Nebulous_A Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy

by Katie French

  “But if humans are anything, it’s resourceful and, somehow, they tracked the leader to our enemy’s den. He was in his human form when a cunning man versed in dragon lore captured him and…” Ki hesitated for a moment as if he didn’t want me to know the next part, but then finally said, “… and through some artifice, had him drink a draught that prevented him from shifting.”

  “You mean that’s possible?” I asked.

  Ki shrugged. “Theoretically. Anyway, that’s when the Dragon Creed and wardens were born. Long story short… with Longtail’s help, the humans negotiated a treaty with the bad dragons. My ancestors were eager to end the war, and wanted nothing more than to live in peace and rebuild their lives. They created the first beacon, along with rings and swords imbued with power. That way, humans would be able to fight against dragons, if the need arose. In exchange, these humans promised to help hide the knowledge of dragons from the rest of mankind, as well as to uphold the creed. The end.”

  “Wow…” I breathed out the word. “Some story.”

  Ki nodded. “Yeah. Wild, huh?”

  “So my ring and my sword…”

  “…are ancient,” Ki finished for me. “They used to all be for the inhabitants of the first beacon, but now they’re spread out all over the world among the different wardens.”

  “How did the other beacons come to be?”

  “Well, as dragons and humans spread across the globe, new ones had to be created. It’s in the creed. They thought of everything when they wrote that thing.”

  “If all the beacons have this kind of power,” I said, “couldn’t dragons from other dens draw power like Tara did? They could fight her then.”

  “It’s not that easy,” Ki said. “Tara and Jimmy are both over three hundred years old. There are few dragons left who are that old. It takes an immensely powerful and ancient dragon to be able to take in that kind of energy. And even then, it comes with risk.”

  “Risk? As much of a risk as doing nothing to stop that maniac?” I asked in defiance.

  Ki lowered his gaze. “I’m sure there are some dragons already considering doing it, Lila. No matter the danger to their lives.”

  My heart gave a tumble. Ki thought his father would be one of those brave dragons. Of course Mr. Liang would risk his life, same as my aunt. My cheeks flushed with shame.

  “I’m sorry, Ki,” I said. “I didn’t—”

  Ki waved a hand as he got to his feet. “Don’t worry. I’m sure he’ll be all right. My father is strong. I’ll get the others. We should be on our way.”

  As if on cue, the rest of the boys filed out of the house.

  “Ah, you found her,” Fang said, standing at the top of the steps and crossing his arms. His biceps stretched his gray T-shirt, making it look as if it had been painted on him.

  Good God, did they all have to look so irresistible?

  “She’s going,” Ki said, “and you won’t convince her otherwise.”

  “But she should rest,” Santiago half-heartedly said.

  “I told her that much, but…” Ki shrugged.

  “Why do you have to be such a hardhead?” Fang asked, strolling down the steps, Santiago and Tom behind him.

  My aunt appeared at the door. “They’re leaving, Lila. You should get back inside.”

  The boys turned to face my aunt, blocking our line of sight.

  “She’s determined to come with us,” Ki said.

  “Yep, dead set,” Santiago added.

  “Stubborn fledglings,” my aunt snapped. “Don’t you realize that will cause her more harm than good?”

  The boys peered over their shoulders, each with a pleading look in their eyes. They wanted me to stay and be safe, though they would support my decision.

  I shook my head at them.

  They let out a collective sigh before facing my aunt again.

  “She’s her own warden,” Santiago said, his tone firm and defiant.

  My aunt threw her hands up in the air. “Do as you please, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She sighed. “I guess I’d better come along.”

  “Well,” Tom said, “let’s hope we don’t regret this.” He strode away from the house. “Now, let’s go find my mother’s weakness.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  The sun burned hot and bright on our backs as we banked over unending stretches of Jack pine forest. Clinging to Ki’s back, I watched the green canopy blur by below. This was my first time riding out in the open in broad daylight. My aunt had cast a glamor over all the dragons before we left, keeping us from making National Enquirer headlines. For today, at least.

