by K L Rymer
So he has settled down with me for the night though it’s not as if he needs to sleep anyway, being a ghost and all...
I throw my housecoat over my PJs then run out of the room. “Back in a moment, Gelert.”
I speed down the hallway. It’s 3 am and freezing, but I still make my way to Myrddin’s office.
I have to tell him about my new discovery.
I can’t believe I never saw it before; it was screaming right at me.
Finally, I arrive at the headmaster’s office, fumbling with the key. It’s the same key Myrddin gave me in year one when he used to give me and Mattie all those private classes.
As I step into the office, I peer around.
The room is pitch black.
“P-Professor?”
No one calls back. What did I expect? He’s most likely asleep. Yet he does always seem to pop from out of nowhere, so maybe he will do just that again if I keep calling his name.
I head to the fireplace and warm up the coal with my magic, then settle down into a chair.
Before long I hear that pop and turn around, suppressing a snort. Myrddin wears an old-fashioned set of PJs like the pair Ebenezer Scrooge wore in a Christmas Carol.
He really is old world...
The wizard rubs the sleep from his eyes, yawning. “Bryn... what the devil are you doing up at this ungodly hour?”
My heart starts up again and I rise to my feet. “I... I have a pretty interesting revelation about the Red Dragon. Well, both dragons, sir...”
Myrddin yawns again and proceeds to his desk absentmindedly, instructing me to sit in the chair opposite.
We both settle as the professor heats up a pot of tea with his magic, pouring us both a cup. He passes one over to me and says, “Now, tell me what you saw...”
I shake my head. “I didn’t see anything this time, and thank god.”
I may be a zoologist with a fetish for animal porn, but lord no... I would rather not tarnish my innocent perception of dragons. They’re right up there with unicorns.
The wizard locks those curious hazels on me now. “No vision? So, how did you come to this new revelation?”
I grin. “Just a hunch...”
Myrddin scratches his silver beard. “Hmm... interesting. So, care to tell me about your new discovery?”
My heart pounds again as I place my palms on the desk. “The Red and White dragon... I mean, Brynmawr and Gwyneira... were lovers...”
Myrddin’s eyes protrude, and now his hand falls from his beard. “H-how...?”
I shrug. “As I said, a hunch...”
The wizard’s eyes twinkle like the stars of his cosmic cape next, and now he stands, clapping his hands. “Aha! Of course! It all makes perfect sense!”
I beam. “I know, Professor... I can’t believe we never saw it before.”
“They were in love! Just as you and Matthew once were...”
My skin breaks out in a sweat, and now my palms turn clammy. A sickness takes over me.
This just makes things a hell of a lot worse... It’s clear that Brynmawr is still not over Gwyneira, just as I’m not over Matthew, and I’m supposed to wake him up and ask him to help me to defeat her?
What a pickle. Things certainly were easier when they were just enemies. As it once was with me and Mattie... Yes, it is so much easier to hate someone than it is to love them.
Bittersweet indeed.
Stupid love. Stupid emotions. It just complicates everything...
“Well, you know what this means, don’t you, Bryn?” Myrddin says, taking his wingback seat once again.
I groan and place my forehead onto the cool table. The wood sticks to my skin. “Yes. Though I don’t know why you sound so happy...”
“Why ever not? This is the chance we needed! Finally, we have a way for you to connect with Brynmawr.”
“You suggesting I walk back to Dinas Emrys now and say, “Hey there, Brynmawr. Welcome to the broken hearts club... it gets lonely.”
“Well, yes...”
I lift my head, giving him a cynical look. “I was joking, Professor. You know, being my typical, snarky self?”
Myrddin chuckles. “Now you will be able to understand him on a personal level. You can empathise with him. You’re both in the same boat.”
“Not really. He’s been heartbroken for more than a century. I’ve been heartbroken less than a year...”
He waves a hand. “What does it matter? Heartbreak is heartbreak. Reach out to him again, Bryn, and try. Keep the snark at bay and show him that vulnerable side. The same one that shed a tear for the sad tale of Gelert... It was that single tear, after all, that revealed your fate to me.”
