Cat Out of the Bag
Page 17
“We will. And you can come visit us in the Imperial city as soon as we get settled.”
“I will, and I’ll introduce you to my friends, the Emperor and Empress,” I said.
“Sure you will, Mango. Sure you will,” Toby said, climbing onto the hover bike. Pepper climbed on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He turned on the engine, and they pulled away with one last glance at me. I waved goodbye as they disappeared down the bumpy road.
The other Sho’kin had been standing around, listening to our conversation. One of the elderly women who had been healed by my magic walked up to me and asked me if what I had said was true.
“It’s all true. The Empress gave Sho’kin Forest back to the Sho’kin. The Landlords are gone. We don’t have anything to worry about anymore. We are free, and we’re home.”
“Bless you, Mango. Bless you,” she said, taking my hand in hers.
“Bless you, too,” I said. “I’d better get back to Pappi, but let everybody know. This is our land, and it always will be.”
I jumped on my hover bike and headed home. I returned to find that he had prepared a stew of wild mushrooms, rabbit, wild greens, and vegetable broth. It was even better than the Imperial dinner I’d eaten at the palace because it came from Sho’kin Forest and had been cooked by my Pappi’s own hands.
As the days and weeks wore on, Pappi and I worked diligently to repair our house and mend our farm’s fences. Slowly, we built a herd of mushu and tended our patch of raspberries, vegetables, and melons. We even had a bed of catnip we kept on the down low. Everything was turning out just as I had hoped. It was better than I could have imagined.
One night, I sat on the porch with Pappi as the late-summer sun was setting over the mountains. He smoked a pipe of catnip, and I rested my feet up on the porch rail.
“It’s a beautiful evening, isn’t it, Mango?”
“It sure is.”
“You ever regret not going off to the big city with Toby and Pepper?
“Not even for a second.”
“I bet you’re craving more adventures, though, aren’t you?”
“Maybe. I can always go visit the summoners and see if anyone needs any help with anything. In the meantime, I’m happy to sit here with you and watch the sunset over the mountains for as long as I can.”
Pappi tapped out his pipe and headed to bed. I stayed on the porch, watching the last rays of sun disappear on the horizon. I let out a deep sigh, feeling so good that it was almost as if I were living a completely different life than the one I had before. I was about to stand up from my chair when a portal opened right in front of me. I startled, and my fur stood on end, but then I decided it was probably just Serious.
Harry, the rogue summoner, walked through the portal. I was stunned, irritated, and a little bit excited to see him again.
“What are you doing here?” I asked curiously.
“I came to warn you, Mango.” His voice was ominous.
“Warn me about what?”
“I’ve had suspicions about the League for a long time. I’m beginning to believe that it’s been infiltrated by a dark summoner.”
“What makes you think that?”
“I can’t say anymore right now, but I wanted to warn you first.”
“Why me?”
Harry walked forward and took my hand in his, looking deeply into my eyes.
“You are a Sho’kin dragon summoner, and that makes us like family.”
I pulled my hand away, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Harry tried to take Mythril from me, and we barely knew each other.
“Well, thank you,” I said, taking a step back.
“You need to understand what I’m trying to say.”
“You aren’t being very clear. Who exactly is this dark summoner?” He was being as exasperating as ever.
“I don’t know yet. And I can’t stay much longer. Just keep your eyes and ears open, okay? Promise me.”
“Why do you care so much?” I cocked my head, scrutinizing him.
“Since we met, I have investigated you. I know things about us, Mango. About the future. About the past. About other timelines and other dimensions.”
“Now you’re just being weird.” I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes.
“We dragon tamers can open portals, and not just to different worlds.” He inched closer, his voice becoming intense.
“But I thought you didn’t get the time dragon.”
“I have many other dragons and many other portals. I have to go. They’ll know I was here.”
“Who is they?”
“Stay safe, Mango. I am on your side.”
Harry stepped through his portal and disappeared into the void. The portal closed as if it had never been.
I shook my head, confused. Harry was a weird boy. Cute, but weird.
I got up and went inside. Pappi had already disappeared into his bedroom, and I climbed the stairs to go to my own. As I walked into my room and glanced out the window at the farm in the twilight, I felt a deep sense of satisfaction. When I lay down in bed, with the moonlight sparkling through the window pane, I felt as if all was right with the world.
Drifting into dreams, I heard To’tonya whisper in the back of my mind, “Something new is coming your way.”
When I woke the next morning, the memory of my dream wafted through my consciousness. I sat up with a start. Somewhere through the echoes of time and space, a new dragon was calling me.
About the Author
A. L. Fogerty the epic fantasy pen name of a USA Today bestselling paranormal romance author.
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Also by A.L. Fogerty
The Last Alpha Queen Trilogy
Rescue
Conquest
Triumph (coming soon!)
Mango Mew: Dragon Tamer
Cat Out Of The Bag