  They’d insisted I be secured to Ki’s back before we could ride, in case I had another attack and plummeted to my untimely demise. I hadn’t protested, though I felt stupid with rope tied around my waist like some untrustworthy toddler.

  In fact, it was my own body that couldn’t be trusted. Even now, every twinge made me think my intestines were melting or my hair was falling out before my very eyes. I ran a hand through my ponytail to make sure it didn’t come away in clumps, feeling thankful when it stayed put.

  Flying during the day was exhilarating. The wind in my hair, the rush of nature below us, it made me feel light and carefree. I knew the feeling was fleeting, but I reveled in it all the same. How many times could I fly like this before I “transitioned” or died? How many times could I press my hands into smooth black scales that shimmered like obsidian rock in the sunlight?

  Are you okay? Ki asked, angling his head to check on me for the millionth time.

  It was the reason I’d picked him to ride despite the jealous expressions on the other boys’ faces. Ki seemed attuned to me, something I felt like I needed right now. My head was a swirl of emotions and worries, a super-fun teenage hormone blender. Having Ki keep an eye on me felt comforting.

  I’m fine, I shot back.

  Because if you need to take a break…

  I don’t, I said, giving him a reassuring pat on his shoulder. We had no time for breaks. Tara’s deadline for everyone to present themselves at Mirror Island was only fifteen hours away. We had to get whatever Tom said would stop his mother and get it fast.

  He had been very secretive about the nature of this item, and had gone quiet soon after revealing he knew her weakness. He’d refused to answer questions, insisting we needed to leave as soon as possible. When pressed, he’d continued to tell everyone the less we knew, the better. It was for our own safety. My aunt had tried to argue with him, but to no avail. He was mum on the subject, and nothing short of magical torture could draw it out of him. Before we left, I could almost see my aunt contemplating just that.

  Pictures of secret weapons or dazzling magical medallions kept popping into my head. But why were we flying over an unpopulated stretch of northern Michigan forest? There was nothing here.

  At the lead of our flock, Tom angled down. Fang, with Aunt Scarlett reluctantly on his back, followed him. Ki and Santiago exchanged glances and then lowered their altitude as well, wings rippling as they adjusted their position. Soon, we were skimming the tops of tall trees, their piney scent flooding my senses. Birds arrowed up, terrified as dragons skimmed past their nests. Apparently, they could still see us. Who knew birds could see through a glamor that humans could not? It gave a new meaning to the term “bird brain.”

  Tom slipped through a nearly imperceptible break in the trees and disappeared. Fang was next, but being the largest of the four, he bashed into a few trees along the way, spraying branches and foliage like a wood chipper. My aunt’s angry curses were audible over the ruckus.

  Thank God I didn’t lose that coin toss. The words that woman is using. I cannot abide such potty language, Santiago said, winking at us with one big golden eye.

  Ki nodded, but then trained all his focus on the path his brother had created through the trees. Angling us left and right, he tried to do his best not to knock me off as branches reared up on either side. I ducked low, only now thankful for my rope
harness as a branch lashed across my back. Why was Tom going this way?

  We made it through the opening relatively unscathed, then Ki landed carefully. His wings blew back ferns, rustling the leaves that had managed to cling to the branches. When it was safe to raise my head, I took in our surroundings.

  We stood in the middle of a thick pine forest with little room to maneuver. The tree branches that survived were spiked with dark green needles, and many littered the ground. Ferns and other small bushes took up residence under their tall neighbors. The forest was breathtakingly beautiful and stretched on forever, giving me the feeling we were in another world. Our own forests near Summers Lake were lovely, but this place felt epic, ancient, and never ending.

  Tom had already shifted back to human, and was dancing into his pants. A naked Fang rushed to the clothing bag Tom had carried for this very purpose. I may have let my eyes linger on his muscled backside a little longer than I should have, but, hey, who could blame me? I was about to die or transform into some sort of horrible mutant. I had to take my pleasures while I could.

  When all the boys had shifted and dressed, my aunt turned to Tom. “Lead the way, fledgling. And let’s hope this is as powerful as you say it is.”

