Lyrista timidly wrapped her arms around the older woman and squeezed. “Thank you.”
Gaylee hugged her back then turned to rejoin Jessica, but before she took two steps Ophir called to her. “Gaylee,” he said clearly. It was the first time he had used her informal name and Jessica was surprised by it. He walked over to her, took her hand, and gently kissed it. “Do not wait another fifty years before returning to us.” The two gazed at each other for a long moment.
With a jolt, Jessica realized that Ophir was in love with her. Warmth began to radiate from her front pocket where the ball of persite was hidden and it quickly spread throughout her body. When Gaylee turned from Ophir, her face was a mask of calm, but as her eyes briefly met Jessica’s, a wave of emotion flooded from them.
Instantly, with the help of the persite, Jessica read her Grandmother’s thoughts and felt her frustration. Ophir! Why now? Why only now, when it’s too late, do you let your feelings show?
“It’s time,” Anton merrily announced. “You do good at school, Jessi. Make us proud.”
The persite’s warmth immediately ceased. “I will,” Jessica said with a lump in her throat. She ran and gave one last hug to her father and Lyrista, while Ophir retook his place next to Cordon. When Jessica walked to the center of the room, she saw nothing but sad faces, except for Varnack, Larone and Anton. The two men were smiling and the Trigal Hound waged his tail.
Anton pulled a small vial of green liquid from a pocket in his leather vest. He walked over to the blue rock in the center of the room. While he poured the vial on it, he explained, “Daenon isn’t the only one who can conjure potions. This green stuff here unlocks the persite’s power.” He began to chant. “By the voice of T’Aalin, through the Expanse of Gonta, I call on the powers of Bree, to open this passage, by the winds of Malana, I call the Transmirian key. Open a channel, through the portal of black, terrene four, two, one arc line six, two track. By the voice of T’Aalin, through the Expanse of Gonta…”
Softly repeating the words, he hurried back to Naydeen. The rock commenced to smoke and the air above it started to swirl. A low-pitched rushing noise hissed from the swirling air and it quickly increased in intensity. Each of the spectators took an involuntary step backwards, including Jessica and Gaylee.
“Uncle Larone,” Jessica yelled above the noise.
“What is it Jessica?” he yelled back.
“Why are you and Uncle Anton smiling, and Varnack so happy?”
“Why should we be sad when we know you will be coming back to us?”
“What do you mean?” Jessica could hardly be heard above the noise.
“The prophecy, Jessi,” Anton boomed. “Ya gotta return to finish fulfillin’ it.”
Those were the last words Jessica heard, for just then the spiral reached full force and she and Gaylee were sucked in.
The trip home was as bad as the trip to Edia. Jessica closed her eyes to the rush and concentrated on relaxing. She tightly clutched the package. After what seemed like forever, she hit the hard tile floor of her kitchen and skidded across it. The package went flying when she slammed into a wall and her forward momentum was abruptly stopped. Gaylee landed right after her and skidded to the same point, smashing into Jessica.
Jessica’s first thought was for Gaylee, but blackness threatened to envelope her. She fought against it. Warmth from her front pant pocket gave her an unexpected shock and she reached for the small ball. Holding it tightly, she thought about staying conscious. A second jolt ran from her hand, coursing throughout her body. She jerked fully awake, then fisting her hand over the crystal, jumped to Gaylee’s side.
“Grandma!”
Gaylee did not move. She barely breathed. Jessica placed her free hand, palm down on Gaylee’s forehead. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on making Gaylee conscious. The little ball sparked to life and heat ran from Jessica’s fist, through her chest, directly to her open palm on Gaylee’s brow. Within moments, she moaned and slowly opened her eyes.
Hearing footsteps, Jessica slid the ball back into her pocket. Jacob and Sophia rushed into the kitchen.
“Gaylee! Jessica!” Sophia shrieked. “You’re home, oh, you’re home!”
She threw her short arms around both of them. She tried to talk further, but could only whimper through her tears of joy. Jacob walked over and helped Gaylee to her feet.
“We were upstairs when we heard the rush of wind. I’m very glad to see you back, Gaylee. Are you all right?” he sounded concerned.
“I’m pretty dizzy,” she said haltingly. He helped her to a chair, then turned to Jessica who was already on her feet and helping a sobbing, yet smiling Sophia to the chair next to Gaylee.
