“So, shall we begin?” Rohesia claps her hands.
I didn’t think the training would start right away, but Rohesia had a set of gym clothes lined up for me. Apparently, she has one of everything tucked away in her house—fairy dust, gym clothes, hot boys, etc. Why not?
Now I’m standing in a vastly empty room with one wall entirely made up of mirrors, mats on both ends, and in front of my new personal trainer, Wren.
He’s looking at me with a grin on his face, popping all of his joints and looking far too excited about this. Why Rohesia thought this was a good idea, I’ll never know. I don’t understand any of it. I mean, I guess it makes sense that I need to be fit to go wherever we’re going, but did she have to spring this on me?
And why didn’t she tell her own family about her life? Do they have any clue whatsoever how old she is? Where she’s from? How could she keep it a secret like this? All this time, she had people she could have been training, teaching, helping make sure they were on the dragons’ side for when they become a part of our world again.
Instead, she lived a lie and made sure no one knew it. Knowing she has a family also begs the questions, where is her husband? Is he as old as she is? Does he have any clue about the dragons? Did something happen to him?
All these questions go through my mind one right after another, but they don’t quite crowd out another question: Could I ever have a family life that didn’t include the knowledge of dragons?
Somehow it just feels wrong.
But it’s what Max would want.
Unless I convince him otherwise.
“Alita?”
I come back to earth and look at Wren, who’s standing in front of me, looking concerned. “You okay?” he asks.
“Sorry, yeah. I’m good. So, where do we start? What exactly does training look like?” I try to laugh, but it mostly sounds like I’m choking. Which I am, on how freaking idiotic I am.
“Well, you’re a runner, right? So we’re going to start the same way you would with any kind of workout. We’re going to stretch.” He stands beside me and starts waving his arms.
I mean, I’m sure he’s actually stretching, but it just looks funny to me.
“I don’t usually warm up,” I admit. “I just kind of go for it.”
The frown he gives me looks like I just admitted to puppy murder rather than lack of proper workout etiquette. I quickly imitate his arm waving to make him stop looking at me like that.
At the end of this session, I’m going to kill Rohesia for putting me through this with no warning whatsoever.
He bends over and touches his toes. I try to do that, but I only make it halfway before my back does this weird thing where it feels like I can’t move.
I work through it, refusing to show that I’m struggling. I can’t help but notice that we’re only doing stretches and my breathing is becoming uneven. I’m going to die long before I reach the dragon king. I thought I was way healthier than this!
After a grueling ten minutes, Wren stands, lifting his arms over his head one more time before turning to me. “Okay, you ready to learn?”
We go to jogging from there. After that, it’s learning how to kick, how to punch, how to deflect an attacker.
“This is for a marathon?” I gasp out after trying a punch.
“Grandma said you wanted the full routine—the defense stuff too.” He frowns, and I know where he inherited that. “Did you just want to focus on running?”
“Nope. Nope.” I give him two thumbs up. “Defense. Love it.”
There is sweat in places I didn’t know sweat could be. Everything aches, though not nearly as much as it will tomorrow, I’m sure. They always say the day after is the worst. I collapse on the mat and lie in a pool of disgustingness. I can feel my back becoming suctioned to the floor, but I feel like jelly and I’m not sure I could move even if I had to.
It feels like it’s only been three minutes when Wren laughs and stands over me, offering a hand to pull me up. “Trust me, the more you practice, the easier it will become. You just have to build up stamina. And that should be easy as long as you follow this routine daily.” I take his hand and get to my feet.
“You want me to do this daily? Are you serious?” I gawk.
He runs his towel over his head. “Don’t you run? You understand what it takes to get to a point where you can do anything for long periods of time. If you’re doing a marathon and you’re this unprepared, I recommend that you wait, or perhaps plan on doing a slow walk rather than a jog.” He smirks.
“I don’t think I’m capable of walking to my car, let alone walking a marathon.” I pluck at my wet shirt and make a face.
