The Dragon's Flame (The Chronicles of Terah # 2)

by Morgan, Mackenzie

  Blalick nodded.

  Kevin stepped inside and nodded. “I’ll bring her stuff straight here then. It’ll be easier. Be back in a minute.” Kevin took out his key, turned it and vanished. About five minutes later, he popped back in, with about the same amount of luggage that he had brought for Landis.

  Blalick was standing at the door, watching. He shook his head and sighed. “If my children packed up everything they owned, they would not have that much.”

  “I think they did pack everything they owned. At least that’s what Gwynn said,” Kevin said as he set the luggage down. When he walked back out into the hall, Blalick pulled the door shut and the two of them went back to the living room.

  When they reached the living room, Ashni was waiting for them and handed each of them a mug of scog. “Are you going to go back and pick up the girls now?” she asked Kevin.

  “I thought I would. It’ll save Xantha a lot of time. I haven’t mentioned it to them yet, so I’m not sure they’ll want to go through the energy flow. It can make you feel sort of sick the first few times.”

  Ashni nodded. “Then I guess I will get to work on some light refreshments. Are you still going to be able to stay for dinner?”

  Kevin shook his head. He had been planning to, but his brief exposure to Rhianna at Hayden’s house had been enough to tell him he couldn’t. He felt like a teenager whenever she was around. His heart rate picked up, he felt sweaty, clumsy, his mouth went dry, and his words seem to get all jumbled up. “No, something’s come up in Milhaven that I need to take care of. I’ll have to go back home as soon as I get them settled here, but I’ll be back tomorrow morning to take them down to meet Glendymere.”

  Ashni nodded. “What time do you want them ready to go?”

  “Would somewhere around 8:00 be all right?”

  “That will be fine. I will see to it that they are up and have had breakfast by then.”

  Kevin chuckled. “I don’t know about breakfast, Ashni. None of us could eat right before we met Glendymere, but Rhianna might be able to. She might not react the same way humans do.”

  “Most people are nervous the first time they meet a dragon, no matter who they are,” Blalick said with a smile. “Except the giants of course.”

  Sari rolled her eyes at her father. “That is because we grow up with them, father. I knew Glendymere before I could walk.”

  “That is true,” Ashni said with a wistful smile. “I can remember him floating you back and forth in the air, rocking you to sleep when you were a baby.”

  “Oh, mother!”

  “What? It is true,” Ashni said. Then she turned to Kevin and asked, “Should I fix them some lunch to take with them?”

  Kevin nodded. “I imagine he’ll keep them there until dinnertime tomorrow. I know he kept us all day the first day, but then, he kept us all day everyday. Well, guess I’d better go back and pick them up. Good luck with your houseguests, Blalick.”

  Then Kevin turned his key and went back to Crinsor Run. He hadn’t told them that he’d be back and he didn’t want to intrude on any goodbyes, so he materialized in the backyard rather than the sitting room.

  When he knocked on the door, Landis opened it.

  Kevin smiled at her and asked, “Would you like for me to take you to Wildcat Mountain? Or would you rather wait and go with Xantha?”

  Landis blushed slightly. “If it’s no trouble, I’d like to go with you. Waiting around like this is killing all of us, especially Gwynn.”

  Kevin nodded. “I can take you and Rhianna at the same time. Are you about ready to go?”

  Tears welled up in Landis’s eyes again, but she nodded. “Let’s go get Rhianna.”

  Landis stepped out of the doorway to let Kevin in and then led him into the sitting area. When they got there, Landis looked at Rhianna and said, “Myron just offered to take us to Wildcat Mountain so that we wouldn’t have to wait for Xantha. Would that be all right with you?”

  Rhianna shot her mother a triumphant look and nodded.

  “I need to warn you though,” Kevin said. “Traveling through the energy flow is a bit unsettling the first few times you do it. It leaves you feeling nauseated, disoriented, and weak, but it passes fairly quickly. Do you still want to try it?”

  Landis tilted her head in a slight nod, but Rhianna grinned and said, “Of course.”

  Gwynn put her hand over her mouth and struggled to control her emotions. A moment later she smiled and reached out to Landis. Landis hugged her and then hugged Hayden.

