by Mandi Oyster
“I, uh, thought you could curl up in my arms again tonight.” He brushed my hair back and trailed his fingers down my face.
My body hummed in response. “Yeah, I thought we could test that theory, too.”
“Once we’re married”—his voice softened—“you’ll never have to worry about nightmares again.”
“That’d be nice.”
“Thought I’d lost you.” His hands slipped to my shoulders and down my arms. He wrapped them around my waist and pulled my body against his.
With my arms around his neck, I brought his mouth down on mine. He bit my bottom lip. I gasped and closed my eyes.
Draconian lay in front of me. My sword pierced his heart.
I opened my eyes. Cody’s hold on me had loosened. My hands were on his chest, pushing him away.
“What?” Cody’s face was a mask of confusion.
I lifted my hand to pull it through my hair, but it shook so bad that I stuck it under my armpit instead. “I … I can’t right now.” I turned away from him and grabbed my bathroom bag. “I need a shower.”
Cody beat me to the door. Holding it closed, he said, “Don’t shut me out.” He dropped his hand to the knob and pulled it open. “I’ll be here.”
Nodding, I hurried to the bathroom and into the shower. The water rushed over me, but no matter how many times I scrubbed my hands, they never felt clean.
d
Snuggled against Cody, sleep finally came. My dreams were not the peaceful ones I’d hoped for. Instead, they were filled with dragons, Draconian, and death.
Over and over again, I feel the sword slide between Draconian’s ribs, see the shock and pain flash across his face, watch as his eyes dim, and listen when Aurelia decapitates him to make sure his death is final.
The scent of blood fills my nostrils, and bile rises up my throat, coating my mouth with its foul taste.
I woke up, my face wet with tears and dry-heaved into the trashcan. Cody rubbed his hand up and down my back.
He held me while I sobbed. Dark circles surrounded his eyes, and lines etched his face.
Dan and Samantha had opted to stay in Dan’s room. For them, it was over. Life could go back to normal, but I didn’t know if mine ever would.
Lying on top of Cody with his arms wrapped around me, I felt safe and loved, but as soon as I closed my eyes, horror grabbed hold of me.
Cody, Samantha, and Dan dangle from dragons’ claws. Draconian tells Taipan to kill Cody.
Aurelia prowls toward me. Her head lowers. Death flashes through her eyes.
Draconian sneers at me. “You won’t use that.”
Once again, I plunge the sword through his heart.
I woke with a jolt. My heart hammered my chest, my breathing ragged.
Are you okay?
I stifled a scream when Aurelia’s voice echoed in my head.
I keep killing Draconian, I answered. I can’t turn it off.
A soft knock sounded at the door. I padded to it, looking out the peephole. Aurelia stood in the hallway in green satin pajamas. Not a hair was out of place.
I felt like a disaster in my t-shirt and athletic shorts. I tugged my hands through my hair, catching on several knots, and opened the door.
“Hey, Aurelia,” Cody said from the couch.
“Hello.” She focused on me. “I can help you sleep.”
“Without dreaming?” I asked as I closed the door.
“I could, however, dreams are a necessity. Without them, the mind cannot get past the terror.” She led me to the couch.
“What do I need to do?” I asked.
“Lie down, and do not resist me.”
Cody pulled me against him. I used his arm as a pillow.
I nodded at her. “Go ahead.”
Aurelia’s fingers pressed against my temples. Warmth and comfort flooded my body. My eyelids drooped, and sleep beckoned me closer.
Draconian sits against a tree. His robe is covered in blood. His wounds are horrific, but they’re healing.
A redhead stands above him. Sunlight glints off her sword. Prisms dance in the air.
A red dragon swoops at her, and she blasts it with lightning. The beast falls from the sky.
Draconian readies himself to throw a ball of fire at the girl, but she slams the sword through his heart. He slumps forward.
Aurelia takes the sword and turns the girl away. In one swift strike, she removes his head. Blood sprays from his neck. She drops the blade, takes hold of the girl, and disappears.
I watch from the trees. I see the dragons shake their heads as if waking from a deep sleep. They launch into the sky, flying away without a backward glance.
Chapter 42
Goodbyes
Tuesday, while the others were in class, I met with Aurelia. We sat in her room. With all the plants surrounding us, I felt like we were in a jungle.
“I am no longer needed here.” Aurelia’s expression dimmed for a moment.
“Oh.” I pulled on my lip with my teeth. “So you’re leaving?”
“Unless you need me.” She tilted her head. “Are you having nightmares?”
“No.” Heat rushed up my neck and onto my face.
“Are you sure?”
“Uh … yeah.” The last two nights, wrapped in Cody’s arms, my dreams had been filled with happiness and love. The nightmares held at bay by his embrace. “My dreams have been really good.” I shook my head. “You don’t think it’ll stay that way. Do you?”
“No.” She curled her legs on the couch. “The world always needs to be saved from something.”
I took a long breath—a breath that said everything I couldn’t. “I was afraid you’d say that.”
