by J. D. Monroe
“Have what?”
With a smile, Tellana gestured to the back of the room. Malek had Alyssa on his shoulders while half a dozen Kadirai fanned around them. Alyssa was aglow with happiness like Chloe hadn’t seen her in months. “A family. I’m not trying to force you and Taegan together if that’s not what you want. But there are a lot of good people around here that would love to know you. We have a saying—it doesn’t translate too well—we say every voice makes the song sweeter. You’ll be better with us, and we’ll be better with you.”
Tears stung at her eyes, but she held her breath for a moment to suppress the rising emotion. “Okay,” she said. “I’ll think about it.”
“I guess that’s all I can ask for,” Tellana replied. She surveyed the lunchroom. It was odd to watch her in such mundane surroundings, knowing a green-scaled dragon lurked beneath her bronzed skin. “You need anything else?”
“I’ve got it from here,” Chloe said. “Thanks for the help.”
She nodded. “We’re taking her out for dinner and ice cream now. You’re welcome to join if you want.”
Chloe shook her head. “I’ll pass, but thanks.”
Tellana frowned and pulled her phone out of her pocket. Her dark-painted lips curved in a smile. “My brother wants to know how much money you earned.”
Chloe shook her head. “He lost the bet. Eight hundred and thirty-three dollars, if he’s curious.”
“Good to know,” Tellana said. After typing a reply, she tucked her phone away. “Just think about what I said. Life doesn’t have to be lonely.” She smiled, though sadness still darkened her expression. “It was good to see you, Chloe. Happy holidays.”
She watched silently as Tellana rejoined her companions and immediately lit up. Alyssa craned her neck and waved to Chloe. She waved back, watching as the entourage walked out of the lunchroom, headed for the parking lot.
There was a part of her that wanted so badly to chase after them. What waited at home? Just an empty house and a stack of papers that needed to be graded. She’d go running in the morning, like every Saturday. She’d grown accustomed to her routine, and until Taegan had come along and disrupted it, she’d been okay with it.
And then he’d showed her the world she’d missed. If she’d follow them and take the offered hand, she would be seen and embraced. She could fly under an endless sky, free and whole in a way she’d never realized was possible.
With him.
But she couldn’t get her legs to move. Clenching her jaw, she held back tears and hauled the coolers outside to dump the ice on the grass. When she came back inside, Maura was jogging her way from the ticket table. She held a piece of paper high in the air, like she’d found the last golden ticket. “Chloe!” She looked frantic.
“What’s wrong?”
“Someone left a donation,” Maura said. “They left a thousand dollars in cash. Look at this!” Maura thrust it toward her.
With her heart pounding, Chloe took the paper. Someone had folded a program neatly to create an envelope. Ten crisp, hundred-dollar bills were tucked inside. In a neat scrawl, someone had written: For the future. Please invest in the library and music programs.
“Holy shit,” Chloe breathed.
Maura grabbed it from her. “Who would leave that kind of money? I mean, I’m not complaining, but holy shit.”
Oh, she knew exactly who. “I don’t know, but that’s incredible. We pulled over eight hundred bucks at the concession stand, too.”
“They should let us run everything,” Maura said.
“Shut your mouth,” Chloe said. “Say that loud enough and we will.” They laughed and headed for the office to store the cash in the bookkeeper’s office. While she waited for Maura to lock up, Chloe’s phone buzzed. It came as no shock that it was a text from Tellana.
Tellana: Malek says to tell you that you lost, and you better pay up. I don’t know what he means, but he’s very insistent. And very pleased with himself.
The text was followed by a picture of Malek grinning from ear to ear, pantomiming a phone to his ear with one hand and pointing to the camera with the other. His message was crystal clear.
She shook her head. These people were ridiculous.
“Are you walking out now?” Maura asked.
“Yeah,” Chloe said.
“Maybe Sherry will give us a cut for our classrooms,” Maura mused, as they walked out into the wintry night. “I mean, we practically organized the whole thing. It’s only fair.”
