Handlers of Dragons

by Kim Cormack

  This time as Samid rose, he was met by ruthless torture until his only instinct was to flee. For weeks, Kayn relentlessly pursued the four untested immortals through the various landscapes of the in-between, adapting to each as though she’d always been there. She sensed their fear and it led her to their location, as a scent would in the air. After proving that there was no escape, she made them jump from cliffs and come at her just as Lexy had before their Testing, until they had no will for either fight or flight. Zach stayed with her and she was aware of his continuous presence but unconcerned by it. When it was time to leave the youths to lick their wounds, Zach grabbed her arms and asserted, “It’s time to wake up. Come back to me.”

  Somehow his words reached a piece of her that remained. She wanted to stop him from bringing her back but as his eyes boar deep into her soul, Kayn could do nothing but stare into them. He brought her back from the abyss with sheer force of will as the touch of his hands on her skin extinguished the fire of her vengeance driven ability. The weight on her heart lifted and a sense of calm sedated her.

  “There you are,” her Handler whispered.

  The scenery around flashed as they were transported to a place with an endless sea of transparent water. It was only calf high where she was standing. Colourful starfish were scattered across on the white sand of the ocean floor. It was like standing on a beach as the tide was coming in. Kayn didn’t move as dazzling orbs of energy sped past her legs, her heart danced and she smiled.

  Zach chuckled as he admitted, “This is not where I meant to bring you.”

  This wasn’t bad. She wiggled her feet beneath the surface of the now thigh high water. It was rising but which way was the shore?

  “Let’s try this again,” Zach said. He clutched both of her shoulders while squeezing his eyes shut.

  Nothing happened. It was starting to get a bit awkward. The water was up to her waist. How long was he going to stand there trying to think them out of the precarious situation he’d placed them in?

  “Give me a minute. Have a little faith in my abilities,” Zach mumbled as he shut his eyes again.

  Besides Dragon whisperer, what were his abilities again? Waiting for him to figure this out felt like a bad idea. The water was up to their chests. Across the totally still surface of the water Kayn saw something. Oh! Come on! Dozens of shark fins. Nobody ever had to wait too long to watch Karma smack her down. She wasn’t in the mood for this. Had she been left in her sociopathic state a dozen sharks coming at her would have been as concerning as flatulence during afternoon tea. Tick Tock buddy. Zach had ten seconds to think their asses out of here before she took over.

  Zach noticed the sharks and changed his mind, “Do it! Do it!”

  Kayn grinned widely as she teased, “But I have faith in you.”

  “Do it!” he urged in a pitch reserved solely for blind panic.

  She thought about the first thing that came to mind and they ended up back at Triad’s creepy castle like domicile. No, no, no! Anywhere but here! She’d rather be devoured by sharks.

  “What is this place?” Zach questioned as he began wandering closer in awe.

  Kayn grabbed his shoulder and ordered, “Forget you’ve ever seen it.” She thought about the white sandy beaches where they’d once had slushy drinks while sprawling in the sand and reappeared there. This was more like it.

  “That’s my girl,” Zach laughed as he thought of a Pina Colada and one appeared in his hand.

  They both found a cozy spot and sprawled out on their stomachs with their drinks in front of them. Kayn leaned forward and sipped from her curly straw while thinking about the rather murderous time she’d spent with Amar’s four. It was as though someone else had done it and she’d been watching. She’d succeeded in breaking their spirits but the attachment needed to survive the Testing couldn’t be taught. Amar’s son’s soul would never mesh with the others. It was more than that...She sensed Samid was meant to be Triad.

  Zach broke the lull in conversation by responding to her thoughts, “Maybe he is supposed to be Triad? I could definitely see it.”

  A crab tickled her foot and slowly made its way up her leg. Zach placed his hand in its path and it crawled onto his palm. It was bothering her. She’d been contemplating tearing its tiny legs off. He was so in tune with her, he was handling situations before they even happened now. She leaned forward to take another sip and they found the sanctity of their special place violated as the scenery flashed and they were back at the clean slate of the desert.

