Tainted: The Life of Uktesh Book 2

by Aaron Hicks

  No, I know how to Shadow Walk. I can teach you, but for now I’ll drive; you steer.

  Uktesh walked into the bar and saw that Laurilli and Leilani were talking with Pamfilo.

  Check out the knockers on those three!

  Hey, that’s my fiancée and friends! How can you see them?

  I see what you see.

  Well, from now on keep your pervy thoughts to yourself.

  Uktesh walked further in and got the girls’ attention, “Hey look who’s a dragon!” He showed them his right arm.

  Laurilli traced the dragon outline on his arm and said, “Wow, that’s amazing detail! They did all this in a few hours?”

  Uktesh nodded, “Yep. Everything that’s happened has happened since I left you.”

  Laurilli’s eye narrowed at his evasion, that one is smart, but let it go as she turned to the two others, “Well, can I start learning the Mujra?”

  Pamfilo shrugged and said, “I guess we can start.” She made a shooing motion with her hands, “No boys allowed!” Uktesh turned around, thinking he’d check the beach for Heathyr, and suddenly he was there. He looked for Heathyr and didn’t see her. He Walked to all three of the beaches that the group frequented, but didn’t find anyone at any of them. He Walked to the lagoon and again found it empty of his friends. Next he Walked to the pool and found it empty of his friends as well.

  I have to find a ring that it worthy of Laurilli. I’ll start that now. He Walked to the pier and started walking down the street toward shops he’d only been in once or twice. He took his time, as he had nothing else to do, and when he came across a jewelry store stepped inside. He was greeting immediately by an overweight man who was clearly not an islander.

  “Welcome! Come see what I have for you to buy! Much of this just sits on my shelves! I will make you a good deal for being so young! I’m sure you’re looking for a gift for your girlfriend!”

  Uktesh nodded and said, “I am. I’m looking for a wedding ring.”

  He tried in vain to ignore the dragon as it thought, Fake, fake, fake, another fake, this guy has more fake stuff than real stuff!

  Just tell me which rings are real.

  The dragon didn’t say anything, but Uktesh could suddenly sense which rings were real. Uktesh frowned and said out loud, “None of these are good enough.”

  The man glanced at the dragon on Uktesh’s arm and said, “Surely something is! These are fine rings for any poor young man looking to marry his first wife!”

  Uktesh shook his head and said, “Money isn’t an issue show me your best rings.”

  The man paled slightly and said, “I may have, in the back, just in, you understand,” before he hurried and fled into the back.

  Uktesh thought, odd, do you think they’re stolen?

  The dragon laughed, of course they are, just not from this island. These people are extremely poor. Only the resort owners have any money, and they’re a recent development.

  Utkesh didn’t think that forty years ago was recent, but guessed that in a dragons’ life span it was probably a blink.

  The man wobbled back out with a tray of five rings. Uktesh tried not to sigh when the dragon sensed that two were fake. He sighed and said, “These aren’t good enough either. Are there any other jewelers on the island?”

  The man bristled and said, “These are the finest to be found on the island, young man!”

  Uktesh glared at the man, “Fake, fake,” he said pointing at the two fake rings. “If fake is the best on this island, I’ll look on the mainland.” Through the dragon though he sensed there was another jeweler on the island, so he left the shop and searched for the second store. Uktesh made his way toward where the dragon could sense gold and gems. That’s useful.

  You need to buy me something at this next shop! He could sense the dragon’s need.

  Maybe, but what would I even get that I could wear?

  Anything! Gold fits all occasions!

  Uktesh found the rundown store and walked inside, where he was greeted by a little girl, who had long black hair that practically went to her feet.

  “Hi, welcome ta my granpa’s store!”

  An elderly man came out from the back and picked up the little girl. He noticed Uktesh’s tattoo and sent the girl into the back. She pouted and stomped away, which Uktesh thought was adorable.

  Right?

  He wasn’t sure which one of them thought that, but chose not to respond since he knew that if the dragon had asked it, it was probably rhetorical. Uktesh said, “I’m looking for a wedding ring. Price is not an issue. I just need to see the best you’ve got.”