  Rhianna smiled at her mother, clasped her hand and kissed her cheek. Then she took her father’s hand, pulled them both together and hugged them both at one time. When she stepped back, her eyes were shining with tears.

  Kevin held his arms out, bent at the elbow, like he was waiting to escort them. “If each of you will put your hand on my arm, we’ll be on our way.”

  Landis stepped to Kevin’s right and Rhianna to his left. When they both had a hand resting on his arm, Kevin nodded and said, “Remember, when we get there, stand still and get your bearings. Don’t try to move or say anything at first. You’ll be all right, but it’ll take a few minutes. I’m going to take us into the woods about twenty feet from Blalick’s yard. No one will be watching for us there.”

  Landis bit her lips as her eyes flitted around the room, but the muscles in Rhianna’s face relaxed as she looked straight ahead. Tears rolled down Gwynn’s face as she smiled at the girls, but a deep frown creased Hayden’s forehead as his eyes filled with worry.

  Kevin nodded to Hayden and his wife, gave the key a little turn, and the three of them vanished from Hayden’s sitting room.

  As soon as they were gone, Gwynn put her hands over her face and began to sob. Hayden put his arm around his wife and pulled her to him.

  “It’ll be all right, honey. It’ll be all right,” he whispered, more to himself than to her.

  When Kevin, Landis, and Rhianna arrived in the woods, Kevin kept his arms sturdy for the girls to hold on to. Landis’s grip tightened, but Rhianna relaxed her hold on his arm until just her fingertips were touching him.

  Landis felt herself swaying, but she couldn’t do anything about it except hold on to Myron’s arm. She was too busy trying to fight the nausea and stomach cramps. Her face felt cold and sweaty at the same time, and her vision was blurred. She felt like she was going to pass out, and almost wished she would.

  Rhianna was determined not to show any sign of weakness in front of Myron. She pursed her lips together for a few seconds and concentrated on breathing. She took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and then repeated it. When her stomach stopped churning and her vision cleared, she tossed her head, flipping her hair behind her, and stepped away from Kevin.

  By that time, Landis had let go of Kevin’s arm and folded both of her arms across her stomach, fighting to keep from heaving, but without Kevin’s arm to steady her, she was weaving back and forth dangerously. Before Kevin could reach out to steady her, Rhianna stepped up and slipped her arm around the smaller woman.

  “Stop fighting it. You’ll be fine,” Rhianna said softly. “Concentrate on breathing. Breathe in, hold it, hold it, now let it out, slowly. Again. Breathe in, hold it, that’s it, now let it out.” Rhianna kept repeating herself until Landis’s color returned to normal and she stopped swaying.

  When Landis could stand by herself, Rhianna let go of her and looked around the area. The pine forest was lovely, with wild flowers and ferns growing along the forest floor. The sky was a deep blue, with a few puffy white clouds. Rhianna nodded. It wasn’t Crinsor Run, but it wasn’t bad. She could live here.

  Landis glanced around as they walked out of the woods. As soon as they stepped out into Blalick’s front yard, she turned around in a full circle, looking at the mountaintops in the distance. “We could be on one of the mountains around Crinsor Run, Rhee. It’s beautiful.”

  Rhianna nodded. “The trees aren’t quite as big as ours, but other than that … I guess it’ll do.�
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  Kevin stepped up to the door and asked, “Ready?”

  Landis nodded and Rhianna stepped up beside her.

  Kevin knocked on the door.

  When Blalick opened the door, Landis’s eyes followed his legs up to his chest and on up to his head. Her eyes widened as she realized just how tall he was. “Hello,” she said in a strained voice.

  Blalick stepped back out of the doorway and swept his hand towards the sitting room. “Come in. Make yourselves at home. Your brother arrived not five minutes ago.”

  Kevin stood back to let the girls go through the door ahead of him.

  Landis walked into the sitting room and looked around her. Taelor was sitting on the edge of one couch, and directly across from him, two giants were sitting quietly on a much larger couch.

