by Lisa E Parry
“Oliver …”
“You can’t do anything, Mel,” he cut in and gestured to himself. “This can’t be undone.” He pushed his blond hair back with both hands then looked longingly at Warwick. “Even if it’s only for a few minutes, he can get back a heartbeat, taste, smell, touch …” He tucked a strand of flyaway hair behind my ear. “I appreciate you doing this for me.” He took my hand. “But look at you - you’re exhausted already.” He let go and for the first time since meeting him at Tavistock, I saw that same sorrow clouding those crystal blue eyes. I couldn’t bear it. My mind failed to scramble together consoling words - but what could I say? The worst had already befallen him - the one thing we all inexplicably feared - death.
He turned towards the forest. “Just give me a little time,” he said softly, his shape already dissolving into the shadows. I took a step towards the tall trees, but ceased my progress. He wants to be alone.
“Death is hard to accept.” Adhelm had approached me unawares.
I turned to face him. “Is there anything you can do? That anyone can do?”
“No,” he said, his white eyebrows furrowed together. “How did he die?”
I stared at him and inwardly fell into a black abyss of remorse. “I don’t know. I’ve never asked.”
“Perhaps it is time that you did.” He gave me a friendly smile, then turned away. I watched him walk off, heavy cloak swirling around him and staff in hand. I drew in a shuddering breath and bit my lip. Yes, I had been afraid to ask Oliver about his demise - and afraid of the answer.
“We’re almost there!” the king bellowed back – he was ahead of our group. Apprehension flooded through me as images of impossible cliff-faces plagued my mind. Against Aidan’s better judgement, we had collectively decided to find a way to scale the well-known bluff. Time was against us.
Finally, the precipice came into view. Luscious, thick green grass carpeted the earth right to the edge. I sucked in a breath at the scenery. It had taken us a day’s ride to get there and the sky on the horizon was now stained a fierce red, fading to pink and gold above us. Beyond the cliff spread flat open plains with occasional rocky outcrops - easy to navigate, yet nowhere to hide or shelter.
We dismounted and dubiously approached the ledge to peer down at what could only be described as an impossible descent. The cliff was harsh, rocky and impassable. The best course of action would be to abseil or parachute down, but of course we did not possess that equipment. Even worse, there was no sign of Etheldreda’s camp. My stomach dropped. Are we too late? “Shit!” I yelled, my voice mockingly echoed back at me. All eyes fell on me, including Cheri’s admonishing glare.
“Okay, let’s settle down and devise a course of action.” Aidan brushed an exasperated hand through his golden hair, annoyingly reminding me of Dorian, who had the same habit. They could’ve been brothers. He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder before retracing his steps to the horses.
Anger swelled within me and stirred magic into awakening. I quickly released it as heat into the air so I didn’t combust - a trick Adhelm had taught me. Drawing in a deep, steadying breath, I shut my eyes then opened them on exhaling. I noticed an odd V-shape of what looked like ants speeding towards us, and squinted towards the burning horizon. The low sun made the figures look larger as their hurrying shadows stretched out before them. Something niggled the back of my mind, reawakening hope. Could it be Dorian?
“What’s that?” I asked aloud and indicated the party rushing towards us. With a heavy heart I already knew the answer. Cheri caught the change in me. Warwick stood beside me and swayed a little - testament as to how famished he had become. I steadied him with a hand while the others crowded the ominous ledge.
“I’ll check,” Oliver assured us and disappeared. As we’d journeyed, he had been quiet and withdrawn. I had stewed over approaching the subject of his death, but no opportunity has presented itself. On returning, he delivered terrible news. “It’s Dorian, with those mutilated animals in pursuit - ten of them to be exact. He must have escaped.” Oliver looked confused. “I don’t even know how he could have …”
“NO!” I breathed in denial. My treacherous gut twisted with fear as I squinted at the chase. He couldn’t possibly be in such a perilous situation. He just couldn’t - I needed him. I was too far away - too incapable of aiding his escape. How long had he been pushing that horse? Those beasts would eat him alive, and I would have to watch as I failed the person who meant the most to me.