  Uktesh could tell that all of the jewelry in the store was real, except for some metal rings that were priced appropriately for metal rings. The man went into the back and after a minute came back out with ten rings, each far superior to the rings in the first shop. Uktesh swallowed. The dragon wanted to grab all ten and fly away. We can’t fly fool, calm down! “These are all very nice, I like these three the most. How much is the most expensive one?”

  The man shrugged and said, “The middle of the three you like is four hundred sixty eight gold pieces.”

  Uktesh tried, and failed, not to let his jaw drop, “I guess I’ll be back with the money in a few minutes.”

  Uktesh Walked right into his house. I didn’t have to unlock the door! You’re becoming more and more useful.

  This you find useful? We travel several minutes in a moment, but the four seconds to unlock a door you find impressive?

  Uktesh didn’t like his sarcasm, but also couldn’t fault the logic, so he mentally stuck his tongue out at the dragon and thought, yup.

  Uktesh smiled when he somehow felt the dragon roll its eyes. Uktesh quickly found the chest of gold and counted out four hundred and seventy coins and put them in a pouch. He hid the chest again, grabbed the pouch, and Walked a few feet into Leilani’s bar past the closed and locked door. He saw the three women rolling their hips and as much as he, and the dragon, wanted to keep watching, he coughed, and said, “Hey, can I borrow Laurilli for a few minutes?”

  The three spun on Uktesh and Leilani asked, “How long were you there?”

  Uktesh said, “A second, no more, before I coughed. I want to wait until it’s complete before I watch it. Plus I promised Laurilli I wouldn’t sneak any more peaks at her dancing the last time I woke up to her practicing.” Can we Walk with Laurilli?

  Yes, it’s not something to do at any distance, but to the second jewelry shop and back here isn’t a problem.

  Uktesh walked to Laurilli and held her close. The jewelry store immediately appeared before them. “Did you just Shadow Walk with me?”

  Uktesh smiled, “Well not really, but kinda. We did Shadow Walk, but I didn’t do it.” He raised his right hand. “The dragon did it.

  The dragon wiggled its head at her and she jumped back, “Your tattoo just moved!”

  Uktesh shrugged, nodded, and said, “That’s the evasion that you noticed back at the bar.”

  She said, “Oh,” looked at it and said, “Does it hurt? When it moves?”

  Uktesh shook his head, “But he hates being called it, he’s a he, and he wants me to let you know.”

  Laurilli’s eyebrows tried to climb to her hairline, “It can talk to you!”

  Uktesh ignored the dragons growl, and said, “Again he, and yes, he can. He really likes you, well he did until you kept calling him an it.”

  Laurilli smiled, dimpling prettily, and the dragon mentally sighed, “He likes me?” Uktesh nodded. “He barely knows me.”

  Uktesh said, “Well, it’s more that he likes all beautiful women and you’re one of them.”

  She frowned and poked the tattoo and said, “You better not fill my Uktesh’s head with thoughts of other women!” She realized then that they were drawing a crowd, so she grabbed his hand and walked him into the store. The little girl was back manning the counter, “Hi! Hey granpa! It’s da old man from bafore!” She turned back and smiled at Uktesh
, then shouted, “And he brought his old lady dis time!”

  Uktesh fought valiantly against the grin that was growing on his face, but when he lost the battle and smiled, he grabbed Laurilli’s hand, “I’m okay being old as long as it’s with you.”

  Laurilli, however, was devastated, “I’m only fifteen! I can’t be old yet!”

  Fifteen? You dog!

  I’m sixteen, you idiot!

  Uktesh let go of Laurilli, punched himself in the face, and fell to the ground, never call me an idiot again!

  I’ll call you what I want and you’ll accept it cause you invaded my body! Uktesh picked himself off the ground and said, “He agrees with you. You’re way too young to be an old lady.”

  The owner came back in and said, “Don’ call customers old!” He knocked her on the head with two knuckles, and she ran into the back crying and holding her head. “I apologize far dat, her mother works during da day in a place dat isn’t suitable far kids and can’t watch her, so I do, but dere are times when I think of just making her mother deal with her own responsibilities.”

