I’d let the dragon free and I had controlled it as Bosim had told me to and now I was paying the price. I opened my eyes wider and took in the same deep-seated brown living room furniture that had greeted me the first time I’d come to Vilion and got in a fight with the Yango.
I was even laying in the same comfortable bed as I had before. I was once again at Edwards’ place. Well, I’d told him I’d be back to visit one day, I reasoned.
I was trying to keep my spirits up, but my mind flashed back to how I’d taken out hundreds of Yango at once. There’d be hell to pay because of it. No way would the Yango let something of this magnitude pass without answer.
I moved slowly, grunting the whole time, until I could sit up against the headboard. Before, when I’d awoken like this, Reid had been by my side. Now, there was no one.
Panic gripped me, and damnit I wished I could move, because I needed to know that he was okay, that all of them were okay. They’d be here if they were, wouldn’t they? They wouldn’t have just left me here and gone home, that I knew for sure.
“Glad you’re finally awake,” Edward said, coming into the living room carrying a wooden tray. “I’ve never seen anyone take out so many Yango at once.” He looked at me with excitement and awe. “I opened my eyes and there you were, filled with fire and ice killing every Yango that moved.”
He put it on the table by the bed, and I noticed there was a bowl of chicken broth and a cup of tea on it. He followed my gaze. “Yeah, been waking you up every few hours to get as many healing herbs into you as I could. Iago and Lantana restored some of your energy, but I think the main thing you need is rest.”
I caught on to the first part of what he said, and a feeling of relief washed over me. “So, they’re alive? They’re okay? All of them?” I held my breath as I waited for an answer, pressure building behind my eyes in anticipation for what I might hear.
He smiled at me, and that tightly wound knot in my stomach released just a little. “Reid, all of them are fine.” His expression turned grave for a second, and he let out a small huff of air. “They’ve been helping to clean up the mess that the Yango left behind. Buildings were ripped apart, houses destroyed, and bodies were left to rot in the street.”
He stopped talking for a minute and closed his eyes as if it hurt him to breathe. When he spoke again, his voice was low and strained. “It’s been three days, and they’re still removing rubble and finding bodies.”
I gave him what I hoped was a sympathetic smile. “I’m glad they’re helping.” I squeezed his hand, and he lifted the mug and held it up in front of me.
“Think you can hold it?” he asked. I nodded, and he fitted my fingers around it. The cup was still warm, and the tea smelled of tangy mint just like the herbs. I took a small sip and closed my eyes as the bitter spicy liquid worked its way down my throat.
Glad to see you up. On my way now. A voice said in my head. Reid. I closed my eyes as something soft and easy fluttered across my chest. Edward had already told me he was alright, but man, it felt good to hear his voice.
No. Stay and help with the cleanup. I’ll see you when you’re done.
Are you sure? I could feel the uncertainty coming from him, and I hurried to set his mind at ease.
I’m tired now. Edward fixed me a hot cup of tea. I’m going to finish that and lie back down.
Are you sure?
Yes.
He paused for a couple of seconds before saying, I’ll see you when I get back.
I drank down the rest of my tea and handed the cup back to Edward, weariness making my bones ache, and my eyes droop. He took it from me and got up to take the tray back into the kitchen. “Try to get some rest,” he said before walking away.
I eased myself back under the covers, already feeling a little better.
THE NEXT TIME I OPENED my eyes, it was to a room full of people. Iago and Trout sat on one couch, while Coen and Lantana sat on the other. Reid sat on the edge of my bed.
They all sported small cuts and bruises, but for the most part, they looked okay, tired, but okay. I opened my eyes wider, noticing I felt a lot better this time upon waking, my energy almost back to its full strength.
Reid was the first to notice my new state, and he smiled at me as I situated my back against the headboard. “Feeling better?” he asked, and I nodded.
“What’s it look like out there?” I aimed my head toward the window.