  Zach marched over to the others as he complained, “This better be good. We were having cocktails on the beach.”

  Astrid laughed, “We didn’t summon you. It must be time to go.”

  As Kayn looked at the group of partially immortal teens unable to make eye contact with her, she smiled. Her brutality would always be remembered by this group. If they survived the Testing, it would be appreciated. They weren’t going to survive... She recalled Lexy’s words...They rarely do.

  Astrid nudged her and whispered, “Do you want me to speak to Amar?”

  “I’ll do it,” Kayn coolly replied. It felt like she’d failed. He’d been looking for a miracle and she didn’t have one to give. The trio had a slim chance of survival but only without Amar’s son. Zach took her hand. He would always care for her even if she was certifiable from time to time. He didn’t have a choice but then again, neither did she. Without warning, their bodies lurched upwards. In an instant, they were in their strobing tombs plummeting out of control into oblivion. She recalled the last time this happened. Oh shit! She offed them too many times and killed the Healer operating the tombs, just as Lexy had while training them not so long ago. Kayn placed both palms flush on the lid above her as Lexy had, attempting to regain control of the rapidly descending, sickeningly spinning rose quartz tombs.

  Melody hollered through the steady whooshing sound, “I’m with you Kayn!”

  Kayn felt her life force draining into the rose quartz encasing her body as she willed the tomb to stop with every inch of her being. She sensed Melody, with each breath as though they were one entity struggling to control the uncontrollable. In her mind, she heard Melody’s voice whisper, ‘I’m done... I can’t.’ Light headed, nauseous and utterly exhausted, Kayn fought to keep her palms in place until the last ounce of her energy had been absorbed into the tomb encasing her. Her final thought was of Zach as the spinning slowed and the lights went out.

  Chapter 2

  Mortal Bonds

  KAYN GASPED AS SHE came to. It took her a few seconds to realise where she was. She called out, “Are you guys alright?”

  Zach’s irritated voice grumbled beside her, “Yes... Just frigging peachy. Now, let us out.”

  Kayn was giggling as she placed her palm in the print on the lid and it slowly ground open. As she began to climb out, Grey took her hand with undisguised disapproval on his face. When had they arrived? Lexy and Orin’s lifeless bodies were sprawled out on the marble flooring. She’d killed Lexy and Orin. Lexy was divine justice. Killing Orin too was just funny.

  “Feeling better?” Grey enquired as Kayn placed her hands on one of the tombs, starting a chain reaction. They opened and as the Ankh crawled out, Grey glared at Zach and scolded, “You quite obviously let this training exercise get a bit out of hand.”

  When Zach noticed the bodies on the floor, he started to giggle. “What was I supposed to do? She was completely psychotic.”

  The humorous commentary was interrupted as Lexy groaned from the floor, “Colour me impressed, you took out both of us.” She got up, stretched and cracked her neck. “I’ve got Orin if you’ve got Melody.”

  Whoops, Melody was still laying in one of the tombs. Kayn peeked into the open tombs she hadn’t travelled in and found Mel’s lifeless body. Her eyes were wide open staring into the unknown. She wasn’t certain she could do it this soon after resurrecting herself. Using other people’s abilities was still new. Kayn placed her hands against Melody’s che
st and willed the Healing ability to surface.

  Melody’s eyes fluttered open and she mumbled, “Hope that week-long murder spree was worth it.”

  “Just like going to the spa,” Kayn teased as she helped her up. She had to stifle her laughter as the new Ankh shimmied by her without speaking. She hadn’t made any friends in this group.

  Lexy wandered over and asked, “So, it went well?”

  Kayn slowly shook her head as she explained, “It was fun for me but this group isn’t attached to each other like we were and I don’t know why but I feel like Amar’s son is supposed to be Triad.”

  “He’s not going to be happy about that,” Orin declared as Lexy helped him up.

  “He has to know,” Astrid remarked as they strolled out of the room.

  Zach added, “He was probably hoping a few weeks being pursued by a Dragon would give his son a much-needed attitude adjustment.”

