by K L Rymer
How sad.
“You’re... you’re from his magical school... aren’t you?”
She’s talking about Myrddin, of course.
“Yes,” I reply. “I am.”
Her skin pales and she almost passes out, but she holds herself steady. A hand shoots up to her forehead. “Is... is she okay? Bryn?”
My heart sinks at her words. Just like Megan, Jennifer has no idea where Bryn is. I figured as much but it was still worth a chance.
I bow my head. “I’m sorry... forgive me for intruding. I’ll be on my way.”
I turn to climb back down the porch, but she grabs my arm, squeezing me desperately as if I’m her last lifeline.
“Please, don’t go. I... I just... I can’t believe one of you is actually here...”
I quirk a brow. She’s talking about supernaturals. It makes sense. She dated a wizard and not just any wizard too.
Seems this muggle has a thing for magic.
Her crystal blue eyes shimmer as if she can’t actually believe what she is seeing. “Who are you?”
I flick my gaze away from her, unable to tell her that I’m the ass who broke her daughter’s heart. Twice.
I’m sure Bryn told her about me. I’ve sure told my mother about her. Even though she’s in a coma, I know Mother can hear every word.
“Matthew...”
Recognition dawns in her eyes, and her mouth forms a small, delicate ‘O’.
“I... best go.”
Maybe coming here wasn’t the best decision after all. What’s to stop Jennifer from calling Bryn right now to warn her about me?
Jennifer Williams will know what I’m all about after all.
I’m no ordinary supernatural; I can shoot lightning out of my fingertips.
Yet to my surprise, Jennifer takes a gentle hold of me, and I look back into her dazzling blues.
“Don’t go. Please, stay. Have... have some coffee. Or tea.”
My eyes move toward the door. “Will your husband be happy for me to come inside?”
Jennifer pauses, craning her neck to get a look in the living room. A loud snore comes from the doorway, and it seems the big oaf has fallen back asleep.
She deserves better.
“He... he won’t know. Come on, come inside. Any friend of Bryn is always welcome here...”
My chest clenches at her kind words, and I don’t deserve any of it. I hurt her daughter. I am not a good person, but I am willing to do what is right in order to save the world and my mother.
She leads me to the kitchen, and again I marvel at how clean it is. With that slob, you’d expect the house to be a dump, but Jennifer keeps it tidy.
My eyes land on the fridge with all the colourful magnets, and I smile as I spot a picture of a blonde little girl.
Bryn was an adorable child with a bright, eager smile. She wears antennae and a bright green morph suit, and it appears she’s dressed like an alien.
I doubt she’d have been caught dead in a Disney Princess outfit even back then.
Jennifer finishes making the drinks. I agreed to coffee in the end, and now we both sit at the breakfast bar, sipping silently.
The woman drums her fingers against the table, dying to ask me something, but words fail her.
I give her a moment to compose herself.
After a while, she sucks in a deep breath, meeting my eyes. “So... how are you liking Texas so far?”
I shrug. “It’s hot, but truth be told, I haven’t seen much from beyond your front yard. I... teleported here via magic.”
Her pupils dilute. “Of... of course... He... he always used to teleport too.”
She takes a generous gulp of her coffee, and I watch her pointedly. She’s referring to Myrddin.
“You should make contact with him sometime. I’m sure the professor... I mean, Myrddin would be happy to see you.”
Jennifer’s eyes pop. “Oh, no. We were never really that serious... A summer fling as they say... then I got pregnant with Bryn.”
Sadness laces her tone and I place my coffee down, staring at her intently now.
She casts her eyes to the table. She really is shy and demure, while Bryn is feisty.
Funny how that happens.
“Leave him.”
My words surprise her, and now Jennifer glances back up. “Excuse me?”
I have no right to tell her what to do as I barely know her, but I lean closer, and now she cowers beneath my intense gaze. I soften my features a little as I don’t mean to frighten her.
“You shouldn’t be with that fat pig. You deserve the best of the best, and believe me... Myrddin is the best. He’s a legend after all.”
