Let There Be Dragons (The Children of Ankh Book 3)

by Kim Cormack

  Where tears would normally come, there was nothing. She willed her body to relax against his but she couldn’t. It was going to be a long way back to the girl she’d once been.

  Lexy joined into the sappy conversation Grey was having with her and this was a peculiar thing for her to do, “I know where you are inside of your head right now. You don’t want to feel anything and until you do, you won’t. Just take all the time you need.” Lexy did something even more unusual, she joined their embrace. She wrapped her arms around them and whispered, “I wish I could heal you emotionally but that’s the one thing I can’t heal.”

  She felt like the cat from one of those old Pepe le Pew cartoons, being hugged against her will but let it happen, knowing Grey needed to try to make her feel better. He probably felt bad about the lack of Handler attention she was getting from Zach. Where in the hell was he? Wasn’t he supposed to be her Grey? Oh, yes. He didn’t want this job. His reaction probably would have been hurtful if anything mattered right now. This hug had started out uncomfortable and now it was taking all she had to stop herself from squirming away like the cat in that cartoon. When they finally freed her from the unwanted embrace, Kayn released an exasperated breath as she sat down in the grass, where it would be more difficult to hug her without it getting weird. She plucked a handful of grass from the ground and allowed it to slip through her fingers and settle on the bare skin of her legs. Kayn brushed it off, laid down and rested her head on the pillow of lush greenery. She inhaled the fresh scent of the grass while quietly observing the clouds drifting across the sky above her. She’d taken note of the exquisite silken texture of the grass cushioning her body but was incapable of feeling the joy as she once had. Her memory flickered and she was a child in the grass with her best friend sprawled out next to her. They were guessing what the clouds resembled. The memories that would have broken her before caused not a twitch in her heart. They were just images now. What if the joy of these moments never returned and all they ever were, was a reminder of her lost humanity? She wanted them gone but knew she could never get rid of the clouds in the sky on a whim. The grass rustled as Lexy and Grey laid next to her. She heard another rustling sound and without looking she knew Melody and Zach had joined them. Zach maneuvered himself between Grey and her and sat down. She glanced at him. He was here to apologize. She could see it in his expression.

  Zach spoke, “I’m sorry I reacted unfavourably regarding my new job.”

  Kayn nodded and replied, “I’m sorry you have to be my keeper, Handler, whatever it means. I don’t think I’m going to need one. It’s going to be easy. I wouldn’t worry about it.” Grey started to chuckle and Lexy socked him in the stomach. Zach squeezed her knee tenderly and she didn’t want to punch him in the face. It was a good start.

  Her new Handler grinned as he said, “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry and I’m in.”

  Kayn couldn’t help but crack a smile at the blatant lie he’d just told. He didn’t want to be in. Zach had no lying ability, none whatsoever. She did note that his presence made her feel lighter.

  Zach pointed at the clouds as he observed the sky above and said, “I see something in that cluster of clouds to the left.”

  Mel brushed her auburn hair away from her eyes as she stretched out in the grass and scrutinized the clouds above. After a second or two she answered, “I’ll bite. What do you see?”

  “Can’t you see the moose? It’s completely obvious. The antlers are over there and wait… there’s Frost driving the RV in the next cloud.”

  He was trying to make her laugh. He wanted her to reminisce with him about happier times. That particular moose versus RV incident had been an extremely painful couple of days, for her. It probably wasn’t the best example to use. Giggles erupted within the group of immortals lying in the grass. Kayn felt her heart begin to thaw, just a little. The moose in the clouds joke made her think of something sort of related. Kayn stated, “One of you has to teach me how to drive.”

  Grey playfully tossed a handful of grass at her as he volunteered his services, “I will. We can start after the banquet.”

  She smiled again. With each smile, she felt a little bit lighter inside. Wait a minute, did he just say banquet? Kayn scowled as she asked, “What banquet?”

  Grey plucked a flower from the earth and tried to tuck it behind Lexy’s ear. She started swatting him away as he replied, “There’s one for the survivors of the Testing and their clans. They’re just giving us time to unwind before we have to go back there.”