  As soon as they were all inside, Blalick shut the front door and nodded towards the large couch saying, “These are my children, Sari and Macin. Now if you would please excuse me for a minute, I need to step into the kitchen and give Ashni a hand. She is preparing some refreshments for you.”

  Landis made her way over to the smaller couch and sat down beside Taelor. He put his arm around her shoulders and whispered, “It’s going to be all right.”

  Rhianna walked straight over to the large couch and stuck out her hand. “Hello, I’m Rhianna.”

  Sari blushed as she shook Rhianna’s hand. “Welcome to our home.” Then, while Macin shook Rhianna’s hand, Sari looked over at Landis and said, “You must be Landis, Myron’s apprentice.”

  Landis smiled and nodded. “I assume you’ve met my brother, Taelor.”

  Sari and Macin both nodded.

  About that time, Ashni brought a large tray in from the kitchen. It held fruit, cheese, bread, and cookies, along with enough large mugs for the giants and small mugs for everyone else. Blalick followed with a pitcher of scog and a pitcher of milk.

  Ashni smiled as she set the tray on the coffee table. “I was not sure what you might like to drink. If anyone wants coffee, I have a fresh pot in the kitchen, and there is a kettle ready if anyone wants tea.”

  Sari took over the hostess duties. She passed out the plates and started getting drinks for everyone.

  When she asked Kevin what he wanted to drink, he shook his head and said, “I hate to leave so soon, but I really do need to get back to Milhaven.” Then he looked over at Landis and said, “Glendymere wants you to come down tomorrow morning. I’ll get here around 8:00 and go down with you so that I can introduce you.”

  Landis nodded. “I’ll be ready.”

  Rhianna frowned. “Just Landis? No one else?”

  “Her assistant will need to go too, but that’s all,” Kevin answered. Taelor looked so relieved that Kevin nearly laughed. Then he said, “Well, if there’s nothing else, I guess I’ll be on my way.” He waited a second to see if anyone else had anything to say, but when no one did, he took out his key, turned it, and left Wildcat Mountain.

  After Kevin left, Blalick and Ashni sat down. No one spoke for several minutes. The longer the silence lasted, the more uncomfortable everyone became. Finally Ashni caught Blalick’s eye and tilted her head towards the door.

  Blalick stood up and said, “Macin, you and I have several things we need to take care of this afternoon. Grab a handful of cookies and let us get started.”

  Macin picked up a couple of cookies and followed his father out of the room.

  Sari picked up on the hint and stood up, too. “I guess I should start cleaning up in the kitchen.” She quickly vanished through the kitchen door.

  Ashni set her mug down on the tray and smiled at her guests. “I imagine you would like to get unpacked, would you not?”

  Landis nodded. “If you don’t mind. We’re going to be rather busy tomorrow.”

  Ashni chuckled and said, “If I know Glendymere, you are going to be busy most days from now on. Come on, I will show you to your rooms.”

  The three guests stood up and followed Ashni down the long hall towards the last three rooms. She opened the door to Landis’s room and said, “Landis, this is your room. If you need anything else, please let us know.” Then she turned a little to include Rhianna and Taelor. “We were not sure what you might want in your rooms, so we did not put much furniture in them. We have lots of chairs, tables, rugs, lamps, and anything else you might want. Please do not hesitate to ask.”

  Landis mumbled her thanks.

  “Rhianna, we put your things in the room next to Landis’s, and Taelor, you are across the hall from Rhianna.”

  Rhianna and Taelor nodded, but neither moved away from Landis.

  “Well, I will leave you now and let you get settled.” Ashni started to turn to go, but then she paused. “Landis, is there anything you would like to do today? It might be the last free time you have for quite a while.”

  “Well,” Landis said hesitantly, “I wouldn’t mind getting to know my way around a little.”

  “I think that can be arranged. After you get unpacked, Sari can show you around the mountain. Would you like to take the tunnels down to Rainbow Valley and see the caves that Myron and his friends stayed in while they were here?”

  Landis looked at Rhianna and raised her eyebrows in question, but Taelor quickly nodded. Then he asked, “Did you spend much time with the Tellurians?”

  Ashni’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “How do you know about the Tellurians?”

