by Viola Grace
She didn’t need to touch the door, it swung open with the flexing of the deck boards. The interior of the cabin was blue. The rear of the roof had been ripped open like a giant hand descended. Snow had filtered in and was doing its job to paint everything blue. The blood that had been spilled was splattered across the walls. There was nothing of Donwell left. Well, nothing substantial.
She didn’t call out. If there was any part of him alive, he would have melted it by now.
She looked at the claw marks in the wood and tried to estimate the size of the beast, there were larger claws and smaller ones. This wasn’t a single creature.
“Shit.” When she spoke, she heard a rustling from nearby. She repeated her curse and got back to the dogs.
She didn’t say a word, and they didn’t need one. They took off through the woods as fast as they could manage, and she used her weight to turn them and aim for the meadow. She wanted to see what was coming for them.
Undulating shadows passed her and moved to cut her off. She looked at them and stared at the creatures, one large and one half the size. Moving and living shadow with claws and burning red eyes.
She took it all in, and then, she pushed the terror aside and let out two sharp whistles. Her dogs veered to the left, and she balanced on the one runner that remained touching the snow. The runner dug deep, and soil churned up as the dogs pulled her at a right angle from her previous trajectory.
The creatures didn’t make a sound, but they were after her across the meadow. The runners behind her shuddered as a clawed hand plowed through them. The sled cracked in protest, but Kabyl hung on, and the dogs kept running.
She didn’t look back; the sun was almost up. She was really hoping that the beasts were sensitive to bright light.
The next strike came as they were almost in the woods. Kabyl screamed, but she hung on. Her back was on fire.
She pulled a knife while desperately balancing. She let her senses tell her when it was coming, and she lashed out. A screech of agony echoed through the woods. She waited and did it again during the next attack. They were nearly to the main road to the town. If she could get there, the dogs could get her home. She was getting so weak.
The dogs took her to the road, but when they cornered, she lost her balance and fell to the ground. Kabyl looked around and slowly sat up, the sled was heading for home, and her fall had left a heavy trail of blood.
She rolled to her belly and pushed herself upward, a coldness spreading inside. She looked up and watched the beasts coming for her. Sorry, Dad. Looks I won’t make dinner today.
Something inside her was furious. Her hands spread out, and she held onto the snow, embraced the cold, and watched them come. She stared at them and roared.
She felt the cold rush up her throat and shriek out of her mouth. A blast of ice roared forward and struck the larger of the two. The arm froze in place, and it roared in complaint.
Another blast of sound and ice came from her throat, and the arm shattered.
Screaming and roaring, the creatures turned tail and fled the rising sun.
Kabyl watched the sunrise, and she muttered through a sore throat, “Couldn’t have shown up five minutes earlier? Bitch.”
She thought about standing, but it wasn’t going to happen. She began to crawl forward and occasionally let out short whistles.
Her dogs came to her, whining and worrying. She pulled herself onto the sled and whispered, “Take me home, guys.”
The dogs made a wide turn, churning up the frozen blood that she had left behind. They ran her back to the town, and when she passed the guard post, a bell began to chime. Her dogs took her home, and the town followed.
Chapter Three
“I don’t know how you managed to cauterize your wounds, but it probably saved your life,” Doc Weathering said casually, her voice wry.
Kabyl was sitting up in a chair while Doc covered the slices. Everyone else in town was out in the shop, waiting to hear the news.
Her mom looked at her, nodded, and went outside. “She’s been injured, she’s out of danger. When Mander knows what it was, he will let everyone know.”
Kabyl could hear the murmurs through the door, so she called out. “I am really fine, you know! But you can get your own flour for a week.”
There were relieved laughs, and the folks left.
Doc Weathering kept working. “I haven’t seen anyone survive marks like these before. It should have sliced right through your spine, but it didn’t. I haven’t seen this cauterization pattern before. What did you use?”
“Cold.”
The doctor paused and then nodded. “That would do it. How did you apply it?”
She swallowed and looked at her mom, who gave a small shake of her head. “I honestly have no idea. Maybe I hit a patch of black ice after the gouging.”
“This wasn’t a gouge; it was a slice. Four blades or claws cut through your back. If I didn’t know better, I would say it was dragon-sized.”
“Pretty sure that they weren’t dragons. Long and low. Very dark.”
“I was just joking about the dragons. Well, you need a lot of fluid, a lot of rest, and a lot of protein.” Doc Weathering closed her bag with a snap. “Try to sleep on your stomach for the next week until the scab is firmly in control. I will run cultures to make sure that there isn’t a bacterial infection.”
Kabyl nodded. “Sounds good, Doc.”
Her mom draped a loose shirt around her and helped her get her arms in. When the doctor was gone, her mother turned and whispered. “What the hell was that? Was it a dragon?”
“No, Mom. Not a dragon. I don’t know what it was, but I would call it a monster. It leaves nothing behind.” She looked at her mom and said, “I have a serious question to ask you.”
“Of course, baby. What do you want to know?”
“Who was my father? Before you say anything, I know that you were already carrying me when you met dad.” She smiled. “It’s fine. He and I are fine. All is good.”