Her cheeks blush and she takes a quick sip of her coffee again. I’m not sure if she will listen to me; I doubt I’m the first person who ever told her to ditch that fat, ugly bastard, yet still.
She needs to get away. I bet he hits her. Her reserved nature explains it all.
In fact, I’m tempted to get up and fry the cunt with my lightning while he sleeps in his lounger chair. If he hits his wife, then surely he hits his stepdaughter too.
He laid a hand on my Bryn...
But I stay put. This is not my fight. My war is with my father, but I promise... I will come back and make that couch potato pay for making Bryn miserable.
I get up, heading to the door. “It’s best I go. Please take on board what I said. You may be a human, but there is always a door open for you at the academy. Myrddin would welcome you with open arms, I’m sure.”
She tucks her curly, brown hair behind her ear. “Thank you. It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Matthew. Bryn was right. You really are handsome.”
I smile a little at her sweet tone, blushing at the compliment. She really does deserve more in life. Jennifer just needs to find the courage to leave that dirtbag.
I nod, striding down the hall towards the front porch. Larry still snores on his lounger chair.
“You fucking fat pig...” I mutter when I get a look at his drooling, unshaven face.
His body odour travels my way, and I have to leave before he puts me out. I yank the door open and stroll across the front yard.
All the while I feel Jennifer’s sad, lingering gaze on my back, and it takes everything in me not to go back in there and rescue that poor woman.
But she needs to save herself first.
I round the end of the block, the sun blazing as I fix my eyes on the group of trees where I teleported earlier. A few kids play on the street, paying me no heed. One little girl does look up, and at once she reminds me of a young Bryn.
At that thought, I hold out her picture, and my cheeks pull up.
I hope Jennifer doesn’t mind that I stole this picture. I was even tempted to go snooping around in her room and look at her old teddy bear collection, but I needed to get away as fast as I can.
No time to dwell.
It’s time to find Bryn.
Just as I reach the trees, a voice calls out to me.
“Why, hello there, Mr Humphrey... The hot, Texas air seems to agree with you, unlike me. I’m simply burning!”
I jump, whirling around when I come face to face with that familiar, bearded man. He wears his bright signature blue suit with the stars, and I back off.
I hold my hands up in a fighting stance, increasing the distance between us.
Myrddin sighs, stepping out from the trees. “Come now, Matthew. It’s time we talked.”
Chapter 15 - Bryn
Buddy and Sparkle Hearts hit it off immediately.
The two baby dragons will tumble and play, and Buddy’s always extra gentle, treating her like a lovable baby sister.
He’s twice her size after all.
Shadow Stalker, meanwhile, lingers in the shadows, hissing whenever the two get too close to his hiding place. All to be seen of him are his glowing, red eyes as he tries to feed off all the positive energy around camp, but the love is too much for him to take.
He’s gettin
g serious sugar rush from all the sweetness.
The friendship between the baby dragons has also made Felicity and Jack closer as a result. I remember they were pretty tight at the start; he would always sweep her up in his hand and carry her around, but then Felicity started to dote on Damien instead, and then the two stopped hanging out.
It was only ever a brother and sister relationship. Nothing more.
The titan and the pixie (there’s a sentence I never thought I’d say) are currently teaching their dragons tricks. Buddy gets every one right but Sparkle Hearts still has a long way to go.
Damien tries to coax Shadow Stalker out of the trees, but the wyvern won’t budge. As you can imagine, Shadow is too much of a free spirit to do something as demeaning as tricks; he can’t be tamed after all.
“Sparkle Hearts, sit,” Felicity demands, softly.
The pink cuddly dragon wags her tail, cocking her head sideways as Felicity gives her soft commands.
“It’s said more like this,” Jack tells her. “Buddy, sit!”
The brass dragon sits at once, never taking his clever eyes off Jack.
The pixie nods. “Okay, I will try again. Sparkle Hearts... sit.”
The pink dragon yawns, producing a tiny squeak, and now she curls up and falls asleep.
