Awakening The Dragon (Exiled Dragons Book 9)

by Sarah J. Stone

  “I want to see Aiden. Now!”

  “Aiden is busy. You’ll have to call and make an appointment.”

  Penelope stood looking at him, his face twisted into a hateful glare. Why were these people so hell bent on causing trouble for her and for Kergot? What had they ever done to any of them?

  “Penelope, you’ll need to go now,” a young guard near him said quietly.

  She looked in his direction. Unlike his counterpart, there was nothing malicious in his words or his gaze. If anything, there was an expression of sorrow for what was transpiring. She realized that he was warning her as best he could not too push too hard. His name, what was his name? He had been in one of her classes. It came to her.

  “Okay, Josh. I will go . . . for now,” she told him, turning back to look at the other guard with utter contempt.

  Once out of their sight, she crept around the edge of the building on the outside, getting as close to where she thought she could connect with Kergot as possible. Moving slowly around the building, her mind called out to his repeatedly, but there was no answer. Her heart sank at the thought that he might not be able to respond for some reason.

  Rather than returning home, she waited, lurking nearby for hours in an attempt to make contact. Finally, dejected and feeling desperate, she started home. It was then that she saw Josh leaving and decided to follow him, waiting until he was well away from the council building to approach him.

  “Josh, I need to talk to you.”

  He jerked around, apparently lost in his own thoughts and unaware that she was anywhere near him. She heard him sigh loudly as she approached.

  “You can’t be here, Penelope.”

  “Why not? You aren’t on duty, and I’m just an old friend, a former instructor.”

  “Aiden won’t like it if he finds out I’m talking to you outside the confines of work.”

  “I won’t cause you any trouble. I’ll not be here long. I just need to know if he is okay. Can you tell me if he is okay?”

  “He is fine. A few bruises and scrapes from a fight with the guards is all.”

  “Fight with the guards?”

  “There was a scuffle. Aiden said something he didn’t like as they approached the cell, and he went after him again,” he said, unable to make eye contact.

  “What did he say?”

  Josh continued to look down at the ground without responding. Penelope realized that whatever had been said had been about her and not very appropriate. It was the only thing that could truly send Kergot’s blood boiling so quickly.

  “Am I in danger, Josh?”

  “Yes. Steer clear and don’t stay alone. That is all I can say. Will you please go now?”

  “In a moment. When will he be brought up for a hearing?”

  “I don’t know. No one has said.”

  “Very well. I will let you be. Thank you, Josh.”

  “You are welcome,” he told her, finally look up to meet her gaze.

  Penelope was struck by the pain behind his eyes. It was obvious that he did not like being a part of Aiden’s new regime. Josh was young. He had only joined Tomlin’s guard recently and now found himself with a replacement that would probably prove to provide nothing but chaos for him and anyone who came into contact.

  On her way back home, she considered his advice. She stopped by Cassi Baker’s diner, not because she had any appetite, but because she needed the benefit of her advice. They spoke quietly at one end of the bar as customers took their seats nearby, out of hearing range.

  “Unreal. It’s hard to believe that someone like him could even be considered for such a powerful post, but I am guessing it has more to do with intimidation than aptitude. What we need to do, though, is get you out of here quickly, Pene.”

  “Out of here? I can’t go anywhere with my husband confined to some hole in that monster’s dungeons!”

  “It’s going to be a lot worse for him knowing that you are out here unprotected, at the mercy of a man who has targeted the two of you for some reason.”

  “That’s the thing. I can’t think of any reason he would have. It’s as if he’s just decided to cause an issue for us.”

  “Perhaps something from the past? You both taught him in school, didn’t you?”

  “We did, but I can’t think of anything that ever happened significant enough for all of this animosity.”

  “Who knows? Men like Aiden don’t have to have a lot of reason. I think he is inherently evil and will be incredibly bad for this village. I can’t fathom why the council thought he would be a suitable replacement for such a great leader as Tomlin. I guess on the heels of the McCord that should have taken his place, they were maybe at a loss. I just don’t know.”

  “It’s all been very strange lately, hasn’t it?”

  “Yes, and that is all the more reason for you to take the proper precautions in protecting yourself against him.”

  “I can’t leave Kergot!”

  “You might have to, just until we can sort this out,” Cassi replied, reaching out to cover one hand with her own.

  Penelope felt near tears again. How could such a horrible thing happen? She was about to leave when she encountered familiar faces coming in the front entrance. The McCord boys. They looked haunted as they walked in beside their mother. Each of them was little more than a child and now, fatherless.

  “I’m going to go, Cassi,” she said, pulling her hand away softly and smiling at the elder woman who served as a voice of reason for many a person in this village.

  “Just be careful, Pene,” Cassi told her as she began to move away.

  Pene stopped by the table where the McCords had sat down. She hadn’t seen them since the funeral service for their loved one and wanted to extend her condolences, once again. The haunted look in Mrs. McCord’s eyes was heart wrenching. She could only imagine how she would feel in her shoes. The current situation was bad, to lose Kergot completely would be devastating.

