size of a ten or eleven year old, and growing faster every day, just like her egg. “Don’t worry, Soph. I’ll talk to Rory, and he’ll help me find an option.”
“Thank you, Liv,” she said, her face breaking into a smile.
“However,” Liv said, holding a finger to pause her. “This will probably mean relocating Bob.”
Sophia seemed to understand this at once, her expression accepting.
“But I want you to stay with us at least until your dragon hatches.” She pointed to the words Clark had written over the fireplace. They matched the ones in the old place, and the ones she had shared with her parents.
Familia Est Sempiternum
“We stay together for now. Is that understood?” Liv asked her little sister.
“Yes, and I really don’t want to go anywhere,” Sophia said at once. “The dragon and I discussed it, and he said we wouldn’t always be together all the time. I sleep indoors most of the time, and he prefers not to. And he thinks it would be good for me to be here before…”
“Before?” Clark asked with sudden tension in his voice.
“Before I’m not,” Sophia said, her face flushing red.
Liv and Clark both acknowledged silently that this was a fast-approaching reality, but neither could speak about it. They wanted what was best for Sophia, but why did that mean she’d have to grow up faster than usual and leave them? There was no grander prestige than being a dragon rider, and yet, sometimes Liv wished her amazingly talented sister hadn’t been picked for such an honor. That made Liv feel awful, but she selfishly always wa
nted to come home and see those shining blue eyes and bright smile. However, true love was wanting what was better for someone. Anything short of that was only conditional love.
“Soph,” Clark said, “why don’t you go and wash up for dinner? I made beef stroganoff since I know your very particular dragon likes to dictate that you eat steak.”
Sophia spun to face the large blue egg. “Oh, really? You’re not particular? How about when you told me I should only listen to classical music because pop music hurt your head?”
“And you two actually like each other?” Liv asked, looking between the egg and Sophia.
The little magician brightened. “I love him! He’s a pain in the butt, but similar to how you feel about Stefan, there’s no one I would rather be around. He just gets me, but not in a romantic way. It’s hard to explain.”
Liv nodded as she ushered her sister to the bathroom. “Yes, go wash up. And don’t ever compare your dragon’s egg to a romantic relationship again.”
Rory had explained to Liv that the bond a rider had with their dragon was actually deeper than a romantic relationship. It was akin to soulmates. Now that they were bonded for eternity, Sophia and the dragon would influence each other. It was entanglement. What happened to her would happen to him, on some level. When he grew, she matured, and vice versa. They were two parts of a whole, and there was absolutely no way to split them except through death, which would obviously affect the remaining partner, either by crippling them or actually killing them. Liv gulped, not even being able to comprehend such a strange bond.
“You had to allow her to go off and get a dragon’s egg,” Clark said, striding in the direction of the kitchen.
“I didn’t know that was what Rory had in mind for her,” she said, following her brother. “And it’s an amazing opportunity. She will be one of the Elite.”
Clark spun once they were in the kitchen. “I know. I’m happy for her. It’s just so much to deal with.”
Liv nodded. “I know. Believe me, I know.”
Her brother seemed to resign himself. “I’m sorry. You’ve got a lot to deal with, and I shouldn’t unload on you about this.”