He ran a tired hand down his face. “Well, we’ve been here over three days, and not one Yango has shown up, so maybe we ran them off for good.”
I smiled because that was welcome news and I hoped that this time we were right and the Yango would no longer be a problem on Vilion. “Where’s Edward?” I looked around, wondering if he was in here, and I’d just missed seeing him.
Reid cocked a thumb toward the door. “Helping out. Still, a lot to do, but with Iago, Lantana, and a few of the Vilions using their telekinesis, it makes things go a lot faster.”
I looked at Reid as well as the others in the room. “Anything interesting happen while I was out?”
“Reid went home,” Coen said, in the voice of a five-year-old telling on his classmates.
Reid shook his head at the other man and then turned to me. “Had to let my parents know I was okay.” I let out a breath and clasped our hands together. I’d forgotten that Reid’s parents now knew what was going on. That was sure to make for some interesting conversation the next time I saw them, something I wasn’t looking forward to.
Reid picked up a cup of tea and handed it to me. I shook my head, and he sat it back on the table beside the bed. “Went to see Todd and Vonda too. I let them know that you were okay, just recovering.”
Which meant that nine times out of ten my parents would pry it out of one or both of them. Which may have bothered me a few weeks ago, but after I’d seen the worry I’d cost them by staying on Cyphen so long, I was glad that Reid had assured them I was okay. “Thanks,” I said, and he nodded.
“There is something else.” I could tell by the way he said it that I wasn’t going to like this next part very much. “Kyla popped in. Only for a second, but she wants to meet in two days, on the world Hollo. Says she has some information on the rogue Yango.”
I ran a hand across my chapped bottom lip and thought about it. Could she be leading us into a trap? I tossed that idea around for a bit and then remembered how she’d tried to take down Brad and Melinda, and also how she’d helped us out back on Gracstor, the world where Lantana had been held captive. “Okay. I’m willing to meet with her.”
In two days, I’d no doubt feel loads better, not that I wasn’t feeling okay now, but a few extra days to gather my strength couldn’t be a bad thing. Besides, back home I had three large tins of dragon oil.
Erain had knocked on my door one night after dinner and given them to me, telling me to only use when near death, as dragon oil was too powerful otherwise. Of course, that had led to me questioning her about the ingredients. That the Dragon Lords had made it thousands of years ago, was all I’d been able to get out of her on that one.
AT THE END OF TWO MORE days I was walking around and able to help with the last of the cleanup. Looking at Edward’s neighborhood, I was surprised to see how peaceful and calm it was now. Much like my first visit here.
Most people on Vilion had some type of magical power or ability, so cleanup went a lot faster than it normally would after an attack like this. There were still a few province that needed help, though, so I’d lend what aide I could.
I now sat on Edward’s front porch, ready to go meet Kyla and find out what new information she’d learned. In my eyes she was probably the best person to help us take down the Yango. She was one of them, and any information she had, was more valuable than anything we could come up with.
The rest of my crew were out here as well, but they looked tired, haggard even, and I reminded myself they hadn’t really had any downtime since our fight with the Yango, as cleanup efforts had
started immediately. “You guys can go back,” I said, looking from Lantana, to Coen, to Iago, to Trout. “Reid and I can meet Kyla on our own.”
I got four blank stares back in response, but it was Coen who spoke. “You know, I sometimes have to remind myself that you really don’t know how sneaky and conniving the Yango are. You never face a Yango alone if you can help it. I don’t care how good you think this one Yango may be. You just don’t do it.”
The others nodded, and Coen raised a brow. “Besides, I don’t need the shit fest that will happen if I go home and tell your brother I sent you and Reid off to face the Yangos on your own.”
Oh, yeah. I hadn’t thought about that. “Okay, okay. We’ll all go.” Which wasn’t really a bad idea. It gave added protection in case I needed it, and also sent a message that we were in this together. We were a team, and where one went, the others would follow.
Edward came out of the house, his arms full as he passed around bags to each of us. “Just a little thank you from the people of Vilion. A few trinkets and other such things.”
