by Brower, Dawn
“Calm down,” Elodie said. “What is so dire?” Had the dragon hunter escaped?
She turned quick to make sure Donia was still tied up where they’d left her. The girl was now sitting up watching them almost creepily. How long had she been awake? Had she witnessed the kiss between Elodie and Daire? Donia glared at them, threatening without words. Good luck with that... They weren’t about to let her go willingly.
“Kalypso,” Elodie yelled at the tiger. She was napping near the fire, curled into a ball. She was close enough not to burn herself accidentally, and at the same time Elodie wondered how she’d not been at least singed by a floating hot ash.
The tiger lifted her head and yawned. She smacked her lips several times and replied. “What?”
“Watch Donia. We need to go outside a minute.”
Kalypso brought a paw up and began grooming herself. Her large tongue rolled out of her mouth in one sweeping motion and she licked her paw. She stopped mid-lick and glanced up at Elodie with aggravation. “I’m not your slave,” she grumbled.
Elodie threw her hands up in the air. “Can you do it, please?”
“Fine,” she agreed. “But you owe me.”
Kalypso could be something else... Elodie had no words for her. In some ways, she could be more irritating than Lulu. The bird was hyper where the tiger was lazy and noncommittal. She still didn’t understand why she needed one, or even both the tiger and the bird, to navigate Malediction. She didn’t bother to acknowledge Kalypso’s claim that she owed her. The tiger would do it either way. For some reason, their fates were all tied together. She’d figure it out at some point, and when she did, she’d also unravel the path home.
For now, she’d go see Cale. Lulu didn’t generally overreact for no apparent reason. There must me something seriously wrong for her to fly in as she had. Her anxiety was palpable and not so easily ignored. “All right.” She turned toward Lulu. “What is going on?”
“Come with me,” Lulu reiterated. “He needs you.”
“He always needs you,” Daire mumbled, irritation in his voice.
She chose to ignore that. They had some things to work through, but she couldn’t let herself worry about hurting Daire’s feelings. Cale meant too much to her for anything to prevent her from coming to his aid. She’d address Daire and his attitude later. Everything seemed to be going into the afterward box. When that time came, she was starting to think the world would collapse on top of her.
“Fly on ahead,” she told Lulu. “We will be right behind you.”
Lulu fluttered away, heading out of the cavern to where they’d left Cale earlier. Daire fell into step beside Elodie. He stayed quiet for a moment and once they were out of earshot he stopped.
“What are you doing?” Elodie asked. “Cale might be in danger. We have to keep moving.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think I can do this anymore.”
It was her turn to be irritated. She didn’t have time for this. Elodie placed her hands on her hips and said angrily, “Why are you acting this way? Cale...”
“Is the only thing you’re ever concerned about. I tried to let it go and let you work through your feelings. I can’t do it anymore. There is something between us, and that kiss wasn’t nothing, even if you’re pretending it is.” He stepped closer to her. “A kiss that turns into several tells a story. That’s the story of us, and what we could be together if you stop fighting what you feel.”
Elodie held up her hand, stopping him from going on. She couldn’t do what he wanted her to. This was not the time to share her feelings. Especially, as she had no clue what those were. She had so many mixed emotions she didn’t know what any of it amounted to. She believed she loved Cale—no, she did love him. What she felt for Daire didn’t compare to that, and she refused to let it. Passion was fleeting anyway...
“Daire, there is no us. There never has been either. I’m not saying this to hurt your feelings. It’s a fact, and you need to accept it. Now you can either come with me and help Cale, or you can go sit with Kalypso. Donia might need a second babysitter.”
He jerked backward as if she’d slapped him. She’d been too harsh, and some of what she’d said hadn’t been true. There was something there, even if she didn’t like it or want to admit it. But he’d forced her to make a choice and she made it.
Cale needed her, and she’d go to him. He’d risked his own life for hers. She couldn’t repay that debt by ignoring him when he needed her the most. He was a damn dragon, and should be near infallible. Somehow though, he was far from the dangerous beast the hunters believed him to be. There was something wrong with him and how he’d merged with the dragon.