“Yeah,” Chloe murmured.
“You okay?” Maura asked. “You seem distracted. Does it have anything to do with Hottie McTightjeans that helped at the concession stand? Are you already moving on?”
“No. Not exactly.” She folded her arms, watching as Maura tossed her tote bag into the trunk of her car. “What’s your opinion on second chances?”
“Depends on what it’s for,” Maura said. “Is this about Taegan?”
“Yeah,” Chloe said. “Things escalated pretty fast, and I think I may have overreacted. Or maybe I didn’t, but the situation isn’t what I thought it was.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“No,” she blurted. “God, no. He was…really nice, actually.”
“Does this thing that happened fundamentally define who he is?” Maura asked. “If he’s a liar or a jerk, then that’s a deal breaker, obviously. But if not…” She shrugged. “People make mistakes. I do, you do. That’s part of life. And if you can’t forgive, you’ll always be lonely. Not that you’re—you know what I mean.”
“I know,” she said. She shrugged. “You’re not wrong. I am lonely.”
Maura smiled. “If you really liked him, then you should talk to him. Considering you skipped the Townsend Gluttony Extravaganza to spend Thanksgiving with him, I assume things were going well. If you think it can be salvaged, give it a shot.”
She laughed. “Yeah. Okay, thank you.”
“Did I actually help? Or are you doing the thing where you nod and smile and ultimately ignore everything I said?”
“You did,” Chloe said. “Seriously.”
Maura smiled. “Call me if you need moral support.”
“Thank you,” she said. “You’re the best.”
“You say that like I don’t know it,” Maura said. She waved as she climbed into her car and cranked up the music. After watching her drive off, Chloe sat in her own car, fiddling with her phone.
With a deep breath, she started to compose a text to Taegan. After ten minutes of typing and deleting, she shook her head and simply called. He picked up after the second ring, and there was a pause before he said tentatively, “Hello?”
God, it was good to hear his voice. “Hey, it’s Chloe,” she said. “I…I guess you know that. Caller ID and all that. I saw Tellana and Malek tonight.”
A long pause. “I didn’t tell them to go. They were there for—”
“For Alyssa,” she said. “I know. It was really nice to see them. Honestly, I was kind of hoping you’d show up, too, but I get why you didn’t.” She hesitated. “I’m sorry. I haven’t dealt with this well. Do you still want to talk to me? I understand if not, but—”
“Yes. Please,” he blurted. She nearly wept with relief. “But I have a strange proposition for you. What are you doing tomorrow afternoon?”
Chloe thought her heart would beat out of her chest as she walked into the Buona Bean, where she’d met Taegan for their interrupted coffee date. He sat at the corner table, talking quietly to an attractive older woman. She frowned as she approached. Was this another stern matriarch, demanding her loyalty?
Taegan stood, but he didn’t move to embrace her. His expression was neutral, sending a chill down her spine. “Chloe, I want you to meet Professor Shezara Al-Dunin,” he said.
The older woman nodded politely. Her slender fingers were clasped around a large, white mug. Her eyes were so pale blue they were almost silver, giving her an otherworldly gaze.
“Shezara teaches English to d
ragons who come from Ascavar.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Chloe said. She glanced at Taegan. “I’m confused.”
“I know,” he said. “I wanted you to meet her. And then we can talk, okay?”
Chloe gave a slow nod. An iced coffee sat in front of the empty seat across from Shezara. A faint smile quirked her lips. “Did you order for me?”
“Is it correct?” he asked. “It’s what you got last time.”
“Yes. Thank you,” she said. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude, Professor Al-Dunin.”
“It’s quite all right,” she said. After sipping from her cup, she smiled. “Please call me Shezara.”
Taegan pushed a file folder toward Chloe. She recognized the red folder and the creased corner as the one she’d tossed at him. “This is all the information I found on you. I researched you because I wanted to know how you grew up to be an adult without knowing you were a dragon. I’d like to tell you what I found, if that’s okay. Do you want to know?”
