“Well, you’re a runner, right? So we’re going to start the same way you would with any kind of workout. We’re going to stretch.” He stands beside me and starts waving his arms. I mean, I’m sure he’s actually stretching, but it just looks funny to me.
At the end of this session, I’m going to kill Rohesia for putting me through this with no warning whatsoever. I try to follow his movements, mimicking everything he does. He bends over and touches his toes. I try to do that, but I only make it halfway before my back does this weird thing where it feels like I can’t move.
I work through it, refusing to show that I’m struggling. I can’t help but notice that we’re only doing stretches and my breathing is becoming uneven. I’m going to die long before I reach the dragon king.
After a grueling ten minutes, Wren stands, lifting his arms over his head one more time before turning to me. “Okay, you ready to learn?”
We started with stretching, and go to jogging from there. After that, it’s learning how to kick, how to punch, how to get out of awkward positions I could get in no matter what side an attacker comes at me from.
There is sweat in places I didn’t know sweat could be. Everything aches, though not nearly as much as it will tomorrow, I’m sure. They always say the day after is the worst. I collapse on the mat and lie in a pool of disgustingness. I can feel my back becoming suctioned to the floor, but I feel like jelly and I’m not sure I could move even if I had to.
It feels like it’s only been three minutes when Wren laughs and stands over me, offering a hand to pull me up. “Trust me, the more you practice, the easier it will become. You just have to build up stamina. And that should be easy as long as you follow this routine daily.” I take his hand and get to my feet.
“You want me to do this daily? Are you serious?” I gawk.
He runs his towel over his head. “Don’t you run? You understand what it takes to get to a point where you can do anything for long periods of time. If you’re doing a marathon in less than a month and you’re this unprepared, I recommend that you wait, or perhaps plan on doing a slow walk rather than a jog.” He smirks.
“I don’t think I’m capable of moving from this spot, let alone slow walking.” I grunt and try to stretch, attempt to get up, but it’s not happening. I’m lying flat on the mat and don’t see any chance of me moving in the foreseeable future.
“I see it a lot with new students. They want to show how great they are, so they push themselves until they physically collapse. It’s not healthy at all.” Wren looks at me with concern.
I’m not even sure I understand what he’s saying because I’m lost in the sea of his blue-gray eyes. I clear my throat, forcing my gaze elsewhere. “Um, students?” I ask. “How old are you?” Now I want to smack myself again.
He chuckles, thankfully taking it in good stride. “Seventeen. I’ve been training for a long time. After a while, some instructors at the gym I go to noticed how fast I was progressing and offered me free classes in exchange for helping mentor some of the students.”
“Oh,” I say. “That’s cool. How long have you been doing this?” I don’t know why I ask. It doesn’t matter. I’m feeling awkward and I’m exhausted. Even more so now than before.
“Since I was thirteen. So, for five years now.”
“Nice! I don’t think I’ve ever stuck with one thing for that long. It’s impressive. And I appreciate your help. Thank you! With this kind of training, how long do you think it will be before I am ready to do that marathon?” I feel so stupid asking this, but I don’t want to try to rescue Fyazum without being prepared. And not just for my safety, but Rohesia, Fyazum, and Yackros’ as well.
“I think we’ll need a couple more training sessions to determine that. Let’s get together again tomorrow, yeah?”
“Sure.” I nod, though I really don’t want to. I feel like we’re wasting so much time. But I can’t say anything to Rohesia in front of her family.
“Great! I think you’re being handed off to my dad now for step two. Good luck.” He grins, which gives me an uneasy feeling.
“Um, thanks?” I kinda laugh, unsure how to respond to that.
“See you tomorrow, Alita.” He pats my shoulder before picking up his bag and going into the back room to change.
“Are you ready to learn the more mystical part of your training?” Rohesia asks the moment Wren is allegedly out of earshot.
“What?” I deadpan.