“Do you really feel that way?” Daire asked. He shook his head. “No, don’t answer that. I don’t want to hear the lie dripping off your tongue. Don’t worry, I won’t tell him about the kiss. I’ll leave that to you.”
Daire turned to walk away. He didn’t get very far before she called out to him. “Wait.” He kept walking. “Daire, please stop.”
He halted and turned his head to her. “What for? You don’t need me. It’s him you want.”
“I don’t know what I want anymore,” she admitted. “But he does need help. Please come with me so I can make sure he’s all right.”
He sighed and came back to her side. They walked out of the cavern together. She had no clue what they’d find when they got there. The sky was dark, and she had very little light to guide her path. She stumbled forward but never hit the ground. Daire wrapped his arms around her keeping her upward. “Thanks,” she said.
“That’s what I’m here for, isn’t it?” he replied dryly. “To be your nursemaid?”
She didn’t deign to respond to that. He was still sore from her earlier outburst, and she didn’t blame him. Sometimes she didn’t know why she acted the way she did. They headed slowly toward where Cale laid on the ledge. His purple scales reflected in the little light emitted from Malediction’s moon. Lulu sat on top of Cale’s back as if she guarded him. He didn’t move as they approached.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“He tried to access his magic to burn the poison away,” Lulu said. “He was too late, and if we don’t do something to help him, he might be this way forever.”
“Then he isn’t dead?” she had to ask.
“No,” Lulu said. “This is much worse, and it was probably the hunters’ plan all along. They can use him this way, and she’s the only one that can save him.”
Elodie frowned. She knew it. Donia was a devious witch, and she’d pay for hurting Cale. If they needed her to save him, then she better be prepared to do it. Nothing was going to keep Cale in the state he was in. He was so still, like a statue. Then it hit her... “Is this what happened to the dragon before?”
Lulu nodded sadly.
Fury poured through Elodie and heated her blood. A storm formed overhead as it raged inside of her. Every ounce of her magic prepared for battle. Donia didn’t know what she’d unleashed, but she was about to find out...
10
Knight Watch
Elodie stomped into the cave and headed straight for Donia. The girl had her head leaning against the back wall with her eyes closed. She’d been awake and alert earlier. She had probably witnessed the exchange between Elodie and Daire, but that was a matter for another day. Cale was in dire straits and the hunter had been aware of it the entire time. Donia would stop it even if it was the last thing she ever did.
When she reached Donia, Elodie ripped off her gag and glared down at her. “Save him.”
The girl lifted a brow. “You’ll need to be clearer. Whom am I to save?”
“Don’t play coy.” Elodie seethed. “It doesn’t become you. I know what you did.”
The girl grinned a little too enthusiastically. “Are we going to play that game?” She leaned forward and said in a loud whisper, “Because I witnessed quite the show between you and the blond guy. What’s his name again? Daire? Don’t misunderst
and me, I totally get it, but how’s that dragon of yours going to feel when he finds out you’ve already replaced him with the gorgeous one?”
Elodie curled her hand into a fist, but she didn’t strike the hunter. It wouldn’t benefit her to hit her. Yes, she wanted to, but she couldn’t very well take out her rage on the girl. Especially when she spoke the truth... It hurt to realize it, but there would be some fall back from her interlude with Daire. It had seemed harmless enough. She should’ve known better. Something had changed between her and the prince.
“Cale and I are not together in that way.” Another truth that stung, and always would. “He’s a trusted knight in my kingdom.” He had made that point more often than not. She believed he felt more for her but hadn’t been able to act on it. Elodie couldn’t be sure why or what his thinking process was, but there was something between them. “I care a great deal for him, and I’ll not let you murder him because you think he’s un-savable.”
“He is,” Donia said with a shrug. “You’ll see in time. The dragon’s a part of him forever now. There’s no escaping it.”
