by D. E. Morris
“Easy!” Jaryn barked, raising his hands. “Where is who? I'll tell you whatever you want, just don't hurt anyone.” Connor was shoved into the room, and Jaryn watched as the boy quickly went to Cailin's side. “Who are you looking for?” Jaryn asked, working to keep his voice calm.
“Your dragon,” Gianara growled. “What have you done with her?”
“Misuzu's missing?” Cailin asked, genuine worry in her voice.
Turning toward the pair on the bed, Gianara glowered at them. “Once I discovered her gone, I went to the rookery right before I came here and found that Connor was not where he said he would be. My only logical assumption was that you tried to escape.”
“I waited for you,” Connor tried to explain. “One of the men said the eggs didn't look like they were going to hatch tonight, so I decided to come home and sleep since you weren't there anyway.”
Her ire rising, Gianara snarled. “What have you done with your dragon?”
“What have we done with her?” Jaryn asked. “Do we look like we even knew she was missing, let alone as though we had time or foresight to hide her from you?” His hands lowered and he looked at Gianara, eyes narrowing. “You took special interest in her the moment we arrived. How do we know you haven't done anything with her and are trying to pin the blame on us so as to be rid of us?” He glanced at the men standing behind her. “I know you're capable of much worse when someone is in the way of something you want.”
Her eyes widened, a fist balling at her side. “How dare you accuse me of such a thing?”
“Oh, I dare quite easily. Do the rest of your young minions here know of how you came to be the leader of this uncivilized tribe? I can easily tell the story for you.”
As Gianara and Jaryn hollered harsh words and accusations at one another, a little black and white cat hopped up on the windowsill on the other side of the room. The shutters were opened enough for her to stick her head through, then push her shoulders and the rest of her body all the way in. With a soft thud, she jumped to the floor and worked her way over to the bed, careful to stay in the shadows until she could jump up next to Cailin. The sudden appearance of the cat made both her and Connor startle. Several families on the island had cats and dogs, but none they had seen looked quite like this one. In fact, Connor thought, this looked like the same cat he'd played with at Lerranyth before they'd all left together.
All at once, everything fell into place. That cat hadn't been a cat at all, but a very talented shape shifter. He stared hard at her for a moment until she walked past Cailin to rub against Connor and purr. Yes, he was sure of it now. Misuzu the dragon was nowhere to be found because she was here with them now, in her feline form.
“If you will not tell us where she is,” shouted one of the men, fed up with the arguing between Jaryn and Gianara, “then perhaps she will.” His burly hands reached for Cailin, yanking her from the bed by her arm even as Jaryn tried to shove past Gianara to stop the brutality. Just as the man was pulling back his fist, someone else rushed into the room, shouting Gianara's name.
“He's here!” the woman reported, urgency on her face. “He's come back.”
It looked as though time had stopped in the room for the quickest moment. No one moved or breathed, wondering what would happen now. Gianara glared at Cailin and shoved Jaryn back before turning to the one who held Cailin. “Stay with them. Do nothing to them unless they try to escape.”
“What about my dragon?” Connor yelled, his bottom lip sticking out. He picked up the cat in his lap and buried his face in her fur, pretending to cry.
Jaryn pulled Cailin to him, protective, as she was let go, and everyone hurried out of the room with just as much purpose as when they'd stormed in. The man left behind grinned harshly at them, threatening, before looking at Connor. “Shut up, whelp!” The boy only lifted the cat a little higher, his wails getting louder.
“Misuzu,” Jaryn whispered in understanding. He and Cailin looked at one another, a silent plan forming between them. Turning to their guard, he demanded, “What could possibly take precedence over finding my missing dragon?” He let Cailin go so she could return to the bed and comfort Connor, then rallied on the man, drawing himself up as tall as he could. “I demand answers. Your leader told us we would be safe here, that our dragon would be safe here, and now she goes to meet some mysterious man instead of continuing the search for an animal that is so large, she has to be kept in her own special place? How can she simply disappear like that?”
