Journey to India (Exiled Dragons Book 7)

by Sarah J. Stone

  “First of all, I need everyone to remain silent and hear me out. Outbursts of that nature will not be tolerated during this meeting. I want each of you to sit and listen intently as I say what I came here to say, and then we can all get on with our lives.”

  He paused, scanning over their faces as Kara shifted in her chair behind him. She dropped her head for a moment, but found her grandfather reaching over to cup her chin in his fingers and raise it back up. Glancing in his direction, she watched as he raised his head a little higher and turned back toward the crowd, staring at them defiantly. Kara understood his unspoken gesture and did the same.

  “Those of you that live in this village do so for a reason. We all know that it is because you are protected from an outside world that doesn’t understand you, doesn’t know how to cope with what you are. If you were to expose yourself as a dragon shifter to them, most would run away in horror, a few would find you interesting, and the authorities would lock you away to study you. Why?”

  There was another mumble as he hesitated again to let this thought sink in.

  “I will tell you why,” he continued. “Because you are different. To live among them, you would be forced to hide what you are so that you don’t bring harm to yourself. We all know this to be true. If it were not, many of us would move away to bigger places and explore the world in a way that we are not afforded due to our long-term needs as dragons. Can you imagine living in a place where you were afraid to reveal your true identity to anyone?”

  There were whispers and nods. Of course, they knew. They hid it from every human they met.

  “Now, at least you have the ability to show yourself, your true self, in your own village, among others like you, others that accept you for what you are because they are the same. But what if you had no one? What if you spent years forced to live a lie, so that you weren’t sent out into this world you don’t belong in by people that don’t belong there either? That is the life that the Sheaver family has lived since they arrived here centuries ago. Every Sheaver male has known that he didn’t belong anywhere, because he wasn’t a dragon and he wasn’t a human. But they share the blood of a dragon shifter that everyone in this village knew and loved.”

  The whispers in the crowd grew louder, and Kara clasped the hands of the men beside her tighter. No, he couldn’t. He wasn’t about to do this. As if to confirm it, he turned and looked at her for a moment and nodded knowingly before turning back around.

  “Long before Christ returned from the grave, there was a family that owned all of this land. They were the ancestors of our recently departed Cassi Baker, and they left her everything when they died, just as she left everything to Kara Sheaver. In case you were not aware of it, Kara recently deeded the entirety of our village to the Dragon Council without asking for a cent in return. Now, you might ask yourself why this came to be, and it is a very long story, but I am going to share with you a small portion today.”

  The crowd was completely silent now, listening intently to his words. Kara couldn’t help but marvel for a moment at his command over them, the way he held power over them with such little effort as he spoke.

  “When Cassi was a young woman, she fell in love with a man named Khaleel. Cassi was fully aware that their love was forbidden, as he was a tiger shifter that had migrated here from India when his family was destroyed. Now, Cassi’s father obviously did not approve of such a liaison and forbid it, but Cassi was in love and fled with Khaleel to the south, where they married and had a child.”

  The crowd grew loud with chatter, drowning him out until he had to stop for a moment to settle them down.

  “Cassi’s father went after her and brought her home, threatening her that our kind would do harm to Khaleel and their son if she tried to go back to them. It broke her heart, but she never went back to them. At first, because she feared for their lives and later, because she thought it best after so much time had passed. What Cassi didn’t know was that her love passed away and that, on his deathbed, he sent his son back here to find his mother. That man’s name was Tio Sheaver, and he lived among us without revealing his identity even as he lay dying.”

  The crowd was full of chatter now, making it harder for him to settle them, but he eventually did.

  “The man that sits behind me is a direct descendant of Cassi Baker. He is also a tiger shifter, as is his granddaughter, Kara. This is something he has always known and kept hidden for fear of being sent away from the only home he has ever known, but it is a recent revelation for Kara, who until recently knew nothing of her relation to Cassi or the fact that she could shift into anything other than a dragon. Likewise, even Mr. Sheaver has not known he could shift into anything other than a tiger.”

  “Rules are rules! This is a dragon shifter village, and they are not our kind!” someone yelled, causing another stir that Aaron had to settle down.

  “This village is what we say it is. The only reason it is a dragon shifter village is because that is how it started out a long time ago, but what is this village really? It is a safe haven for people, who are different than the outside world. I had thought that accepting humans into our midst would help to open the eyes of some of you, but even they have trouble here at times. Now, we have this situation with multi shifters, and everyone is running around, panicking over nothing.”

  “Nothing? Did you see that thing she became?” someone else yelled.

  “Yes, I did. I also saw what she did to the men that had chased her, my accountants. She did it to protect herself, and any of you would have done the same. I ask you to look at it this way. Who here has done more for this village than Kara Sheaver and her ancestors? Cassi built this village. Tio Sheaver was a cornerstone of the community, as has been every member of their family since then. Kara has gifted us not only the land we live on with no request for compensation, but also revealed two common crooks that had been bleeding our village finances dry for years. What has she received in return? Nothing but attacks, first from the culprits themselves and now from the people of the village she and her family have saved time and time again.”

