Not to mention, Fyazum is probably dead the moment Ruxsiu has control over the pearl anyway. And Yackros too.
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.
I walk to the school doors with determination. The sooner I’m done here, the sooner I can get to rescuing Yackros.
Max is waiting at my locker. He watches me as I walk up, but doesn’t say anything.
“Hey,” I say, trying for a smile.
He pointedly does not return it.
“What do you call that yesterday?” he says.
So at least it’s not complete silence.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I certainly didn’t mean to hurt you the way I did.” 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.
He purses his lips, bobbing his head slightly, staring out at the passing groups of oblivious students.
“Yeah, okay, so when I said, ‘Let’s go,’ you didn’t mean to say, ‘No, Max. You’re only useful to me when it’s convenient. And right now, I’m more interested in talking to crazy strangers about fantasies and daydreams.’”
My face grows hot. “That’s not how it went.”
“No?” He turns cold green eyes on me. “Pretty sure I was there, honey.”
Chills run through me and emotions rise, threatening to bubble over as my eyes fill up with tears. “Max, just listen to me. That woman at the library? The one I was arguing with? She’s like me, she knows about dragons, and she needs my help as much as I need hers. And if you care about me at all, you’ll offer your support because I really need it right now. I’m fighting too many battles, and I don’t want one of them to be you.”
He’s already shaking his head.
“You’re kicking me out of your life one day at a time,” he says. “I’d drop everything in a second for you. But that sentiment is one-sided. If I asked you to walk away from dragons because my life depended on it, would you?”
My heart stutters. I bite my lip.
“That’s not a fair comparison,” I whisper. “There are lives depending on me right now. Yackros’ and Fyazum’s. And if I don’t save them, something terrible could happen to everyone else. Even you.”
He shrugs. “Wish I had some reason to believe that.”
I take in an unsteady breath, hold it, and let out a slow exhale.
“Okay. Let me show you, Max. Come with me today and talk to Rohesia. You won’t see a dragon, but you’ll be with two people who have. And you’ll see that I took you seriously yesterday when you suggested I learn self-defense.”
He purses his lips. But it’s not quite so fierce.
“And we can get there by way of ice cream?” I give him a small smile. “Butterscotch, chocolate, and peanut butter ice cream. My treat?”
He leans down and gently kisses my forehead.
“Okay,” he breathes, tickling my skin.
I tilt my head and give him a real kiss.
He takes my hand in his and walks me down the hall, only parting ways when we reach the crossroads where he needs to go left and I need to go right.
Class is boring, as usual. I’m not surprised—just annoyed that I have to waste precious time on it. When the final bell rings, I’m out of there so fast, it’s not even funny. When I reach my locker, I stick around, waiting for Max to show up.
I’m not sure whether I’m hoping he comes or hoping he doesn’t. Whether he believes in me or not, it doesn’t change his stance on dragons. As soon as I can get Rohesia to give me some kind of proof or more pieces to the puzzle I’ve already begun putting together, I’ll show Max. Things would be so much easier if I could just walk him into Runavelius and point at Yackros.
But part of me wonders if that would be a good idea, and I can’t explain why.
“You ready?” Max appears beside me.
“Yeah, let’s go.”
Max sits in the front seat, bouncing his leg. That stupid habit. I want to reach over and forcibly stop it, but I don’t. As much as I feel awkward bringing him with me, I’m glad he’s keeping an open mind, and I don’t want to fight with him after we just made up.
“So, who’s training you?” he asks just as his knee stops going up and down.
“Um, Rohesia’s family. The librarian,” I clarify when he looks confused. “She’s there too. It’s, um, there’s this marathon—she—they train for marathons. So she wants me to do this . . . marathon. And defense stuff.”
He laughs at me. I don’t blame him. I shake my head.
“I know it may seem odd. All the stuff before was a misunderstanding. And once we sorted that out, we discovered we had a lot more in common than anyone could have imagined.”
“Interesting,” he says, although he doesn’t look interested. “So in this marathon, will you fly on dragons? Isn’t that kind of cheating?”
“Max,” I say, exasperated. “If you didn’t want to come, you didn’t have to. I’m not trying to force this down your throat. I just can’t fight this alone anymore, and while having Rohesia is wonderful, I want you to be the one by my side.”
“For wanting me on your side, you haven’t tried very hard to see things from my point of view.”
I glance over, stung. But he’s right. I stood in front of Yackros, looking him up and down, even staring directly into his eyes, and I still needed convincing that he was real and it wasn’t all in my head. I certainly can’t expect Max just to be okay with it.
I pull to a stop outside the ice cream place and turn to look at him. “I’m sorry I tried to force you to believe. I have seen dragons, and you haven’t, and I’m sorry that I forgot that. I will give you all the time you need. And I really appreciate you coming with me, despite seeing things differently.”
He looks up at me and smiles. “Thank you.” He reaches over the console and takes my hand. “I don’t want you to walk away again, so I’m trying to be open-minded.”
“Let’s see if some ice cream can help.” I kiss him.