The man hulked over Jaryn, his bushy brows low over his eyes. “If you know what's good for you, you'll sit down and shut your mouth.”
A loud metal clang resounded through the room as Cailin bashed him in the back of the head with the wash basin. He fell to the floor in a heap, and she looked down at him. “Looks like it's your turn to sit down and shut up.”
Misuzu scrambled out of Connor's grasp and jumped down, shifting into her human form almost as soon as her paws hit the floor. “Come on!” Connor cried, getting to his feet. “We have to go now while everyone's distracted.”
“I'm not going anywhere,” Misuzu argued. “I want to know who it is that could make Gianara forget me like that.” The others looked at her as though she were mad, but she shook her head. “She came to see me every single day, sometimes even flew with me on her own dragon. No simple visitor, not even my father alone, could take her attention away from finding me so easily.” She locked eyes with Jaryn. “I need to see who it is.”
His lips were pursed, but he inhaled deeply before nodding. “Alright. I'll go with you.”
“Jaryn,” Cailin protested, “we have to go now. Connor's right. If Gia's so focused on this visitor, everyone else will be too. There's no better time to go than now.”
“You're right. Which is why I want you and Connor to go.”
“What?” Connor asked. “No. We all go.”
“We'll be right behind you, lad,” promised Jaryn. He saw the panic in the boy's eyes and gripped him by the shoulders. “Don't wait for us, do you understand?” He looked at Cailin as well. “Fly straight for Siness and don't stop until you're there. I know it's a long journey and there are risks to you being shifted for so long, but you have to try. If Misuzu and I don't get there by morning...tell my wife that she is the only one I have thought of the entire time we've been separated.”
“No,” Cailin argued. “If you stay and they find we're gone, they'll kill you without hesitation.”
“I'm not leaving,” Misuzu insisted angrily. “You can stay or go - I'm going to see who is so important.” She hurried from the room leaving Jaryn to growl in her wake.
“Cailin, you have to go now. Please.” He put one hand on her shoulder, the other on Connor's. “Go.” Without waiting to see if they would comply, he ran into Connor's room to quickly throw on his pants and boots, then raced after Misuzu. She waited for him just outside, somehow knowing he would follow her one way or another. Without a word to each other, she shifted into a red dragon just big enough for Jaryn to ride.
Stay low, she advised. Jaryn doubled over, wrapping his arms around her neck and making himself as flat against her as he could. Misuzu hopped up onto the edge of the road and leaped into the air, fanning her wings out to catch the air current. There were still dragons flying all around so one more would hardly have drawn any special attention. I'm going to land behind the supply house. She spiraled and dipped, banking left to take him out past the edge of the island over dark and threatening waters down below, then leaned right to dive to the shadowed ground behind the wooden storage house that held most of the work tools for Ironedge.
Jaryn slid to the ground and pressed his back against the building, standing there without moving as Misuzu returned to her human form. They nodded to one another, then Jaryn led the way around to crouch behind one of the several tall trees that flanked the structure. Moving through the shadows, they got as close to the clearing in the middle as they dared, watching the growing circle of people who were
illuminated by the great fire in the central pit that was lit in an unending blaze. Misuzu reached out a hand to Jaryn. His fingers found hers in the darkness, creating a way for them to communicate without making a sound.
Can you see anything? she asked.
No. There are too many people blocking the way. We should have landed on the watch tower.
Misuzu looked up at the tree she hid behind. She let go of Jaryn's hand and prepared to start climbing when a voice bellowed, “Where is she?”
Jaryn turned sharply to Misuzu and grabbed her hand again. Is that your father?
Her face was grim. Yes. Gianara and the others showed great respect to him when he was here before, but there was also loathing in Gia. She would not give up searching for me just to meet with him, I'm certain of it.
Staying where they were, the pair saw a stream of light coming from the mountain habitat trail with Gianara in the lead. As seemed to be standard when she arrived, the crowd parted to let her pass through, those with her falling into the crowd to blend in with them. There was a shift in bodies to accommodate for the newcomers, resulting in a small window of space for both Jaryn and Misuzu to see through. It was certainly Hideo alright, and he looked as angry as he had the day Jaryn threw him out of his office.
