The girl watched her warily before giving her a slight nod. Relieved, Farryn closed the door behind her and headed back downstairs to the kitchen, grabbed a bowl from cabinet, and sloshed some stew into it. She fished a spoon out of the cutlery drawer and placed everything on a tray along with some bread rolls.
As she made her way back upstairs, she hoped the girl hadn’t managed to budge the window. Opening the door, she found the girl still sitting in the bed, looking exhausted and less wild. Farryn placed the tray on the bed next to her.
“Here you go. I hope you like beef stew. The cook was in earlier today, and that was the daily special. We didn’t have anyone stay the night, but we usually have a few people who stop in for lunch. Luckily, there’s no one else here but me, so if you want more, there’s a barrel full of it.”
Farryn pressed her lips together, feeling mighty chatty to be talking so easily to a strange girl. “What’s your name?” she asked. “I’m Farryn.”
The girl eyed the food with curiosity before grabbing a roll and biting a large piece right off. She was famished, and Farryn felt happy she could help her.
“Catori,” she whispered after swallowing the bread and taking a long drink of water. “My name is Catori. Thank you for the food and the dry place to stay. I really didn’t mean to intrude. I have nowhere to go.”
Farryn nodded, wondering what the poor girl had been through. She looked near death. Her cheekbones stuck out, and her eyes appeared larger on her face than they should. There was no meat on this girl, the poor thing. Farryn’s heart went out to her in a big way. No one should be in such a state.
“What happened to you?”
The girl shoved a mouthful of stew in and chewed pensively, not bothering to blow on the steaming hot food at all. Farryn cringed and wondered if she had burned her tongue. She hoped not.
“It’s a long story,” Catori finally said. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“Try me.” Farryn had seen her share of stuff in the city. There wasn’t much she hadn’t been privy to, especially when she had to do a lot of research to verify some of the nonfiction books that went through her office for publishing. Fact checking was her least favorite thing to do, but it got interesting at times.
“Okay, but can I get another bowl of this stuff first? It’s amazing.” Catori sighed happily as she sopped up the remnants of the stew with the last piece of bread. She stuffed it into her mouth then looked momentarily fearful, as though she thought Farryn was going to make her give it back.
Farryn nodded and smiled, trying to put the girl at ease. “Of course. One sec, and then you can start that long story.”
The girl nodded, her eyes darkening as she thought of the story she would have to tell Farryn. It didn’t look like it was going to be a cheerful one, but if Farryn had to guess, it was going to be a fantastical one for sure.
Chapter Three
“Where’s your family?”
“They’re all dead. The Order killed them.”
“What Order?” Farryn asked.
Catori looked distant as memories glided over her eyes. “The Lucidium Order. They hunt and extinguish my kind and any other supernaturals with powers. A few years ago, they came in the night and surprised us, killing my tribe.”
Farryn blinked at her, wondering what kind of people would be so horrible. “When you say your tribe, what do you mean? Native American?” Farryn couldn’t be more confused as Catori peered up at her as though questioning if she should tell her anything further. There was fear lingering in them, concern and apprehension. All those feelings paraded across her features as she thought about what she could say.
“You won’t believe me. Sorry, but it’s true. I’ll try to explain.” Catori sighed and closed her eyes tight. “I’m a dragon shifter, and my family was hunted to near extinction by a fanatical human group called the Lucidium Order. My tribe was one of a few made up of humans with the magical ability to turn into dragons, and they exterminated us, like pests. I was small at that time, so they didn’t kill me. Instead, they took me to their ‘Institute’ and put me in a cell to study me. From what I’ve gathered, I was one of two survivors from my tribe. The other was my best friend, Jack, but he didn’t make it out. We spent years being poked and prodded, studied like alien creatures and looked down upon. They killed Jack when we escaped.” Tears stung Catori’s eyes.
Farryn’s shock was apparent as she peered at Catori. “I’m sorry… dragon shifters?”
Saying it out loud didn’t make it sound any less crazy. Still, she wasn’t completely unaware of the concept. There were stories that Farryn faintly remembered from childhood. Her father had not only been the owner of this lodge, he had also been an expert in the supernatural. He’d kept Farryn in the dark most of the time, but he did leave often to do whatever it was he did with his younger helper, Gabriel, and it always had to do with the supernatural.
Yes, she’d heard about dragon shifters before. The words brought back a rush of memories of her sitting near the fireplace, listening to her father speak softly to Gabriel about the fey, werewolves, vampires, and dragons. He’d spoken of nests, tribes, magic transformations, and other things she hadn’t understood as a child.
Farryn frowned. She wished she had paid more attention.
Catori watched Farryn and shook her head. “I told you that you wouldn’t believe me. I really didn’t have any place to go. I’m sorry I intruded on your home. I’ll be off after I finish eating. I promise.”