  “Thank you dear,” the woman responded.

  Pene nodded and smiled. The words sounded hollow, repeated to person after person without thought. She could only imagine how it felt to say them again and again, not even able to hear yourself speak for your pain. She made her excuses and a polite exit as the two boys sat there looking down at the table.

  Walking back toward the council building, she hovered near the area where the dungeons were housed once again, trying to make contact with Kergot. Still, nothing. She returned home.

  “Ah, there you are,” came a voice when she stepped inside her house.

  “What are you doing in my house!” she shrieked, recognizing the face from the encounter earlier at the school.

  “I’m here to do you a favor. Your husband will be put before the council in the morning for his crimes.”

  “My husband committed no crime. He was defending his wife, who had been attacked.”

  “Your husband attacked our new dragon leader. It is a serious offense unless one is formally challenging for leadership. Since no indication was made prior to the attack that such was the case, we can only assume it was done with malicious intent.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  Penelope knew it was in both the best interests of herself and Kergot to say nothing further regarding the incident. She felt completely unnerved by the man sitting in her living room as if he belonged there. How had he even gotten in?

  “I’ve come to hand you over Kergot’s personal effects,” he told her, nodding toward a small envelope on a nearby counter. She noted the set of keys laying on top, explaining how he had gotten inside.

  “And that includes just letting yourself in? I don’t know you. I don’t even know your name.”

  “Last name is Donnelly. I will be Aiden’s chief adviser for as long as he is dragon leader.”

  “Well, Mr. Donnelly. I would kindly ask you to leave my house. You are not welcome here.”

  “I will go, but first you need to know something. Attacking the dragon
leader carries the death penalty. You will most likely not see your husband again. I would be glad to deliver any last words you wish to impart.”

  “Get out!” she screamed at him, her heart knotted in the pit of her stomach even as her anger rose in her chest.

  “I’m going. I suggest you do the same. Aiden fancies you. That won’t bode well for your living peacefully in this village once widowed.”

  Penelope glared at him, saying nothing. After a few moments, he finally rose and made his way toward the front door. He was about to go out, but stopped and turned back toward her.

  “I know you are upset, but I didn’t have to come here. I did it as a favor to you and to Kergot. I know he merely lost his head, but it is out of my hands. You’d be wise to take my advice to heart, Penelope.”

  When she said nothing in response, he turned and left, closing the door behind him. Penelope collapsed into tears. This was a nightmare. One minute they were happy and recovering from the bad news they had received at the doctor, then everything was upside down.

  CHAPTER 17

  The following morning, Penelope once again made her way to the council. She would not be allowed in the hearing, but if she could get close to the chambers, perhaps she could make contact with Kergot. Slipping quietly into a hidden tunnel she had been made aware of years ago, she gained entrance to the thin alley that ran between the judicial hall and the large rock facing that sat just outside it.

  Kergot, are you there? her mind called to him.

  At first, there was nothing. Penelope sat down against the wall, being very quiet and still, so as not to be heard. There was little chance of being seen back here, but she might be heard if she shuffled about on the gravel below her. She continued to project her thoughts, growing more disheartened by the moment. What if he hadn’t made it to the hearing at all?

  Pene? Pene? Are you there, love? finally came a response.

  Oh, God. Oh, thank God! Are you okay, Kergot?

  I’m fine, love. Listen, I don’t have much time here. I can’t get to you from the dungeons. They are too deep, and the thick stones block out my thoughts from you. I need you to get out of here, to go as far away as you can.

  I will not leave you in there! That Donnelly man, he said they might give you death for this!

  I will be okay, Penelope. I am going to get out of here, and when I do, I will find you. Go further south. Tell no one. When you get settled in, only let Cassi know. She will help me find you when I get out of here.

  Cassi? Cassi Baker?

  Yes. Cassi Baker. I will explain when the time comes. For now, she is the only one you can trust. Do you understand?

  Kergot, what is happening? How long will you be?

  I don’t know, love, but I will be there with you as soon as I can get there. I love you.

  Please, Kergot. I don’t want to leave you here.

  You have to, Pene. It’s not safe for you. I know you are a strong-willed woman, but, for once, please do as I ask without questions. Trust me when I say I wouldn’t tell you to leave if it wasn’t necessary.

  Pene could hear his thoughts shift for a moment as he was addressing the members of the council in front of him. His mood was dark. She could feel his anger mounting. She felt confused, devastated. She wanted to close that off to him, but to do so would require her to close all and she couldn’t do that just yet.

  I have to go, Pene. They are taking me back downstairs. I love you with all my heart and soul. I will be with you very soon. Leave now!

  His thoughts were urgent now, but she wasn’t leaving without knowing what they said. She begged him to tell her what they said, but he would not.

  It is of no consequence. Just go now, before it is too late.

  I love you, Kergot.

  As I love you. Go now.

  Penelope carefully crept away from the building, feeling lost and alone for the first time in too many decades to count. What was she going to do way up on the coast without him? She hurried back home, gathering what she could in suitcases. Not only did she take her things, but she took his, believing him when he said he would find his way to her. Kergot had never lied to her, though she didn’t know how he was going to get out of this.