“We can’t do anything from up here. I don’t know how he can outrun all ten of them and then fight.” Aidan’s voice rose. Tension rippled through our group like a shockwave. Faces turned worried, bodies tense.
“There must be something! I can’t just sit here and watch them tear him apart!” I yelled, and my heart began to thud hard in my chest. I gushed at Adhelm, “Surely you can do something?”
Adhelm pointed his staff at the figures and hope rose up in me until he put his staff up again. “It’s too dangerous, I may hit Dorian. He is too far away.”
I paced, hoping to high heaven that one of those dark, dastardly spells would surface from the black corner of my mind I had suppressed them to. None came. Stomping furiously on the floor, I clutched at my sullied dress. Don’t panic, don’t panic. It was an impossible task though, as I felt panic through the bond Dorian and I shared. He knew the potentially fatal position he was in, his temporary mental barriers shattered. I stared back at the chase to find those abominations hot his heels, practically snapping at his feet, his horse flagging.
An unearthly growl emanated from my throat and then it hit me. I knew what I had to do.
My eyes scanned the horizon now aflame with the setting sun. “Dargon, are you there?” I was trying desperately to search with my mind when a powerful one fell heavily over mine.
“I see what you intend to do.” He was answering my thoughts. “I shall lend you a guiding hand.” With a whimper, I sent gratitude to Dargon so powerful that I almost cried with relief.
And so it began. Bracing my feet on the thick grass as it tickled my ankles, I grounded myself. After finding my centre of calm and clarity, I sucked in power and energy from everything around me, even the grass arced towards me. To do what I had planned, I needed more power, so I tore down a barrier in order to let more gush in - a raging torrent now. Inwardly, I spiralled down into a black hole, filling it with light and life until I felt I was bursting at the seams. So dangerous: I danced upon a knife’s edge. He’s so close, I can’t lose him ...
I turned and slowly walked away from the edge of the cliff. The air rippled around me as I fought to control the flood within. “Good gracious,” I heard someone exclaim. I schooled my expression into neutrality. Don’t be afraid, you can do this. Outwardly calm, I shrugged my cloak off and it dropped to the floor. The cold threatened to bite at me. I will do this for our future. A future I would fight for until my last breath. Two more steps back and steam began to rise from my clothes. For us, I will not fail. Dorian …
A glorious red and gold phoenix presented itself in my mind’s eye - a quick, cunning and fearsome creature. I threw all my might into transforming into that shape. I pictured its feathers in red, gold and yellow with an ethereal shimmer of blue, its black beak matching smouldering coals of eyes. I was ready ...
My body began to shift. With no time to lose, I ran towards the precipice with enhanced speed after a burst of power - the shockwave flattening the grass behind me.
“Melissa, no!” I heard several people shout. Some ran towards me, Warwick the closest - but Dargon buffered them away. It felt like slow motion as it transpired. My hands exploded into red-hot flames and then the bottom of my hair lit up like boiling tendrils of fire, trailing behind me. No green fire this time, only red and yellow to match the fierce sunset I ran towards. My hands disappeared and transformed into feathers, my eyesight became razor sharp - I could see Dorian’s face. Feathers shimmered all over me in a blinding ripple when I finally hurl
ed myself off the cliff as though diving into a pool. Arms spread wide I rolled in the air and with another burst of energy from Dargon, I unfurled as a fearsome phoenix, tail feathers aflame, screeching my success.
This body! - so full of life, energy and power. I felt like I could do anything. My strong wings beat hard as they powered through twisting turbulence in the air. Streaking away from the cliff and over the meadow I felt elated and free. The feeling was truly euphoric, and I screeched again with exhilaration, the countryside now blurring into streaks of green and brown.
I cunningly angled my wings behind me and dive-bombed towards the creatures on Dorian’s tail. I ate up the distance between us with frightening speed. Incinerating the beasts was task number one. I acknowledged Dorian’s look of shock when he caught sight of a burning phoenix threatening to collide with him. I screeched a third time in warning and he ducked as I soared overhead. Fire would be the best way to end the pitiful lives of those chasing their prey. It would be quick.
