by Claire Fogel
We watched her gliding in our direction, but when she spotted Adam, she changed course and flew in ever-widening circles until the music stopped. I heard her voice in my mind. Thank you. And she headed back to the purple peaks in the distance.
We were all watching Adam, who still looked shocked. He looked at me. “I’m guessing that was Rowenna.”
I nodded. “She’s been alone since my grandmother moved away. I don’t know what put that melody in my head, but when she heard me humming it, I guess she realized there was another Blackthorne who might become a friend.” I shrugged. “Without my grandmother’s diary, I don’t think I would have figured it out and she’d still feel alone.”
Jason told Adam how surprised we were when Rowenna heard the music, landed in the orchard, and sat down with us. “Although I don’t think Cara was nearly as surprised as I was,” he added with a laugh. He looked at me with a smile. “Rowenna told Cara something else you may or may not find surprising.”
Adam looked at me curiously. I sighed. “Well, Rowenna insists that I’m all Elf, although a small Elf, and that I only think I’m human. Dad, how could that be?”
He shook his head, taking hold of my hand. “Sweetheart, the only thing I can think of is that because of all the Elven traits you’ve inherited, that part of your nature is obscuring the human part.” He shrugged. “We know your mother is all human; she has no Elven blood at all. I only know this because when I tried to bring her to Elvenwood before you were born, the gate wouldn’t open.” He glanced down at me. “Elvenwood’s gateway won’t open if there’s a human nearby. That’s the only way I know to determine whether a person has any Elven blood.”
He stood. “I have to get back to the village now. There are still a few of our artisans I need to check in with. Thank you for sharing your picnic with me. Are you and Jason going to stay for a while?”
“I think so. I wanted to do some drawing, and Jason agreed to be my model today.” Jason rolled his eyes and smiled.
“Well, now that I know you’re both safe out here, I can get back to work with a clear mind. How about you, Adam? Do you have to get back?”
“Actually, we’re caught up in the wood shop so I thought I’d keep Cara and Jason company this afternoon. Unless there’s something else you need me to do.”
“No. Enjoy an afternoon off. You deserve one. Cara, we can have tea together when you get back. Enjoy your afternoon.” He kissed the top of my head and ruffled Jason’s curly hair as he headed out of the orchard.
“How are you feeling now? Any anxiety?” Adam asked.
I had to think about it. Surprisingly, I was relaxed. “Maybe Rowenna was the reason for all that anxiety. I must have been sensing that she needed me, or someone in the Blackthorne family, to sing her song and be a friend to her. If my grandparents moved away before I was born, she’s been alone, feeling friendless, for a very long time.”
Adam smiled. “It’s a good thing you paid attention to that premonition you had. I’m guessing you have a great deal of sensitivity to the strong emotions of others, even if they’re dragons.”
That reminded me how I used to hear Sean’s thoughts when he was feeling emotional. Emotion was the key. Although I could communicate telepathically with my father and Adam, the only time I would hear someone’s private thoughts was when they were feeling extremely emotional.
I must have been quiet for too long. Adam was asking Jason if he wanted another sandwich or some fruit. Jason grinned and took an apple out of the picnic basket, stretching out on the quilt with one hand behind his head. It was perfect! That was exactly how I would draw him.
“Don’t move, Jason. The way you’re stretched out under this tree will make a wonderful picture.”
Adam packed up the leftovers in the picnic basket while I pulled my drawing pad and pencils out of my bag. Jason was chuckling. “I hope you won’t be offended if I fall asleep, cousin. I ate a lot, and I’m very comfortable here.”
“No problem. A stationary model makes my job easier.” I had to smile at the picture he made. He was long and slender, with black hair falling over his eyes, and the face of an angel. I started sketching as he munched on his apple. Finally, his arm fell to the side, the half-eaten apple rolled away, and I heard him snoring softly. Adam and I smiled at each other, and I went to work on my drawing. Adam sat to my left, slightly behind me. He’d always said he enjoyed watching me draw.