Farryn shook her head. She held out her hand and placed it on Catori’s shoulder in a soothing way. “No. Absolutely not. You’re more than welcome to stay here if you need to. What you said about dragon shifters… it stirred up some memories of things my father told me about. He had a partner who helped him study the supernatural. He was much younger than my father, but he assisted him on all his unusual excursions. What did they used to call it? Unconventional metaphysical research. I never paid enough attention, though now I wish I had.” She sighed, rubbing her face. “This guy… his name was Gabriel. Maybe I can contact him. He should know something about dragon shifters and this Lucidium Order you’re talking about. If you don’t mind, I’ll give him a call.”
Catori’s eyes opened wider, and the fear poured right back into them. She shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. What if he’s part of the Order? They’d imprison me again.”
“I doubt he and my father were part of any kind of order. From the way they studied things, it seems like they worked alone. They didn’t ever bring back anything incriminating, and they talked about the supernatural as though they were just curious. There was never any malice in anything they did, nor did they ever say they were going out to extinguish or exterminate something. I’m sure Gabriel is harmless. If you want, I can ask him about it without telling him you’re here.”
Catori thought over Farryn’s words for a few moments before nodding. “Okay, but if he seems like he’s at all interested in capturing me, you need to get rid of him.”
Farryn smiled, feeling hopeful for the first time in days. If Catori stayed here, she couldn’t sell the lodge yet. That was settled. “Sounds like a plan. And don’t worry; you can stay up here while I talk to him. I won’t let them know you’re here until I’m sure he won’t pose a danger to you. Is that a deal?”
Catori nodded, feeling tired after filling her belly with such a good meal. Farryn took the tray and switched the light off as she left, reassuring Catori that everything would be fine. It was only midmorning, but the girl looked like she could sleep for a week.
As she slid down into the bed again and closed her eyes, she almost believed every word Farryn said. Maybe things would be okay. Even if they weren’t, this one moment of peace was worth a lifetime to one little dragon shifter.
Chapter Four
Gabriel pulled up into the driveway of the lodge. He hadn’t seen Farryn in years. She hadn’t attended her father’s funeral, and he’d been disappointed
by her absence. He’d heard from her friends that she’d missed the funeral due to personal reasons. Farryn had been a young girl of fifteen when he’d last seen her. It’d been a good decade since then. He doubted she’d changed much; she’s been a blossoming young woman the last time he’d seen her.
Even the old ranch house appeared unchanged by time, embedded in the middle of a forest with a large parcel of land surrounding it. It was one of the most peaceful places he had ever been. Fond memories of spending many days researching the projects Farryn’s father dove into rushed at him.
Those days were some of the most interesting of his life. Farryn’s father had taken him under his wing at young age. They’d met as student and professor at the nearby university, where Gabriel had attended the older man’s classes on mythology and mythical creatures. All the other students had rolled their eyes at the eccentric old man full of ideas about other realms, but Gabriel couldn’t look away. He’d been hooked the moment Edward spoke about dragons.
He wondered if Farryn knew what their work had truly entailed. From the sound of her voice, he would bet she had discovered something. What other reason would she have for summoning him here?
He stepped out into the cool, soft rain now trickling from a sky angry with darkened clouds. He hurried up the steps, rang the doorbell, and listened for movement inside. His heart raced, eager to meet his old colleague’s daughter again. Even though he’d been young, only twenty years old when he’d begun working with Edward, those had been some of the best years of his life. Edward had become the father he’d never known; his own hadn’t really been around when he was growing up.
The door handle turned, and the door quietly opened a few inches. Farryn peered through the crack and gave him a quick smile of recognition before she unlatched the chain and opened the door wider. “Gabriel. It’s so good to see you again.”
Farryn held out her hand. She looked as beautiful as ever, leaving Gabriel at a loss for words. She had grown several inches, and while she was still slender, womanly curves accentuated her frame in all the right places. Silky brown hair hung down to her waist. He took her tiny hand and shook it, feeling sparks shooting from the connection. Farryn was no longer the reserved young girl he’d once known.
“Farryn. It’s great to see you as well. I’m sorry to have missed you at your father’s funeral. I was hoping to see you.”
“Yeah, well, I had work in New York, and I couldn’t get away.”
“Understandable.”
Farryn eyed him with curiosity as she waved him in and shut the door behind them. “Thank you for coming on such short notice. I have a lot of questions about things my father used to research. I thought that since you worked so closely with him, you could help me piece some things together. You know… make sense of it all.” She led him into the sitting room, and they sat down in the armchairs on either side of a low coffee table. She gestured at the scones and the pot of hot tea between them. “Thirsty?”
He nodded. She poured him a cup, which he gladly took.
“Gabriel, I’m going to cut to the chase. What do you know about dragons?”
He’d been sipping on his tea and almost choked, sputtering and clearing his throat as he peered up.
“Dragons? Did your father—did he tell you about them?”
“No. You seem surprised I even know about them.”
Gabriel leaned forward, his eyes sharp as he cleared his throat again and focused on Farryn. “Frankly, I’m surprised you never asked about any of this before. You always were nearby, and I suspected you listened to every word we spoke.”
