by Jensine Odom
“We can’t go that way,” Caedryn says, looking around for the next best option.
“No shit,” I reply. “Come on. If we get into the house, we can lose it; Beauties get bored quickly.”
“You go,” Caedryn says, watching the gold dragon head back for us. “I will stay and distract this dragon.”
“No,” I blurt, not really sure why I suddenly care so much about his wellbeing. “There’s more than enough time for you to come with us. We’ll be out of sight by the time that dragon gets here, and inside before it realizes where we went.”
“You don’t understand. He’s here to kill you. He followed me; he can sense me. If I go with you, he will know where I am, and where you are,” Caedryn explains, smiling softly at my concern, and rests a familiar hand on my leg just above my knee, almost as if by habit. “I just found you, I won’t lose you again.” He pulls his hand back suddenly, just realizing what he did, and pats Alarr’s neck. “Go.”
Without another word, Caedryn shifts and takes off to meet the gold dragon head on, and Alarr makes for the back of the yard. I think he’s planning on jumping the fence.
That’s when we’re cut off by another dragon as it lands in front of us, crushing my old Cavalier. This one’s fire engine red, and much smaller than the gold one, standing no taller than the house; I definitely know this dragon.
“What, are you two teaming up for revenge?!” I yell at the Beauty. It growls deep in its throat and flames fill its mouth. “Oh, come on,” I scream just as it hurls a fireball at us, and Alarr jumps through the wooden fence, racing across the snowy yard.
Before I can warn him, Alarr’s hoof falls into the snow-hidden fire pit, and I leap off his back, kicking up dirt and snow as I roll away to keep from being crushed as he crashes to the ground.
Slowly, I get to my feet, my head pounding worse than before, and Alarr stands next to me, his leg thankfully not broken. The red dragon roars angrily, setting the house on fire before taking to the skies to get a better angle on us. This Beauty definitely remembers me!
“Come on!” I throw a handful of snow, then stand, driven by sheer adrenaline, and run for the backyard again, preparing to play a game of high stakes cat and mouse until I think of a better plan.
Just as I make it to the gate, Caedryn and the other dragon crash to the ground, separating Alarr and me, the force of the impact knocking me back to the ground. As I struggle to get up, the red dragon swoops in, a stream of red-hot flames spewing from its maw. That’s it; I’m toast! Even though I may be a newly reawakened dragon, I don’t think I’m fireproof.
I roll onto my back, hoping it’s over quick, then Alarr appears, standing over me, and a shimmering white veil surrounds us.
The fire cannot hurt you now; we are safe, he speaks, standing confidently in the face of the fast approaching dragon.
Be that as it may, I still cringe right before impact, closing my eyes and turning away; if this barrier doesn’t hold, we’re roasted.
The roar of the fire stops abruptly as the dragon cries in surprise, and there’s a thud of hard impact near us. The black line of charred ground ends just before Alarr and me, veering off to where Caedryn has the smaller dragon pinned beneath him, struggling for air as he tightens his grip around its throat.
Something suddenly stirs inside me. I know I can’t let this dragon die, and I can’t let Caedryn kill it. A strange calmness descends on me, and before I know it, I’m next to Caedryn, placing a hand on his scaly foreleg.
“Enough,” I softly command.
He immediately releases the smaller dragon, now unconscious due to lack of oxygen, and confusion flickers through his eyes, pupils narrowing to a small star.
“What are you doing?” he growls.
“I’m not really sure, but I know I have to do it.” Without further explanation, and before he can stop me, I sit cross-legged and take the dragon’s head into my lap.
The rough hide of its cheek is unexpectedly warm, and on contact an effervescent energy flows through me. A soft blue glow emanates from my hands, and continuing to follow my instincts, I press my head to the dragon’s, closing my eyes as our connection becomes stronger.
I see the glowing energy grow in my mind’s eye and know it engulfs us as it begins to pulse like a slow drumbeat. There’s a shift in my consciousness, like it’s no longer tethered within my body, and it moves into the dragon’s being.