“I feel fine,” Jessica told him. She was surprised at how true that was. She found her package and set it on the table.
“Oh, Jessica dear,” Sophia managed to say. “You came back just in time. Rachel left a week ago for the university. She drove your car. I packed all your things and sent them with her. I was hoping you’d come home in time to go, and here you are!”
She turned to her husband, who had just given Gaylee a drink of cool water. “Jacob, you need to call the airlines and see if we can purchase a flight for Seattle tonight. I hope it’s not too late. Even first class will do, if there’s no coach left.”
“Tonight!” Jessica exclaimed. “When does school begin?”
“Last week, dear,” Sophia said a little more evenly. “We must fly you there before you miss more classes.” Focusing on Jessica arriving at the university helped a great deal to calm her down. “As I said, I sent your things with Rachel. She doesn’t know about your adventure this summer, I thought it best for you to tell her.”
“That was very wise,” Gaylee gave a thin smile. By degrees, the color was returning to her cheeks.
“Where’s Sneakers?” Jessica asked Jacob.
“Oh, I put him out a couple of hours ago. He’s got us on a schedule.”
Jessica laughed. “What?”
“Don’t ask,” Jacob held up his hand. “Suffice it to say, Sophia spoils him rotten, caters to his every whim, or I should say, meow.”
“He’ll be back soon, dear,” Sophia said. “He always returns this time of night.”
“Grandma,” Jessica could hold back no longer. “Ophir…” But, before she could finish her sentence, Gaylee cut her off.
“That was worlds away.”
“Gaylee, I’m so glad you’re back,” Sophia repeated. “I did nothing but worry about you this entire summer.”
“I can testify to that,” Jacob said dryly after he hung up the phone. “There’s a flight out in three hours. I guess you’re all set, Jessica.”
“Wow, this is so fast,” Jessica felt a little light headed. “What’s the date anyway?”
“It’s October second,” Sophia replied.
Jessica shook her head. “I can’t believe only four months have passed. It seems like a lifetime.”
Gaylee placed her hand on Jessica’s shoulder. “For you, it has been. Your friends are going to find you’ve changed. Be prepared for that.”
“I’ll call Rachel and have her meet you at SeaTac,” Jacob offered.
A meow at the door brought a lump to Jessica’s throat. She raced to open it and scooped Sneakers up into her arms. “I missed you soooo much,” she whispered.
Sneakers squirmed out of her grasp and scampered out of the kitchen. Surprised, she followed after him. He ran down the hallway, up the stairs and disappeared.
“Sneakers!” She followed him up to her room. Once through her bedroom door, Jessica stopped dead in her tracks. It was barren of nearly everything, including the books on her shelves and the pencils on her desk. Sophia had sent everything last thing Jessica owned to her apartment in Seattle.
Looking to the stripped down bed, Jessica spotted a ball of calico fur. “Sneakers!” He was curled up in the middle of her mattress. He twitched his ears. She plopped down beside him and stroked his fur. He looked
at her blankly then closed his eyes. “Sneakers, what’s wrong?”
A warm sensation spread down her leg from her front pant pocket. She took the ball of persite in her hand, it softly glowed.
“You left me.” The words formed in her mind.
“I didn’t mean to leave you. I wasn’t given a choice, but I’m back now and I missed you more than you can ever know.” She put her face close to his. “I don’t blame you for being angry. I’m truly sorry.”
From under his ribs, she felt a shallow vibration. The purr grew stronger as she continued to pet him. “I forgive you.” He said, then licked her arm.
She spent well over an hour explaining to him where she had been and the things she had done. He stopped purring at the first mention of Varnack, but purred again at her reassuring touch.
“I’m leaving again,” she finally said, “but I won’t be gone long. I’m off to college, but I’ll be back in soon for the holiday. Grandma’s here and she’ll take care of you now.”
He licked her arm again. “Like Grandma.”
“All right,” she smiled. “I love you, Sneakers. I’ll bring you a toy.” At that, his tail twitched. She picked him up and gave him a gentle squeeze, then placed him back where he had been lying. When she walked out the bedroom door, his loud purring wished her a sweet farewell.
Jessica said goodbye to Gaylee and Sophia at home. It was an easy parting as Thanksgiving vacation was just around the corner, so she would not be gone from them for long. “Take good care of Sneakers for me, Grandma. He likes you.”