  Taking one last look around their home, she marveled at how things had changed so suddenly. It took all she had to leave their home and close the door behind her, leaving hundreds of years of a happy life in her wake. She was halfway to the car when she heard a familiar voice.

  “I guess you have gotten the bad news about your husband?” Aiden said.

  She whirled around to see him standing there with a pleased expression on his face. Despite his accelerated healing powers as a dragon, he was still pretty battered from his encounter with Kergot.

  “What do you want, Aiden?”

  “Just to extend my condolences to the soon-to-be widow.”

  “I don’t know what you are talking about,” she replied as evenly as she could muster with her heart pounding out of her chest.

  “You haven’t heard then? I assumed that your rapid packing job indicated you’d already received the news of his death sentence.”

  Penelope felt her blood run cold. Had Kergot lied to her? Was telling her that he would be fine the first lie he had told her in their marriage? Why? Just to make sure she had a reason to get out of here before she knew what had become of him.

  “Oh, I see now that you did not. You were just going to run with your devoted husband rotting in jail for defending your honor? I never took you for such a cold-hearted woman. Or perhaps I did.”

  “I’m leaving, Aiden.”

  Penelope turned to open the door of the minivan they often used to take kids in the village on outings. It was filled to the gills with everything she could pack in it, only a portion of their worldly belongings that she couldn’t bear to leave behind.

  “I don’t think so,” he replied.

  Penelope heard his feet crunching toward her as she hurried to get in the car. Then, there was a loud roar and she turned to find him pinned to the ground by a large tiger. She blinked, looking away and then back again, thinking perhaps she had missed something. Aiden wasn’t moving, apparently knocked out cold from his fall. She watched in disbelief as the tiger shifted back into a man.

  “Go!” he told her.

  “Thank you,” she replied feebly, jumping into the vehicle and throwing it into reverse to turn around.

  As she paused at the end of the driveway to check for oncoming traffic, she glanced into her rearview mirror just in time to see the man shift back into tiger form and bound away into the woods. Aiden still lay on the ground. She wondered if he was even alive for a moment, but then saw the tiniest movement and knew she had to go quickly.

  It was only a matter of time before he took to the air and could gain on her quickly, but he was limited in how far he could follow in the daylight where he might be seen. She sped off toward the portions of road that weren’t easily visible from the sky due to the trees that grew over them from either side rather than out onto the main motorway. Once there was some distance between them, she moved out onto the main highway toward Dublin, though she knew her trip would not stop there.

  Stopping in Dublin for fuel, she grabbed a bottle of water and some snacks, though she had no appetite at the moment. It was better to have something in case she did get hungry rather than having to stop again. After more than six hours of driving, she was exhausted. Pulling into a small bed and breakfast near Lamb’s Head, she booked a room and made her way to her room, exhausted.

  She held her breath as the phone rang. Finally, Cassi answered. For a moment, Penelope found herself unable to even speak, for fear of the reply she might get on the other end.

  “Hello?” Cassi asked for the second time. “Is anyone there?”

  “Cassi,” Penelope finally managed to say in a raspy voice.

  “Hold on,” Cassi said immediately. Penelope could hear her talking to someone in the background, and then she came b
ack on the line. “Sorry. I needed to get some privacy.”

  “Is he okay? Have you heard anything?”

  “They have scheduled him for execution in the morning, Pene.”

  “Oh, God,” Pene replied, shaking all over.

  “It’s okay, Pene. Listen to me. Don’t say anything. Just listen. Arrangements have been made to get him out of there before that happens. There are too many people in this town that love the two of you to let this happen. I can’t give you details, but he will be out of there before the sun rises. Tell me where you are.”

  Pene told her the name of the bed and breakfast. There was a shuffling of some paper, and then Cassi spoke again.

  “Okay. Follow the old road south to Ballynacarriga where it meets Crow Head. Do you know where that is?”

  “Roughly. There is another small island there, just across the water.”

  “Yes, exactly. Dursey Island. Get some sleep and then head down there before dawn. If all goes well, Kergot will meet you there. He’s going to fly down the coast, over the water and land on that small island. He will be able to see you from the coast there and will come over when you arrive on the opposite cliffs.”

  “What if he doesn’t come?” Penelope said, her voice almost a whisper.

  “If he doesn’t come, you need to get yourself off this island. Go far away and try to make a new life for yourself. Do you understand?”

  “I do,” Penelope replied, knowing she would never leave this island. There was no life for her without Kergot, and she would prefer to just haunt the cliffs there than live without him.

  “Very good. Try to get a few hours sleep. I know it has been hard these past days. You must be exhausted.”

  “I will sleep when Kergot is lying beside me again,” she replied.

  “It’s a hard life to lose the man you love, Penelope. I know it all too well, but life does continue. Just keep your thoughts positive, and you will get through this.”

  “Thank you Cassi. Thank you for everything. You and whoever else I need to thank. Oh, and the tiger, whoever he is.”

  “Tiger?” Cassi repeated, seeming confused.