“Yes,” Chloe said, watching him warily.
He opened the folder for her. “First, I found your mother, Sofia Drake. Her real name wasn’t Sofia Drake, though. She picked that name for her papers when she got here in 1981. She originally came here from Ascavar, which is where all dragons originally come from. Her name was Ferra Sunbringer, which means she came from the Sunbringer clan. And that’s where my history gets a little hairy.” His eyes flitted to Shezara.
The older woman nodded, saying, “The Sunbringers are one of a dozen or so clans that loosely gathered under the title of the Sunflight, ruled by Queen Isaressa until the Great War. The war changed all of Ascavar. Many dragons left Ascavar to come here, tired of the war and bloodshed. Mr. Asharin here is descended from those dragons, who called themselves Exiles. As am I.”
He nodded. “My grandmother was an Exile,” he said. “She came from the Ironflight lands.”
“Others have trickled into this world over the years. Your mother was one of them. The Sunbringers had only a brief respite from the war. The alliance that held the Sunflight together was tenuous, at best, and it fell apart in the aftermath. The clans turned on each other, all fighting to control the remaining wasteland,” Shezara said. “Ferra wanted a chance at a peaceful life. Her brothers and sisters had already been killed in the fighting, so she ran away. And she came here.”
Her jaw dropped. “How do you know all this? There can’t be records of this.”
“Because I taught her for several years,” Shezara said.
Chloe felt like she’d been punched in the gut. “You knew her?” Helen was the only person she’d met who knew her mother. With her gone, it was like her mother had never existed.
“Yes. She was wonderful. Very hard worker, and so generous with her time. After getting her papers in Asheville, she came to Las Vegas, where I was teaching at the Academy. She was so grateful to be here after all the chaos in Ascavar.” She hesitated, then opened a file of her own and slid a glossy picture toward her. “This was her with some of the other students.”
Chloe clapped her hands over her mouth. It was her mother, beautiful and vibrant. A small, stringed instrument that looked like a miniature harp lay in her lap. Chloe barely remembered her, but the sight of her with her mouth open in mid-laugh was unmistakable. “She was so pretty.”
“She was,” Shezara said. “She was also intelligent and so very kind. She had a remarkable voice and played several traditional instruments, so she taught music lessons here for Exiles.” Her eyes were sad, downturned. “I lost touch once she left the school. She thanked me for everything and told me she would keep in touch but she didn’t. I wish I had made more of an effort, but it’s easy to let life sweep you along.” Her pale eyes narrowed. “I’m sure I have some of her old work somewhere. I’m a bit of a hoarder when it comes to student work.”
Chloe laughed, though the mirth threatened to bubble over into tears. “I totally understand. I teach fourth grade, and I have boxes of projects I can’t bear to throw away.”
The older woman smiled. “I was actually on my way to Vegas to meet with some colleagues when Mr. Asharin caught me and asked me to meet with you. I didn’t have time to dig anything out, but once I’m back home, I would be happy to search for some of her work for you.”
Chloe nodded. “That would be amazing.” She glanced at Taegan, who’d been silent the whole time. His gaze was locked on her, a faint smile on his lips. She swallowed hard. “I…I don’t even know if I should ask this. Do you know if she was pregnant already when she left you?”
“I’m afraid I don’t,” Shezara said. “I could probably find some records of her classmates at the time if that’s something you’d like to pursue.”
She was silent for a moment. “Maybe later. This is a lot, and I’m not sure I really need to know.”
“I understand,” Shezara said. She glanced at Taegan. “I hope I’m not overstepping, but Mr. Asharin told me that you didn’t know about your heritage until recently. Among our people, our connection to our mother is vital. She’s the conduit through which the divine flows. It defines us. I’m sorry that you didn’t get to know her longer.” She gently squeezed Chloe’s hand. “Among our people, we would call you Chloe nefana Ferra. Chloe, whose mother is Ferra. You can be proud of her and what she left you, even if you didn’t get to know her very well.”
