by JF Jenkins
Matt shrugged then noticed the ground below them getting closer. "We're landing now. Hold on. It can be a doozy."
The sudden downward movement always threw Matt slightly off-balance. He clutched to the dark scales even firmer than before. He knew he was probably overreacting. After all, his father and other relatives accompanying them on the ride acted as though nothing was happening. Even Jason seemed unfazed, and it was his first time flying. Matt closed his eyes, taking deep, slow breaths until they landed a few minutes later.
Jason didn't say anything. He simply placed a hand on Matt's back for a moment before gathering both of their things. Matt took his time getting down, not wanting to rush his shaky legs. Jason was staring at the island where the Dragon Council was being held. Matt had done the same thing his first time there.
The island was lush and full of trees so tall, they seemed to block the sky. Back home, all of the trees were artificial and not nearly as tall. Opposite to the desert land of Inero, the Council Island was surrounded by ocean. The sight of so much water in one place was a rare one to behold for them both.
Matt took his things from his brother then motioned for him to follow. Their father was busy talking with the Terran dragon who had transported them. Matt gave the creature a grateful nod and noticed Jason gawking.
The Terran dragons were enormous, by far the largest of all the species. They were a dark, dull brown with thick, large scales appearing like plate armor. Some had massive spikes protruding from their backs, while others were smooth. They were ugly creatures and they knew it. They did not have the graceful, long snake bodies of the Oceina. Nor were they beautiful to behold like the Aero—who were more S-shaped, with an impressive wingspan and a more 'traditional' dragon appearance. Even the Inero, who had smaller bodies, were more pleasing to the eye.
The dragon who had transported them had small spikes along his tail and adorning his wings like hooks. He laid down on the ground, resting from the long journey. He blended in with the ground, looking like an enormous boulder.
Matthias gave Jason's arm a small tug. "They don't like to be looked at. The Terran are defensive over their appearance. It's okay. I did the same thing. Just try to be more conscious of it in the future."
His brother nodded, following him toward the apartments where they would be sleeping. Each tribe had its own complex to house in. The Inero building was the largest of them all as well as the most luxurious.
"Father said I have time to give you a tour. If you'd rather sleep, that's all right too. Dinner won't be for another four or five hours depending on when the boat lands. The meetings start early tomorrow, so don't stay up too late." Matt explained as they walked through the lush, maroon hallways to their room. The halls were adorned in gold trimming with the most soft, plush carpeting he'd ever felt in his life. Candelabra-shaped electric lights decorated the walls.
They were staying in the suite next to their father's, the second most impressive room in the unit. They had their own kitchen and living room. Each of them also had a separate bedroom, shower, and appropriate furniture, which was a lot better than the rooms their other brothers, uncles, and cousins were staying in. Most rooms held four to six men, had one bathroom for the entire group, and a sitting area to lounge in. As excited as Matt was to spend time alone with his brother, he was also ready to enjoy his much-needed privacy.
As the two of them stepped into the main room, Jason stopped in the doorway, his eyes opened wide. Matt moved past him to put his things in one of the bedrooms. The rooms were identical, so he didn't feel the need to discuss who would go where. Jason watched him, his eyes narrowing.
"I'll explore on my own," Jason said at last. "I'm too excited to sleep but I know you're probably tired."
Matt nodded. "The island isn't big so I doubt you'll get lost. Besides, there are signs everywhere."
"I noticed. I'm going to put my things away, then let Gwen know I got here okay. I'll see you at dinner."
Matt gave his brother a dismissive wave then went into his room. Guilt filled his gut at the realization that he should at least tell Kat he had arrived in one piece. He didn't want her to think he wanted to chat if he did though.
I'm here, he thought. I just thought you should know.
With a sigh, he laid on his bed, blocking everything from his mind.
Chapter Fifteen
"I'm tired of being sick," Kat grumbled to no one in particular. She may have been surrounded by other women, most close to her age, but none of them were interested in anything she had to say. Such was the life at the pool. The women gathered to gossip and flaunt their perfect lives. Sometimes they pretended, but most wouldn't give Kat the time of day.
Annoyed, she left the small group by the side of the water in search of Gwen. She would care. She wasn't an easy woman to find, though. She didn't mingle in any of the groups near the water, nor was she by the gazebo where the ladies usually ate.
She finally found Gwen sitting on the grass with a book, leaning against a tree. Next to her, also with a book, was Navi, the wife of the Great Dragon Lord of the Inero. Kat had seen the two of them together, making brief conversation, but she didn't realize they were close friends.
Forcing a smile on her face, she walked over. "Gwen, hi!"
"Hello," Gwen said. She read for a moment, turned the page of her book, then closed it. Setting it into her lap, she looked up at Kat.