Aurelia looked uneasy for the first time since I’d met her. She shifted on the couch. “It may be years until you are needed, or it might be in a few months or a few days.”
I dropped my head into my hands. The room spun around me. “I can’t.” My stomach heaved. “I can’t kill again.”
“You will never be free from this obligation.” Sorrow flashed across her face. “You may never have to kill again, but now that you have captured Nefarious, freed fifteen dragons, and defeated Draconian, some magical beings may want to test their skills by challenging you. Until you are needed, you can live the life you want.”
I rubbed my hands over my face. “I’ll do what I can.”
“Arion and I will keep an eye on you.” She smiled. “When the time comes, we will decide if you need our help again or if you would be better served by someone else.”
“I hope it’s you.” My heart plummeted at the thought of not seeing her again. Looking into her gold eyes, I said, “I’m going to miss you guys. I can count all the real friends I’ve had on one hand, and you’re among them.”
“Thank you, Dacia. Arion and I feel the same way.” Her shoulders drooped. “Leaving is the hardest part for me.”
“There’s something else I’ve been wondering.” My stomach twisted at the thought of asking, but I needed to hear her answer.
“You can ask me anything. You have earned that right.”
“Well, uh, since you’ve been a dragon all along—” I looked down at my hands “—how did you feel when I turned into one?”
“I did not like it.” Her eyes flashed at the memory. “I spend most of my life in human form, but when I saw you transform into a dragon, the beast within stirred angrily. It took all my control to keep from changing back into a dragon, and that would not have been a pretty sight.” She stretched her legs out in front of her. “As a human, I have more empathy. I am able to control myself better. Please, never take that form again. If dragons are in the area, they will not care that you saved so many of us. They will not try to control themsel
ves.”
“Thanks for letting me know.” I pictured the dragons that had been in the clearing that day. Acacia definitely wouldn’t have let me live. It annoyed him enough that I’d freed him. I remembered how Malus Tribulus fought with Aurelia, how he’d nearly killed her, and was certain I wouldn’t have walked away. “I might’ve tried to turn into a dragon when I fought Draconian. With fifteen dragons around … sixteen counting you, I doubt I’d’ve lived.”
“No, that would have been the end of you, as it was in your dreams.”
Sitting there, looking into her gold eyes, I realized she wasn’t human. Oh, I’d known since I met her that she wasn’t, but it dawned on me that animals had different instincts, different reactions to things that were perfectly normal for people.
I tilted my head to the side. “So … does it bother you when I look you in the eyes?”
She chuckled. “Years ago it would have, but I have learned that it is a sign of trust and respect in some cultures and not a challenge.”
After a brief pause, she said, “Draconian was dragon-like in one way. He hoarded treasure as we do. You will never have a normal human life. Holding a job will be nearly impossible for somebody in your position.”
“I guess Cody will just have to make enough to support us.” I heard the despair in my voice. “If I don’t manage to run him off by then.”
“I want you to have a portion of Draconian’s treasure. I can help you convert some of it to currency. There are also a few magical items—like the amulet you wore against Nefarious—that may help you in the future. I know it is not much, but it is the best I can do to help keep you safe.”
“It’s a lot, Aurelia.” Tears pooled in my eyes. “Nobody has ever done anything like this for me, and I’m sincerely grateful.”
Aurelia nodded her head. “You have done so much more for me and my kind. This is the least I can do for you.”
“Thank you. It’s very generous.”
“Arion would like to see you before we leave. We could meet all of you at Falcon Lake tonight if you would like,” Aurelia suggested.
“Yes, I’m sure Samantha’d love to see Arion again, too. She really likes him, and well, now that I don’t have to worry about dragons attacking me, I wouldn’t mind flying with him again.”
“I am sure he would like that too. Arion has a deep respect for you. He does not show himself often. He does not have a lot to do with people. He really took to you.”
“Why don’t you stay until the end of the semester?” I suggested. “It’s only a couple more weeks. Then you’ll know if my nightmares come back, and you can also show me how to keep people from sensing my presence.”
“I can probably do that, but if I am needed elsewhere, I will have to go.”
“I understand.”
Chapter 43
Cherished Moments
Falcon Lake was all but deserted. Not a lot of students were there since it was Tuesday night. Cody and Dan piled logs in the fire ring. A blue flame ignited in the palm of my hand, spreading warmth to my fingertips. I tossed the fireball onto the logs, then sat next to Cody on our blanket.
Samantha giggled at something Dan said, and the flickering light danced over her face. It was nice to see them laughing and joking.
Pink and orange stained the sky, reflecting on Falcon Lake, and tinting the snow on the mountain peaks. The shadows cast by the pine trees stretched across the rocky shore, reaching for the water.
A twig snapped. The hair on my neck rose. My heartbeat drummed in my ears, blocking out all other sound. I clenched Cody’s hand and slowly turned to look over my shoulder.
My breathing calmed, and my muscles loosened as Aurelia’s tranquil aura settled over me. She strode toward us, her steps graceful. Her hands were tucked into her jeans pockets. Her gold hair was pulled into a high ponytail.