“Don’t worry Jess, I’ll give him lots of love.”
With her package from Edia as her only luggage, Jessica stood ready to go. Jacob drove her to the airport and they reached the security gate with only a few minutes to spare. “Here, this is for you.” He reached into his coat pocket and handed her a thick envelope. “This has money and your school documents in it. We’ve already paid your tuition and rent. Your Grandma will put your finances in order now that she’s back.”
“Thanks, Jacob. You’re awesome.” She threw her free arm around his neck, giving him a big hug.
“Good luck,” he said kindly and waved goodbye when she passed through the metal detectors.
The flight left on time and Jessica found herself seated next to a window. The city lights grew smaller and smaller as the plane climbed into the night sky. Within minutes of leaving Spokane, her view of the earth below as well as the stars above became obscured by thickening clouds. With nothing of interest to see, she wiggled into a comfortable position and drifted off to sleep.
Within minutes, the mists outside the high flying aircraft invaded her dreams and she found herself surrounded by them. She knew enough about this type of dream to close her eyes and stretch her mind. Off to one side she felt a gentle pull. She had not traveled for very long when a distant, rhythmic thumping came to her ears. One, two, three, swish, someone paced.
“I can’t believe this is happening to me,” a deep voice grumbled. Daenon! Jessica was shocked.
“I thought I had grandfather’s prophecy beaten.”
She wondered who he was talking to.
“Locked in my mother’s cell. I’ll bet they think that’s quite poetic, but I’m not defeated yet. That prophecy gives me another chance, and I won’t make the same mistakes twice. Grandfather, always the poet. ‘Dark succeeds to twice arise, with army fierce in strength and size.’ They don’t know the meaning of fierce. When I’m free again, there will be a cry of death the likes of which have never been heard before.”
Jessica was stunned. She had given little thought to Anton’s parting comment, but now the words of the prophecy came clearly into her mind. ‘When light returns with allies strong, keep justice true, do not go wrong.’ She would be going back.
A distant voice interrupted her thoughts. “The captain has turned on the seatbelt sign. We are making our final approach to SeaTac airport.”
Jessica opened her eyes. The plane was nearly to Seattle. Looking out the window, the lights of the city grew ever brighter as the plane descended below the cloud cover. Seattle weather looked overcast, but there was no fog and it was dry.
After disembarking the plane, she followed the other passengers up the concourse to where she hoped Rachel would be waiting. Crossing the security barrier, she looked over a sea of unfamiliar faces.
A good-sized crowd milled about, people waiting for friends and loved ones to come from the planes, but Rachel was not among them. Finally, Jessica spied someone she knew, a tall, handsome young man who made her heart beat faster.
“Thomas,” she breathed. He walked toward her, a little hesitantly.
“I hope you don’t mind, but when Rachel told me you were on your way I asked if I could pick you up.”
“No, I don’t mind at all.”
He was just as she remembered him. Soft, kind eyes, and a smile that made her go weak in the knees. The look on his face when he saw her was enough to convince her she had made the right decision to come back.
“I brought you this from my trip to Europe.” He reached inside his coat pocket and pulled a bar of fine chocolate. “Last time we met you said you wanted about a pound.”
She was amazed he had remembered. “Ohhh….a pound sounds really good.” She took the bar from him.
He took her free hand firmly in his. “I missed you,” he said. “How was your summer?”
Jessica gazed up at him. Should I tell the truth? She thought. He’ll never believe me. The ball of persite pulsated warmly in her front jean pocket while she searched his face. Then again, maybe he would.
About the author
Lisa Wilson is a registered nurse who has seven great children.
She loves Doctor Who and the Sci-fi Channel.
Other Books by Dragon Scale Publishing
The Dragon’s Champion series by Sam Ferguson
Book 1 – The Dragon’s Champion
Book 2 – The Warlock Senator
Book 3 – The Dragon’s Test
Book 4 – Erik and the Dragon
Book 5 – The Immortal Mystic
Book 6 – Return of the Dragon
The Netherworld Gate Series by Sam Ferguson
Book 1 – The Tomni’Tai Scroll
Book 2 – The King’s Ring
Book 3 – Son of the Dragon
The Exile by Eric Buffington (Coming Soon)
Dimwater’s Dragon by Sam Ferguson
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The Protector of Esparia (The Annals of Esparia Book 1) Page 47