  She was going to see him. She was going to be sick. There her emotions were. She closed her eyes attempting to keep her cool. She’d hoped it would be years before she’d be forced to lay eyes on Mr. Smith again. Judging by Lexy’s expression she’d once again deciphered her thoughts.

  Lexy leaned over and whispered, “Don’t worry, you’ll sit beside me. I’ll remind you that you are a badass and strong until you feel that way again. That’s what friends are for.”

  It was ironic that the other person with the same emotional defect was the one trying to be supportive. Kayn sensed more people approaching. Haley and Astrid were standing above her grinning.

  Astrid smiled and asked, “Mind if we join you?”

  Grey nonchalantly tossed a handful of grass up into the air, it came back down and landed on his face. He brushed it away from his mouth with his hand as he replied, “Feel free. We’re guessing what the clouds look like.”

  Haley was beaming as she made herself comfortable in the plush bed of greenery and sighed “I can’t even tell you how much I’ve missed this place. I never thought we’d see it again.”

  The new girl’s grin was contagious. Kayn smiled and then looked away. What was wrong with her? Those two had been lost in the Testing for twenty years and she was hyper focusing on the fact that her ex-boyfriend killed her. Her woes seemed ridiculous when she put them in that context. There were now seven of them lounging in the heavenly grass, peacefully staring at the clouds. This felt right. It felt like this was exactly where she was supposed to be.

  Lexy pointed to the sky above and proclaimed, “I see a Dragon.”

  Grey winked and met her eyes as he whispered, “Isn’t it magnificent.”

  Kayn knew what they were trying to say. She sighed, “Yes...yes. I guess it is.” Zach threw a giant handful of grass right at her face and she blew it out of her mouth with a gust of air.

  “I must be some kind of strange anomaly,” Zach exclaimed as he shifted around in the grass and added, I became Enlightened in the Testing and I still don’t know what I am.”

  Lexy replied, “Worry about your position as Brighton’s Handler. Your abilities will come.”

  Grey sat up again, averted his gaze to Melody and asked, “How are you doing with the whole Testing thing Mel?”

  Melody didn’t meet his eyes. She continued to stare at the clouds as she replied, “I’m healed on the outside.”

  They all understood what she meant. Grey plucked another handful of grass out of the ground and tossed it behind him. He was making her think about someone she didn’t want to think about until she had to.

  Astrid looked directly at Kayn and chuckled, “Isn’t that the story of our life?” She nudged her and Kayn nodded mechanically, giving her a response. It took her a second to get it. They were still talking about Melody’s healed on the outside statement.

  Zach shuffled closer to Kayn in the grass. He whispered, “I think Frost is keeping his distance. He knows you know about the whole getting Kevin to kill you deal they made with Tiberius. I have to be honest. Yes, it’s messed-up but it was the means to an end. Even I can see that and I’m not the deepest guy around.”

  Kayn cracked an enormous grin. Good one Zach. She whispered, “Whatever do you mean? You are super deep?” She noted that she was starting to feel peaceful on the inside. Beneath her fingertips, the grass was softer and the colors of the sky had become vibrant. She could feel the warmth of the air and the tickle of th
e faint breeze. Kayn smiled, quite relieved to be feeling anything at all, besides angry. She nodded as she assured, “I’ll go talk to him. I just need a few more minutes of this.”

  Zach sprawled out flat on his back beside her. He placed his arms behind his head and teased, “Look at how emotionally evolved you’ve become. I’m personally impressed.”

  Oh hell, she might as well just go and get this over with. Kayn sighed as she got up and brushed the grass off her sparse white attire.

  Zach stood up and said, “Wait a second.” He plucked some grass out of her hair as he chuckled and declared, “Go get him tiger.”