She paused. “You know? How long have you known?”
“Since I was twelve. Now, who do you think my father is?”
Her mom blushed. “It was just a quick thing. I met him at one of my mother’s spring parties, and things happened. He left for a position at the capitol, and he refused to acknowledge any of my attempts to contact him. Then, I met your father, and he didn’t care. That was the kind of man I wanted to spend my life with. He wanted to be with me and wanted to be a father. It was pretty sexy.”
Kabyl groaned and covered her eyes. “That is a mental image I have to live with. So, what was my father?”
Her mother paused. “Oh. He was a dragon. A silver, I think. Why are you asking?”
She looked at her mother with as serious a face as she could manage. “Because, when I was defending myself, I roared and struck the larger of the two creatures with some kind of freezing blast. It broke one of their arms off. Somewhere in there, it froze my back to stop the bleeding. There was a coldness in me, and it came from my own body. I think that my bloodlines might have something to do with it.”
Morningwell frowned. “I should talk to your father about this. He might have some insight.”
Kabyl sighed. “I think I am going to make some coffee. I don’t want to rest until I talk to Dad.”
She used the chair for support as she stood and took a few steps toward the kettle. The floor rushed her, and things went white.
Her dad was at her side with a compress. “Wake up. You were supposed to make dinner, Kabyl.”
She sniffed, and the heavenly smell of fried steaks with potatoes had been overlaid with another scent. “Oh, no. Mom cooked.”
She pushed herself up to a kneeling position and faced her dad. He had her coat over his leg, and he raised his brow. “What the hell happened? I was panicked when I ran into your blood trail.”
She explained her morning, the traces of death in the cabin along with the missing roof. “His house was broken open like
a crate.”
“I have seen similar traces. Whatever it is has begun to circle in on the towns, picking off the outer villages.” He took her hand. “How badly were you hurt?”
She chuckled. “To be honest, I didn’t think I was going to survive arriving at the village, but something happened. Mom wanted to discuss it with you.”
He frowned. “What happened?”
“I filled up with cold. Icy, brittle cold. Apparently, it cauterized my wounds.” She looked at him and winced. “And...”
“What?”
“I also breathed a super-cold liquid that shattered the arm of the larger of the things. I mean, it took two tries, but it and its smaller friend went away.”
“Can you show me your back?”
“Doc Weathering put bandages over it, but sure.” She bundled the covers around her waist, turned her back, and lifted the shirt up from the bottom to expose the lower two wounds.
Mander touched the wound, and he asked, “Does it hurt?”
“No. There is an ache, like a bruise, but it doesn’t hurt.”
He nodded. “There is a reason for that. It has healed. It is a scar and a very new one, but there is no open wound left behind.”
She dropped her shirt back into position. “Really? How is that possible?”
He sighed. “It would be possible if you were a shifter, which you are not, but you have described the symptoms of the waking of a beast. I think we are going to have to talk to Doc Weathering again.”
“Why?” She turned and looked at him with a frown. “I don’t need the doc.”
“Yeah, you do. She can tell us if you are a dragon or not.” He patted her on the shoulder and smiled brightly. “Dinner is ready, and I am not doing this alone.”
She groaned. “That is just mean. I am recovering after all.”
Her mother sing-songed out from the kitchen, “I heard that. Now come and eat it.”
“I will just pull some more clothes on, and then, I will be right there.”
Her dad nodded and left her alone.
Kabyl twisted from side to side and thought to herself, Huh.
She got up, pulled on some drawstring trousers, put on some slippers, and headed to the dining table.
Her mother had an aura of challenge around her. “I gave you an extra portion because you are so weak.”
Kabyl winced and sat down. “Is it because I am weak and can’t run away?”
Her mother swatted her uninjured arm and plunked a large mug of the tea that they saved for colds and flu in front of her. The stuff tasted like industrial disinfectant.
Kabyl smiled, burned out her taste buds on the tea, and then, she dove into her meal with an active knife and fork. Her mother was surprised.
Kabyl murmured to her dad, “Have some of the tea.”
He frowned and made a face. His enhanced senses were on high alert.
She shrugged. “Suit yourself. Mom. This is great. Thanks. Just what I needed.”
He was chewing laboriously, and when she took a swig of the tea before eating frantically, he clued into her method. He took the tea and held it in his mouth for a moment before focusing on the meal. The rest of the meal was consumed in silence, and while it took some doing not to bite a numb tongue, with enough focus, it was possible.
She was done when her mother asked her father, “So, Mander, it seems that Kabyl knows about her heredity. Didn’t we promise to keep it to ourselves?”
Her father cleared his throat. “I did. She knew. Did you tell her that her father was one of the guards at the senate?”
Kabyl hoped that her stomach was going to be numbed as well. Her mother’s cooking was a double-edged sword. She sat and sipped at the tea as they bickered back and forth. Finally, her father sighed and said, “I think Kabyl is a dragon.”
Her mother went pale. “What?”
“Kabyl has all the signs of being a dragon. I am going to have Doc Weathering take a look at her. She would know.”
Her mother scowled. “Why would she know?”