“Ice cream helps everything.”
After our quick stop, we continue toward Rohesia’s house. The car ride is silent, and it’s okay. Things start to feel normal again. A small amount of pressure has been lifted from my shoulders, and part of my world is whole once more.
When we reach Rohesia’s house, I give Max time to take it in. It’s a tiny red brick house down a long straight driveway, with weeds on either side and nothing around for miles.
A small part of me wonders if this was a mistake. Did I let my excitement cloud my judgment? The feeling of unease that washes over me causes me to choke a little. Max shouldn’t be here. As much as I love him, he isn’t part of this world.
I try to hide my discomfort while getting out, hoping Max doesn’t say anything. He glances at me, but remains quiet. I nod, assuring myself that everything is fine, and we walk up the three steps to the front door.
The sound of the doorbell chiming through the house is the only thing I hear aside from a slight breeze tussling the tumbleweeds across the ground. The door squeaks as it’s opened. Standing before us is Rohesia in another dreadfully hot outfit much like yesterday’s.
She clears her throat, staring at Max.
“Alita,” she says in a sickly sweet voice, still looking at him. “I don’t recall discussing you bringing . . . guests. What is this about?” She turns to me.
“Rohesia, this is Max.” I smile the best I can. “Max, this is Rohesia.”
“Hello,” Rohesia says curtly. “I’m afraid I wasn’t expecting anyone but Alita, but we’ll make do. Come in.” She waves us inside, stepping out of the doorway so we can get through.
While the house looks tiny on the outside, it’s comfor
tably spacious within. “Have a seat.” Rohesia gestures to the sitting room on the right with the horrible colors as she closes the front door. I nod and proceed, sitting down on the newest-looking chair. Max takes the orange high-backed chair beside me.
“I assume you understand why Alita is here today, Max?” she says, sitting down on the couch facing us.
“For your dragon marathon,” he says.
She frowns her deep frown.
“Marathon,” she corrects. “I have just decided that you may be in my home under one condition—you speak to Alita and no one else.”
He scoffs. “You’ve said three sentences, and you’re already sick of talking to me?”
“Yes, I believe I am. But seeing as it’s important to Alita to have you here, you may remain under that condition and that condition only.”
My neck is burning.
“Nice friend you have,” Max says, turning to face me.
“Oh, good,” Rohesia says. “Yes, this will work out very well indeed. Alita, I believe it’s time for you to get started.”
I’m out of my chair without being asked twice.
After changing, I enter the gym. Max is only moments behind, and I try a smile, but he doesn’t smile back.
Before I can speak to him, Wren claps his hands and says, “Welcome. Let’s start with some planking.” And for the next twenty minutes, I can hardly breathe, much less speak. I can see Max flinching out of the corner of my eye, and I tense up every time because I’m afraid of what he’ll do or say.
“I could join you,” he offers once.
I laugh through my panting, “Super-fit boyfriend working out next to me? No, thanks. I’ll realize how out of shape I really am.”
That time, he does manage a smile.
I lie on the mat once again, feeling like I’m going to die. I’m not cut out for this.
“Come on!” Wren shouts. “No breaks until you’ve earned it!” He claps, walking around me until I force myself back up.
“You’re gonna die on that marathon if you don’t put some serious training in!” Wren says, a playful smirk on his lips.
Max stands abruptly.
“Hey,” he snaps. “Don’t be a jerk when she’s trying. Especially for a stupid fake marathon.”
My stomach falls to my shoes.
Wren frowns. “What do you mean?”
Rohesia is suddenly towering next to Max as if channeling her own inner dragon. Despite the fact that he’s taller, she’s definitely the more intimidating.
“House rules,” she says, smiling widely. “I believe it’s time for you to take a break.”
Max rolls his eyes. “I’m going for a walk.” He disappears around the doorframe before I can say anything.
Wren offers me a towel. “Sorry if I pushed too hard. I just want you to be healthy. Don’t do something physically tolling if your body can’t handle it. Even with adrenaline, you can cause serious damage. And I’m not saying that to be mean. Just to watch out for you.”
I swipe at my face and neck, glad he didn’t get too hung up on Max’s marathon comment.
“It’s okay, Wren. I know. He’s just—” I pause, trying to think of a word to describe what Max is. Nothing comes to mind.
“Angry? Overprotective?” Wren offers.
“Controlling?” Rohesia chimes in.
“No! Why would you say that? He’s my boyfriend, and he’s trying to be a part of something important to me.”
“Oh, sweetheart, the only thing he’s trying to do is make you feel guilty about the truth and doubt yourself on the things that matter most. He’s bad news, Alita.” Her tone is dark, and it frightens me.
What I asked Max to believe is difficult, and I can’t blame him for his hesitation. And I haven’t exactly been easy to deal with either.
“I’m sorry, but I need to go.” I drop the towel on the mat. “I’ll come back tomorrow for the meditation session, but right now, there’s somewhere else I need to be.”