Lantana threw her bag over her shoulder. “Any time spent taking out the Yango is a win for me.” She and Coen high fived at that and Trout rolled his eyes.
I came to a stand, stretching my arms and legs in the process. “Thanks, Edward.” I pulled him into a tight hug to once again show my appreciation for taking care of me. “Maybe next time when I visit we can do lunch, instead of the whole battle royale thing, huh?”
He nodded. “I’d like that very much.” He gave Lantana a hug and shook hands with the guys. “Stay safe,” I heard him say, as I stepped into Reid’s portal, telling myself that Kyla wasn’t leading us into a trap.
Chapter 14
We exited the portal into a field of beautiful white gardenias and grass. Kyla had shown Reid exactly where to open the portal, and at first, I wondered if he’d gotten it wrong, until I saw her standing a few feet up, dressed in all black, a Yango man on either side of her.
“Talk about your sunshine dreams.” Trout sniffed the air as if the pleasant smell of gardenias was anything but wonderful. “Already I don’t trust her.” He scowled as if waiting for someone or something to leap from the ground and attack us.
I ignored him and turned to look at Kyla. She stood still, waiting for me to come to her and everything in me told me that wasn’t a good idea. It was a power play on her part, and I wanted no part of it. She’d called this meeting. So, if she wanted to talk, it was up to her to make the first move.
After a couple of seconds, when she saw I wasn’t budging from my spot, she let out a small irritated sigh, then closed the distance between us.
She didn’t waste time with pleasantries, getting straight to the point. “The rogue Yango are set to meet tomorrow night on a world called Lechen. They’re going to talk about you two.” She pointed a finger at myself and Reid. “About how you have dragon powers. They also will be coming up with creative ways to kill you, as you’ve been putting a damper on their plans lately and they want you stopped.”
Reid stood with his arms folded, watching her with suspicious eyes. “And you know this, how?”
She spread her hands wide. “I have spies everywhere, Reid. I thought you understood that from the first time we spoke.”
I was sure he had. I thought he just wanted to see if she remained consistent. She held up a finger and motioned for myself and Reid to come closer. Because he could also open portals, Trout stepped up as well.
I put my hand inside her portal and saw the world Lechen open before me. It was a dark, cold place with large rocks and steep mountainsides. I shook my head. Leave it to a Yango to meet in the dreariest place they could find.
After she was sure we had the coordinates, she dropped her hand and stepped back. “Bring all who are able to fight with you. There will be thousands of Yango there, so you need to gather who you can. This won’t be like before. The rogue Yangos are out to kill, and you and your friends are number one on their list.” With that, she opened a portal and disappeared.
Chapter 15
Once back, I stopped home to get the dragon oil, and check my mailbox. It was overflowing, and I wondered if my mailman had started leaving my mail at the post office.
“Something to think about later,” I said, shaking my head and telling myself to focus.
We were to meet at Todd’s later because if we only had until tomorrow night, we had to get a move on. With that in mind, I took a quick shower, changed into clothes that I could easily move in, grabbed my keys, and headed out the front door.
Todd’s house was full when I got there. I took a good look around and realized that Iago and the others had been waiting for me to arrive. This was the moment they’d been waiting years for, a chance to take back power from the Yango and now that it was here, they were raring to go.
Vonda and the twins were also here. The twins sat on the couch, wide-eyed, watching the activity around them, while Vonda fluttered about checking everyone’s bags and supplies.
I didn’t know where my parents were, I was just glad they weren’t here voicing their disapproval. We were going regardless of what anybody said, no way we couldn’t.
Iago stood in the middle of the floor, his fingers clenching and unclenching at his sides. “Okay,” he said, his voice calling everybody to attention. The twins remained on the couch, but Vonda, who’d been in the middle of tucking something into Coen’s hair, stopped to listen.