“Dear, saving Fyazum isn’t going to be a walk in the park. And if you thought it would be, you are sorely mistaken. If it were as simple as getting people up that mountain to get the king down, I would have taken care of it a long time ago. You need to be able to focus. You need strength. You need resilience. And more importantly, you need magic. It’s the only way to make this work. The tasks lying between us and our dragons is a dangerous road leading to things you can’t even fathom. You not only need to be physically strong, but mentally as well.”
“Rohesia, you can explain that later!” I whisper-yell. “Right now I really want to know why you didn’t warn me about all of this.” I gesture to the room around us. “Why didn’t you tell me your family would be here? Or that they weren’t aware of the truth? Do they have any clue about your abilities, your real life?” I’m so overwhelmed with frustration right now. “And really?” I tilt my head, glaring at her with disdain. “Your reasoning for me needing training was a marathon? Don’t you think I should have a clue about that beforehand? I sounded like a complete idiot to Wren.”
“Are you done? Can I answer your questions now?” she says with far too much sarcasm given her completely emotionless expression.
I look down sheepishly. “Yes,” I mutter.
“I did not have time to come up with a better excuse. And no, they don’t know because I wanted to keep them safe and away from that world, one that can’t exist. I didn’t want to give them hope for a better situation where none could be found. So I lied. I’ve been lying my entire life—I’ve had to in order to stay sane. There was a period of time in which I myself believed the dragons were mere dreams in my head. Do you really think I would expose my family to that? To ask them to live their lives around something that no longer existed within our purview? I lied. And I’m sorry I sprang it on you, but I just came up with this plan last night. I didn’t have the luxury of creating a wholly spun tale that couldn’t be questioned.” She seems so more upset than she’s trying to let on.
And now I feel bad for laying into her the way I did, although surely she saw it coming. Who wouldn’t be upset with that kind of surprise? But I can see her point too. I can’t even imagine living as long as she has and not being able to tell anyone about her secret double life. It would be unbearable.
“I’m sorry, Rohesia. I didn’t mean to snap or to make you upset. I was just taken by surprise.”
The old woman pinches my cheek. “Don’t worry your pretty head about it, Alita. You are far too important to be wasting your stress over my feelings, or anyone else’s.” She gives me a direct look, like she’s trying to make a point about Max.
“What’s the next step in my training?” I say through gritted teeth.
She straightens her vest and stands a little taller. “Wren is going to show you to the meditation room where Rhys will teach you the art of Zen. You will learn to control your mental capacity. You will learn to control your emotions and feelings. To clear your mind. To safeguard your thoughts and memories so they cannot be tampered with,” she says in a hushed tone.
“What good is this going to do in our—”
Rohesia clears her throat, motioning behind me, stopping me from asking what I’d intended.
“Marathon?” I finish, really wishing I didn’t have to hide the truth right now. I can’t take one more lie in my life. I’ve gotten lost in the tangled web of lies I’ve told everyone around me. Where I am, what I’m doing, why I’m always away from home and friends. It’s becoming too much to handle. I feel like I’m
walking on eggshells, watching everything I say because the wrong word to the wrong person unravels everything. And then everyone would know the truth. They can’t know about dragons.
I could ask Yackros to fly within their sight, and they would call him a kite. I’d ask him to roar and they would call it thunder. The moment I tell them dragons are real, I’d be able to tell them the sky was blue and they’d argue with me because to them, I’ll sound crazy. And they’d probably be right.
I am crazy. Insane to think that with the help of an old woman, her son, and her grandson, I could ever save a beast so majestic, so important, and so completely lost to me. I have no hope for my ability to do the task set before me.
17
The drive home is beyond surreal. Mere hours ago, I was talking to another human being about the existence of dragons like it was nothing, and I’ve never felt more welcome in a conversation. While I’ve only been keeping this secret for a year, Rohesia has been alone for longer than I’ve been alive. Longer than my parents have been alive.
