“Not at all. We trust you to protect the interests of our people. But there are things you need to know, Axoular. If you’re to go to the human world, you should be prepared,” Morcan motioned for us to sit down. Axoular walked to the table, his body rigid. I followed and sat beside him again. The room became overly warm. Sweat beaded on my lower back.
“We know more about the human world and the portals than we have previously told you.” Morcan gave a head nod to Boudicca.
Maedoc let out a curse. “I thought we’d agreed to get everything out in the open? How much information are you old crones hiding?”
“It isn’t anything that would've done anyone any good,” said Boudicca. “If we’d let the people know that the portals could be opened, they would’ve tried to go through to the human world, and the results would've been catastrophic.”
“The portals?” Maedoc was becoming visibly agitated.
Boudicca nodded sagely. “You see, there's more to the prophecy than is known. Now that our numbers are so dwindled, only Morcan and I know the full prophecy. The second half of the prophecy essentially says that our people must stay in Sárkány until the Savior comes for us.” Boudicca paused, as if for dramatic effect.
Her eyes blinked, showing her eyelids were nearly opaque in her old age. I wondered exactly how old she was. “If we leave Sárkány before our fated time, it would be to disastrous consequences,” she finished wearily.
Axoular was indignant. He stared at each elder until they lowered their eyes. Only Boudicca would meet his gaze. “If we leave before our fated time? We have lived for hundreds of years believing the portals can't be opened by anyone but the Savior.”
The quiet Drest slammed his hand down on the table, making me jump. My skin crawled—I could feel the anger in the room. Drest stood. “We could’ve left? You know how to open the portals?”
“We do,” replied Morcan. Drest turned away from us and stared into the fire.
“All of my life, we have lived in fear and poverty. We have toiled and struggled,” Axoular said. Milky white tears ran down his cheeks. His hands were clenched so tightly it looked like the scales on his knuckles were going to split apart. “We could've gone to the human world. We could’ve at least tried to find help!”
“Axoular, do you believe in the prophecy?” asked Boudicca.
“You know I do,” said Axoular. “At least, I believed in the part I knew!”
“The part you didn’t know would've caused strife and dissent if our people knew, Axoular,” said Morcan.
“You should've respected us enough to fill us in once you appointed the three of us to the Elders. If you trusted us enough to take our council, you should've trusted us with this,” Drest said without turning. His voice was deep and threatening. Smoke floated around his head from the flames of the fireplace.
“Is there more?” asked Axoular.
Boudicca blinked her nearly transparent eyelids. “I was the last Sárkány to leave Earth. I didn’t want to return here, but I was being hunted.”
The room was silent, but my mind was loud with the buzz of my shock. “You were in my world? You were one of the old gods?” I asked, voice shrill.
Boudicca chuckled. “No, Riley. I hid among the humans. I didn't seek glory. When you cross the portal your appearance will be human. That’s how I lived there for many years.”
“I don’t know what a human looks like,” said Axoular.
“You will,” replied Boudicca. “Hush and let me tell my story.” Axoular’s eyes narrowed, but he stopped talking. “Our people were in the human world for a very long time. When we first traveled there, we hadn't yet added the magic to the portal to alter our appearance. I believe you have witches there, Riley, that would call it a glamor spell. It’s akin to that. Our ancestors, many thousands of years ago, created the portals. I don't have the knowledge of how. Once this final portal is destroyed, the portals will be no more and wherever we are, we'll be stuck there.
“Our ancestors crossed over and their appearance didn't change. Riley, I’m sure you can imagine how they were received.”
“Either in fear or total worship, I would think,” I said.
“A combination of both. They called us dragons, and brought us precious metals and other valuable items. When we discovered that the Sárkány could mate with humans, we went a little wild for a while. There were many marriages between the Sárkány and the humans, and the power hungry Sárkány kept harems of both men and women to please them.”
“Were you not hunted or called demons?” I asked, trying to reconcile where in history they could've been, since I’d never heard legends of sentient dragons.