  Tom gave her a solemn glance. Without a word, he stalked away through the forest.

  “Whatever’s crawled up his butt, I hope it doesn’t stay there,” Santiago murmured. When we all gave him a look, he shrugged. “What? I’m hoping for his sake. No girl will want to date him if he keeps acting like an emotionless robot boy.”

  For some reason, Santiago glanced at me when he said these words. I turned my gaze to some ferns that were really interesting all of a sudden.

  As we hiked behind Tom, the other boys kept glancing at me in an annoying way, like I was about to keel over dead, when, in fact, there was something about the fresh air, the pine scent, and sudden the delicate breeze that made me feel invigorated. Maybe my body was fighting the virus and winning. A girl had to hope.

  Tom halted in front of a massive downed tree. With a trunk as wide as five telephone poles, it must’ve been incredibly old when it died. Now, spongy moss roamed freely over its bark, and termites had burrowed inside for shelter. For some strange reason, I was drawn in its direction. I wanted to put my hand on it, feel its energy.

  As we gathered around the tree, Tom placed both palms onto the mossy trunk.

  “I sense a glamor here,” Aunt Scarlett said beside me. “It’s extraordinarily strong. This must be Tara’s doing.”

  The tree stump shimmered just like the lake and sky did when we were about to enter Mirror Island. Magic pulsed through me, hot and thrumming.

  The stump’s image faded away, revealing a giant metal hatch in the earth. Etched around the rim were ancient runes I recognized from the basement of the lighthouse. Dragon magic.

  Tom ran his hand over the runes in a weird, purposeful pattern until they began to glow, illuminating his face in yellow light.

  Just when I thought I couldn’t be more surprised, the hatch lifted on its own.

  A sinking sense of dread formed in my stomach as we gathered behind Tom. We stared at the medal ladder and the deep dark tunnel it disappeared into.

  “What’s down there?” I couldn’t help but ask.

  Tom flicked a look at me, but his eyes were far away, his expression tight and unreadable. “Follow me.”

  Without another word, he gripped the ladder and went down.

  “See what I’m saying?” Santiago said at my shoulder. “Posterior stick-ectomy in his future.”

  We all shook our heads, then followed Tom’s lead.

  They made me go last, which was infuriating. When I finally took a few steps down the ladder, I realized how much it felt like being swallowed whole. My aunt’s ring glowed while mine was wrapped uselessly around my finger. Though maybe having mine still work wouldn’t have made much of a difference because the darkness seemed to gulp up the light just a few feet from the source. We couldn’t see down, only had to trust the bottom was there. Hand over hand on the metal rungs, I fought off an overwhelming sense of panic.

  Shuffling sounds below me gave me a hint the others had reached the bottom.

  Ki called up, “You’re nearly there,” and got a shush from Tom.

  Were we hiding our approach from someone? Would we be forced to fight for the object Tom was seeking? I wished like hell he’d given us even a crumb of what we were up against. Not knowing was maddening.

  The walk down the tunnel was just as dark and mysterious. Before long, Tom halted us at a wide wooden door and held up a hand.

  “Whatever you do,” he whispered, “don’t come in until I give the go-ahead.”

  “Tom?” I asked, but he placed a finger to his lips.

  My aunt gave an annoyed harrumph.

  Tom placed his hands against the door, causing the runes to glow again.

  As the door creaked open, a crackled of electricity shot out, hitting Tom in the chest. Tom’s body jolted, seizing as the energy coursed through him. His jaw snapped open and shut, his teeth chattering. His eyes were thrown wide open.

  “Tom!” I shrieked.

  My aunt drew her sword. “Stand back!” she yelled. “I’m going in.”

  The current stopped. Tom fell to his knees, but held out a trembling arm to stop Aunt Scarlett’s advance into the room.

  “N-no!” Tom said through chattering teeth. “S-s-stay p-p-put,”

  Standing up on shaky legs, he spoke into the room. “T-trenton, it’s m-m-me.”

  I leaned around, trying to see past Tom’s body, but couldn’t make out anything but a sterile white room.