Kabyl cleared her throat. “Because she is a dragon. She isn’t a powerful one, but she is one.”
Her dad nodded toward her. “Yeah. That.”
Kabyl was surprised when her mom announced, “I have to call my mother.”
In the last two decades, there had been an exchange of one letter per year.
Kabyl had to ask. “Why?”
Her father filled her in. “Because your grandmother is also a dragon. A pink quartz dragon if I do recall. She invited your biological father to the house, hoping that he would pick up Morningwell as a mistress. When she got pregnant and he wouldn’t formalize the alliance, your grandmother decided to destroy his career. She did a pretty good job. When Morry and I started courting, she grudgingly gave her blessing for the wedding on the stipulation that we leave and not return. Having one powerless female in the family was enough for her.”
A look at her mom’s unhappy features confirmed that statement. “That is really rather ignorant of her. She is soo not invited to the holidays.” Her mom cracked a smile.
“Seriously, Mom. I will confirm things with Doc Weathering, and if it is a dragon, I will have her wake up before we talk to my grandmother.” Kabyl smiled. “You can make the announcement to her then.”
Her mother smiled and reached out to squeeze one of her hands. “Thanks for being so calm about this.”
“You know me. Calm. Placid. Good-natured and a good shot.” She smiled brightly.
Her father called up the good doctor, and then, he went to put on some more socially acceptable tea for the incoming guest.
Her mother suddenly sniffled and began to cry. Her father walked over and held his wife while she sobbed.
Her mother flapped a hand toward her, and through her high-pitched and disjointed speech, she learned that her mother never wanted her to know.
Kabyl smiled. “Mom, your hair is red, Dad’s is black and mine borders on platinum blonde to white depending on the seasons. Also, my eyes are blue, yours are green and his are brown. We defy all of the standard patterns as a family. It just makes me love both of you all the more.”
Her mom sobbed harder, so she was pulled carefully into the group hug while her mom murmured how lucky she had gotten. It wasn’t the worst hug that Kabyl had ever been in.
They only broke their huddle when the knock on the door came. It was time to get serious. There might be a dragon in their midst.
Chapter Four
Doc Weathering came in with her bag and a frown on her face. “Kabyl, why are you hugging?”
“Doc, can you tell if I am a shifter?” She tried to keep it nice and vague.
The doctor put her bag on the table and looked at her. “You aren’t. You can’t be. Only one of your parents is a shifter.”
She nodded and said, “That is what we thought, but then, this happened.” She turned and pulled her shirt up.
The doctor’s hands were cold, but she went over the skin with an attention to detail. “This does seem to be shifter healing. What kind of manifestation did you have?”
“I roared out an icy fluid that shattered the arm of the attacking creature.”
The doctor’s hands stilled. “Roared?”
“Yeah. I felt cold from the core outward, and then, I screamed, and it came out a roar.” She turned to look at the doctor, who paused and stood straight. “So, I don’t think it’s a wolf.”
“No. Have a seat; I need to look into you.”
Kabyl took her chair, and Doc pulled one across from her. She literally stared at Kabyl until Kabyl felt something. “What did you do?”
Doc Weathering leaned back. “Shit. You are one of the called.”
“The what?”
“The new diamond dragon. She sent out a call to all dormant dragons. Female populations are rising. It looks like you have answered that call.”
Kabyl exhaled. “Can you tell me what kind I am?”
“No. You are cold, though. I don�
�t know much about dragons with that particular characteristic.” The doc sighed. “I guess my dragon is going to have to call yours out to find out.”
Kabyl was a little enthusiastic. “When can we try?”
“Now? The weather is mild, and you need to wear something that can shred. You aren’t going to be able to keep whatever you shift in.”
Kabyl’s mom, who had been standing there watching, sprinted to the bedroom and brought out an old sheet. “You can wear this, and it will shrug out of the way when you shift. Your dad used to do that when we were newlyweds.”
Kabyl snorted. “Before he started wandering out back naked at any time day or night. Ah, the magic of early romance.”
Her dad chuckled, but he didn’t say anything.
Kabyl excused herself and went to her room; she removed her clothes and draped the sheet over her. It was a fairly elegant solution, though it would get covered in snow.
Kabyl shuffled out of her bedroom wearing the sheet and her slippers. The doctor had stripped down until she was just wearing her shirt. As Kabyl watched, she silvered her skin.
“Right, let’s go and find out what kind of dragon you are.” The doctor was smiling slightly.
“What kind of dragon are you?”
“Pewter. Not powerful but prone to alchemy.”
“Oh. Right. Where can I find a list of what kind of dragons there are?”
“I will contact the dragon council once you are registered.”
She frowned. “I have to be registered?”
The doctor nodded. “Oh, yeah. They want to know where we all are at any given time.”
“Why?”
“Once we wake her up, you can tell me. Now, I will tell you that there is a lot of rumor about powerful dragons being needed to wake you. However, you are already awake. The diamond has done that, so you have the best awakening you could have. Your beast just needs to be eased into the world.”
“Eased?”
“Shown how to emerge. That is the trick. They are inside us all the time, watching and waiting, but it isn’t until they see another female shift that they understand how to do it.”