The words sounded like music on Shezara’s lips. Her eyes stung and she nodded. “Thank you for this.”
“It’s my pleasure,” Shezara said. “Let me tell you about the time she translated Madonna into Kadirai.”
The next hour melted away in a blur of laughter and tears as Shezara told her stories about her mother, mingled with other stories about teaching. Eventually, the older woman glanced at her watch and gathered her things to catch her flight to Las Vegas. After they watched her climb into an Uber, quiet reigned over the table.
“I hope that wasn’t too invasive,” Taegan said, staring down at his drink. The whipped cream had long melted into the light brown. “I’ll go if you want me to.”
“Don’t,” she said. She lifted her gaze to him. “Why did you go through the trouble? I’m sure it wasn’t cheap to get her a last minute flight here.”
He shrugged. “It’s just money. I wanted you to know where you came from.”
“But why? What’s in it for you?”
He frowned. “What do you mean? I wanted you to have answers.”
“No one’s that nice,” she said. “Not without wanting something.”
He reached out and grasped her hand lightly, stroking the skin with one large thumb. “Chloe, I’d love to prove you wrong.” He didn’t break her gaze. “I want you to be happy, and I thought you were. The way you looked after you flew.” He sighed. “When you were with me.”
“I was.”
“Knowing I could make you happy made me feel like I could do anything,” he said. “And I would do anything to make sure you stay that way. I didn’t mean to lie or to hide things from you. And I’m sorry. I should have asked you to help me. Please give me a second chance.”
Her laugh was sad. “I feel like I should be the one asking you for that. I mean, it’s still weird that you dug into my life. It made me question your motives.”
He nodded. “I get that now. And I really am sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m sorry I freaked out on you like I did. I should have let you explain,” she said. “I liked spending time with you and your weird, no-boundaries family.”
He laughed.
“Seeing Tellana and everyone at the concert last night made me realize that it’s real. It’s so different than anything I’ve ever experienced, and it’s vulnerable and weird, but it’s great.” Her chest tightened, and she had to take a moment to gain control over her voice.
“Well, we’re not perfect,” Taegan said. “Tellana’s great, but you’ll quickly find that your business is hers. Everyone’s business is hers. Malek is a cocky bastard. Izarin is ter
rifying when she wants to be. My mother is incredibly difficult to please, and well…I’m a mess.”
It was her turn to laugh.
He continued, “We’re all flawed. But when they said they wanted you to be a part of things, they meant it. I meant it. We’re all better with you. I’m better with you in my life.” He drew a deep breath for courage. “Will you give me a chance? Give us a chance?”
“I will.”
Then he smiled, and she felt like the sun had broken through the clouds. “Good,” he said. He hooked his foot under her chair and pulled her closer, leaning forward to graze her lips. “I missed this.”
“Me too,” she murmured. “What are you doing tonight?”
“I thought I might take this gorgeous redhead on a date,” he replied, sliding his hand up her thigh. A pleasant shiver ran through her. “What about you?”
“I was going to see if this old dude wanted to hang out. He’s pushing seventy, but he looks great for his age.”
He chuckled against her lips. “Well, I hope we both have a good night.”
“I’m sure we will.”
One Month Later
“Are you sure Hemsworth isn’t one of us?” Tellana asked.
Izarin raised an eyebrow over her glass of champagne.
“No way he’s entirely human. Not with that body,” Tellana said.
Chloe laughed. “Do your rules apply to Hollywood or only to sports?” It had taken several evenings out to relax, but she was finally at ease with the fierce, intelligent women of Taegan’s family. As soon as they’d arrived at the rooftop restaurant for the evening’s festivities, Tellana had shoved a glass in her hand and dragged her over to the table with Izarin and Nareta.
“Definitely not Hollywood,” Izarin said with a knowing smile. She tilted her head toward Tellana. “Hemsworth isn’t one of us, but one of his costars is.”
Tellana’s eyes widened. “Who?”
