“And you’ve tried to let go of your human form?” Kadd asked.
“Well,” Kalara thought back – what an obvious thing to try, to let the morph go.
“I’ve wanted to.” She was puzzled by her own recent past. “But no, now that I think about it, I haven’t.” The realization came as a surprise to her. “I thought I needed my memories to be able to return to my base form.” She thought some more “This whole time, that’s what I’ve thought. That’s what Ravanan told me. That I needed to know my dragon qualities to change back.”
Kadd smiled, watching her work through it.
“He said I needed to stay as I am so we could get the clues from my head to find Annette. He said I must be who I am right now.”
“Well maybe you should try it some time. Maybe you’re not trapped in human form. Just because you have no memory doesn’t mean you can’t change forms, it only takes magic. But in any case you shouldn’t worry about the Acamas killing you. Why would we when we are desperately trying to make more Acamas?”
“I only had what Ravanan said about you and also of me – that I could get myself killed and all of dragonkind with me. I learned to trust him. And then he.....” She dropped the thought.
Kadd shook his head in amazement. “I can’t believe Ravanan left you there.”
“It hurt. But I’m better for it. So what if he thinks I’m a half-breed? I am the only one of my kind and I am an Enchantress. I like what I am.”
“No matter what Kalara, your blood is Acama blood. It always will be. You are still you, no matter what shape, with or without memories, and the Acamas are stronger with you alive.”
“He told me not to do anything that would make you all suspicious. Why would he say that? He was my mate and had to know some things about the Acamas, surely he knew you all wouldn’t kill me.”
“Ravanan went to great lengths to keep us apart.”
“About that, what about Tamtoc? Ravanan never mentioned him. How could we have a son without making fire?”
Kadd smiled at the idea. “We didn’t make fire. Ravanan didn’t want us to touch. When I hugged you yesterday that was the first time I’ve ever touched you.”
“But then how...”
“Let me explain. You know by now we are trying to bring more amethysts into the world. Our mates are fine with the normal way but Ravanan wasn’t, even though you asked him to be. So every time you tried to get an egg it became a tedious job of transference without contact. It’s unnatural, its bizarre. More like how a human would manage auto-fertility. Whether it was me or Tristan getting the attempt, all three of us had to be there with you and Ravanan to watch and help. We couldn’t be in anybody’s lair. We all hated it.”
“So where would we do this then?”
“You suggested the temples in Acama’s homeland. They’re convenient because they are right next to the Acama Lair, and it honored Acama himself. I guess all the times we ate with him affected us. I agreed with you and Ravanan, we should use those cities that honored mates and mating, Oxte’tun and Tamtoc among others.”
“I wondered if there was a connection for his name and that place I saw.” Kalara said. “I was just there at Tamtoc.”
“That is where all our hard work finally paid off. The Acamas have been trying for 500 years, we amethysts are rare even amongst ourselves.”
“So you knew Acama before he died? Ravanan said he did and that I did too.”
“Yes I did. His elaborate games were where I first met you.”
“OK. Then will you please tell me our history? Ravanan wouldn’t – saying it wouldn’t help.”
“He’s probably right that it won’t. Ravanan is extremely intelligent. But I see no reason why you can’t know.
“I met you and him at Acama’s games and feasts. I was just a little younger than you guys. When you and he took your mating flight I was still learning about the world and my magic.
“I like to think that you and I instantly connected, being the only amethysts in our little world. But you already had a mate that you loved and he loved you. He protected you and always placed himself between us. Then when Acama died and we met Tristan and Morada our lives changed as we took the Acama vow. We weren’t happy about being forced to take on the responsibility but what could we do? All the dragons left except for Ravanan, Ahmat, Morada’s mate, and Vritra, Tristan’s mate. There the seven of us were, on the beach with Acama’s dried up carcass. We made our initial plans and I moved to Nikhadelos.”
“Could you and I be from the same dragoness?”
He turned towards her. “I know you don’t remember but we have discussed that very thing before. We did both hatch from Kynasteryx, but from opposite sides, you from Ravyx and me from Diamid. We’ve looked into it more than once as the science has grown. Morada has done much in that area, looking for ways to increase the chances of making a purple. But no, we’re not related.”
“I’m glad.” she took his hand.
“Me too. Kalara, the only reason I volunteered to move to Nikhadelos was that I didn’t have you. Just making an egg with you is not enough. I can’t stop thinking of you, even when making fire with others I’m envisioning it is you I’m with. I can’t get you out of my mind.”
“But do you still feel that way now? I’m not the same.....”
“I want to.” Kadd said as he pulled her to her feet. “Will you give me a chance to find out how I feel?”
“Why not? If nothing else I appreciate the conversation.”
“Let’s go inside, this wind is too much.”
Back on the couch Kadd asked her “So how is that you escaped from Ravanan’s entrapment and ended up at the Acama lair, which is exactly the best place you could have gone to?”
“Ravanan’s entrapment....” she repeated. “I guess it was kind of like that wasn’t it? Odd to put it that way. But I did escape. It was extremely painful.