  Uktesh tried to quell his and the dragons anger at the child’s punishment. While Uktesh had received worse from his teachers multiple times, he’d never been struck by his father. He also knew that the man hadn’t hit her hard, but couldn’t stop himself from saying, “I’ll take her off your hands today. After Laurilli chooses a ring that is.” The man had brought out the tray from the back with him this time.

  Laurilli’s eyes gleamed at the rings.

  She’d make a fine dragon!

  Hush you! She picked up the middle and the left ring of the three that he’d also liked. She tried on one and then the other. She chose the one on the left and Uktesh asked, “How much is that one?”

  The man said, “Four hundred fifty nine gold coins.” Uktesh saw Laurilli’s jaw drop as his had before. Uktesh took eleven gold coins out of the pouch and said, “Four hundred and fifty nine.”

  The old man counted while Uktesh told Laurilli that it was beautiful on her, that she looked so mature with it on, and that she’d make the most beautiful bride. By the time the man was done counting she was blushing with pride and had kissed him a dozen times or more to show her thankfulness. The man called his granddaughter and told her to go with Uktesh and Laurilli.

  Uktesh held his hand out to her and said, “Your grandpa loves you so much that he said we could get ice cream together!”

  She practically Rushed into his hand and shouted, “Ice cream! I love ice cream!”

  Uktesh said, “Thank your grandfather before we go.”

  She pulled Uktesh out the door while she shouted, “Thank ya granpa!”

  Uktesh had Laurilli grab his money pouch and he put the eleven gold coins inside it before his tied it around his neck. “We’ll take you to the bar first and I’ll get ice cream with her after.”

  Can you Walk with all three of us?

  No.

  Are you lying to me?

  Uktesh could actually hear the dragon nonchalantly whistling!

  We’ll have the rest of our lives with Laurilli, and trust me you want her to learn the Mujra as much as I do. When the dragon didn’t respond, he said, “The dragon doesn’t want to Walk back with you, he wants us to walk back.” He thought about what he just said, “That’s a confusing sentence, but you got it right?”

  She nodded and turned her hand to catch the sunlight better.

  She’d make a great dragon!

  The little girl said, “Ice cream!”

  Uktesh nodded and said, “First we take this one to her friends, then you and me get to eat some ice cream! By the way what’s your name and how old are you?”

  She said, “Pippy!”

  Uktesh asked, “Is that short for anything?”

  Pippy said, “Pipianny, but I like Pippy betta! I’m six years old!”

  Uktesh said, “Well then, Pippy, we need to be responsible and walk this oblivious woman back to her friends.”

  Laurilli said, “I heard that.”

  Uktesh smiled wider and said to Pippy, “See she only hears, she can’t see where she’s walking, because she is mesmerized by that ring. Do you know what mesmerized means?”

  Pippy shook her head, and Uktesh said, “It means that you forget about everything but that one thing. It used to be that she was mesmerized by me, but now I foolishly got her that great ring from your grandfather, and now she can only remember it, and not me.”

  Pippy pulled on Laurilli’s pareo, “Don’ forget him! He’s jus’ trying his best!”

  Utkesh grinned and held in his laugher, “Yeah, I’m just trying my best.”

  Pippy asked, “What are your names?”

  Laurilli said, “His name is Tesh.”

  Uktesh immediately said, “And her name is Li.”

  Laurilli glared at him in mock anger before her ring caught her attention again.

  “Tesh and Li! I like them.”

  Laurilli took Pippy’s hand and Pippy took Uktesh’s in her other, and they started walking back to Leilani’s bar. Pippy swung between them and they propelled her forward as she swung laughingly in their arms. All too soon they arrived at Leilani’s bar and Uktesh knocked while Laurilli said, “Sorry Pippy, this is where I leave you, but you still get ice cream!”

  Pippy looked at Laurilli and said, “Do ya work at mommy’s bar too?”

  Laurilli said, “Mommy’s bar?”

  The door opened and Pippy jumped into Leilani’s arms, “Mommy!”

  Uktesh said, “Mommy?”

  Leilani looked stunned, “Pippy? Uktesh wha’ is she doing wit’ ya two?” She saw the ring on Laurilli’s hand, “Ya got her ring from my dad?”

  Pippy said, “Granpa hit me on ta head!”

  Leilani asked, “Did ya call anyone old again?”