“Oh, yes. We got too raucous, too exposed. At the time, the country we were in was being converted by the Holy Roman Empire.”
“The Holy Roman Empire? How do you know these things, Boudicca? Exactly how old are you?” I asked. I didn’t understand how someone who hadn’t been to Earth in over two hundred years could remember details of events that happened there over three thousand years ago when their written history was supposed to have been destroyed.
“Yes, the Holy Roman Empire. I know these things because I studied them in great detail when I was a child. To be allowed to go live on Earth, you were required to memorize our entire history with Earth, and pass an arduous test. They didn't want us to make the mistakes of our fathers and mothers before us. And, I'm almost twelve hundred years old.
My mouth dropped. “You can’t be. Will I live that long?” How crushing; I’d gone to all this trouble to make sure I would live long enough to have a life with my family. To find out I’d outlive them by several centuries was heartbreaking.
“No, you won’t. You are half human. Entering our world and passing through the magical portal awoke your Sárkány genes, but you still have human in you. If you are lucky, you could live to be five hundred years old, but most of the Sárkány human offspring lived to between three and four hundred years.” My shoulders sagged in relief.
Morcan was staring at Boudicca. “You’ve kept your secrets well, sister.” She turned to me. “Boudicca and I were childhood friends. As we grew older, her interest in the world of humans grew and mine didn't. She left, and I was here, living among our people. I had no desire to travel off to new lands and get into a big mess of trouble.” She turned to Boudicca.
“I never knew you had to learn the entire history of the Sárkány on Earth. Nor did I know you looked different when there.”
“I’m sorry, old friend. When I was forced to come home, I was heartbroken. I left the love of my life on Earth, and my children.” Her eyes drifted upward, and I knew she wasn’t seeing us in that room, but the memory of her love. “I was doomed from the moment I met him, for he was full human and their lives are so brief. But I loved him fiercely. I came home to protect him and our children. I hoped that if I removed myself and closed the portals from this side, they'd stop hunting me and leave my family alone. I don’t know what became of my family. The council of elders were terrified by all things human. They wouldn't allow me to bring my family here. No human or Sárkány-human hybrid has ever crossed into our world until today.” Her opaque eyelids closed.
“I never recovered. To this day, I mourn my lost family. I only hope to live long enough to go to Earth and find my descendants, to see if any history of my line has survived.”
“I don't know who my ancestors are, Boudicca. If your line isn't found, I would be honored to call you family,” I said. My heart was heavy from her story. She fought my fight, and she lost. She fought, a thousand years before, to keep her family. In order to save her family, she gave up her fight and let them go. I wanted to hug her, but I didn’t know their customs. Hugs might be taboo to the Sárkány.
“Thank you, young one. We’re family, whether you are of my line or not. The last piece of advice I have for you is this: the creatures that hunted me were on the Earth long before we were. They claimed that the Earth was their home and that they w
ere born there. The Sárkány never believed that, as the Earth is a world without magic. The only magic we ever found on the planet was that which was brought from other worlds. By the time I left, most of the other species had gone to their homes. If any were left on Earth, they were hiding and once I left, they wouldn't have had any way home.”
“I met one, Boudicca,” I said. “Her name is Mama Pacha and she’s of the Supay.” I said, not sure if Boudicca would know anything about the other Unseen on Earth.
“I knew Supay,” she said. The rest of the room remained quiet, eyes darting between me and Boudicca. “We met at a gathering to debate the wisdom of returning to our homes. He was full of himself, that one. He relished his god status and didn't want to give it up. I wonder if he made it home.”
“I believe he did,” I said. “Mama Pacha seems to be the last of her kind on Earth, and she’s in her homeland. I’m so sorry, but if there's nothing else you can think of to prepare us, I insist that we go. I have no idea what my husbands encountered when they went to the land of the Supay and I want to get that portal open for them to be able to return.” Axoular stood and bowed again.