I gush, wishing I had my own baby dragon. “So cute... Brynmawr! You’re going to have to downsize! I need you to be just as small and cute!”
The Red Dragon narrows his golden eyes. “What if I just yawned as sweetly instead?”
At that remark, the dragon yawns in my face, blowing hot air all over me. Yet he growls instead of squeaks, and his breath...
Sparkle Hearts still has that perfect puppy breath after all.
I wipe the tears from my eyes. “Yeah... please don’t do that again. My eyebrows nearly burned off.”
Brynmawr chuckles and tucks his legs beneath his body again. He turns to Gwyneira beside him. The White Dragon doesn’t look too good.
“Gwyn?” he says.
She blinks. “I’m... I’m fine. I... just...”
Suddenly, her blue eyes expand, and now she sits up, taking to the skies. She vomits next, and now carrot chunks rain down from the sky. Luckily they miss us.
You know what the strange part is? Dragons don’t even eat carrots...
Alarmed, Brynmawr spreads his own wings, taking off after her. “Gwyneira, wait!”
The dragons leave us at last, and now it’s just me, Jack, and Felicity again. Angelina, Zahara, Thomas, and Nora have gone off egg hunting. They’ve made it a competition now: who finds the next egg.
I’m pining for Nora.
I like it when the underdogs win, and she’s too kind for her own good.
Damien still tries to encourage Shadow out of the bushes. “Would you do it for a Scooby Snack?”
Since when were peoples’ souls Scooby Snacks?
Shadow Stalker hisses from behind a prickly bush, and the demon sighs. “I give up. He’s never going to come out.” Damien turns to the pixie. “Felicity! Insult me. That may work. He loves the negativity after all.”
Felicity giggles. “I’m not going to insult you, Damien.”
“Ooh, I will!” I offer. “Damien, you piece of shit... I will kick your ass!”
Shadow Stalker pops his head out, lapping up all the negative energy. He sniffs the air.
Damien chuckles. “It’s hard to tell whether you’re serious at times, Bryn Bryn, but keep it up.”
I smirk, rising to my feet. “How about I just kick your ass for real. That’ll work.”
Felicity gasps, jumping up. “Bryn, no. I won’t let you hurt Damien!”
Damien’s eyes light up, and I see he accepts the challenge. My heart thrums in anticipation.
Finally, I can kick his ass...
“Knock yourself out, Bryn Bryn,” he leers.
I step closer, readying my fists. Now I come to stand beside him, and Damien quirks a brow as I wonder how best to do this.
It’s not that easy with him just standing there waiting for me. It has to be a surprise attack.
Despite my trepidation, Shadow Stalker still slips out from the shadows, and now he crawls up Damien’s legs, curling around his neck like a creepy scarf.
The demon smirks at his dragon proudly. “Good to have you on-board again, Shadow—”
Without warning, I shove my knee into the demon bastard’s balls, and his red eyes bug as he doubles over, clutching his man jewels. Shadow Stalker hisses, despite the fact that he’s savoring every juicy bit of negative energy.
“Holy fuck, Bryn!” he cries, falling to his knees.
He may be a powerful demon, but he still has vulnerabilities like every other man.
Felicity whimpers, rushing to his side. “Damien!”
I throw my head back, cackling in triumph. “I’ve been waiting two years to do that!”
Felicity scolds me now. “Bryn, how could you?!”
I ignore her and sit back down beside Jack. I don’t miss the little smirk on the titan’s face.
“What?” I say.
Just as the titan goes to reply, the others arrive back in camp. Nora’s smile is extra enthusiastic.
Thomas, Angelina, and Zahara, however, sulk.
“What’s with your faces,” I ask, grabbing my beer. I’ve somewhat taken to drinking now.
Well, when in Rome... Even though we’re in Greece.
Zahara scoffs. She’s normally in a good mood but not tonight. “Ask Nora...”
We all look at Nora. The gorgon releases a hearty laugh, holding out her hand. “I won! I found an egg!”
She clutches a beautiful, emerald egg in her hands, and I’m mesmerized immediately.