"Miss Navi," Kat said, bowing. "What are you both up to?"
"Reading," Gwen said. Kat couldn't tell if she should leave them alone or engage them further.
Navi finally spoke. "How are you today, Katarina? Well, I hope?"
"A little under the weather. I have been for a couple of weeks. Matt calls it the transition? Which is where I start taking on the dragon DNA so we can have kids. He was able to take care of me earlier. Now he's not here and I feel a little worse. I'm sure you understand," she said, giving Navi a hopeful smile. She wanted to bond with her so badly. She needed a friend and a mentor, someone to care because she felt so alone.
Navi returned the smile, but it seemed forced to Kat. "I didn't experience much of a transition. I don't recall going through it at all. It happened over a long period of time. Months, I would imagine."
"But you're married to the lord of dragon kind. I would think your transition would be the most intense of all."
"He only rules the Inero, actually," Navi clarified. "The transition isn't amplified based on power, but love. Strong emotional bonds heighten the progress and force of the dragon magic. Sometimes it can be fatal if not done properly."
Kat nodded. She didn't know what to say in reply. Was Navi implying that Matt didn't love her enough? Or, maybe, the reason she still felt so sick was because he did love her so much? She'd ask him the next chance she had. He was so busy at the conference, she felt bad interrupting him—no matter how much she may miss him. Still, she was determined not to cling to him too much.
The women were all quiet again. The other two women were nothing like any of the others Kat had met. They weren't interested in only talking about their men, which was nice. It left her at a loss of what else she should talk about. Not to mention the strange vibe she got from both, suggesting she was only being annoying. She couldn't shake the feeling. And that, on top of Matt being gone, left her feeling isolated.
After a long and awkward pause, Kat finally gave a small wave, searching for any excuse she could come up with to leave. "I'll see you later, I guess. I'm going to try and eat." Or something.
She walked away, heading back toward the main gate. She needed to go back to her room, lie down, and be alone. More rest might help her feel less moody as well. As she rushed through the courtyard, Kat ran straight into another woman. Expecting some kind of an outburst, Kat sprang back, wincing.
"I'm so sorry," she started, and was about to pour out a lengthy apology when the woman held up her hand.
"You're fine. I was coming to you actually," she said.
Kat
looked at her up and down, frowning. "You were?"
It didn't make sense. The woman was in her late thirties, early forties. Most of the older women didn't have interest in the younger ones. What did the tall, dark-haired, curvy beauty want with Kat?
"Yes, I saw you talking with Miss Navi and noticed you are upset," she said. "She's cold to everyone. Don't take it personally. She thinks she's better than everyone else because she's Lord Inero's flavor of the week. I suppose it's been a year, but regardless, she is still only a flavor. He will find another soon. She isn't anything more special than you." The women smiled at Kat, and she couldn't help but do the same.
"I heard they were in love," Kat said.
The woman shook her head. "No. When I was married to Lynx, it was love. I am the first wife. Someday he'll forgive me for my mistakes and return to me." She paused, looking Kat over. "You are wed to his son Matthias, yes?"
"Yes, how did you know? We haven't met before."
"I pay attention to the lives of those important to me. I'm Lenora," she said, grabbing Kat's hand, pulling her close for a hug. "It is a pleasure."
"Katarina. It's good to meet you too."
"You poor thing," Lenora said, tilting her head. "You must be so confused and lonely. You'd think your sister-in-law would befriend you. Or the stepmother who loves them so. Although, she doesn't care for them like I do. They may not be my sons, but I love them as if they were. I see why Lynx is so enamored with them. Still, it's sad and shameful of her. Do they care about your feelings at all?"
Kat wondered if Lenora could read her mind. She had said everything Kat was feeling on the inside. She didn't understand why Navi and Gwen wouldn't be her friends.
"I don't know. I think so?"
Lenora laughed. She closed her eyes, clutching her stomach. "You are so adorable. No wonder he likes you the most. Tell me how you're doing. Tell me everything."
And so she did. Kat poured out everything, from her joys over becoming an Elite, to her feelings for Matt, to how she felt from her transition. It felt so nice to be able to finally unload everything and get her thoughts together. Especially because she felt like Lenora actually listened to her.
"You poor thing," She stroked a few strands of Kat's hair. "Stay close to me. I will teach you everything you need to know."
Chapter Sixteen
"I am in need of your assistance with my nation. Our resources are low, poisoned even. As you will see when we go over the reports, things are not well." Lynx addressed the Dragon Council calmly. He didn't show any distress. It amazed Jason because anyone else would be a mess.
"Things have been like this for some time," Lynx continued. "For so long, I have been trying to deal with the problem on my own. I am ashamed to admit this disaster, this plague that is causing my people to suffer. My pride did not want me to call upon your help today. Still, I know it would be unwise of me continue to live in denial. My nation is suffering.