Come on, Jaryn urged. It looks like it's only him after all. We should get out of here while we still can.
I can almost hear what they're saying. Misuzu held tight to Jaryn's hand but kept her attention on her father.
“This has gone on long enough,” Hideo barked. “The time to act is now.”
“It is indeed.”
Jaryn and Misuzu froze, completely incapacitated by their shock. A man stepped out of the shadows behind Hideo and stood beside him, dressed in all black, his hair and beard a mixture of gray and black. With dark eyes, he smirked and looked down at his shorter companion as everyone in the circle immediately dropped to one knee and bowed their heads. Even Gianara, who seemed to take orders from no one else, lowered herself in respect.
Misuzu's hand quivered in Jaryn's. Is that...
Merrik, he finished for her. Ashlynn was right. He is alive after all.
How? Kenayde and Sabari killed him.
But we never burned his body. Every curse Jaryn could think of streamed though his mind, unbidden. It all makes sense now. Gia and the rest attacked Siness because your father and Merrik commissioned it, making them believe that we are against all forms of dragons. He has them believing they are acting for good when they are really only carrying out his evil plots.
Misuzu turned to Jaryn, sorrow knitting her brows together. I'm so sorry, Jaryn. I knew my father disliked Gaels, but I didn't know his hatred went so deep that he would align himself with someone like Merrik.
Jaryn was about to tell her none of it was her fault, but someone grabbed him from behind, slipping an arm around his neck and yanking him backward. He heard Misuzu yell his name, then the only sound he could make out was his pulse getting louder in his ears as his oxygen was being cut off. He watched someone else try to tackle Misuzu, but she dodged to the side and turned with a kick to their face. Jaryn clawed at the arms around him, struggling for purchase in the cloth that protected the skin beneath. More people were coming as the circle broke, hearing the sounds of the scuffle. Jaryn was dragged out into the light and for the quickest instant, he and Merrik made eye contact. Jaryn blinked, still fighting, and the older man was gone.
Someone screamed and the hold on him loosened enough for Jaryn to get in a gulp of air. With his senses clearing, he drove his elbow back and into the stomach of his attacker. As the man doubled in on himself, he let go of Jaryn, setting him free to turn and watch in a mixture of fear and wonder as Misuzu shifted to the true form of her Element. Trees were torn from the roots up and tumbled off of her like rocks in a mountain slide as she took to the air. She let out a horrendous roar that made everyone, Jaryn included, cower and cover their ears.
“Misuzu?”
Jaryn turned to see Hideo watching in horror. He must have seen her before she shifted and now knew what she truly was.
Dragons began to come out of the caves, curious. Some took to the air but most stayed close to the mountain, smart enough to keep away from whatever chaos was going on around them. Amid the screams, a chorus of flutes began playing. Jaryn whipped around to look, realizing all of them were staring at Misuzu as though she should have been responding to the music. The dragon slithered in the air, however, glaring in contempt at all below as storm clouds flashed in the night, gathering in toward the island. As soon as the flutists realized their melodies weren't working, they turned toward the mountain and changed their tunes, summoning their own dragons. Misuzu dove down among them, making would-be riders scatter from their mounts before there was time to take them up. She reached down with one stubby foreleg and grabbed Jaryn in between her sharp talons, then shot into the sky like an arrow.
A much smaller dragon, red with flecks of gold and bronze in her scales, flew close. Misuzu tossed Jaryn into the air with no warning, and the red dragon darted up to catch him on her back. It's me, came the familiar Sinessian accent through his head when he landed, Mairead. Cailin and the boy are just up ahead. Hold on. With a mighty pump of her wings, she shot forward to lead the way to their waiting friends.