Reid leaned up against the bar, his arms folded, eyes on Iago. Todd sat on the opposite couch from the twins, an unreadable look on his face. Trout stood on one side of Iago, while Lantana stood on the other.
“I know of three worlds besides Fletcher’s that’ve been waiting to tear through the Yango.” He looked at the occupants of the room as if counting and sorting us out. “We’ll cover more ground if we split up. Be able to get to them faster, let them know what’s going on.”
Coen waved a hand through the air, vetoing that outright. “We all know which three worlds you're talking about, and they’re overrun with Yango. There’ll be no splitting up here today.” He said it like it was final and he didn’t care to hear more discussion on the subject.
Iago looked to Trout and raised a brow as if asking him his feelings on the subject. Trout was quick to answer, and his voice sounded sure and without doubt. “No splitting up. It’s too easy for them to overpower us that way.”
Iago nodded and turned to Lantana. “I agree with them,” she said simply.
He looked from me to Reid. “Agreed,” Reid said.
“Agreed.” I heard myself answering because I really did agree. We’d said before that sticking together was the only way to go. If we started breaking off into groups, the Yango would have a field day tearing us apart.
WE ENTERED INTO A WORLD named Erden as the sun was setting. Like on Emor, I had to stop for a moment to make sure I hadn’t been transported back in time.
The streets were cobblestone, and large billows of smoke and steam rose through the air, wrapping around us and making us cough. The smog was thick here, and I found myself trying to figure out just what type of world this was.
Only four people stood on the street as we were on a road with not much traffic. Off in the distance, we could hear the sound of trains, and wheels, much like on horse carts as they made their way over the cobblestone.
Two couples walked along the long and narrow road. A woman wearing a large elaborate blue hat done up with flowers linked arms with a gentleman in a top hat, walking with a cane.
Both looked to be in their early thirties. The man wore a blue dress suit and bow tie, his skin a light brown. He walked with purpose and determination, like he knew where he wanted to be and was in a hurry to get there.
The woman wore a long puffed up blue dress, that looked like something one would expect to find on a prim and proper lady from the seventeenth century. She carried a small blue umbrella over her shoulder and held a blue and white beaded purse tight under
her arm. Her skin was a darker brown.
The other couple didn’t look that much different. But where the first woman wore blue, this one wore purple. Her skin was more a pale color, and her umbrella was yellow, her purse a beaded blue.
Her arm was wrapped securely in that of a tall, pale man with a black top head and gray suit and tie. Like the first man, he too walked with a cane, which made a tap tap noise every time it hit against the street.
Reid looked around, his eyes as big as my own. We’d seen this type of thing before on Emor, but still, it felt as though we’d been transported back to a time when railcars ruled, and horse and buggy were one of the preferred methods of travel.
Both couples seemed happy enough as they chatted along, one or both of the women laughing every few seconds. They seemed so calm and at ease, that one could easily believe they’d just left from an easy, leisurely dinner or perhaps an enjoyable picture show.
It was nice, and I found myself smiling at the simplicity of it all. Then the air rippled, a portal opened, and five Yango stood in the air around them. Enclosing the group in a small circle.
I moved without thinking, ready to help, but a hand on my arm stopped me. “Just watch,” Iago said, pointing to where the two couples didn’t look scared in the least.
“Yango think if they can catch Erdens alone they’ll have a better chance of overpowering them and getting them to hand over their goods.” He chuckled and shook his head. “That mistake will cost them.”
I looked to Reid who shrugged as if he didn’t have an opinion either way but was willing to trust that these guys knew what they were doing. I sighed and decided to do the same. I trusted them enough to know if they really thought the couples were in trouble, we wouldn’t be on the sidelines watching.
The Yango held out their hands as if to use their lejet and the women immediately cranked the handles of their umbrellas. I watched in astonishment as the umbrellas turned into large metal blades that clicked and whirled, making a whooshing sound as they rotated through the air.
Dust and Cinder (Rise of the Dragons Trilogy Book 3) Page 6