She was the same person I’d known all summer, but I saw her in a new light now. She was still my friend, but she was also something more.
“Hello.” She sat on the beach.
“So … uh, you’re a dragon?” Dan asked.
“Yes, I am.” She laughed.
“Are you usually in human form?”
Aurelia was right about curiosity. That was a question I hadn’t even considered, and looking into Dan’s face, I was sure he had more to ask.
“I spend most of my time like this.” She swept her hand from her head to her feet. “As a human, I am able to rationalize more and be less instinctual. I spend most of my life trying to right wrongs. As a human, I am better able to determine proper justice. However, when I am alone in my lair, I prefer to be a dragon.”
It surprised me that she was so candid with him. When I’d been the one asking questions, she’d always been evasive.
“Cool.” Dan looked fascinated. “So, why … Oh, do you mind me asking you questions?”
“No, like I told Dacia, humans are very curious.”
“Why didn’t you tell Dacia you were a dragon? Wouldn’t it have been helpful for her to know she had a dragon on her side?”
“No, Dan.” I shook my head and smiled at Aurelia. Then I focused on Dan. “The only dragons I met before Aurelia were trying to kill me. I wouldn’t have trusted her, and she knew that. When she transformed into a dragon in front of me, I was terrified. Then I was convinced she thought I was going to die because she’d promised to let me know what she was before I died. Then, after all of that, I realized that dragon or not, she was my friend.” Staring into the fire, I said, “I wouldn’t be here without her or Arion.”
“Speaking of Arion”—Samantha turned her head, scanning the beach and trees—“is he here?”
Aurelia turned to the trees behind her. “Arion, I think it is dark enough that you can show yourself.”
Arion landed on the beach down from us. Reflecting the firelight, his wings shimmered more brilliantly than any star. He folded them against his body and cantered toward us.
Meeting him halfway, I threw my arms around his neck and whispered, “Thank you for everything you did. I couldn’t have done it without you and Aurelia.”
“It was my privilege.” The rich timbre of his voice soothed me. “You are an asset to your race, Dacia.” He bowed down before me, lowering his muzzle until it hovered just above the ground. “I am honored to have met somebody like you.”
My cheeks burned with embarrassment. “Thank you.” My words caught in my throat, coming out choked.
Arion lifted his head. “I hear you would like to fly with me.”
“I would love to.” I pressed my hand to my chest.
He knelt down, and I climbed onto his back. As soon as I was situated, he galloped down the beach. With a leap, he spread his wings, flapping them to gain altitude.
The wind blew my hair back, and my joyous laughter filled the air.
Arion flew into the star-filled sky, soaring toward the waning moon, and for the first time since Saturday, I didn’t feel like I bore Atlas’ punishment.
I spread my arms out wide, threw my head back, and whooped with delight. Dropping my hands, I petted Arion’s neck. His fur was softer than a chinchilla’s. Is that okay? He wasn’t a horse. Maybe he didn’t like being treated like one.
He nickered. Yes.
Running my fingers over his silken feathers, I thought to him, Will I see you again?
Someday. Aurelia and I are very close. I go where she goes, and she believes we are destined to see you again.
I’m glad. Curiosity got the best of me. How did you meet Aurelia? A dragon and a pegasus seem like a strange pairing.
When I was a young colt, she saved me. It was a beautiful spring day, and I was grazing in a mountain meadow. Wildflowers were in full bloom. I had never seen anything like it before. I wasn’t paying attention, and a grif
fon attacked me—pegasus is their favorite food. Aurelia saved me, and we have been together since.
Oh, wow.
Arion began his descent. The air smelled like burgers and campfire smoke.
I patted his neck again. I’m going to miss you two. It won’t be the same here without you.
We will miss you also. I know very few humans and even fewer I am fond of. Your courageousness and compassion have earned my friendship.
“Thank you,” I whispered. A lump formed in my throat. I was honored and humbled.
While I ate my burger, Samantha’s excited screams filled the night sky. When Arion landed, Samantha looked like somebody had roped the moon for her. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you so much!”
Dan and Cody each took a turn soaring through the sky on Arion’s back. While Samantha’s face had lit up like the sun, theirs shone more like the full moon.
We sat around the campfire, roasting marshmallows and talking. I snuggled up against Cody. These were the times I needed to cherish. Who knew how long I’d have before my life was filled with turmoil again?
Chapter 44
Going Home
Two months ago, I sat in front of my closet packing. Then Draconian and his dragons happened, so here I sat doing it again. Whether demons, dragons, or boogeymen attacked, I had to go home. There was no alternative this time.
I shoved the last of my clothes into my duffle, zipped it up, and stood beside Samantha. I was going to miss this place. The white walls and lavender carpet had become home, but I wouldn’t miss it as much as I would Samantha.
Turning away from the room, I looked at her. Her brown eyes were misty. “I’m so glad you got stuck with me,” I said.
She chuckled and shook her head. “Yeah, me, too, but I’d’ve gotten a lot more sleep with another roommate.”