I roll my eyes. “Brynmawr tried to burn me alive, even back then...”
“There’s no point in focusing on the past now Bryn. Move forward. I would suggest you keep going back to Dinas Emrys with your friends, and I strongly suggest you take Felicity Thorn. You will need her warm, sweet guidance.”
He’s right. Felicity’s all about love and happiness. She can help me get through to Brynmawr. Only problem, she is too much of a scaredy-cat.
I sigh. “All right. I will go back, Professor.”
He grins behind that beard, sipping his tea. “Splendid.”
We resume in silence. As always, the Grandfather clock swings back and forth. I chew my lip. “Did you really not know? About Brynmawr and Gwyneira?”
He snorts. “Not the faintest.”
I smirk and rise to my feet, making a move for my bed. All this talking has finally made me tired. “For an all-knowing wizard, you can be quite clueless at times, you know, Professor...”
He harrumphs and sets his cup down. “I will have you know that I know many things, but, I agree... this one went right over me. I suppose I can be forgiven. I was a boy at the time. I just assumed they were fighting under that hill. But... it appears not. Well, as you youngsters would say on the internet, “Childhood ruined...”
I stare at him aghast. Did he just seriously reference a meme? It’s weird. It doesn’t suit him.
But I feel bad. I think I really did just ruin his childhood. The brave boy who warned a king about two warring dragons under his keep. But it turned out to be two mating dragons, and I’m a little disappointed myself.
What next? Unicorns having sex? Oh, dear god, no...
Well, as Myrddin said, “Childhood ruined...”
Chapter 18.
It’s creeping closer to March the 1st as we’re already in February.
We have less than a month left.
But I have decided that now is the time: we wake Brynmawr before March.
There’s no point in stalling it any longer. Besides, the signs are there. Fate is bringing us closer together, opening up doorways on hillsides and connecting me to his dreams.
All I have to do is connect to him with my broken heart. Heartbreak sucks after all, and breakups are never easy. I did see Brynmawr and Gwyneira momentarily from Myrddin’s memories when he grasped my arm at Dinas Emrys, and I’d seen those great dragons soaring into the air and fighting.
They were fighting that time. It was clearly hostile. But was it really Brynmawr stopping Gwyneira from leaving? I’d say that was rather controlling—no wonder she left—but I can’t let Brynmawr know that I think that. He’d hate me even more.
We return to Dinas Emrys on the worst day of the year—Valentines’ Day. Not a good idea, but Felicity insisted. She decided that I should join her and Damien to celebrate their first year anniversary like a creepy third wheel.
That’s right. It’s been a year since they got together. A year since Damien saved her from that asswipe Macson.
It’s also been a year since Mattie and I hooked up, and I wish I could just bury myself under my bedsheets for the day and watch gory, bloody anime. I like the one on Netflix right now where the titans eat people. Nice, just what I need...
But no, I have to do this. I need to get through to Brynmawr and let him glimpse into my
soul, and he’s bound to sense my sadness as I have to watch the happy couple, Damien and Felicity.
Felicity blabbers away beside me, swinging a picnic basket in her right hand as we walk across the school grounds through throngs of happy couples.
Damien sulks on my left. I don’t know what he’s so melancholy about. At least he has someone on Valentine’s Day.
Maybe he’s just pissed that Felicity decided to ditch the sex for the day and spend time with me, her sad, single friend, instead.
And you know what? I’m glad. I’m sick of him tarnishing my perfect little friend. She begged me to take her shopping to Victoria’s Secret the other day in the human world so she could get Damien’s pulse racing, and I’ll admit she looked cute in that red-hot lingerie...
But I’m not looking forward to hearing the sounds coming from her room later.
Damien has ruined all her pillows...
It’s just the three of us. Thomas is spending today with Katie, and the same for Nora with Orion and Jack with Clara. It’s their first-year anniversaries too after all...
Ugh, screw Valentine’s Day...