  There was a quiet among the crowd as Aaron paused once again to let them think it through. When no one said anything, he began to speak again.

  “I am asking each and every one of you to stop persecuting the Sheavers, right here and right now. They are just like us, just with different abilities. They belong here just as much as we do, if not more so. I am here to tell you that I will be holding a meeting in my chambers to eliminate the laws that discriminate against those that are different. Anyone capable of living in peace and keeping the secrets of our village will be allowed to live here among us without fear of any actions against them.”

  “What if we don’t approve?” a voice yelled out.

  “Then I suggest you find another village, as this one is moving forward and will no longer tolerate such a narrow-minded vision from anyone. This meeting is over.”

  With that, Aaron turned and began to walk toward them, holding his hand out to help Kara’s grandfather up and off the stage. Kara and Thomas followed behind.

  “How do you think that went?” Thomas asked once they were back inside.

  “I don’t know. I’ll tell you after this meeting today, but at least now they all know the truth and have something to think about before they jump to any more wrong conclusions. The Dragon Guard will remain with you for the rest of the week, and then we will see how it goes. I have also posted some with your grandfather, and we have builders repairing the accounting office at the village’s expense. We retrieved plenty from the McCallum’s hidden fortune to make a lot of improvements around here,” he said, shaking his head in disgust.

  “All right. Well, I guess we will get back home then, Thomas told him.

  “One more thing,” Kara added, pausing as they headed toward the door. “You didn’t mention my pregnancy. Why?”

  “One thing at a time, Kara. Let’s get them to accept that you are here to stay before we let t
hem know there are more on the way. I know that sounds terrible, but I think we can agree that the small minds in this village only have so much room in one sitting.”

  “You are probably right,” she laughed. “We’ll let you get on with things, then.”

  Thomas and Kara left under escort, but she felt better. For the first time in a while now, she felt like she didn’t need to hide or be afraid anymore. The worst was over, but there would still be some trials.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The afternoon meeting that followed that day saw new light shed on the village, with new laws being passed and old ones being tossed aside. Of course, there were also a few resignations from the more stubborn members of the group, but overall, Aaron was successful in ushering in more progress than ever.

  It was a rare sunny day in the rainy mountains of Ireland when Thomas took Kara to Cassi’s old diner, where they first met, to have dinner with Barb and Josh. It would never be the same without Cassi there, but it was still well attended by members of the community. There were gasps and applause as the two brothers simultaneously got down on one knee beside the table and proposed to their respective mates and an even bigger engagement party weeks later to celebrate the impending double wedding.

  It seemed like nothing bad had ever happened here as everyone in the village came out to witness the nuptials of the two couples on the cliffs overlooking the ocean a few months later. Kara laughed as she wobbled down the aisle, hugely pregnant and glowing with anticipation. Barb followed, very much the blushing bride herself as the foursome gathered at the end of the aisle to be wed. For a change, things were finally calm, and everyone seemed joyous as they went about the business of marrying off the Higgins brothers to their beautiful brides.

  Amy, the wife of Owen McCord and human best friend of Barb, playfully teased Barb about having seen the catching of the bouquet at her own wedding through to success as Dawn played nearby, dangerously close to a small patch of mud left over from the earlier storms.

  “Dawn, no!” Amy shouted toward her, running after the giggling girl. They watched as she found her favorite playmate, Aaron’s son, Liam Donnelly and they began running around a group of caterers, who scowled and tried to shoo the children away.

  Their laughter set the mood for the big day, permeating throughout the attendees as they finally settled in to watch the nuptials of the happy couples. Much to everyone’s surprise, Dawn leaned over and kissed Liam on the cheek with a huge smile, reaching for his hand to hold on to it as they sat watching as if in awe.

  “I can’t wait until we get married,” Dawn said to him.

  “Me neither. It’s going to be a lot of fun!” he added.

  Their parents looked over the children at one another with raised eyebrows. It wasn’t the first time that Dawn had commented on their eventual marriage, but now Liam seemed completely on board with the idea. Returning their gaze to the ceremony, they dismissed it as idle chatter about things the children truly didn’t understand, but perhaps time would tell a different story.

  “I guess duty calls,” Owen laughed, kissing Amy on the check and heading toward the mischievous pair of children to corral them back to the main ceremony.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  In the months that followed the wedding, Kara grew increasingly nervous about the impending birth. She had been sentenced–as she referred to it–to bed rest by the doctor to prevent any problems, but the time was getting closer, and she had no idea what to expect. Having a child was one thing. Having two was quite another, but those were only the beginning of her issues.

  “What do I know about raising children?” she asked Thomas one day out of frustration.

  “The same thing any new parent knows, I would say,” Thomas laughed.

  “Be serious, Thomas. I have no idea what I’m doing,” she told him, her face full of worry.

  “You aren’t alone, Kara. I have no clue either, but we’re in this together, just like we have been with everything. We will figure it all out as we go.”