“Do we have your leave?” His tone was kind.
Morcan and Boudicca glanced at each other before Morcan replied. “You may go, Axoular. Be safe and be wary. It will be a dangerous place for you, for we don't know if anyone is watching for our return.”
“One last thing,” I said. “Who were the creatures that were after you?”
“They were shapeshifters, skinwalkers. Many names have followed them throughout the centuries, but they called themselves the Humbaba.” Boudicca stood and walked over to us. “Be careful. They can take any form.”
I’d never heard Michael, Anthony, or Elias mention shapeshifters. Humbaba was a character in The Epic of Gilgamesh though, I was sure of that. I wondered if they stole the name from the book or if the book was calling them out?
We were finally allowed to leave the room. I opened the door to a cacophony of sound. The crowd had grown larger while we talked. They’d managed to stay quiet during our debate, but couldn't contain their excitement when I came out.
Euphoria washed over me, and I knew I was picking up their emotions. Inside, when tempers were rising and everyone was upset, it caused a physical reaction in me. I was uplifted in response to the exuberant crowd. I raised my hands, asking for silence.
“People of Sárkány, I hear your hope. I will find a way to help you. I understand your food is almost gone, and your lives have been sparse. I can’t promise to be some superhero, swooping in to save everyone. I promise you, though, with my last breath, I will try everything in my power to help you. You won’t be forgotten or lost. I must return home, but Axoular is going with me. We’re going to settle my affairs and begin a search for a solution for you.”
I started down the stairs and they parted in front of me like Moses parting the sea. I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by their expectant faces. Soft palms and fingers darted out to touch my clothes and skin. A few times, the rough touch of knuckles brushed my arms. I only saw a few disapproving faces and vowed to eventually speak to those that disapproved of me. I wanted to know why.
My tired legs burned as we climbed up the hills toward the cave. I felt a little hitch in my lower back, indicating I was pushing myself too hard. Since I’d left the hostel that morning, I’d trekked across the Isla Del Sol, traveled to another world, hiked down a mountain, and was beginning to head back up. I was terrified, worried about Elias and Anthony and where they’d gone, heartbroken over Boudicca’s story and the fate of the Sárkány, and I still missed my children.
I stopped and turned as we passed through the entrance to the village and looked down over the buildings. I’d been there only a couple of hours, but was reluctant to leave. Those poor creatures needed someone to save them. More than likely, nothing in this world could be salvaged. Their world was built to house thousands of Sárkány. With only a couple of hundred left, there was no one to maintain the greenhouses that fed the livestock, that in turn fed the Sárkány. The world itself was hot and barren, with little to no natural sustenance.
Axoular said they’d searched the world over for more Sárkány that might be hanging on somewhere, and they were here now. I knew I would have to find a way to bring them to Earth, there was nothing else to do. How we would manage that, I didn’t know.
A small group of Sárkány followed us to the caves. They vowed to keep vigil beside the portal until we returned. I didn’t like the thought of them sitting in that dank cave, but they insisted. They asked me many questions about my homeland as we walked up the hills. I was moving at a snail’s pace, exhausted, but I answered as much as I could. They were most interested in rain and water. They dug deep wells to find water, and then they used it sparingly.
We reached the cave and Axoular drew out a knife. I turned to the four remaining Sárkány. “Whatever you do, don't follow us. We may end up leaving the portal site immediately after entering my world, and we wouldn't want you to come through without me there to guide you and help you. Stay in this world until we return, please.” Four heads nodded their consent, and I walked over to Axoular and the portal.
“Are you ready?”
Axoular nodded his head. “I'm ready to save my people.” I drew in a deep breath and cut my finger again. I dabbed a bit of blood on the same stone that we used on the Earth side of the portal. It again took a few seconds, but soon the stones were glowing red. When we’d come to Galdiart, I’d felt dry heat and excessive wind. As the stones glowed brighter, a gentle, chilly breeze teased my cheeks. I could smell the fresh, clean scent that came right after a misty rain. My emotions calmed, it smelled like home and family. If I didn’t know I was travelling to an island in Bolivia, I would think I was going to walk straight into the Appalachian mountains on a cool spring morning.