That was followed by the most grueling workout session I’ve ever been forced to endure, though admittedly, it felt good to work that hard. The day’s events ended with sitting on a yoga mat with my legs folded, incense in the air, and learning to clear my mind and control my thoughts.
Meeting Rohesia was by far the highlight of the day, even if I’m annoyed with her for following me, something I never did get an answer about. Either way, now she has someone who’s in on the secret. Someone to talk to. And above all, someone who can help rescue her dragon. I’d like to think she’s ecstatic about that. We finally have a chance of saving the king and Yackros, and neither one of us has to be alone. We can work together.
I can’t imagine what I would have done had I found Fyazum only to discover I was unable to save him because I was on my own. How Rohesia has survived alone for so long, I don’t know, but I commend her strength. And I hope that one day, if such resilience is required of me, I’ll be able to take the burden.
The night sky is only lit by stars and a sliver of the moon when I pull into the driveway. After I’ve parked, I can’t help but look up, wondering what life back then would have been like before the war. Did dragons roam freely? The world could watch as they flew through the sky. Would I have found Yackros long before now?
I wonder how much time has been wasted, how many lives were altered for the worse all because one human and one dragon decided they wanted more. I wouldn’t be kept away from my dragon, Yackros wouldn’t be thrown in a dungeon, Guthrie wouldn’t have to lie. Rohesia wouldn’t have had to live for so long all alone, unable to tell her secret to her family, or her life with the creature that shares part of her soul.
I think about the story she told me. How she found Fyazum, and how he protected her from his pain when he disappeared.
“Yackros, if you’re in pain, please don’t waste precious energy trying to hide it from me. If sharing your burden will lessen it for you, let me help. You’re not alone anymore. Didn’t you tell me how you thought you’d never get a human? You have one now. Don’t let that be for nothing.” I bite my bottom lip, drowning in emotions from everything I’ve learned today.
“I love you, Sparkles. I found Rohesia, King Fyazum’s human. She’s going to help me. We’re going to fix this. Hold on, dear dragon. Please don’t let go. Please believe in me. I’m doing my best. I’m trying my hardest. Just wait a bit longer.”
When no response comes, I wipe at my eyes, making sure any hint of the tears escaping me are gone as I walk inside. The last thing I need is my parents questioning me right now. With everything that’s happened in the last few hours, I don’t think I could keep quiet about all the turmoil raging inside, all the pain-both my own, and that I feel for my new mentor.
Now two people fighting for dragons, and in a world that no longer believes they exist, that’s like a whole army. We don’t need anyone else. Once we free the king, we can go after his kidnappers and put an end to the madness. Perhaps even do away with Runavelius because there will be no need for it any longer.
All the lights in the house are turned off. I glance around, wondering if everyone fell asleep watching TV. When I don’t find them there, I take it to mean they’ve already gone to bed. My stomach growls, demanding food. But first, I need a shower.
I run up the stairs two at a time and set my bag down on my bed, grab my pajamas, and head to the bathroom.
The hot water feels amazing on my poor aching muscles, and it’s like heaven washing off the grime and sweat. I wanted to hurry because food, but I can’t seem to make myself move. Instead, I relish the comfort.
When I’m finally able to force myself out of the shower, I throw my dirty clothes in the hamper and go back downstairs, ready to collapse.
I wander into the kitchen in search of dinner and open the fridge, hoping there are leftovers from whatever Mom and Dad ate. Nothing jumps out at me. I turn to the pantry, rummaging through bags of pasta, spices, and boxes.
Just as I move another package of macaroni, my phone goes off, the alert noise stuttering as notifications come in too quickly for it to register. I close the pantry and take the stairs two at a time, stride to my bag, a bit concerned by the racket it’s making. Who could so desperately need to reach me?
Grabbing the device from my backpack, I turn on the screen and watch as one message after another comes in. All from Max. I scroll to the top of the conversation and read through his texts, which start with a hello. I don’t read all of them because one catches my attention, and it’s the one that worries me the most.