Thankfully, Dorian was still a little ahead of them. A line of fire erupted across their path. With their momentum, they couldn’t stop in time and skidded into the flames. I landed awkwardly within the blaze and fireballed every single one from my beak.
As they burned, they returned to their natural human forms. I looked upon them with a heavy heart. It wasn’t their fault they had been mutilated. It made me sick to my stomach that someone would do that to humans. Under Henrik’s orders, I had done it to animals and had vomited when the deed was done. I left the flames there to burn. At least they would return to the ground as humans.
My power fading, I morphed back into my own human form and awkwardly staggered out of the wall of flames. I struggled to remember how to use my legs. My eyes finally fell upon Dorian sitting atop his exhausted horse. When he caught sight of me, his usual stony expression disappeared to reveal one of wonder and surprise. The fire ebbed out of my hair and dripped from my fingertips to the floor leaving tiny pools of blazing grass in my wake. I raised my hands to him and stumbled. So near…
He fluidly dismounted and ran for me. He looked tired and drawn, but still beautiful: his hair how I remembered it, those stone coloured eyes fixed on me and those powerful legs making long strides towards me. I had nothing left. Just as he reached me, I fell. He expertly caught me on the way down. Finally, I was back in his arms. How could he leave me? I touched the angles of his face and realized he must have shaved at some point. It felt so good to be back in his arms, sheltered and safe. I sighed. Home.
On our knees, he studiously checked me over for injuries. “Are you hurt? God, you’re boiling!”
My skin still burned from the flames inside me. I should douse them, but exhaustion swept over me. I would gradually cool off. “No, just drained,” I panted then ran a hand through his long dark hair.
“Why did you do that?” he asked desperately. “You could have killed yourself.” His muscles bunched underneath me as he took my weight and I sagged against him.
“I would die for you. I can’t live in this world, or any world for that matter, without you in it. I just couldn’t.” I echoed his own words. He pulled me into an all-consuming kiss and I wrapped my arms around his neck to return it with as much enthusiasm until the world spun. We sank to the floor and held each other catching our breath.
“Why a phoenix? Was it because of my tattoo?” he asked softly against my ear. I stilled and the image of a phoenix in mid-flight inked onto his shoulder blade came back to me.
“Oh God, I hadn’t even realised. It just popped into my head,” I said with surprise.
I heard him chuckle softly - a wonderfully rich sound. “All those years ago … I was waiting for you even then.” My head fell back, and exhaustion claimed me.
I awoke to muted voices in conversation: Dorian’s and Dargon’s. I sat bolt upright, then groaned as spots burst into my vision. They cleared to reveal the night had drawn in to blanket us in darkness. Alien constellations peppered the sky, and the moon, almost full, lit up the vast plain surrounding us in an eerie, iridescent light. If my calculations were correct then Anarch would be calling for me in three days. I shoved that thought aside.
Dargon’s golden orbs immediately found me, followed by Dorian’s grey - gold and silver in the moonlight. Dorian sat atop a rocky outcrop in order to be at eye level with the large, magnificent beast. What a sight. My warrior, his dark hair catching the wind - chainmail winking as it caught the moonlight’s rays - his sword at his side as he perched next to a mighty red dragon. Half circle scales shimmered all colours of the rainbow when the white light caught him at a certain angle. He looked positively ethereal. I didn’t think I’d ever get that picture out of my head - camera be damned.
I heard a rumble of laughter in my head. “You appreciate us,” Dargon shrewdly observed, killing me with embarrassment. No doubt they both saw the reflected image in my mind. “You are well?”
I tentatively stood. If anything, my muscles were a bit stiff. But I had cooled off; my skin no longer burned. I was not in danger of burning out. Strangely though, I felt … empty. “I’m okay,” I muttered. My stomach audibly growled, raising Dorian’s eyebrow. “I am starving though. Jeez, I could eat a horse.”