  “I hope so.”

  “We will.”

  “Did I tell you that I met an actual hedgehog today?” she asked.

  “What is it with you and the hedgehogs?” he laughed.

  “I don’t know. I just think they are cute,” she told him.

  “Where did you meet him?” he asked.

  “At the office. A girl came by and asked me to do her taxes, but she forgot to go to the grocery store and they won’t let pets in there.”

  “Imagine that, a village full of animal shifters that won’t let normal animals inside their store,” Thomas said, shaking his head.

  “I know. It isn’t fair. If only they knew what the animals think of it,” she told him.

  “Right,” he said with a laugh.

  “So, anyway. She asked me if I could watch him for a moment while she ran in and then came back to get him.”

  “Wait a minute. What were you doing at the office anyway? You are supposed to be on bed rest,” he said.

  “I am. She just needed my help, and I told her I would meet her there. I needed the fresh air. I drove there very slowly and back very slowly.”

  “Right. Okay, continue.”

  “So, while she was gone, I got an idea. I remembered Khalib talking to the tigers at the sanctuary and wondered if I could do it with other animals.”

  “You didn’t.”

  “I did. I shifted into a hedgehog and I could communicate with him.”

  “You talked to a hedgehog? Is there like a hedgehog language or something?”

  “Don’t mock me! I’m serious. No, I didn’t talk to him like I talk to you, but I could understand him while I was in his form.”

  “And what did you and this hedgehog discuss?” he laughed.

  “I think you are still making fun of me, but I’m telling you that it was incredible. They are very singular minded. All I really learn was that he doesn’t like the food she feeds him and he is all bunged up because of it.”

  “Bunged up?” he asked.

  “Yes, constipated. He can’t poop properly.”

  “You are just screwing with me right now, aren’t you?” he laughed.

  “Of course not. I’m telling you the poor creature was miserable.”

  “So, what did you do? Feed him some fiber bars while she was gone?”

  “Of course not. I did tell her when she returned what he had relayed to me that he needed.”

  “You told her that the hedgehog told you this?”

  “Well, no. That just sounds crazy now, doesn’t it?”

  “You can say that again,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

  “I’m telling you that it is true.”

  “You never cease to surprise me,” he remarked, still looking at her as if he wasn’t sure if she was serious about having conversed with a hedgehog.

  Kara shrugged and went back to the book she had been reading, glancing up every so often as she heard Thomas chuckle to himself. She could imagine that, even to a dragon shifter, the idea that she could shift into any animal and actually understand that animal was very foreign. It had seemed just as far-fetched to her when Khalib had done the same thing. Considering that, she decided that it might be best in the future if she just kept that little part of her abilities to herself.

  Before long, she was reduced to being at home all the time. Her belly had grown quite large, and it was no longer very safe–or very comfortable–for her to travel. She and Thomas were sitting on the sofa, where she continually fidgeted in an attempt to get comfortable. It was becoming increasingly difficult.

  They had been asked time and time again if they knew the sex of their children, but they didn’t. It had been a decision they had made to let it be a surprise, instead painting the new nursery in neutral colors and buying clothing in unisex styles for now. They wanted to be just as surprised as everyone else was when the time came. There was just something magical about leaving it all up to nature to unveil in t
he right moment.

  The days seem to crawl by the closer she got to her due date, but finally the day came when she found herself having unfamiliar pains. At first, she thought they were just phantom contractions, but as they grew more urgent, she soon realized that they were the real deal, and she went to find Thomas in the den where he was working on a project of his own design that he wouldn’t reveal to her and she couldn’t quite make heads or tails of.

  “Thomas, we have to go,” Kara said.

  “Go where?” he asked, not really looking up from the map he had been studying.

  “To the hospital,” she said.

  “They’re coming?” Thomas said, up like a shot from his chair and by her side in a matter of seconds.

  “Yes, love, to the hospital,” she replied softly.

  “Okay. Let’s go,” he said, scooping her up and carrying her out to the car as if she was an invalid even as she protested.

  “You forgot my suitcase,” she said as he jumped behind the wheel.

  “Right!” he said excitedly. “Don’t move!”

  “Where am I going to go?” she laughed as he ran back into the house and emerged a few moments later with the bag she had packed for her visit to the hospital.

  “Okay. Let’s go!” he said again, more enthusiastically.

  At four-ten p.m. that afternoon, two seemingly normal boys were born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Higgins. However, they were anything but normal by human terms.

  The room was constantly buzzing with members of the village coming to see the new twins and congratulate the young couple, but it was Kara’s grandfather that became emotional as he held one of them in his arms, tears falling down his face.

  “What have you named them?” he asked.

  “Well, we talked about it, and we decided to go back to where it all began. We’ve decided to call them Khaleel and Tiogar.”

  “I think those are excellent choices,” he said, smiling down at the boy he held in his arms for a moment before raising his head and laughing. “Which one is this?”

  “That is Tiogar,” Kara said with a chuckle.