“I see it a lot with new students. They want to show how great they are, so they push themselves until they physically collapse. It’s not healthy at all.” Wren looks at me with concern.
He has blue-gray eyes that are faded and yet vibrant. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a shade like that before. I clear my throat, forcing my gaze elsewhere. “Um, students?” I ask. “How old are you?” Now I want to smack myself again.
He chuckles, thankfully taking it in good stride. “Seventeen. I’ve been training for a long time. After a while, some instructors at the gym I go to noticed how fast I was progressing and offered me free classes in exchange for helping mentor some of the students.”
“Oh,” I say. “That’s cool. How long have you been doing this?” I don’t know why I ask. It doesn’t matter. I’m feeling awkward and I’m exhausted. Even more so now than before.
“Since I was thirteen.”
“Nice! I don’t think I’ve ever stuck with one thing for that long. It’s impressive. And I appreciate your help. Thank you! With this kind of training, how long do you think it will be before I am ready to do that marathon?” I feel so stupid asking this, but I don’t want to try to rescue Fyazum without being prepared. And not just for my safety, but for Rohesia, Fyazum, and Yackros’ as well.
“I think we’ll need a couple more training sessions to determine that. Let’s get together again tomorrow, yeah?”
“Sure.” I agree, though I really don’t want to. I feel like we’re wasting so much time. But I can’t say anything to Rohesia in front of her family.
“Great! I think you’re being handed off to my dad now for step two. Good luck.” He grins, which gives me an uneasy feeling.
“Um, thanks?” I kinda laugh, unsure how to respond to that.
“See you tomorrow, Alita.” He pats my shoulder before picking up his bag and going into the back room to change.
“Are you ready to learn the more mystical part of your training?” Rohesia asks the moment Wren is allegedly out of earshot.
“What?”
“Dear, saving Fyazum isn’t going to be a walk in the park. And if you thought it would be, you are sorely mistaken. If it were as simple as getting people up that mountain to release the king, I would have taken care of it a long time ago. You need to be able to focus. You need strength. You need resilience. And more importantly, you need magic. It’s the only way to make this work. The tasks lying between us and our dragons is a dangerous road leading to things you can’t even fathom. You not only need to be physically strong, but mentally as well.”
“Rohesia, you can explain that later!” I whisper-yell. “Right now, I really want to know why you didn’t warn me about all of this.” I gesture to the room around us. “Why didn’t you tell me your family would be here? Or that they weren’t aware of the truth? Do they have any clue about your abilities, your real life?” I’m so overwhelmed with frustration right now. “And really?” I tilt my head, glaring at her with disdain. “Your reasoning for me needing training was a marathon? Don’t you think I should have a clue about that beforehand? I sounded like a complete idiot to Wren.”
“Are you done? Can I answer your questions now?” she says with far too much sarcasm given her completely emotionless expression.
I look down sheepishly. “Yes,” I mutter.<
br />
“I did not have time to come up with a better excuse. And no, they don’t know because I wanted to keep them safe and away from that world, one that can’t exist. I didn’t want to give them hope for a better situation where none could be found. So I lied. I’ve been lying my entire life—I’ve had to in order to stay sane. There was a period of time when I myself believed the dragons were mere dreams. Do you really think I would expose my family to that? To ask them to live their lives around something that no longer existed within our purview? I lied. And I’m sorry I sprang it on you, but I just came up with this plan in the spur of the moment. I didn’t have the luxury of creating a wholly spun tale that couldn’t be questioned.”
And now I feel bad for laying into her the way I did, although surely she saw it coming. Who wouldn’t be upset with that kind of surprise? But I can see her point too. I can’t even imagine living as long as she has and not being able to tell anyone about her secret double life. It would be unbearable.
“I’m sorry, Rohesia. I didn’t mean to snap or to make you upset. I was just taken by surprise.”