I smiled one last time at my new friends, and stepped over onto the invisible floor of the portal. My body became weightless again, but I didn’t feel fear. I opened my eyes to the stone walls of the Inca ruin.
Chapter Eighteen
I stepped over the sides of the ancient well, and was immediately grabbed from behind. My training kicked in, and I reached over my shoulder and grabbed my attacker by the ears, flipping him over me and onto the hard stone floor. As his body flew over me, I realized it was Michael. In the split second he was in the air, I wondered why, with his Supay reflexes, he didn’t stop me from flipping him.
As soon as he landed, I was beside him. “Oh my god, Michael, I’m so sorry! Are you okay?”
He coughed and laughed at the same time. “I’m fine, Baby.” He spotted something behind me and jumped up. “Get behind me, Riley, hurry!”
Axoular was appearing in the well. “Michael, it’s okay! I brought him with me!”
“What? Why? You weren’t supposed to bring anything back with you! How do you know you can trust it?” Michael was out of control. He tried to push me behind him, to shield me. Normally, I would have found this endearing. Even though women could do anything we put our minds to, it was nice to feel protected sometimes. In this case, I was more irritated that he didn’t trust me enough to listen to me.
“Michael, stop! He’s safe, I promise you!” I stepped in front of Michael and put my back to Axoular’s form as he appeared in the well. I heard his feet hit the ground as he climbed down. My hands were on Michael’s heaving chest. His eyes flashed and his entire body was tense; he was furious.
A low growl erupted from his chest, something I’d never heard him do. “Michael? What’s going on? Why won’t you listen to me? Michael!”
His eyes snapped to me, and his voice deepened. “Move, Riley.”
I backed away from him, toward Axoular, frightened of Michael Effler for the first time in our lives together. I heard a growl behind me and pivoted. Axoular was crouched in a fighting stance. I took a moment to admire his dark golden skin. In the human world, people would assume he was from a middl
e eastern country. He was stunning, but he was also frightening in his anger. I stepped out from between the two, and they spoke to one another in a language I didn't understand.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying!” I cried. They moved to the side, closer to the center of the room and away from the portal. As they moved, another figure appeared in the center of the well. Michael’s eyes darted between Axoular and the portal, wary of who might come through next.
Elias materialized and jumped out into the commotion. “What’s going on?” he cried as Anthony appeared. As soon as Anthony was through and out of the well, I cut my finger and pressed it to the stone that would turn off the portal.
Michael’s voice cut through the growls coming from Axoular’s throat. “Open it back up, Riley. He has to go back, now!”
“No, Michael. I don’t know what your problem is or why your voice sounds like that, but Axoular isn’t going anywhere.” I glanced over at Axoular and saw his hands were changing. The golden hue of his skin was growing into scales, and his fingers were turning to claws. My eyes flew to his face, surprised, to find his eyes were beginning to glow red with anger. I did a double take, but indeed, his eyes were literally glowing red, as if backlit by fire.
Smoke swirled over Axoular’s head. It was rising from his hair and ears. What in the actual fuck? Could we literally breathe fire? That would be so cool.
“Anthony, do something! Michael freaked out when I brought Axoular back with me and he’s caused Axoular to go into some sort of freakish dragon defense mode!”
“Dragon?” said Elias. “They’re real?”
“It’s a long story, but I’m a dragon and I’ll live as long as you guys. Stop this mess, please!”
Axoular stopped growling and when he spoke, his voice was gravelly and hoarse. “Riley, what is he? Is he a human?”
“No, Axoular, he’s Supay, like Elias and Anthony here,” I said, pointing to Eli.
Hers From The Start: A Collection of First In Series Reverse Harem Page 62