I’m surrounded by an oppressive darkness; just a small, flickering light in a starless night. The drumbeats get faster and my brightness grows in direct correlation, pressing back against the dark. The tempo reaches its maximum, shattering the darkness around me like a mirror, the shards scattering into oblivion.
The dragon goes limp in my hands, suddenly light, and my mind comes back to me. I open my eyes to find a dragon no longer rests on me, but a young man with dark auburn hair, matching lashes laying against his cheeks. He’s alive, but unconscious.
Blearily, I look around to find Caedryn, hoping he has some explanation for what just happened. He’s in human form now, confusion and elation on his face as he crouches beside me, touching the young man’s head with a gentle familiarity.
“What did you do?” he asks, meeting my eyes with hope.
“I was hoping you could tell me.” I look back at the young man in my lap, going over what I can remember. “I just knew I couldn’t let him die, and you couldn’t kill him. I winged it from there, letting my instincts guide me.” I look back to Caedryn, hoping to find some kind of understanding.
A giddiness bubbles up inside me, making me grin unexpectedly, matching Caedryn’s sudden smile. I’m not ready for the odd pang of intimacy deep in my chest as he lays a hand on my shoulder, or the strange vision that unexplainably flickers in my mind; Caedryn, laughing with me in a rolling golden field I’ve never seen in my life.
“Can you do it again?” Caedryn asks, breaking the vision.
I shake my head to clear it, pressing the butt of my hand to my forehead. “Yeah, I think so. What do we do with him?” I gesture to the man still unconscious in my lap.
Leave him with me, Xerxia, Alarr speaks, laying in the snow beside me. Turhion needs your help.
Caedryn carefully moves the young man, propping him up against Alarr and gently patting his shoulder. He offers his hand, helping to haul me to my feet, and leads me back towards the house where he and the golden dragon had crashed.
Flames have completely engulfed the structure, filling the air with thick smoke. Whatever was left of the Japanese maple is completely gone, and the sharp metallic tang of blood floats on top of the acrid smell of burnt house. Crimson splatters stain the snow and lead right to the golden dragon laying in a larger pool of blood a few yards away, a wound in its side seeping its life away; its ragged breath steaming in the air.
It doesn’t have much longer! Gripped by a sudden urgency, I run the rest of the way, falling to the ground at the great beast’s broad head. I’m not sure why, but I know I can heal it.
Its head’s too heavy for me to hold up like I had the smaller red dragon, so I just cradle it in my lap. Tracing the scar I left across its cheek, I place my hands on either side of the dragon’s face.
Almost instantly the energy begins to flow and my hands glow, this time with a pure white. I wrap my whole body around the dragon’s head and brace myself, somehow knowing this is going to be a different ride.
The energy begins to pulse, the same steady drum as before, then it morphs into a heartbeat, the sound thrumming in my ears. My heart starts to step in time as my mind slips into the dragon’s. The darkness isn’t as permeating, torn through with the angry red of pain.
My light begins to expand, chasing away the dark and mending the rips. A sharp pain stabs into my side, deep under my ribs, and I involuntarily cry out in agony, the sound far-off.
Despite the pain, I carry on. The energy pulses faster and a warmth embraces me, but the pain only worsens, making it hard to breathe. Tears stream down my
face, cooling against my skin, and the energy beats faster still. This isn’t over yet, but I don’t know how much more I can take.
As if in response, the energy hits a high note and explodes in a brilliant flash then flatlines. I feel nothing. Am I dead, or just unconscious?
Then, slowly, my senses creep back into me. Snow wet beneath my face; the scent of cold earth filling my nose. Strong arms surrounding me, lifting me into their warmth as I’m held close, and tears that aren’t mine falling on my face. I’m not dead, then.
Barely cracking open my eyes I find Caedryn holding me in his lap, sorrow etched across his face as he cradles me.
“I’m sorry, Xerxia,” he whispers hoarsely, gently stroking my cheek and pressing his forehead to mine.
“It’s alright, Caedryn,” I manage to say, my voice barely a whisper.
Caedryn’s eyes light up as he stares at me in disbelief, and I smile weakly. Relief floods his face and he holds me tight against him, his immense warmth a welcome surprise to my battered body.