Below, the wind was swirling, tossing rocks and branches in every direction. Hideo was shouting at everyone who passed him, commanding them to follow those who were getting away. When he saw Gianara standing there, watching the Air Elemental soar away, he grunted and slapped her across the face with the back of his hand. “Go after them!”
Though her head flew to the side, she stood her ground. Her tongue slid over her lip, tasting the blood from the small cut that had opened. Slowly, she turned to look at Hideo with unveiled contempt. Whatever he saw in her eyes made him take a step back. Then, seemingly aware of what his actions would mean to her, he squared his shoulders and stepped closer to her once again. “I gave you an order.”
Gianara's jaw clenched, her hands balling into fists so tight that her knuckles were almost white. “This is my island, little man. No one commands my riders but me, and no one commands me.” She glanced up as a flash of lightning sizzled overhead. “That dragon is no Gael or natural born. Who is she? More importantly, who is she to you? I saw your face – all the color drained away. Tell me now or I will call all of my riders back and let them fly away.”
Hideo looked into the sky with panic, his eyes widening. Then, all of a sudden, a calm came over him. He turned his gaze up to Gianara, a sneer growing on his lips. “You will do as I say without question if you want to keep your precious dragons safe. Must I summon the Shadow King again and let him destroy this island as punishment for your insolence?”
For a moment it looked as though she would defy him, even after his threat. They held each other's defiant gaze, neither of them wanting to back down. Eventually, however, she opened the pouch at her belt and pulled her flute free. Even as she brought it to her lips and played, she never took her eyes off of Hideo.
All around her, other riders played similar songs and dragons dove down through the storm to pick up their riders. “You will regret this day,” Gianara promised Hideo. She tucked her flute away once more, then turned and focused her attention out to sea. With nothing more to say, she took off running as fast as she could, arms pumping at her sides and legs almost a blur below her. Even when she reached the wooden fence that kept anyone or anything from tumbling off the sheer cliff ledge, she jumped and dove over it as though she were diving into the sea itself. Hideo watched, silently wondering if one of her precious beasts would save her. When a copper dragon with yellow and brown scales soared up from the hidden depths, he finally understood: Gianara needed no dragon to catch her because she was one herself.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The wind whistled past the escapees as Mairead pumped her wings as hard as she could. She had a difficult time maneuvering her small frame through
the conflicting currents that pushed and pulled her, buffeting her from side to side. Jaryn tried to call out to Misuzu to tell her to calm the storm she'd created, but his voice was lost in din. She is not responding, Mairead told him, hearing his call to her again. Her mind is closed off.
“She's going to get us killed! How is she this powerful?” He clung as hard as he could to Mairead, trying to see through the thick cloud cover all around them. Misuzu was high above, illuminated by every strike of lightning that arced through the sky. Her outrage was causing a hurricane, the sea below them churning angrily. Though he couldn't see three feet past his face, he could imagine the water dragons far below, swimming around with their sharp teeth and snapping jaws, just waiting for something to fall in and become their prey.
Mairead was pushed by a sudden whip of wind to her right, making her roll unsteadily with Jaryn yelling in surprise. Hang on!
“I'm trying!”
I mean hang on as in I am going to try something. She stopped her forward motion, bobbing in the air for a moment. Then, lifting her head and her long neck, she flew up instead of forward, gaining speed and fighting against the wind as she directed her body straight at Misuzu.
“Mairead...” Jaryn didn't know if he could somehow cling to her neck any harder, but as she sped toward the air dragon without any indication of slowing, he tried his hardest to get a more firm grip. “Mairead, you're going to run right into her!”
I know. She pushed herself as fast as she could go. When I say jump, jump.
“What?”
Jump! It all felt like it was happening in slow motion. He pulled his legs up and pushed off of Mairead's back with all of his strength to launch himself into thin air. At the same time, Mairead gave one final heavy flap of her wings and turned, ramming the side of her body into Misuzu, sending the unsuspecting air dragon hurdling to the right. Misuzu roared and turned to see who dared attack her in such a manner, watching as the small fire dragon dove and caught Jaryn on her back once more. Talk to her now!