I drew the quilt Jason was lying on as if it were grass, matching his green tunic and pants, to make him less noticeable. The mountains in the distance were visible from this angle, so I played up the beautiful shades of mauve and purple on the tallest peaks. The low branches of the old apple tree Jason slept under were fully leafed, leaving him completely shaded. After adding several more of the old apple trees with their twisted trunks, the young man sleeping under a tree was almost invisible. I smiled, wondering how many people would be able to find him asleep in the grass.
When I put down my pencil, Adam whispered, “Most won’t even see him. And the ones who do will feel they’ve discovered a secret. It’s wonderful, love.”
I turned to face him, delighted with the compliment. “Thanks. That’s exactly the reaction I was hoping for.” Without thinking, I leaned back and kissed his cheek. He turned toward me, his lips almost touching mine. I gasped as his dark blue eyes looked into mine. I couldn’t decipher his expression and he backed away almost immediately, standing abruptly.
He sounded slightly hoarse. “I should get back, Cara. Maybe you should wake up Jason now.”
Why had his mood changed so quickly?
“I’m awake, just too comfortable to get up,” Jason said.
Adam wasn’t smiling when he said, “Enjoy the rest of your afternoon. If I have time, I’ll join you and your father for tea later. Thank you again for lunch.”
I was still confused as I watched him stride away. Still lying comfortably on the quilt, Jason turned to face me. “I suspect that your favorite bodyguard is in love with you, cousin.”
“What? What on earth gave you that idea? Adam’s a good friend, that’s all.”
Jason sat up, laughing quietly. “Well, it’s clear to me that his feelings go way beyond friendship. You don’t see the way he looks at you, you know.” Arlynn had said the same thing.
These were thoughts I’d been trying to ignore, so I packed up my drawing pad and pencils. “I think it’s time for us to get back. You’re letting your imagination run away with you.”
He stood up, still smiling, and helped me fold up the quilt. As we walked out of the old orchard, he said, “It’s been a memorable day, cousin, for a lot of reasons. I’m happy I was able to share it with you.” He wrapped one long arm around my shoulders as we walked back into the village together. My cousin was a sweetheart, but I couldn’t help wishing he was a bit less perceptive.
When I reached my father’s cottage, Jason left to run an errand, and I walked in to find my father and Adam waiting for me, tea already made.
My father smiled as I helped myself to a cup and sat down. “This has been an exciting day for you, hasn’t it?”
“Exciting is an understatement. I think that sense of urgency I was feeling had everything to do with Rowenna. She needed a friend and your mother has been gone for a long time. I don’t know the first thing about dragons, but I’m guessing they’re not solitary creatures. She told me she has an egg that hasn’t hatched, so I wonder what happened to her mate.”
Adam shook his head. “I never thought dragons were real. I’ve lived in several other villages and I’ve never heard anyone talk about dragons. Makes me wonder how long they’ve been here; I can’t believe she’s the only one.”
“You’re right. If there are more out there somewhere, do you think they might be dangerous?” I asked.
My father chuckled. “You certainly have a lot to talk to Rowenna about. As far as being dangerous, we should probably be grateful she considers the Blackthornes friends. Legends always talked ab
out dragons breathing fire, so we have to hope she feels friendly toward all of Blackthorne Forest.”
I refilled our cups with tea.
“Will you be spending any time at the practice field while you’re here?” Adam asked.
“Yes, although to be honest, that was the last thing on my mind this week. I’m more relaxed now, so I’ll go over to the field to practice in the morning. I can practice by myself. You probably have work at Garrett’s.”
“Well, we’re almost caught up with our furniture orders, so I can be available if you need me.” He stood. “Thank you for the tea, Brian. I’ll see you both at dinner.”
“Thanks for your company in the orchard today. I’m glad that you and my father were there.”
Adam winked at me and left.
My father was quiet for a few minutes. When he spoke, his voice was soft. “You really are growing up too fast.”