I don’t let Rohesia’s protests stop me. I rush up the stairs and down the hall until I reach the front door. The sun is blinding, especially compared to the dark of Rohesia’s home, something I hadn’t noticed until I came out of that gloomy cave.
Max is pacing in front of the porch steps, hand stroking his jaw, face turned down. How he’s out here even while upset, and not completely melted by now, I don’t know. It’s got to be ninety-something degrees. He looks up at me, concern in his eyes, surprise in his brows. He opens his mouth to speak, but I don’t wait to hear whatever he has to say.
“We’re leaving.” I storm past him and get in the car, glad I drove. I get us on the road as fast as physically possible once he’s caught up with me and is sitting in the passenger seat.
I can sense his need to ask questions. Hear the click of his jaw as he opens and closes his mouth repeatedly, unsure what to say, perhaps. But I don’t bother waiting for him to figure that out.
“I need to visit Yackros. But don’t worry—I’ll drop you off at home on the way. I’m sorry for everything I put you through today. We should have just gone with the ice cream.”
He shrugs. Taking a deep breath, I turn the radio on because I can’t take the uncomfortable silence.
Max clears his throat. “I don’t want you to see that creep anymore.”
I frown. “Rohesia? Look, I know she was being rude, but that’s kind of how she is. She’s actually not—”
“Wren. I don’t want Wren putting his filthy hands all over you every single day.”
I’m so startled, I can’t think of anything to say.
He pushes on. “Why not ask me to train you? You want to run a marathon, or pretend to run a marathon, sure, whatever. We could go jogging, get your stamina up. We could go to the gym. Or I can just go on your hikes with you.”
I finally get my throat working again. “Where are you going to find time to train me for hours every day when you’re busy with wrestling?”
“I’ll quit wrestling.”
“Wha—no! I don’t want you to quit wrestling for me. And Wren isn’t—he’s just doing a favor for his grandma, and he’s not creepy. This is his job. He’s a trainer.”
“He was watching you way too much. L—”
“Max! Of course he was watching me. He’s training me. He has to watch what I’m doing to make sure I get it right. What is he supposed to do, close his eyes and guess?” I look over and shake my head.
“That’s not what I meant,” Max murmurs. “He kept staring at your face.”
I glance at him, trying to look at both him and the road at the same time. “Are you saying that because we’re together, guys aren’t allowed to look at my face?”
“I’m saying I don’t like him, and I don’t want you training with him. Wouldn’t it bother you if you saw some girl throwing herself all over me?”
“Would it be bothersome? A little, yeah. But I understand that you’re an attractive guy and other girls are going to look at you. They’re going to flirt. But it’s not about what they do—it’s about what you do. How you respond. Did it look like I was flirting with Wren? No. I was freaking out inside just trying to keep up on all the crazy workouts he wanted me to do. It was a lot of overwhelming information. And I don’t need to fight with you when there’s nothing there. Can we please just drop this?” I shake my head.
Max looks a little purple in the face, like he’s holding his breath. He exhales loudly and inhales equally. I let him take his time. Honestly, I’m already on edge, and I don’t know what else to say. I feel like everything I could possibly say to help him get past this has already been said.
“Are you going to train with him again?” he says.
I grip the steering wheel.
“I’ll consider other options,” I say finally, hoping that will be enough to get him to stop.
We drive in silence, and I’m almost to his street when—
“I’ll go with you,” he says.
I blink. “What?”
“Are you sure?” My heart hammers in my chest. Where did this come from?
“Yes, I’m sure. I keep worrying that you’re going to abandon me just like everyone else in my life, but I’m with you, Alita. I’m with you. Let me meet . . . Yackros.” He struggles saying Yackros’ name, but I think it has little to do with pronunciation.
“Okay,” I say because I can’t think of anything else, and I have no good reason to say no.
So I pass his house and continue driving up into the mountains.
I feel a bit of relief as we reach Dragoon. The farther up the mountain we go, the easier I can breathe.
Once we’re parked, I get out, rushing up the path that’s now as familiar as my own house.
I lean against the tree that I’ve come to claim as my own. This is the place my life changed forever. Where before I lived in a box, now I’m free, aware of all the magic surrounding me. The truth of what humans’ lives should be.
Max catches up to me, huffing from running. “Why are you in such a hurry?”
I shrug, not knowing how to explain. “You won’t be able to hear what Yackros and I say because he can only speak in my head. Due to his circumstances, we can’t see him. But please, just—”
“Are you kidding me right now? I thought you brought me up here to show me proof. Now you’re saying the proof is in your head?”
I bite my tongue before I can remind him he was the one who asked to come.
“Be patient and wait. I will at least ask him if he’s able to communicate with you.” I finish what I was saying. “I know how ridiculous this sounds.”
He gives me a condescending look, but he doesn’t say a word. And I leave it at that.
I sit down on the ground, feeling the grass around me, realizing how much longer the blades have grown since the day I was banished.
“Yackros?” I call to him in my mind. I want to speak aloud, but that feels even more awkward with Max here.
Dragon Wings Page 15