Can we talk?
I don’t respond right away because I’m afraid how the conversation will go, and I worry I’ll starve if I get into it right now. First food, then we can talk.
Stuffing my phone in my pocket, I return downstairs and go to the fridge, pulling out leftover spaghetti from two nights ago because it appears to be easiest thing to prepare right now. And simple is good.
I’m going to have a very long day tomorrow because I have no intention of going to bed but instead, staying up to research more. I need to know what Rohesia knows. I want to be prepared for whatever she has to teach me. I’m willing to do what it takes to rescue Fyazum and Yackros, and I want to go in prepared.
I eat in my room, already looking through my notes, and beginning to piece things together that I know to be fact. When I’ve finished with the food, I set my bowl aside and stare blankly at my phone, wondering how horrible this fight is going to be.
Want me to call? I text Max, waiting for the horrible moment when he tells me he never wants to talk to me again.
Can’t. Sharing a room with Dillon because he’s still here. Talk tomorrow?
Crisis averted. For now.
See you at school.
Per Rohesia’s instructions the night before, while she reprimanded me for skipping school, I drive straight there. Max will undoubtedly bombard me with a million questions, wanting to know everything that happened after he left the library, what the point of all of this is, and furthermore, why I still believe in dragons when I haven’t been able to prove anything.
I spend my thirty-minute drive coming up with answers for any question I think he could throw my way.
Rohesia and Yackros alike do not want me to sacrifice my schooling for them. I tried to argue that I’m learning out here in the real world, and we get the same lessons every school year anyway. It’s aimless. Only half the teachers even care to be there. I could finish online after we’ve ended this war, which is far more pressing.
I gave in because I can’t do this without Rohesia, and she won’t teach me when I should be at school. She wouldn’t even request time off work for it. I certainly hope she values Fyazum over work.
Then again, I don’t know her well enough to gauge that yet. And given what I do know about her, I wouldn’t be surprised if she wanted to wait until I was out of school for the summer before we really begin.
I won’t let
that happen. I can’t wait that long. We can’t wait that long. The longer we wait, the higher risk there is of failing.
It occurs to me that I may not have told Rohesia about the pearl being corrupted. Is that why she doesn’t understand the urgency? Perhaps she thinks that Fyazum has been gone for so long, a few more months won’t kill him.
But it can and it will. We can’t risk losing the pearl. Once that’s gone, I don’t know of a way to stop Ruxsiu. Could it even be done? Would it take thousands of years? And if so, what would he do in that time? He could destroy the world and any chance of happiness. That cannot happen.
I put the car in park and sit for a moment, taking a breather. I’m all worked up again, my heart hammering, breath eluding me. I feel like I need an inhaler, and I’m not asthmatic. Is that something that can just happen? I wipe the sweat from my forehead and get out.
“Let’s get this over with.” I walk to the school doors with determination. The sooner I’m done here, the sooner I can get to rescuing Yackros.
“Alita?” Max sidles up to me.
“I’m so sorry, Max. I didn’t know what was going to happen yesterday, but I certainly didn’t mean to hurt you the way I did.” The guilt I wasn’t feeling earlier settles in. “I swear, I had no intention of asking you to leave ten minutes after begging you to come.” I give him the puppy-dog eyes. I know it’s a cheap trick, but I don’t have anything else going for me at the moment. I can’t bear the thought of him being angry with me.
“Alita,” he says before pulling me down the hall and into an empty room. The light is off, but I’m pretty sure it’s a closet for supplies. “I would love nothing more than to forgive you, but it’s like you’ve turned into a whole different person. You’re not the Alita I know anymore. What was all that about? What were you doing?”
I look down at the floor. I know lying is useless, but he doesn’t want to hear the truth. It puts me between a rock and a hard place. I guess it will be on him to accept the truth.
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