  The male voice inside the room sounded surprised and a bit disdainful. “What are you doing here?”

  “I had to come,” Tom said. “Tara’s done something awful. I need your help.”

  “My help?” the voice said, drawing closer. “Who in the world would need my help?”

  He appeared, standing before Tom—a teen, thin and frail with ice-blue skin, hair, and irises. I thought of Jack Frost from a Christmas cartoon I used to watch as a child, but there was nothing jolly or playful about Trenton’s expression. He looked drawn and sickly, like one bad fall would shatter him into a thousand pieces.

  “Who are these people?” Trenton asked, staring at us over Tom’s shoulder.

  Tom let go of the doorframe, then glanced at us before answering. “These are my friends. They’re the people we need to save from Mother.”

  “Mother?” Santiago said, gaping.

  Tom hesitated, and then nodded at us resignedly. “Everyone, meet Trenton. My older brother.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Tom’s brother regarded us as if we were the ones with blue skin. His pale eyes took turns examining each one of us, and he didn’t look impressed or glad to have visitors in his mole hole.

  “I don’t appreciate you showing up with a bunch of strangers,” Trenton said, turning away from us and heading toward a long glass desk topped with a state-of-the-art computer setup. He sat on the coolest ergonomic chair I’d ever seen, grabbed onto a joystick, and focused his attention on one of the four enormous monitors. Some sort of first-person video game showed a guy with a sword and shield treading through an enchanted forest.

  “Trent, please,” Tom said. “We—”

  “Your last visit—how long ago was it?” Trenton peered back over his shoulder, frowning.

  Tom lowered his gaze, offering no answer.

  Did Trent live in this place? I’d heard of hermits, but this really took the cake. There was a door at the far end that maybe led to a more livable space, but this room resembled some sort of war bunker. The walls were naked concrete. Supporting metal beams went from the floor to the ceiling at even intervals. And a massive array of computer equipment lined the far wall.

  “Anyway…” Trenton continued, drawing my attention once more. “Your last visit wasn’t even that pleasant, and now this? I’d much prefer it if you
all just leave.”

  I exchanged a glance with Santiago who shook his head and shrugged one shoulder as if saying, What’s the matter with this guy?

  “This is why you brought us?” Aunt Scarlett said, contempt and frustration in her voice. “What does your brother have that can help us fight Tara?”

  “Pshaw,” Trenton exclaimed, rotating his chair and facing us. “If that’s why you’ve come, I think my dear brother has led you astray. As you can see, I’m no fighter unless you count Street Fighter. And, in that case, I’ll school you all.” He flicked his controller rapidly. “As far as the real world, I have nothing to help you.”

  “You mean we came all this way for nothing?” My aunt’s voice came out low and her face turned red. Not a good sign. “Why didn’t you tell us why we were coming? I would have quashed this right from the start.”

  Tom’s face burned bright red, but he stood his ground. “I couldn’t say anything because, one, you wouldn’t have come and, two, just saying his name seems to alert my mother in some sort of weird telepathic way, like a strange mom Spidey sense.” He held out two fingers as if that could help solidify his argument with us.

  “And it isn’t true that Trent can’t help us,” Tom said, taking a step toward his brother. Now he spoke directly to his brother. “You can talk to her, convince her she needs to stop. Tara listens to you. She’s trying to depose wardens, threatening war against all dens who fail to join her.”

  Trenton’s pale blue eyes widened for an instant, but he quickly rearranged his expression into its previous mask of indifference.

  “What do I care what happens out there?” He said the last two words with disdain as he turned his back on us again. Removing a pair of large headphones from a charging cradle, he slipped them over his ears. Grasping the joystick, he made the armed warrior on the screen dash forward.

  My aunt threw her hands in the air. “We have to get back. We’ve wasted half a day on this ridiculous trek.”

  Tom’s fists clenched, frustration clear on his features. He seemed to consider my aunt’s proposal for a moment, then shook his head, took a step to the left, and pulled a plug from the wall. The monitors went black. The hum of the computer equipment died with a sigh.