I should have stayed with the cynical Zahara, and helped her throw water balloons at happy couples. Even Angelina joined her since she’s lonely and miserable too.
They really are the school’s bitches.
“Oh, it’s such a sunny day! Perfect for a picnic. Don’t you agree, Damien?”
The pixie looks around at her demon beau. He’s not even listening.
Felicity narrows her big, blue eyes. “Damien...”
The demon’s too busy watching Row and Macson sucking face by a pillar. “Oh, yeah... a great day for sex...”
The pixie bristles. “I said a great day for a picnic!”
Damien blinks. “What’s the difference?”
I raise a brow. Is he serious?
Felicity purses her lips then stomps ahead of us. She stops outside the academy gates and folds her arms, muttering angrily to herself.
Damien and I stand there confused. He looks my way. “Am I meant to follow?”
I roll my eyes. “Just keep your mouth shut and crack a smile. At least you have someone...”
Damien smirks, and it’s not exactly the smile I was looking for, but it will do I guess.
His gaze flickers over to Macson. The Unseelie still has his tongue down the muse’s throat, but his eyes are focused on me.
“If it makes you feel better, Mac has his eye on you...”
I glare at the Unseelie and his shiny black eyeballs glimmer when he catches me staring. “He can dream on. I’d kiss you before I kissed him.”
I don’t miss the red flash in the demon’s eyes. “Oh, really...?”
I find his creepy red orbs. “It wasn’t supposed to be a compliment and watch it. I know you’re only joking, but Felicity’s too sensitive and won’t see it that way.”
He sighs and a puff of white comes out of his hot mouth. “Fine, I’ll zip it.”
We reach the gate and Felicity gives the demon a pointed look. “Well, have we learnt our lesson, Damien?”
The demon exhales once more. “Yes. I won’t compare sex with you to a picnic ever again, Felicity.”
I palm my face.
Kill me now.
The pixie places her hand to her chest. “Aw, Damien... Do you really think sex with me is like a picnic?”
Suddenly, I yank a hold of their arms and yell, “Take us to Dinas Emrys!”
We teleport away. Thank goodness I’d found my teleportation pin. It’s been missing for weeks.
We arrive at the hillock as I rip the blanket from Felicity and lay it down on the grass. “Let’s just get this stupid picnic over with so you two can go home and have sex.”
I sit down cross-legged, and they do the same. Damien sprawls his legs out while Felicity rummages inside the basket, pulling out sandwiches.
I curse the sky.
Let’s just hope this ends sooner than later.
...
Surprise, surprise, Damien and Felicity ditched me for a ‘walk’ in the woods.
I should have just stayed at the academy and threw water balloons at happy couples with Zahara and Angelina.
And the first happy couple in my sights—Damien and Felicity.
Screw them, they really do suck.
I pout alone on that red, checkerboard blanket atop Dinas Emrys, yanking at a loose thread at the seams.
It’s a cool, crisp kind of day, despite the shining sun. It is still February. The sky is pristine blue as the birds chirp in the trees, but the happy weather seems to mock me. I’d take grey clouds over this. Anything that so much as matches the storm raging inside of me now.
I’m so lost and hopeless; I will never get out of this storm.
One year. One year since Mattie and I had our first, magical dance, and I squeeze my eyes, allowing the tears to fall.
Who cares? I’m alone now. No one is around to see my cry...
The grass sinks beneath me next and I gasp.
Oh no, not again. The hill is crumbling!
I grasp my pin, but when I glance at the ground again, I drop my hand. The grass has turned into a door. A trap door and my heart’s in my mouth. Slowly, I reach across and clutch the rusty handle.
Another doorway...
I have to take this chance.
Carefully, I lift the door, and it gives off an eerie creak. Below, a set of winding stairs leads down into the keep, and I make a start on my descent.
It’s dark so I summon a red flame and hold my hand aloft. These stairs appear ancient. There are a few missing steps and cobwebs hang on the walls.
It’s obvious this stairwell hasn’t been used for a long time.