  She rolled her eyes as she wandered away from the group thinking, we’ll see how emotionally evolved I am if I can stop myself from blowing up everybody at the banquet. She strolled through the lush brilliant emerald grass. She’d followed Zach’s suggestion even though she hadn’t really wanted to. That was a bit strange. There was a brilliant flash of white light as the scenery changed and she was standing in waist high purple heather. What was this place supposed to signify? She’d never been here before. The vegetation rose, surrounding her with twisting budding stems until she could no longer see the sky above. The purple flowering plants appeared to be living breathing beings, dancing around her as they reached to the sky. She worked her way through the sea of greenery, shoving the stems to either side of her, forcefully creating a path until she heard something rustling in the brush up ahead. She paused. Something golden was moving through the towering stems. It couldn’t be? It was the stallion. Her heart flickered. She could choose to be a stallion. She reached to caress its tender satin nose and the creature morphed into a lion. She yanked her hand away. The magnificent being rubbed up against her as though it were nothing more than an oversized house cat. It knocked her over and she landed on her behind in the shrubbery. The act of falling startled her and Kayn reacted as though she were still in the Testing by crossing her arms above her head to shield herself from its powerful jaws. When nothing happened, she peered up. The King of the wild was gone and she was on her butt in a forest of towering heather stems only inches from what appeared to be a baby dragon. She was from Vancouver Island and when you see a baby animal you always assume the mother is nearby. She’d better not touch it. No matter how tempting it was, with those large innocent eyes and shiny scales that glistened in the sunshine. It was sort of adorable. It was going to leave. No, don’t go…Kayn couldn’t see the significance of the moment until the fledgling dragon shrieked, spread its wings and flew away. She parted the over grown sea of green stems that obscured her view to watch it soar through the pink and orange hued sunset above her. The sky had changed again. How long had she been here? She stood in parted overgrowth watching as the magnificent creature she identified with disappear into the distance. In that instant she realized what she’d seen. These were the versions of Kayn Brighton. She was not just one thing. She could still be as graceful and unbridled as the stallion or as majestic as the lion but when she needed to be, she was capable of being a Dragon. She was now many things. The purple brush shrunk and the stems were sucked back into the earth all around her to reveal Frost, standing about 20 feet away. Forgiveness was a tool she’d always used most generously, it flickered within her even though her emotions were still dull and stagnant. Yes, his deception had hurt her but she was still undeniably drawn to him.

  Frost began walking towards her as he started to explain, “What we did helped you survive in there. I’m not going to make excuses. I’m sorry I hurt you but I’m not sorry we did it. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me someday.”

  That wasn’t much of an apology. Too mentally exhausted to play his games, she shook her head. It served no purpose to hold on to a grudge. She needed what little inner peace she’d managed to find to continue, even if it was only for a little while longer. He cautiously closed the space between them and as he took her in his arms, the icy indifference encasing her heart melted away. The strength of their connection had completed the thaw.

  He whispered in her ear, “I wanted to hug you the moment I saw you but I knew you’d clock me.”

  She might have. Kayn whispered in his ear, “It’s probably a good thing that you waited.” He chuckled in her ear. She whispered, “Just one question.”

  He spoke against her hair, “Anything.”

  She hesitated, already knowing the answer. Kayn placed her hands against his chest to put some space between them. She needed to look into his eyes. She asked, “Would you have left me in that place?”

  Frost’s eyes met hers as he replied, “Why do you think we were willing to do whatever it took to trigger your Enlightening? There’s no way to get anyone out.” He got down, yanked the long purple flower from the earth and gallantly handed it to her while on bended knee and chuckled, “You’re not going to make me sing or recite poetry, are you?”

  He was smooth, so damn smooth. Kayn shook her head and sighed, “I don’t know. Poetry might work.” She accepted the flower as she shook her head again.

  Frost’s face split into a playful grin as he chuckled, “There once was a guy from Nantucket.”

  Kayn shook her head for the third time, spun around and started to strut away from Frost, leaving him on bended knee in the now normal sized flowers. She was laughing inside of course. She’d always enjoyed these naughty flirtations and right now, this was exactly what she needed.

  Frost called after her, “What’s wrong beautiful? Do you already know that one?”

  He’d catch up. It would do him good to think she was mad for a few seconds. She heard him behind her, shuffling his way through the flowers. He smacked her on the behind.