“Truly?” Dargon asked perplexed, then eyed Dorian’s mount to the left.
I held back a smile. “It’s a joke. I’m just really hungry.” The dragon turned its head to the foot of the large stones Dorian sat upon.
“That is why I brought you food.” He leaned down and nuzzled what I thought to be a brown mound. It was actually a dead deer. Normally, in my world, I wouldn’t eat deer, but having had a steady diet of it - obviously with no choice in this world - I had come to appreciate it. I stepped closer to the dragon and shyly touched his head. His massive golden eyes closed, so I fussed with the scaly ridges above his eyes.
“Thank you. You’re a life saver - in more ways than one.” I looked up at Dorian to find he looked slightly mortified. An image of me fussing over the dragon popped into my head. Having been without our connection for the past four days, it made me flinch, and then finally I laughed out loud.
Dargon straightened up and looked at the two of us, “Don’t you think you belong here? You are home?” The questions caught me off guard and the more I dwelled on the image from Dorian’s mind, the more I agreed with Dargon. I shook myself out of that mind set. This place wasn’t my home. Maybe it was centuries ago, but not now. I heard a discontented sigh from the dragon.
“I’ll get to work on the deer,” Dorian said to break the silence and hopped down from the rocks above. He landed heavily, planted a kiss on my head then began cutting up the deer. I grimaced and turned away, searching for a subject to take my mind off the animal being torn apart. Dargon watched me curiously.
“Um, how are the others faring? Do you know if they are coming to us?”
“Dargon pointed out a route that will not take days and allow the horses to descend,” Dorian answered. I searched the cliff top and saw glowing yellow lights somewhere to the right of the main bluff.
“Oh, thank you,” I said again to Dargon and he inclined his head to me. I let my eyes rove over the beast, taking in all his beauty. Adhelm had told me that Dargon had been known to transform into a human. However, he’d also claimed that he was so breath-taking that people would do anything for him. If he looked as good in human as he did in dragon form, then he would definitely be fiercely handsome.
“Perhaps I will show you one day.”
I smiled at him, “Wow, I’m not sure I could handle it, judging by what I’ve heard.” His reply was a warm rumble of laughter.
Dorian spoke up, “You will need to rest until the others get here. No magic, okay?” I rolled my eyes in response.
“Sure,” I replied half-heartedly, and he gave me a stern look in return. I bobbed my tongue out when he turned his back.
“You are now a changeling, Melissa. There are a few things you need to be aware of with this power.”
Both Dorian and I turned to the dragon. “Do not remain in another form for too long. Depending on how powerful you are, you may not be able to turn back. You would start to think like the creature you have become and lose your human mind.” I gulped and felt my stomach twist at the thought of it. Dargon continued, “Any injury you acquire whilst in another form will carry over to your human body. Something that could heal on another animal may not heal on you.”
The dragon squinted and then opened his eyes properly again, “For example, your vampire friend turned into a human. If his body was injured he could turn back into a vampire and a mortal wound would heal instantly. If you are a human changing into a vampire then a stab to the heart would carry to your human body and you would die.”
“Oh, okay I get it.”
“Warwick did what?” Dorian asked with outrage.
“I know, crazy isn’t it?”
We fell silent with the weight of Dargon’s words hanging over us. He lit our makeshift fire before he left, so I didn’t have to. I was sad to see him go, but I had enough confidence now to embrace his large head before he departed. I also thanked him for helping me transform. Then I turned on Dorian.
“Why the hell did you think it would be a good idea to leave me?” I said in a dangerously low voice as I closed the gap between us.
“I’m sorry.” I barely heard it.
“That’s it? You’re sorry? Sorry isn’t good enough.” I placed my hands on my hips and tried to rein in my anger.
“I had to try. I can’t let him take you away from me. You are all I have.” Dammit, that started to crack my resolve, but he was still far from forgiven.
“In this world you are my warrior, Dorian! You have been charged to keep me safe and the only way you can do that is to stand by my side at all times! How do I know you won’t leave me again?”