The old woman pinches my cheek. “Don’t worry your pretty head about it, Alita. You are far too important to be wasting your stress over my feelings—or anyone else’s.” She gives me a pointed look, one I don’t like.
“What’s the next step in my training?” I say through gritted teeth.
She straightens her vest and stands a little taller. “Wren is going to show you to the meditation room, where Rhys will teach you the art of Zen. You will learn to control your mental capacity. You will learn to control your emotions and feelings. To clear your mind. To safeguard your thoughts and memories so they cannot be tampered with,” she says in a hushed tone.
“What good is this going to do in our—”
Rohesia clears her throat, motioning behind me, stopping me from asking what I’d intended.
“Marathon?” I finish, really wishing I didn’t have to hide the truth right now. I can’t take one more lie in my life. I’ve gotten lost in the tangled web of lies I’ve told everyone around me. Where I am, what I’m doing, why I’m always away from home and friends. It’s becoming too much to handle. I feel like I’m walking on eggshells, watching everything I say because the wrong word to the wrong person unravels everything. And then everyone would know the truth.
Not that they would accept it.
I could ask Yackros to fly within their sight, and they would call him a kite. I’d ask him to roar, and they would call it thunder. The moment I tell them dragons are real, I’d be able to tell them the sky was blue and they’d argue with me because to them, I’ll sound crazy. And they’d probably be right.
I am crazy. Insane to think that with the help of an old woman, her son, and her grandson, I could ever save a beast so majestic, so important, and so completely lost to me. I have no hope for my ability to do the task set before me.
On the drive home, I take in the beyond-surreal day. Mere hours ago, I was talking to another human being about the existence of dragons like it was nothing, and I’ve never felt more welcome in a conversation. While I’ve only been without Yackros for a week, Rohesia has been alone longer than I’ve been alive. Longer than my parents have been alive.
That was followed by the most grueling workout session I’ve ever been forced to endure, though admittedly, it felt good to work that hard. The day’s events ended with sitting on a yoga mat with my legs folded, incense in the air, learning to clear my mind and control my thoughts.
Meeting Rohesia—and realizing she’s not an evil librarian—was by far the highlight of the day, even if I’m annoyed with her for following me instead of just talking to me. Either way, now she has someone who’s in on the secret. Someone to talk to. And above all, someone who can help rescue her dragon. I’d like to think she’s ecstatic about that. We finally have a chance of saving the king and Yackros, and neither one of us has to be alone. We can work together.
I can’t imagine what I would have done had I found Fyazum only to discover I was unable to save him because I was on my own. How Rohesia has survived alone for so long, I don’t know, but I commend her strength. And I hope that one day, if such resilience is required of me, I’ll be able to take the burden.
The night sky is only lit by stars and a sliver of the moon when I pull into the driveway. After I’ve parked, I can’t help but look up, wondering what life back then would have been like before the war. Did dragons roam freely? The world could watch as they flew through the sky. Would I have found Yackros long before now?
I wonder how much time has been wasted, how many lives were altered for the worse all because of greed. I wouldn’t be kept away from my dragon, Yackros wouldn’t be in a dungeon, Guthrie wouldn’t have to lie. Rohesia wouldn’t have had to live for so long all alone, unable to tell her secret to her family or spend her life with the creature that shares part of her soul.
I think about the story she told me. How she found Fyazum, and how he protected her from his pain when he disappeared.
I lean back, pressing my head against the headrest, my palms against the top of the steering wheel.
“Yackros,” I whisper, “if you’re in pain, please don’t waste precious energy trying to hide it from me. You’re not alone anymore. Don’t let our bond be for nothing.”
I bite my bottom lip, drowning in emotions from everything I’ve learned today.
“I love you, Sparkles. I found Rohesia, King Fyazum’s human. She’s going to help me. Please don’t give up hope. I’m trying my hardest. Just wait a bit longer.”
No answer.
I’m too far from him.