Elodie frowned. “Do you not know what is happening to him?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Donia stared up at her. “I ensured he’d never harm anyone ever again. Of course I’m aware of what is happening to him. There’s no stopping it now.”
“I hate you,” Elodie told her. “I never thought I could hate anyone more than my stepmother, but congratulations, that honor now belongs to you.”
“Thank you,” Donia replied, beaming. “I do try to be the best.”
Elodie picked up the gag and put it back over the girl’s mouth. She couldn’t listen to another word out of her. She hadn’t been lying about hating her more than Fiona. Honestly, if they were both in the same room, it would be hard to determine who she truly hated more. At least she wouldn’t have to face that possibility. The chance of both Fiona and Donia ever being near each other wasn’t high. That was one thing she could look forward to. Donia would be trapped in Malediction while she returned to Zelnon. There was irony in that. She had a person she despised living in both worlds.
“Am I done guarding the she-devil?” Kalypso asked. “Would you like me to eat her?”
As much as she’d like to say yes... Elodie shook her head. “No. We don’t eat people.”
“You might not,” Kalypso replied. “But I find them rather tasty. Though that one looks somewhat bony... Perhaps we should fatten her up first.” She tilted her head as she studied Donia. “You’re right, princess. It isn’t the right time to eat her. We’ll wait.”
At least she wouldn’t have to worry about Kalypso snacking on the girl anytime soon. They didn’t have a lot of provisions, making it rather difficult to feed themselves, let alone the hunter. That would make it nearly impossible to add weight on for Kalypso to make a meal out of her.
Not that it mattered much. Elodie had to figure out how to save Cale. Donia hadn’t been any help at all. Truthfully, she hadn’t expected the hunter to come to her aid. She had been the one to poison Cale’s blood and send him down the path he was on. How many times had the dragon been turned to stone? Would he return to the circle as he became the statue once again? Lulu was up to something. The bird understood what was happening and was keeping it to herself—for reasons Elodie didn’t yet understand. Elodie really wished this had been explained to her sooner. Maybe she could have helped if she’d had all the information.
“Stay with Donia,” Elodie told Kalypso. “You’re still babysitting her. I have to go back out to talk to Lulu and Daire.”
“Fine,” Kalypso agreed. “You owe me, plus one more.”
Elodie rolled her eyes. “No. I only owe you one. This is a continuation of the earlier request.”
Why was she bargaining with a tiger? She hoped that when she returned to Zelnon this would be a nonissue either way. She couldn’t owe a tiger if she wasn’t around to pay up. Even if she remained in Malediction, she refused to owe her twice for the same task.
“No deal,” the tiger said. “If you do not agree, I’ll untie her and let her go.”
Elodie didn’t have time for this nonsense. She was not going to give her another favor. If the tiger didn’t want anything to do with the hunter, then she’d take her with her. “If you don’t watch her, then I owe you nothing. It rescinds the earlier bargain.”
“That’s not how this works.” The tiger flashed her teeth. “A bargain cannot be undone.”
“It can if I choose it,” Elodie declared. “I’m the princess, remember? My word is law.”
Kalypso’s roar filled the cavern. She hadn’t liked that bit, had she? Good. Elodie was done with all of the tiger’s nonsense. She was supposed to be helping, and she dared to strike a deal for each favor. Hell with that. The tiger could leave and find her way back to her own cave.
Daire came rushing into the cave. He was out of breath as he halted by Elodie. “Lulu said to come quick. She needs you.”
Elodie turned to him as fear rocketed through her. “Grab Donia and carry her out to the ledge. She might come in handy. If not, we can always throw her over.”
“You don’t mean that,” he said. “You don’t kill.”
“There’s always a first time for everything,” she replied nonchalantly.
She spun on her heels and headed toward the front of the cave. There was no time to argue with Daire. He’d either bring Donia or not. She couldn’t make herself care about the girl’s fate. Cale needed her, and she’d been arguing with Donia, then Kalypso, for too long. It had been a stupid idea to go in and confront the hunter. The result had not ended favorably.