  “A few weeks isn’t long enough for that asshat. Maybe with more time and if lobotomies were legal” Melody quipped.

  “Is it even worth telling Amar this? That’s what we need to ask ourselves” Orin said.

  “I’ll speak to him,” Kayn volunteered as they made their way down the long marble passageway to their rooms. They parted ways at their doors without even bothering with pleasantries. As Kayn reached for her doorknob, she sensed someone inside. It was Frost, he was lounging on her bed eating grapes. Her heart soared. She’d needed him to be here tonight for various reasons. The number one reason being, the way he made her feel. Just the sight of him made her know with all certainty that her heart was still capable of experiencing joy. He was only a few feet away.

  Frost stood up, all sexy and shirtless as he flirtatiously welcomed her, “Hey stranger.”

  Kayn raced across the room, leapt into his welcoming arms and buried her face in the nape of his neck, inhaling his insanely intoxicating scent. He always smelled so incredible. Addictive...That’s what he was. He gathered her up in his embrace and spun her around, while nipping at her neck. It tickled. She laughed as he carried her over to the luxurious king-sized bed. “Time out!” Kayn giggled. “I was just coming back to the room for a quick breather. I told Orin I’d talk to Amar.”

  He tossed her onto the bed and crawled across the slippery satin sheets after her teasing, “But baby, I know you have some energy to burn off before the banquet.”

  She did and he was sexy as hell. Kayn placed the palm of her hand against his chest and asserted, “Hold this thought. I’ll be right back.”

  Frost rolled onto his back, groaned dramatically and teased, “That’s right...keep me waiting.”

  For a second Kayn contemplated Orin’s, is it worth telling him statement. She reluctantly got up, glanced back and admitted, “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “I bet you are,” he naughtily teased as he stretched out on her bed.

  She just needed to keep her head on straight for a few more minutes. Kayn escaped from the room and hurried down the hall into the large foyer. It took her all of five seconds to track down Amar. Her host greeted her kindly but she was certain the situation was as she’d expected. His woeful expression revealed his hand. Her unsinkable soul began taking on water as she met Amar’s melancholy look with one of resolve as she spoke, “You already know what I’m going to say, don’t you?”

  “I do, but I was hoping there was a deal to be made,” Amar responded as he tried to appear unaffected by grief. He tore a section of stem from a cluster of grapes on a platter before him and politely gave it to her.

  Kayn took his offering, suspecting she knew where he was going with the conversation. She asserted, “It’s not my place to make a deal with you.”

  Amar moved in closer as he whispered, “Seth is your father. You are Azariah’s niece. You are the only person that can’t be entombed for making it.”

  Don’t say it. Do not say it. Kayn slowly shook her head as she explained, “I have no relationship at all with my father. Nothing.”

  “But you could,” Amar implored. “I need my son to have more time. If he’s on your continent at the time of our continent’s Testing, he becomes yours.”

  They didn’t want him. “Listen... for lack of a better way to say this, I’m just going to spit it out. Samid isn’t compatible with Ankh on any continent. A few more years won’t change that. Maybe if he goes with Tiberius?”

  “Not Triad,” Amar pleaded. “If I must give him up, I want it to be to friends. People I know will care for him.”

  “You know I can’t agree to this,” Kayn countered. “You need to speak to Markus or Frost. You’re basically asking us to sacrifice the next group that goes into the Testing. If we try to place him with who we already have there’s just no way they’ll be able to have a bond strong enough too make it out. He’s more than a little difficult to deal with and he’s not compatible.”

  “People change, under the right circumstances with the proper guidance,” Amar rebutted.

  “No. They don’t...Not really.” Kayn stated as Triad strolled in with ironic timing. As her eyes met with Kevin’s, she realised her argument was invalid. Kevin had become a different person under Triad’s guidance. Even though she was actively trying to shut her reaction to his presence down, it tugged at her soul.

  Tiberius shook hands with Amar as he purposely irked her by saying, “Have you met my grandson Kevin?”