“I started regaining my verbal skills with simple spells, Drape, Reveal, Starlight. The reveal spell helped me to learn all my clothes and armament. Then when I had that figured out I draped everything I could for healing and flew out of the lair. I don’t remember much but the pain. I’d crawl when I had to, enchant the dirt to heal and calm me. When I found that pelt I destroyed it with fire.
“On my way home I found Tamtoc. I was feeling better by then and wanted to explore. I followed the river upstream. Eventually I heard the soft resonance of our lair. I didn’t know what it was but I was drawn to it. And then you all found me.”
“It’s surprising you made that long journey all by yourself.”
“Yeah, there were many times I didn’t think I was going to make it.”
Kadd pulled Kalara to rest against him.“I get it that you and Ravanan haven’t found Annette. Do you think she knows you destroyed the pelt?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care.”
“Kalara, I don’t think this battle is over by any means. You should care. If she is a dragoness we can find her easy enough, especially two of us together. We’ve got to at least try right? You do still want to find your old self?”
Kalara turned to face him “Of course I do! But after Ravanan’s failure, and like you said, he is pretty smart, I don’t know. I sometimes think I want to leave well-enough alone. I mean, I did get rid of that cursed pelt didn’t I?”
“Right. But you should be looking over your shoulder always. Like this” then Kadd leaned and looked over her shoulder in such a goofy way it made her laugh. “And like this” then he kissed her shoulder. His kisses eventually turned into him picking her up and carrying her to the bed where he surprisingly left her alone under the covers. He kissed her once more and returned to the couch.
Kalara raised her head and gave him a questioning look “Why are you over there?”
“Because I shouldn’t be there” he nodded towards the other side of the bed.
“OK, why the sudden nice guy act?”
“We can’t do anything here, we’d burn
the place down. Remember? Ring of purple fire?”
“Oh yeah.” - ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ she asked herself.
“And besides,” he continued “You just met me yesterday, what kind of guy do you think I am?”
After breakfast Kadd wanted to take Kalara back to the Acama lair, as he put it “We have Acama business to work out.” He looked as though he’d been up all night.
The lair was just as it was before however this time the two of them entered by anchor which didn’t summon the others. The map in the middle was the same except that a fifth purple marker was added to the southern continent. As they sat near the map Kadd asked “I’m pretty sure you haven’t been doing any Acama business then for over a year right?”
“I haven’t been. And I was wondering why you said I’m so busy in that meeting we had.”
“Well, you are handling two continents, both crowded with humans and not all of them are uneducated. There is a lot of research going on and governments trying to rule the world.”
“Right. But you were saying that you are really busy too.”
“I did say that. It’s just that the old you always made it a point to brag about your dragons and all the glorious things you all have done in Anarchelos – the past 150 years especially. Not that Kynasteryx isn’t doing research but you think that nation – America – is above all the rest. We’ve all seen mighty nations grow and die though, time will tell.
“But anyhow, we’ve got to make rounds to your dragons, I’m sure they’re starting to wonder where you are. In all this time have you ever felt the urge to just go in one particular direction?”
“Well yeah, I’ve sometimes felt like leaving Black Blade and before that my home in Oklahoma but it was simply out of the question. I couldn’t leave. I can’t say for sure it was in one main direction I wanted to go though.”
“When you felt that urge it was one of your dragons calling you. We’ve got some catching up to do. I’ll help you. Just so I make that call to mine about that upcoming deep sea plunge next week.”
“So we’re gonna be together like glue?”
“Well that is an odd way to put it but pretty much, like glue.”
“I don’t know Kadd, that didn’t work out so well for me and Ravanan, he ended up hating me and all my questions. What if you decide I’m too much work to bother with? Then you’ll leave me too, or worse.”
“I told you,” he took her hands in his “I could never harm you. Right now I’m thoroughly enjoying myself. This is where I’m supposed to be, I know it is. Do you not want me around?”
“Well, it’s just that I tend to feel trapped.”
“Oh! You did mention that last night. And I can see why you’d feel that way. I’ll tell you what. How about I go now to deal with my work and then I’ll be back in two mornings from this one? Surely that will let you know that I’m not trapping you. You can leave. Go, do whatever. Don’t be here when I return if you want. I’ll stay until the sun starts its fall. I only want to help you get back into your Acama work.”
“What if we don’t meet up but then later I want to summon you? I don’t know how to summon – unless going through that door is the only way.”
“Really? So when you said you don’t remember anything you meant A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G. I thought it was more selective, since you remember how to walk and talk. Let me teach you, first I’ll show you, go to the far wall.”
When Kalara got there Kadd cast “COME HERE KALARA OF KYNASTERYX RAVYX!” Icy pain seized her heart and Kalara suddenly felt the urge to move. She started walking, as she did the coldness subsided but the pain didn’t. Then she heard Kadd call out after a few steps “Good! Now try to walk in another direction, see how that feels.”
Kalara turned and her pain grew. When she corrected her path the pain let up a little but it didn’t go away until she was standing in front of Kadd.
“Wow. That hurt.” she said.
“But now it doesn’t, right?” he caressed her arm.
“Right.”
“Now you’re going to try it.”