  Taelor smiled and said, “I met them right after I escaped from Rolan.”

  “You are that Taelor?” Ashni asked. “They told us about a Taelor that they had met along the way, but I had no idea you were the same one.”

  Taelor nodded.

  “You helped Theresa, did you not?”

  Again, Taelor nodded.

  “Sari is going to love that,” Ashni said with a big smile. “She and Theresa set out a lot of herb beds last summer and she has been taking care of them by herself this year. She would love to have someone to work with. Would you be interested in helping her tend the beds and prepare the herbs?”

  “I’d like that. I was wondering what I was going to do while Landis and Rhianna were busy with Glendymere.”

  “Good,” Ashni said with a big nod.

  “What does she do with the prepared herbs?” Taelor asked. “Does she just grow enough for your family or does she sell them?”

  Ashni shook her head. “She does not actually sell them. She sends some to Sister Evelyne in Abernon and, of course, Theresa takes some to Milhaven.”

  “Does Theresa come out here fairly often?”

  “Every few weeks, when she is not off on some trip for the Sisterhood, but I will let Sari tell you all about that,” Ashni said. “Now, after you get unpacked, come down to the kitchen. Sari and I will be in there. There will be plenty of time for her to show you around before dinner. We do not eat until after sunset.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  When Kevin got back to the castle, Chris was in his office.

  “You’re back early. I thought you were going to stay for dinner,” Chris said.

  “I had planned to, but I changed my mind.”

  “How did it go?”

  “Fine, as far as I could tell. I went to Crinsor Run to get their luggage and ended up taking the girls to Wildcat Mountain, too.”

  “What about Taelor?”

  “Xantha took him down,” Kevin answered absentmindedly as he thumbed through the papers on his desk.

  “How are Hayden and Gwynn taking all of this?”

  Kevin looked up. “They didn’t look too happy about it, but there weren’t any open fireworks, just a lot of tears when they said goodbye. I promised Gwynn that I’d take them home for a night every couple of weeks or so, so be sure I do.”

  Chris nodded. “I’ll put in on your calendar. What time are you going to take them down to the canyon and introduce them to Glendymere?”

  “8:00. Why?”

  “Theresa wants to go with you so that she can talk to Taelor about the herb gard
ens and show him the workroom down in Rainbow Valley. She’s hoping that he’ll help Sari with the new crop.”

  “That’s fine,” Kevin said, and turned his attention back to the papers scattered over his desk. “Send someone down to tell her to be ready a little before 8:00. Did she say how long she’s planning to stay?”

  Chris shook his head. “No. I sort of got the impression that she’s thinking about coming back with you.”

  “I’m not expecting to be there more than an hour or so. Maybe you need to let her know that, too.”

  “Okay.”

  “Anything else happen while I was away?”

  “No. Actually it’s been quiet for a change.”

  “Good,” Kevin said with a sigh. “I’d like for it to stay that way for a while.”

  Chapter 42

  Introductions

  Saturday morning, Kevin stopped by the chapel in Milhaven to pick Theresa up right before 8:00. She was waiting for him on the back porch with her bag in her hand.

  “What’s that?” Kevin asked.

  “There’s no way I can go over everything with Taelor in an hour, so I figured I’d better plan to stay,” Theresa said as she walked down the steps and put her hand on Kevin’s arm. “You’ll be back in the area next Tuesday, won’t you?”

  Kevin shook his head. “Now that Landis is there, I’m going to meet Glendymere somewhere else. She’ll be learning how to gather magical energy from natural sources, and the last thing she needs right now is a lot of excess energy flying around.”

  “Oh,” Theresa said quietly. “Maybe I shouldn’t plan to stay then.”

  “No, I can pick you up. It’s not a problem. When do you think you’ll be ready to come back?”

  “Well, I’d like to come back tomorrow afternoon, around 3:00 or so, if you think you’ll have time to come get me. I was just going to stay until Tuesday so that you wouldn’t have to make an extra trip.”

  “Tomorrow’s fine. Where do you want to meet me?”

  “How about Rainbow Valley? That’s where we’ll be working.”

  Kevin nodded. Then he asked, “Isn’t Hayley going?”