Briefly, I wondered if that comment had anything to do with Adam.
Jason strode through the front door. “Am I too late for tea?”
We’d had our tea in the sitting room, so I invited Jason to sit down and got another cup from the kitchen. I filled it with tea and handed it to him. Having more time with Jason was a treat. He was easy to be around, probably because he was so sensitive to everyone around him.
We walked over to the dining hall later, and found Conor and Arlynn sitting together. It was one of Arlynn’s nights off from cooking. As much as I was enjoying my meals, the waistband of my jeans was letting me know I’d gained weight again. Good thing I’d be going home soon.
As we were leaving after dinner, my father pulled Conor aside. “Stop by later tonight. Cara has something to tell you, but I think it should be kept quiet.” Looking curious, Conor said he would, giving my shoulder a squeeze as he left with Arlynn.
I hadn’t seen Adam at dinner and assumed he and Garrett were working on a new furniture order. When I saw one of the cooks rushing out the door holding a large tray, I was sure of it.
I made tea when we got home, and my father joined me on the couch. “I thought you might have more questions about your Elven heritage, things we haven’t talked about yet. That’s one reason I invited Conor to join us. Since he’s our wild animal specialist, I thought we should tell him about Rowenna, just in case his help is needed at some point. If he doesn’t know about her, seeing a dragon in Blackthorne Forest would be quite a shock.”
I was sure Conor would take it in stride, shocked or not. I had yet to see anything Conor couldn’t handle.
While we waited for Conor, my father told me about Duncan Brady, Elvenwood’s head gardener. He had a gift with plants, especially the vegetables that grew here practically year-round. All he had to do with a dying plant was touch it and speak to it, and it began to thrive. Elvenwood’s gardens grew more than enough food for the Elves. My father explained that there was a church in Thornewood that regularly provided groceries to needy families. Once a month, they found crates of fruits and vegetables left at their back door by an anonymous donor. They had never figured out who was responsible for the monthly gifts.
“How does Duncan keep everything growing through the winter?”
My father smiled. “Well, you know I have a certain control over the weather.” I nodded. “You’ll find out this winter when you visit Elvenwood, it won’t be as cold here as it is in Thornewood. The orchard will continue to produce apples until January. Duncan has coverings for the hot weather plants, and they’ll continue to grow year round. Of course, each group of plants gets a season off, but there’s always another group growing.”
That was good news. I wasn’t a fan of winter, snow and ice, or parkas and snow boots. “You mean when I get sick of winter weather, I can come here and warm up?”
“Well, it won’t be like summer here, but I think you’ll find it more comfortable.”
“Dad, what about the rest of Blackthorne Forest? I’ve been in the woods by our house during the winter and it’s cold; except for the evergreens, most of the trees are bare.”
He smiled again. “If you’d walked farther into the forest, you’d find it gets warmer the closer you are to Elvenwood. Some of the trees don’t even lose their leaves, and some actually keep their fall colors through most of the winter.”
“I’ll be looking forward to winter this year, for the first time ever!”
Conor walked in, overhearing my last statement and smiled. “I never saw much of you during the coldest months, but come Spring, you’d be back with your drawing pad. You never knew it, of course, but I always missed seeing you during those cold months.”
I smiled as I poured a cup of tea for him. “Well, I never knew that I’d find warmer weather if I just kept on walking.”
Conor sat down next to me with his tea. “What did you want to see me about, Brian? I hope there are no new problems.”
I could see my father trying to stifle a smile as he asked, “What do you know about dragons?”
Conor said, “I’ve always thought dragons were only an old legend, probably nothing more than myth. Why?”
“Cara, tell Conor what we’ve just learned.”
“Um, remember how I was having a premonition about something about to happen?” He nodded, frowning slightly.
I explained about the melody that had been stuck in my head, as well as the research I’d done with my grandmother’s diary. When I described the dreams I’d had of Rebecca Blackthorne talking about her friend Rowenna, he stopped frowning, nodding at me to go on.