Malediction was an evil beast. It sucked her and her friends into its hell, and its claws were deeply embedded in them. The prophecy was her only clue on how to escape. She’d believed the dragon ring had been the way out. That was clearly not it. So it must be something else. They each lost something when they came over, and the clue must be in finding those items. She didn’t have any idea how to begin looking. She wasn’t even sure if they had to find them all first, or if they would return individually on finding the one they’d lost themselves. None of it made any real sense.
She exited the mouth of the cave and found Lulu hovering over Cale. The bird was whistling a melodic tune as she remained suspended over him. It was peaceful and lovely. “What is that you are singing?”
Lulu didn’t respond to her question. She kept tweeting the melody over and over again. Elodie wanted to interrupt out of curiosity, but refrained. Instead, she sat down near Cale’s head and hugged him. He’d been her anchor through some of the roughest times of her life. She wanted to return the favor if she could. She would remain vigil by his side and keep watch of her knight. It didn’t matter if he was a dragon or a man, he was hers. That was all that mattered to her...
Lulu stopped singing and came over to where Elodie rested. She didn’t lift her head to greet the bird. She was lost in her own thoughts and the melancholy of not being able to fix Cale herself. She wanted to be everything he needed, yet she’d never been close. He’d pushed her away and planned on leaving her. Cale had plans that did not include her. All of this was her fault. He wouldn’t even be in Malediction if she hadn’t thrown a fit and run away. Regrets wouldn’t solve the problem though.
“The song of life.”
“What?” Elodie asked, snapping back to reality.
“You asked about the song,” Lulu replied. “It’s a part of our history here in Malediction. There might be nothing to it, but if you’re here long enough, it becomes a part of you. Cale hasn’t been here long, but the dragon has. It might give him hope and the will to fight.”
That made a strange kind of sense. “Is it magic?”
“No,” the bird said sadly. “It’s a song. An uplifting tune that might inspire hope when all hope is lost.”
She wanted an answer when there didn’t seem like any could be found. “Daire said you needed me.”
Lulu floate
d down and sat on Cale. “He has a good heart, your knight.”
“He does,” Elodie agreed. “He’s brave, kind, and more loyal than anyone in my life.” Cale didn’t deserve the curse that had been placed on him. She wished for the thousandth time he hadn’t put that ring on his finger. If he’d just waited... He’d made the decision all on his own. It was his mistake to own, yet she couldn’t help but take on the responsibility of it. He’d only done it to save her. He knew her better than anyone and understood she’d have put the ring on herself.
When he had done it, Elodie’s whole world changed in an instant. She could see how selfish she’d been and how her rash decisions affected those around her. She kept making the wrong step and hurting people she didn’t mean to. Would she ever be able to do the right thing? Yes, she would—somehow. She’d vowed to save Cale, and even if it was the last thing she manage to do—she damn well would keep that vow. “Can you think of nothing to help him. The song was nice, but it...”
“Doesn’t magically make him better,” Lulu interrupted her. “No. It doesn’t do that. It does help in its own way though.”
“It’s not enough,” Elodie said. “Cale... He shouldn’t be a dragon.”
“He’s always been a dragon,” Lulu disagreed. “You didn’t see it.”
That confused Elodie even more. “No. He’s a knight and a man.” She tilted her head and stared down at Cale’s purple scales. “Now he’s a dragon. I miss talking to him.”
Lulu remained quiet, not responding to Elodie. It was nice to sit there with Cale and pretend that everything was going to be all right. It probably wouldn’t be. Cale would be lost to her forever soon, and she had no way to prevent it. Saving him wouldn’t happen, and she wouldn’t be able to keep her vow. She’d failed him, and it hurt.
“The dragon couldn’t have bonded with him if he didn’t have dragon blood to begin with,” Lulu finally spoke. “He’s always been special.”
Elodie couldn’t argue with that much. “Yes, he has.”
“He can be saved. There is a way.”