  Pippy said, “No.”

  Uktesh and Laurilli paused just long enough to give away Pippy’s lie. Leilani noticed and asked, “If I asked Uktesh and Laurilli dey both would say ya didn’t call anyone old? If I asked yer grandpa he would also say ya didn’t call anyone old.”

  Pippy shrugged and said, “No.”

  Leilani said, “Dat’s what I thought.” She knocked Pippy on the head and said, “Don’ lie ta me again.”

  Pippy started crying and said, “Okay.”

  Leilani hugged her and said, “Good, mommy loves ya, now go have fun with Uktesh.”

  Pippy jumped out of Leilani’s arms and said, “Ice cream!”

  She jumped into Uktesh’s arms and together they waved to Leilani before he Walked to the ice cream shop by the pier. Uktesh said, “Here we are.”

  Pippy looked stunned, “Do it again, do it again!”

  Uktesh smiled and said, “Maybe after ice cream.”

  They walked inside and Uktesh said, “Okay, you can have three scoops of whatever you want.” Uktesh ordered a three-scoop bowl of vanilla while Pippy choose a chocolate-covered cone with strawberry, chocolate, and mint ice cream. Uktesh paid with a gold coin and got eight silvers back. They left to sit down in the shade and watched people coming off one of the boats. Pippy began licking her ice cream off the cone while the first-time visitors gawked at the topless women.

  Uktesh finished his ice cream and looked at Pippy only to find that her ice cream had melted faster than she could eat it. It had melted down her arm and onto her skirt.

  Well, I guess that’s one reason not to wear a shirt; they just get dirty. Pippy didn’t care though; she was smiling and licking as she watched the people. Pippy said, “Dat one’s goin ta have a bad burn, he’s already red from da boat trip.”

  Uktesh saw the man she was referring to and he was indeed red where he wasn’t extremely pale. He laughed and said, “Yeah, but his wife will have a harder time. Their son appears to be too curious about the local girls.”

  They watched at the frantic mother tried to cover the boy’s eyes as he ran away laughing. Uktesh and Pippy tried to guess what the man’s job was and Uktesh guessed, “
A factor of some sort that had been skimming from the incoming money.”

  Pippy guessed, “A dungeon keeper, ‘cause he’s so pale and his wife is so ugly.”

  Uktesh wanted to laugh, but instead said, “Don’t say things like that. It’s mean.”

  Pippy said, “Ya said he was a thief!”

  Uktesh thought about it and said, “What I said was only a guess, and mainly a joke, but what you said about his wife was true, and would be hurtful if she heard it. For all we know he’s a king who doesn’t go outside often and she’s the nicest queen in the world.” The “queen,” finally caught her son and smacked him five times on the bottom, before she dragged him after her husband who had headed toward the housing area. Uktesh could feel Pippy’s eyes on him, and he relented and said, “Or maybe not.”

  They sat watching the people and occasionally commenting on them until Pippy was done, having eaten her cone and spilled more on her skirt. Uktesh said, “We should clean off in the water.” She held his hand as they walked into the water and fought against the first wave. He washed her arm and told her to wash her dress while he cleaned off her arm. Once he was satisfied she was clean he washed his hands and they walked out of the water. Uktesh was ready to take her back to her grandfathers, but she asked, “Can we go ta da top of da mountain?”

  Uktesh had only been up to the top once, so he said, “Sure.” He picked her up and Walked to the Forbidden Cave entrance. It was the highest place up the mountain he could clearly picture. He then Rushed, Soared, and then Charged up the mountain path. As he Charged he could hear Pippy screaming with glee. When the backlash began to build he slowed to Hawk Soars and then came to a stop a minute later when they reached the top.

  Pippy shouted, “Again! Again! Dat was fun! Again!”

  Uktesh said, “Sure on the way down, but now that we’re here what did you want to do?”

  Pippy said, “Look over da edge! Grandpa says dat ya can see a dragon in da lava if ya look far long enough.

  Not likely anymore the dragon thought.

  Uktesh and Pippy walked to the edge of the volcano and laid so that just their faces were over the edge. Uktesh had a strong grip on her skirts, so if she fell he could stop her.

  This is where shirts are useful, this would look bad if anyone saw.