“You know how I hear my father’s voice in my mind.” He nodded. “Well, I started hearing this strange voice that was asking me to sing. Jason heard her voice too.
“I finally found mention of a dragon song, along with the words to the song, in Rebecca’s diary. I felt sure this was what the strange voice wanted me to sing. Jason went out to the old orchard with me. He played, and I sang what Rebecca had written down as ‘The Dragon’s Song.’ Within minutes, Rowenna found us.”
Conor sat mesmerized. “Don’t tell me. Rowenna is a dragon?”
“Yes,” I said. “She’s been alone since Rebecca Blackthorne moved away. I think Rowenna has always been a friend to the Blackthorne women, and they kept her a secret. She told me she’s always been a friend to the Elves.”
Conor asked, “Is she the only one, or are there more of them?”
“I’m guessing that she lost her mate years ago. She said she has an egg that won’t hatch, so she must have had a mate at some point. I think she’s just been very lonely, feeling that she’d lost her only friend.”
Conor said, “I’d love to see her, just once, to know that dragons are real.”
“Well, Adam joined us for lunch, and Jason and I played her song again. We saw her fly out of those distant mountains and head for us, but when she saw Adam, she simply circled the orchard and then headed back to the mountains. I’m guessing she’s only comfortable with the Blackthornes.”
Conor sat there, shaking his head. “This is amazing. I can’t believe that dragons are actually real. I hope I’ll get at least a glimpse of her some day. How big is she?”
I looked at my father. “Dad?”
“I’d say her wing span is at least forty feet. She’s big. Her eyes are a golden color, and her scales are a mixture of green, gray, and some other colors. She’s a beautiful creature. While Jason played and Cara sang, Rowenna practically purred. It was a very rough-sounding purr, but a purr nonetheless.”
I looked at Conor. “I’ll be going out there again tomorrow around lunch time.”
Conor chuckled. “I may find I have some business to take care of near the old orchard tomorrow. I would give anything to see her. By the way, does anyone else know about her?”
My father said, “Just you and Adam. I don’t think Rowenna would appreciate a lot of attention, so I think we should keep her existence to ourselves.”
After giving me a hug, Conor left, still shaking his head, muttering, “Dragons. . . .”
The next morning my father and I had breakfast at the dining hall. The enticing scent of just-baked muffins drew me through the door, where we spotted Adam digging into a huge plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. We filled our own plates and joined him.
“You’re devouring those eggs like a starving man,” I kidded him. “Didn’t you get dinner last night?”
He nodded, explaining, “Garrett and I did have dinner brought in, but we worked until almost midnight. By that time, we were both hungry again, but the kitchen was closed.”
My father asked, “Did you get a new furniture order after we saw you yesterday?”
“Yes. Ryan went into Thornewood to see Mr. Callahan with a few last-minute requests for supplies, and he brought back a new order from that furniture store in Greenville. It’s a big order, so we’ll probably be kept busy for at least a month.”
My father smiled. “Well, at least you had some time off yesterday. By the way, we filled in Conor last night. He’s our resident wild animal expert and I thought he should be aware of Cara’s new friend.”
Adam chuckled. “Good idea. But other than the five of us, I assume you’re keeping her existence a secret.”
“Yes, for as long as we can. Cara, you might want to caution Rowenna about flying during the daytime; she’ll be spotted eventually if she’s not careful.”
“I was thinking about that this morning. If I get a chance to talk with her today, I’ll make sure she knows she might be seen. Of course, if she only flies around those distant mountains, no one will see her. There’s nothing out there, is there?”
“Just mountain lions and bears. That’s all within the boundaries of Blackthorne Forest. She’s safe out there.”
After breakfast, Adam left for the wood shop, and my father and I walked over to the practice field. My father said, “I think I’ll tag along, just to see the progress you’ve made. I haven’t watched you at practice in weeks.”
“Okay. Are you sure you don’t have any important business to take care of this morning?”