After a long moment he finally releases his grip, holding me at arm’s length and looking me in the eye. “I thought you died saving Turhion’s life,” he croaks, tears spilling down his face.
Without a second though I gently brush away his tears and smile. “But I didn’t.”
He folds me in his arms once more, and my heart beats faster. I hold him in return, throwing my arms around his neck. I don’t care if I just met him; this feels right.
There’s a sudden jolt of electricity between us, like a shock from one of those prank toys, and the pull in my chest gets stronger. Caedryn looks just as surprised as I feel, but only for a split second before he smirks and lets me go.
My strength having returned some, I manage to get to my feet, absently brushing the dirt and snow off my grey joggers as Caedryn gets up beside me. Then I notice the blonde-haired man standing some ways off behind him, an angry red scar across his left cheek.
“Turhion, I assume?” I ask, walking over to him.
“Yes, High Royal. I thank you for saving my life,” the man responds, wide-set blue eyes holding an apology, and he gives a quick bow, his long, golden hair falling over his shoulders.
Straight eyebrows and a moderately long, thick nose sit in a square face, with a short beard covering his tapered jaw. He stands as tall as Caedryn, definitely as muscular, but slightly leaner, and his clothes, all in the same medieval style, are gold with platinum blue dragon scale accents, his two-handed sword sitting across his back.
Alarr joins us, bringing with him the now conscious young man. He’s only as tall as I am, and not nearly as muscular as the other two behemoths beside me. His auburn hair is pulled back in a low ponytail, lavender eyes set in a face similar to Turhion’s, the square angles softened by youth and his jaw smooth from lack of any facial hair. His clothes are like the others, only in shades of red and purple, and twin daggers sit on his hips.
“What’s your name?” I ask.
“Kerric, High Royal,” he replies, thin lips pulling back in a smile as he bows.
“Please, call me Xerxia.” I nod my head to Turhion and Kerric, then look to Caedryn. “I’m going to assume you all know each other?”
“Yes,” he replies. “Turhion and Kerric are brothers, and we were—are— Knights of the First Clan.”
“That’s why Drustana sent us for Caedryn,” Turhion says, picking up the explanation. “What she didn’t foresee was you being able to break her hold over us. As you did release us, and saved my life in the process, Kerric and I wish to travel with you and help reclaim your throne. What say you?” Turhion glances at Kerric for confirmation, receiving a short nod.
“I say it sounds like I have two more dragons on my side, and I have a feeling I’m going to need as many of those as I can get. Of course you can join us!”
“Very well,” Turhion says, and crosses his right arm over his chest, hand over his heart. “My life is yours, so long as you require.”
“Mine as well,” Kerric says, making the same gesture of fealty and bowing with his brother.
“I will be yours forever,” Caedryn pledges, echoing the moves of Turhion and Kerric, and sending a thrill through me with the sincerity in his voice; the other two didn’t sound like that.
I watch him for another moment, but aside from the slight quirk at the corner of his mouth, Caedryn’s face doesn’t give anything else away. Confused at the emotions running through me, I look to the sky, hopefully hiding what my face is doing.
Shit. The sun’s lower in the sky than I had hoped. My body aches, my head still spins periodically, and all I want to do is lay down for a long while, but I have to keep going. My family’s waiting for me at the Thunder Mountain Inn, and I have a day’s haul to deliver.
I forgot that, in our haste earlier, and walk to where my backpack sits, tossing it over my shoulder, the small trinkets clinking around. Caedryn, Alarr, Turhion, and Kerric all follow me as I head into the bigger backyard and retrieve my boot knife, sheathing it, then stuff the broken pieces of my bow in the top of my bag.
“Alright. Let’s get going, shall we?” I turn to my new companions. “I’ve places to be and people to meet.”
“People to meet?” Caedryn inquires.
“Yeah. My family waits for me at the Thunder Mountain Inn.”
“You have a family?” Caedryn sounds a little crestfallen.
“Two younger brothers and a sister-in-law.” That cheers Caedryn up some.