I wipe at my eyes, making sure any hint of the tears escaping me are gone as I walk inside. The last thing I need is my parents questioning me right now. With everything that’s happened in the last few hours, I don’t think I could keep quiet about all the turmoil raging inside, all the pain—both my own and that I feel for my new mentor.
Now two people are fighting for dragons, and in a world that no longer believes they exist, that’s like a whole army. We don’t need anyone else. Once we free the king, we can go after his kidnappers and put an end to the madness. Perhaps even do away with Runavelius because there will be no need for it any longer.
All the lights in the house are turned off. I glance around, wondering if my parents fell asleep watching TV. When I don’t find them there, I take it to mean they’ve already gone to bed. My stomach growls, demanding food. But first, I need a shower.
I run up the stairs two at a time and set my bag down on my bed, grab my pajamas, and head to the bathroom.
The hot water feels amazing on my poor aching muscles—still sore from being smashed—, and it’s like heaven washing off the grime and sweat. I wanted to hurry because food, but I can’t seem to make myself move. Instead, I relish the comfort.
When I’m finally able to force myself out of the shower, I throw my dirty clothes in the hamper and go back downstairs, ready to collapse.
I wander into the kitchen in search of dinner and open the fridge, hoping there are leftovers from whatever Mom and Dad ate. Nothing jumps out at me. I turn to the pantry, rummaging through bags of pasta, spices, and boxes. No good.
It’s funny that with all the other huge responsibilities in my life, I still have a hard time picking something to eat. Good thing it’s not like the fate of the whole dragon world rests on my shoulders or anything.
Back to the fridge, and I settle for leftover spaghetti from two nights ago because it appears to be the easiest thing to prepare right now. And simple is good.
I’m going to have a very long day tomorrow because I have no intention of going to bed but instead, staying up to research more. I need to know what Rohesia knows. I want to be ready for whatever she has to teach me. I’m willing to do what it takes to rescue Fyazum and Yackros, and I want to go in prepared.
I eat in my room, already looking through my notes and beginning to piece things together that I
know to be fact. When I’ve finished with the food, I set my bowl aside and check my phone. I don’t even know why.
Max hasn’t said a word.
He’s never silent. His normal average is five or six texts in a day, sometimes ten if I don’t respond.
But there isn’t one.
I open a message to him, then freeze. What can I possibly say? It’ll be better in person anyway.
I put the phone away, but even as I try to focus on dragons and physical training and meditation and getting Yackros back, I keep glancing over at the blank screen.
Per Rohesia’s instructions the night before, where she reprimanded me for skipping school, I drive straight there. Max will undoubtedly bombard me with a million questions, wanting to know everything that happened after he left the library, what the point of all of this is, and furthermore, why I still believe in dragons when I haven’t been able to prove anything.
Or he’ll be completely silent. I don’t know which is worse.
I spend my thirty-minute drive coming up with answers for any question I think he could throw my way.
Rohesia and Yackros alike do not want me to sacrifice my schooling for them. I tried to argue that I’m learning out here in the real world, and we get the same lessons every school year anyway. It’s aimless. Only half the teachers even care to be there. I could finish online after we’ve ended this war, which is far more pressing.
I gave in because I can’t do this without Rohesia, and she won’t teach me when I should be at school. She wouldn’t even request time off work for it. If Fyazum had a say in things, I bet he would agree that my high school attendance is absolutely not a priority right now.
The longer we wait, the higher risk there is of failing.
It occurs to me that I might not have told Rohesia about the pearl being corrupted. Is that why she doesn’t understand the urgency? Perhaps she thinks that Fyazum has been gone for so long, a few more months won’t kill him.
But it can and it will. We can’t risk losing the pearl. Once that’s gone, I don’t know of a way to stop Ruxsiu. Could it even be done? Would it take thousands of years? And if so, what would he do in that time? He could destroy the world and any chance of happiness. That cannot happen.
Dragon Wings Page 14