“OK. But I know Ravanan tried this when he was controlling me and it didn’t work.”
Kadd shook his head.“It’s horrible that he did that to you, treating you like a human. I’m not surprised it didn’t work. He’s not an Acama, but you are. I’m sure your blood and aura fought him the whole time.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
“But I was willing and agreed to it.”
“That makes no difference. You’re not a puppet.” he smiled “Now, shall we try it?”
“I’m ready. What do I do?”
“It shouldn’t be hard for you to do. When you cast the spell you first need to know the full name of who you are summoning, mine is Kadd of Kynasteryx Diamid.
“Now you can also summon a group of dragons by the region you want but we don’t summon them here. You have your usual summoning areas all over the land, really the place doesn’t matter so long as it’s open enough and not so overrun with the herd. When you send out a mass summons your aura makes a connection with that region, a painful tether coming from you to each dragon. As each dragon arrives your pain lessens by a degree and they are freed from the pain but not the tether. For those that lag their pain increases, taking on the pain of those “early birds” and your lost degrees of pain. This continues until the pain of all others is piled onto the last dragon out there. Your pain at that moment is minimal, just enough to let you know your summons is being ignored.”
“Why did we make a spell of pain for this job?!?”
“What better way to assure compliance?”
“Well no wonder some dragons question us!”
“What do you mean, has something happened?”
“No. It’s just something Ravanan said when he was telling me about the Acamas.”
“Well it’s true. Not every dragon likes the way we crafted our spell but they did leave it up to us. And we don’t summon masses often; that is saved only for drastic times. We do our best to only call one dragon at a time, or maybe two or three depending on the job. So, are you ready to try to summon me?”
“It’s going to hurt isn’t it?”
“Yes” Kadd said softly as he leaned forward and kissed her, holding the back of her neck. “But your blood is strong and I’ll come quick.” he whispered.
Kalara wrapped her hand over his wrist, mustering her willingness to cause herself pain. Kadd held her gaze and neck, enjoying feeling her skin on his as she found her strength. After a moment longer she let him go. “OK, Go. I’m ready.”
Seeing he was in position at the far wall Kalara cast “COME HERE KADD OF KYNASTERYX DIAMID!” That same icy pain grabbed her heart. Kadd leapt into flight. Just as before the coldness around her heart quickly went away leaving only the pain. Kadd veered for a second to show her that pain wouldn’t change for the one doing the summoning. Then he flew quick to end their pain together.
“Did I get here quick enough?”
“You did.”
“See? I knew you could handle it.” He flashed her a gorgeous grin. “It’s a lot less than what Acama had to endure.”
“Why is the pain cold at first?”
“Cold is the signature of amethysts, right? For other dragons the cold doesn’t go away. What you felt is the antifreeze in our blood rushing to help us.”
“Now Kadd, you said all those times I felt like leaving it was my dragons summoning me. So why didn’t their summoning hurt me like it did when you summoned me?”
“Because they aren’t Acamas. Their summoning spells are weak. The comet’s rocky power has enabled us to do mass summonings as well as increasing the effectiveness of our spells. But we don’t talk about it, not even with mates, it wouldn’t be good if word got out.”
“Talking about mates, I’ve been wondering” she sat down “have you had a mate before now?”
Kadd followed her back to the dais. “I’ve had plenty but no
ne I’ve really cared for. I haven’t found any dragoness that matches what I want,” he paused to gaze into her eyes “other than you. You have a way of sticking in my mind and they could always sense I wasn’t theirs.”
Kalara shifted her feet “So that’s it then? We’re mated. Just like that after one time?”
“If you want us to be. I needed to get you out of Tristan’s lair. Morada was starting to ask questions. It was obvious you were acting differently and very quiet. I only knew a little about it but it was enough to make me want to protect you. Was I wrong? Did you want to stay?” His face hinted with mirth.
“No. I was glad to get out of there. Thank you! But I haven’t agreed to be your mate.”
“I know. The other night shouldn’t have happened. If there is a next time it’ll be because you desired it, not because you feel forced to.” Kadd stood up. “Which is why I’m leaving. Is there anything else you want to know before I take off?”
“Maybe you could walk me through making and using anchors. The idea scares me.”
“I bet it does.” he laughed. “It’s one thing to do verbal spells but quite another to basically destroy yourself.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better about it.”
“But that is the basic idea, to tear yourself apart into molecules and travel lightning fast.”
“I suppose you’re right. It just sounds so scary. What if I make the runes wrong? I watched Ravanan make one and I’ve seen yours. You both write in runes that I’m just not getting. I’ve tried.”
“The runes aren’t so important to be in that language, that’s an old language. You can use any language. What is important is what you write. When you write down your spell it’s much more powerful than verbal spells and your aura knows it. They’re high level and permanent so long as the rock exists. The aura takes the words you write and the thoughts you intend to do then tells the iron in the rock to carry out your will.”
Kalara asked “Then I draw the place I want to go in the middle? I can’t draw very well, Jenniffer tried to teach me but gave up. What if my cloud is forever lost trying to go to my crazy drawing?”
The Cursed Dragon Page 41