Soon, I find myself at the bottom, peering down a long, creepy hallway. Despite my apprehensive fear, I step forward and embrace the unknown.
Well, it’s not so unknown. I know exactly what awaits me at the end of this hallway.
Unlike the other times, Brynmawr can truly hurt me now. This is real. I am actually doing this. I am going to face my dragon.
I arrive at the end of the dark, spooky hallway as a large cavern opens up, and now I hear that low rumbling.
It’s the sound of a dragon snoring.
The strong, putrid scent of smoke hits me at once, yet I go on. Before long I find that familiar mound of gold and jewels, but I’m not interested in those. I’ve read enough fantasy novels to know that you should never steal from a dragon’s hoard.
All I want is this dragon’s trust.
My eyes fall on that giant, scaled lizard instantly, and for a moment I try to process what I am seeing.
Yes, it’s a real-life fucking dragon. I’ve seen several now in fact, but this one is my dragon. The one on the Welsh flag for a matter of fact. The one I am destined to wake and ride.
He’s curled up like a cat, his eyes closed in peaceful slumber. There’s not much light, save for the fire flickering in sconces along the walls.
I keep my eyes on Brynmawr’s face. His lids and nose twitch as wisps of black curl from his nostrils. From this angle, he actually looks rather cute, but I will keep that childish notion aside.
This dragon could kill me. I’m no fool. But what have I got to lose? If I die, I will die trying.
As I step closer, the light catches his red scales, and I stare, mesmerized. It’s almost like I can see the blood running through his veins, but I know it’s his magic. Just like the magic I saw in Gwyneira’s shed scale too.
My tattoo burns hot and I wince. Then my fire fizzles out as his breath blows it away, but I hold on. I won’t give up just yet.
Brynmawr looks very similar to Gwyneira. He has long horns like a triceratops, but his face is wider, more pronounced than the she-dragon. Her features are slender.
Everything about him is like her but just slightly bigger, and it’s quite sweet to see the difference in size between a male and a female dragon. It’s only natural for a girl to be smaller than her
man after all. Mattie always towered above me, making me feel super feminine for once in my life.
I wonder if Brynmawr is physically stronger than Gwyneira too. From Myrddin’s memory, they were evenly matched when it came to brawn.
I finally come to a stop, gazing at the sleeping face of that dragon, and I’m tempted to lean across and touch his scales. In my first vision they’d been so hot, they’d left burn marks.
Mattie didn’t seem to have the same problem with Gwyneira, but he was wearing gloves when he attacked the academy.
The last thing I want to do is burn myself, so I hold back and admire him with my eyes. But it’s not long until they start to burn too.
Damn. It really is hot down here. I can feel the sweat gathering on my lip. The moist heat will be good for my pores I suppose.
So, do I wake him now or something? I peer at that sad, sleeping face once again, and my heart breaks.
Poor thing. You can truly see the pain etched across that shining, scaled visage of his. The love of his life left him to wreak havoc on the world, and he buried himself away down here, just like I buried myself away in my room after Mattie left me.
Only Brynmawr didn’t have any friends to lean on. Not like I did.
I’ll be his friend. If he wants me to be...
The dragon stirs and I jump back.
“I thought I told you to leave me alone...”
The deep, reverberating voice comes from inside my head, and I swallow.
“Yeah, well... I’m stubborn like that,” I reply. “I won’t take no for an answer. I’m not leaving until you agree to join me, Brynmawr. So, come on... get up. It’s long overdue.”
“You’re not in my dreams anymore, are you? You’re really here...”
I smile smugly. “That I am.”
“How did you get in?”
“Trapdoor...”
He sighs, blowing thick tendrils of smoke. I cough. “Figures... Magic’s a peculiar thing like that. I guess the boy sent you then. Of course, I hear he’s a man now. Grew to be a very powerful wizard in fact. I see things in my dreams from time to time... I like that Television series about him...”
I raise my brows. “Yeah, I suppose... They have it on Netflix now, but it’s cool you get to watch TV in your sleep. I wish I did...”