“Do you have any lovers waiting for you?”
A nervous laugh escapes me, and I shake my head. “No, but it’s cute you think there might be.”
“Why?” Caedryn asks, although he’s relieved.
Alright. This is getting more personal than I care for right now. “Look at me!” I throw my arms wide, exposing my less than perfect body as if that’s an answer.
I’m not necessarily fat, but I am rather chunky, or thick, as my friend once said, but not all in the right places. I’ve got big boobs, a weirdly small waist, and moderately wide hips paired with thick thighs, giving me the much desired, if thicker, hourglass figure, but I’ve been told the slight paunch of my belly throws it off. The person who told me that got punched in the face.
Caedryn’s eyes roam over me, confused, his head tilting like a dog’s. The fact that he doesn’t understand why I’m not necessarily desirable, paired with that little smirk of his, makes my cheeks warm.
I huff, rolling my eyes. “Never mind. Let’s just get going!”
Alarr moves beside me and Caedryn goes to toss me on his back again, but now that my adrenaline has worn off pain sears through my body as he grabs my waist, and I can’t stop my sharp inhale.
“I’m sorry,” Caedryn says like it’s his fault, taking a quick step back.
“No, you’re good. Everything just… hurts,” I reassure him, waving a hand dismissively, and take a deep breath. “Let’s try that again.” I nod to Caedryn and get ready to jump, bracing myself for the pain as he gently lays his hands on my waist.
There is no need, Alarr tells us, kneeling for me, and Caedryn sighs a breath of relief, removing his hands from my body.
“You couldn’t have mentioned this earlier?” I ask in mock outrage.
I was unaware of how extensively you were injured. You hid it well. There’s no accusation in his voice, only praise.
“Well, I wasn’t entirely sure you weren’t going to eat me,” I banter with a laugh, and get ready to mount up.
Staying behind me for support, Caedryn braces my back as I hop onto Alarr, making sure I don’t fall as I settle right behind his withers. Now for the interesting part. I lean forward as Alarr rocks back, the magnetic force keeping me secure as he launches forward to finally come to standing.
After making sure everything’s secure, I nod to the three men at my side. They step out a ways and shift, each one in a sparkling cloud of smoke that matches their color; Caedryn’s an inky black, Turhion’s a shimmering gold, and K
erric’s a bright red.
A year’s worth of conditioning makes my heart race a little faster as three dragons stand before me. I take a deep breath and turn to my mind, letting logic take over as I look these Beauties over. I’ve always been running for my life from dragons, and never had a chance to really see them, until now.
Caedryn’s long and sleek compared to Turhion’s blocky bulk, and Kerric’s smaller than the two of them, but moderately proportioned. Twin silver horns sweep back in an elegant curve from Caedryn’s head, just above pointed ears, and one ridge of scales runs up his face, flaring on his neck before tapering off.
In contrast, Turhion has no ridge, just flat, armor-like scales, and six short, platinum blue horns fan out at the back of his skull, nearly hiding his smaller ears. Kerric’s more your standard looking dragon, with a short ridge of scales and two straight, soft purple horns above his oversized ears.
Turhion’s mainly gold, with the same platinum blue wing membranes, as well as blue stripes along his back. Kerric shares the same pattern on his scales, but in lilac, matching that of his wings. Unlike the others, Caedryn’s scales are patternless, simply shining with a silver sheen, the same color stretching out over his wings.
“Alright.” I take another breath, readying myself for the short journey ahead. “Shall we?” I gesture out the gate.
Each dragon spreads their massive, bat-like wings and takes off, the resulting gust powerful enough to knock me off Alarr if I wasn’t being magically held on. I pat the huge draquus’s neck, and he runs out the gate at a gallop. Leaving behind the smoldering remains of the house I once called home, we follow the sun, running down streets I had walked daily and across fields I’ll probably never see again.
Welcome to the Family
THE sky flames red above the jagged mountain tops of the Sandias. A full Flower Moon rises large and orange in the east, the wispy clouds hanging in the sky around it a soft pink. Thunder Volcano looms over the inn that takes its name from the mountain it once was.