  Amar shook Kevin’s hand and teased, “I heard they let your grandfather breed. I’m impressed.”

  Tiberius winked at Kayn as he snatched the rest of Amar’s grapes off his tray and sparred, “It’s a dangerous thing messing with perfection. We have a lot of catching up to do. Drink later?”

  “Looking forward to it,” Amar answered as Triad’s group walked away.

  Kevin turned, looked directly at her and mouthed the words, “We need to talk.”

  Kayn nodded as she appreciatively watched his rear-view leave. This was going to be awkward. Seeing him brought her back to the carefree girl that laid in fields watching bumble bees. For a moment, she recalled the games they used to play as children and the way he made her feel as they became something more. Their run-ins had been few and far between but the last one had left her feeling like their friendship was salvageable. They’d recently had the opportunity to tie up loose ends by saying what they needed to say to each other. She’d only been there as a distraction while Astrid and Haley stole someone from Triad but it had turned into so much more. She steered her thoughts back to Frost and shoved the sentimentality of who Kevin had been to her away. He’s your enemy. He’s Triad. You can’t be friends... Not really.

  Amar whispered, “I’ll speak to Markus and Frost. Please, don’t stand in my way.”

  She snapped back to reality. That much she could give him. “I won’t,” she promised as Amar took off after Triad. Her ex and her boyfriend at the same event. What could possibly go wrong? Kayn remained there, knowing she needed a moment before she went back to the room. How long had it been since their Testing, four or five months? She wasn’t even sure. The last six months had sped by in a blur of violence and mediocre life choices. Well, all but one of those choices...Frost.

  Melody’s voice interrupted her thoughts, “I just saw Triad, they’re already here.”

  “I guess Kevin needs to speak to me about something,” Kayn replied as they began to stroll down the hallway together.

  “So, Trinity will probably be here for the festivities too,” Mel determined as they reached Kayn’s door.

  Meaning Thorne. Melody also had rather heavy baggage. Kayn turned, looked at her friend and whispered, “You’ve got this.”

  “You too,” Mel answered. As they embraced, she whispered in Kayn’s ear, “Don’t concentrate on what you’ve lost. Think about what you’ve gained. He’s in there, isn’t he?”

  Kayn grinned as she replied, “Of course he is.” Frost was in that room waiting for her and being with him made her deliriously happy. Why was she complicating her afterl
ife by allowing any part of herself to continue dwelling in the past? She needed to keep Kevin’s role as her adversary straight in her head. Diluting her anger towards him by having that chat in Alaska had messed with her resolve.

  Mel grinned as she let her go. As she wandered away she called out, “Stop overthinking it!”

  That was going to be easier said than done. Kayn took a deep breath as she opened the door. Her heart swelled as she saw Frost. He’d fallen asleep, waiting for her to return. She climbed into bed next to him fully intending to just watch him sleep. A smile crept across his face and she realised he was only pretending.

  He playfully towed her on top of him and teased, “Do you ladies have some drama going on?”

  Kayn straddled him with her flowing lavender dress hiked up around her hips as she countered, “No more than usual.” There was a pause in their conversation as they gazed into each others’ eyes. She confessed, “I was afraid they were going to randomly split us up again.”

  “They will...You still need to work on that pesky bond with your Handler. I’m just glad they’re giving us time together now,” Frost replied as he bit his lip. While aggressively clutching her hips with both hands, he professed, “You look insanely beautiful in that dress. Leave it on.”

  She felt his excitement and her ability to think logically disintegrated. Kayn gave him an adoring peck on the lips. As their lips parted, she whispered, “How much time do we have?”

  Frost slid his fingers through her curls until his palm cupped the back of her head. He aggressively pulled her lips towards his as he promised, “More than enough.”

  Their lips met breathlessly in a seductive dance as he slid his other hand between her thighs. She whimpered with pleasure as the feverish pace of his fingers made her cry out. Frost chuckled as he aggressively flipped her, pinned her to the mattress and enticingly whispered, “We could just stay here all night. I’m sure Amar would understand.”