  She stopped walking, grinned and sighed, “That sweet apologetic behaviour lasted all of five seconds.”

  He flung his arm around her shoulder and teased, “Would you really want me any other way?”

  Kayn glanced into his mischievous eyes and countered, “Who says I want you now?” She slipped out from under his arm and swung her flower at him. He ducked out of the way and chuckled. They began the trek back to the others, strolling side by side. He laced his fingers through hers and she let it happen.

  He paused with a gentle tug on her hand and their eyes met as he suggested, “I don’t want to go back yet. There’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to see. Come with me?”

  She met his inquisitive eyes, knowing she wanted to go with him but not entirely certain she should. Before the Testing each step she tried to take in Frost’s direction had been blocked by something or someone. She suspected they’d be seen as an unsavory combination for obvious reasons. She was a Dragon and he was…Frost.

  Kayn hadn’t yanked her hand away even though she’d had the urge to. She stared at their intertwined fingers and nodded as her response.

  Frost appeared to be taken aback as he said, “Really? I honestly didn’t expect you to say yes.” He smiled at her and added, “Let’s go.”

  The scenery altered again with an explosion of blinding white light and they were now standing on the edge of a cliff, barefoot in the snow. They both started jumping around; laughing because standing barefoot in the snow was an absolutely ridiculous thing to do. Why would he even think of this place? He started to run and it took her a second to figure out what he was doing. It was then that she noticed the steaming pool of water. She chased him towards the pool. He hopped in and began to curse. She jumped in and her senses exploded. To go from snow to steaming water had them both laughing and swearing up a storm. When her body finally assimilated to the warmth, she relaxed in the liquid heaven and met his eyes, feeling alive. He’d shocked her senses and made her feel pleasure again. Why couldn’t he be like this all of the time? Why did he do ten stupid things for every sweet one? Frost left his perch on the opposite side of the shallow pool and slowly made his way closer as the steam rose around him. She found her eyes glued to his muscular abdomen and gloriously chiselled chest. Frost’s presence had never prompted rational thought on
her behalf. He relaxed beside her. He was far too close and everything about him was alluring. She was staring at the beaded droplets of water on his chest. She’d only spent a short time in his presence and she was already feeling like doing something reckless. She bit her lip. She was feeling. This was why he’d taken her to this place. For a second she’d forgotten about everything that ailed her.

  He sighed, “Now this was a great idea, wasn’t it?

  Kayn grinned as she answered, “An amazing idea but we’re going to have to get out of this heavenly pool eventually and stand in the freezing snow barefoot again.”

  “But it was worth it,” he chuckled.

  Okay, she saw what he was getting at. He’d just pulled a Greydon on her. She splashed him directly in the face. He sputtered and choked but ended up laughing. He splashed her back and for a moment she wondered if this was what it’d be like to be with him. Would he always make her feel this reckless and wild? The need to throw caution to the wind and do whatever felt good always seemed to snuff out all sense of rational thought when she was with him. Frost would have been an amazing Handler.

  rost stood up, grimacing from the cold. He questioned, “A penny for your thoughts?”

  She teased, “I’d be stinking rich if I had a penny for every time you’ve used that line on me.” She didn’t want to get out. “Can’t we just stay here,” she pleaded, pouting just enough to intrigue him. If she got out they’d have to go and find the others, then she’d have to deal with this infamous banquet where she’d undoubtedly see Kevin. Kayn stiffened in the icy air as she rose out of the water. It was painful but not in a bad way. Frost cleared his throat and she noticed his agonized expression. He was standing in the snow enduring the pain with his hand gallantly extended in her direction. An effort to help her out of the water and into the icy torture that awaited her toes. She took it and stepped out of the warm caress of the pool into the frigidly tortuous snow. They laughed as they dashed away from the pool towards the edge of the cliff. This time it was different. The pain of the snow beneath her feet felt oddly incredible. The agony of her icy feet had summoned the Dragon within her and given her an overwhelming urge to do something dangerous. She let go of his hand and winked at him as she leapt off the cliff into the powdery fog of the unknown.