It’s going to be a beauty for sure...
Our fourth dragon egg.
Chapter 16 - Bryn
“What can I say? A snake led me straight to her, and that’s when I found her beneath a pile of rocks.”
We all listen to Nora as she recites how she found her new baby dragon, Zelina.
Finally... a decent dragon name. Pretty too and of Greek origin.
It makes sense the serpent would help her out; she is a gorgon after all. She may not have snakes for hair per se, but her dagger is shaped like a snake. It’s her spirit animal after all, even though she’s the least snakiest of us all.
Speaking of snakey people...
Zahara eyes Nora’s bright green egg like it’s rare treasure, and I watch her carefully.
I wouldn’t put it past her to steal it from Nora’s hands.
Angelina and Thomas are just as pissed too, but they’re gracious losers, unlike the Unseelie.
Nora gazes down at that bright green egg, and it appears to be glowing now. I still can’t take my eyes off it.
“She’s so beautiful. I can’t wait to meet her,” Nora says.
“Me too,” Felicity replies. “Another girl dragon... Our dragons will be sisters, Nora!”
The two girls squeal with excitement. Sparkle Hearts licks Zelina’s shell.
Zahara waves her own arms around in mock gusto. “Yaaayyy! Shut up!”
The gorgon and the pixie zip it.
Angelina laughs, and the sound turns my blood to ice. “Good one, Zee...”
I roll my eyes, turning toward the fire now. “Well, are you going to hatch her then?”
The flames dance in Nora’s eyes as she stares at the fire, licking her full lips. “I... I’m not so sure. I think it’s best we wait until Brynmawr and Gwyneira get back. It feels like a bad omen if we don’t have them here.”
Oh, that’s right. They’ve still not come back.
I gaze at the skies.
“Has anyone else noticed that those two have been acting odd lately?” Thomas remarks next.
I turn to the shifter. “How do you mean?”
What’s he accusing my dragon of?
The shifter fixes those metallic, golden eyes on me. They shine. “I’m just saying. Gwyneira looks a little rund
own some days, and Brynmawr is super protective of her.”
I already have my own suspicions, but I didn’t want to say anything. I didn’t feel it was my place, but those dragons have some serious explaining to do when they get back. It’s about time.
We’re a team after all. We should share stuff.
Still... I don’t think we have to wait for them. I want to meet Zelina, now. I’m dying to see her bright, glowing green scales.
“Nora, there’s no time like the present,” I tell her. “Put Zelina on the fire. Damien, juice up the flames.”
The demon rises from his log, stretching his fingers like he’s about to play the piano, and it looks like he’s finally recovered from my ass-kicking. “With pleasure.”
He sucks in a breath, and now a stream of orange fire bursts from his mouth as he feeds the flames.
They stretch and Felicity squeaks, hiding behind her log. Everyone else shuffles back as Nora stands shakily, clutching her dragon egg with a trembling pair of hands.
She comes to stand by Damien’s right. He turns to her. “She’s all yours now.”
The gorgon nods rapidly, taking tentative steps toward the fire. Poor thing; she’s a nervous wreck. I still remember that high-pitched “Hiiii” she gave me when we first met.
I can’t wait to meet her dragon. You just know it’s going to be as lovable as Felicity’s.
Not that I’ve met any other gorgon, but Nora has definitely changed my whole outlook on them. She really is one of the good guys. Magnanimous, just like her pixie friend...
Felicity encourages her, poking her little blonde head out from behind her log. “Go on, Nora! You can do it!”
I roll my eyes. She’s so cheesy.
Nora gives her a nervous, toothy smile, and hobbles closer.
“We believe in you, Nora!” Zahara cries, and once again she’s so fake
She truly is a snake.
“Don’t trip now,” Angelina remarks, and the two bitches cackle.
I grind my teeth, rounding on the pair. “Shut up!”
The Unseelie and the vampire stare at me speechless.
What did they expect? That I was just going to stand there and let them bully Nora? Such petty, jealous bitches...