Farryn’s mouth dropped open, surprised at his straightforwardness. He didn’t mess around, which was a quality she admired. “Honestly, it never perked my interest. It was all kind of dull. Something a teenage girl had no interest in. But now that you mention it, I wish I had paid more attention.”
“Yes. If you had, you would’ve known that dragons really do exist in this world, along with other creatures. They also can look and act just like humans because they are. The only difference is that they have magic and we don’t.”
“Why were you my father’s partner? How do you get into that?”
“The supernatural has always fascinated me. Dragons aren’t the only creatures out there. They are part of something so big, so hidden, that normal people would panic if they knew what we knew. Most would not be open-minded about such things.”
Gabriel leaned back in his chair, blowing out a long breath and rubbing his eyes. He was now in his thirties, and it was obvious he was no longer the young man she remembered. Now his face was chiseled and more refined. A five o’clock shadow of stubble lined his jaw, blending into the thick mass of dark brown hair which badly needed a trim. He had aged well, though. He caught Farryn studying his features, and she flicked her eyes away, feeling her cheeks flush crimson.
“How did you guys know about these things when no one else did?” she asked, trying to keep to the subject at hand.
Gabriel scratched his chin, wondering how he could explain it to her. “Well, when we worked together, we discovered manuscripts which recorded events that couldn’t be explained. We took many trips to research them, and on those trips, what we found took us deeper into that world than we ever could have imagined. Once we knew these myths and legends were actually real, we couldn’t get enough and kept probing until, I fear, we made some very real enemies.”
“What?” Farryn asked, surprised. “What sort of enemies?”
“There’s this group called—”
“The Lucidium Order.”
Gabriel’s eyes widened. “How do you know that name?”
“Because I told her about them.” Catori entered the room and stood before Gabriel, who’d jumped to his feet, surprised to see someone else there.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“My name is Catori, and I’m a dragon shifter. I escaped the Order, and they are hunting me down. I need—” She glanced at Farryn. “We need your help.”
“How can I help you? I don’t know much about the Order besides what I’ve read in random logs and journals.”
“The only thing you need to know about the Order is that they are killers. They will stop at nothing to get me back. You must help me find the origin of my people. Help me locate the last of them, for I intend to end this war.”
Gabriel shook his head. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin to look for your people. The only information I had about dragon shifters is gone. I’m afraid all I have is what I can recall, which isn’t much.” He turned toward Farryn. “Your father hid all our work somewhere here at the lodge, but I don’t know exactly where. He researched dragons more than I did. He would’ve had more information than I ever saw. I never read all of his notes on them.”
“These notes… where would he hide them?”
Gabriel peered around the room, running his hand through his wild locks. “Is there a place no one visits here on your land? Someplace rarely disturbed?”
Farryn stared curiously at Gabriel, confused. If her father was hiding things, where would he have put them? She racked her brain for possible hiding spots until one stood out. “I think I know a place.”
Gabriel looked up expectantly, as did Catori. “Where?”
Farryn glanced between the two. “The barn. Beneath the floor. My father buried a door to the hidden storeroom beneath the wood floor. I’d forgotten about it until now.”
Gabriel nodded, remembering the modified storeroom he’d seen his mentor disappear into several times. “I guess we’d better get to work.”
Chapter Five
Leland Morrow knelt down, studying an indentation in the mud lining the rarely used road. It was already fading due to the constant barrage of rain. The track was still just visible.
“Find anything?” his brother, Tarek, called out from a few steps behind him.
The rain had made it hard to track the feral dragon girl. Leland folded his fingers into a fist, feelin
g his patience wearing thin. “Possibly a track. She knew what she was doing, though. If this print is from her, she headed into the forest.”
“Why do we have to track her? She’s a kid. Not even at full power yet. I’d rather be tracking a dragon nest, not a little girl.” Tarek clicked his jaw, suppressing the constant eye rolling he was known for.
Leland straightened and stared off toward the horizon, where the small town of Unter, Colorado sat, the soft lights of the houses on the outskirts glowing across the rain-soaked fields. To his right was the forest, rising up into the foothills. There wasn’t much out there for her to run and hide under, but there were houses scattered throughout the woods. She’d most likely head for one of them, but which one?
“It’s our assignment. That’s what Paladin hunters do. You want to become one someday, get used to it. We complete our mission or face the consequences Father Supreme has set for any failure. You don’t want to disappoint him, do you?”
Tarek shook his head, gripping his staff harder. The younger brother meant well, but his patience was nonexistent. While Leland could track a dragon for months, Tarek lost his mind out here in the wild after a week.
Leland shook his head, sighing. At least what his brother lacked in the patience department, he made up for in brute strength. Leland had both qualities, with a calm head on his shoulders and an everlasting persistence.
Out here, he felt free. When confined to the Lucidium Order’s Institute, he felt suffocated by the walls and the constant meetings. Sometimes, working patrol duty suited him, for it reminded him of the outdoors, even when it was just the towers he was patrolling.
A Plague of Dragons (A Dragon Anthology) Page 25