"It started with the food. We are not growing enough to meet the demands of our population. The farms have been working five times as hard to feed the people. We do not have enough livestock to go around. To make matters worse, the water is unclean. The humans especially are becoming ill, and the vegetation is not growing into healthy produce. As you know, my country is mostly made up of desert. The plant life is especially valuable to my people."
He stopped, and the council hall resonated with complete silence. Jason had noticed an abundance of side chatter coming from the stadium chairs behind him earlier. In that moment, he barely heard anyone breathing. He glanced to Matt, who sat on his left and on their father's right side. Matt did not look shocked in the slightest.
Lynx let his words settle on everyone in the room before continuing. "I ask you to please do the right thing and help me care for my people."
Jason couldn't listen to his father beg. He leaned forward, resting his head on his hand, and frowned. How did he have no idea any of this was happening? He couldn't believe it, nor did he want to. He'd never seen any evidence before of such a problem even existing.
Everyone who lived in the city seemed well cared for. No one was starving or suffering, not in the ways his father claimed. There were the occasional poor toward the outskirts, but they were only struggling to pay bills, not dying. Could he be referring to the countryside?
Gwen didn't look like she had been starving when he first met her. Thin, yes, but not deathly so. Unless she hid it from him under her loose jeans and comfortably sized T-shirts. She refused to wear anything formfitting and trendy like the rest of the women. He certainly had never seen her naked, so he couldn't rely on his eyes to tell him the truth.
He wanted to ask her what life was like on her farm, if he could get her to talk about it. Every other time he'd asked her about it, she had avoided saying anything. Perhaps she'd answer him now that he needed to know for other reasons besides his own curiosity.
He couldn't focus on the rest of the meeting. All he could do was sit in shock and replay his father's words in an attempt to make sense of it all. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined his first experience at the great council would be so eventful. Matt always spoke of how boring the meetings were and how nothing interesting ever happened.
The whole thing was overwhelming. Thousands of men from all over the world sat in an arena listening to discussions from the leaders of the four major nations. Even more overwhelming was the fact that Jason got the privilege to sit on the floor with his father and brother. He had a front row seat. All of the other leaders had a son with them to observe. If not a son, then another young man fresh into adulthood. He couldn't stand being so close to the center of attention. The spotlight had never been his thing. All he wanted to do was get away.
Finally, they were released for the day. Jason stood, his knees a little weak from shock.
"You knew," Jason said to his brother as they exited.
Matt shrugged. He was trying to dodge the subject. Jason wasn't going to let him.
"Why didn't you say something to me?" he continued.
"It's not something you need to worry about," Matt said.
"Yes, it is. Inero is my home. If I can help my people, I want to."
"Which is exactly why I didn't want to say anything. You're a worry wart and you can't fix everything. You definitely can't fix this. Father has a plan. It doesn't involve your area of expertise. When he needs you, he will call upon you," Matt replied sharply.
Jason stopped walking for a moment, feeling as though he'd been slapped. With a scowl, he pushed forward again, moving past Matt so he could go back to the room alone. Matt quickened his pace, grabbing Jason's arm.
"It's not like I wanted to keep you in the dark. I promised Father I wouldn't talk about it. He doesn't want a panic. He hates being so vulnerable to the point where we have to ask for help. He feels like a failure."
With a sigh, Jason led them to a side path where they could talk more privately. He ran a hand over his face slowly so he could buy more time to think.
"Please try to understand," Matt pleaded.
"I am." He did understand, somewhat. He knew how bad a panic would be amongst the people, especially before a plan was thought out. Chaos would have put the entire nation at risk. Still, it bothered him that Matt or their father or both believed he would ignite that panic. Why would he have told anyone?
Matt sighed. "If it wasn't for Father, I would have told you."
"I know. You're right. I am worried. I have a reason to be. If I can help, please don't hesitate to ask."
"Thank you. Father will appreciate your support."
"I'm honored," Jason said. Something felt wrong. He recalled his conversation with Navi, wondering what else he wasn't being told.
Chapter Seventeen
Once she changed into her sleep clothes and brushed her hair, Gwen went out into her living room to join Navi and Chris. They were having a weeklong slumber party while their men were away.
The first night Gwen had been
hesitant about the idea. She had been looking forward to being on her own. Not that Jason invaded her space. She just always felt like she had to be strong in front of him. She thought she'd finally have a chance to cope with being taken from her family, and someone else was around with watchful eyes on her so she couldn't let go like she needed to. She wanted to cry, scream, and throw things, to be able to react to her situation. But maybe that was why he set the friendship up with Navi. Gwen could have destroyed the house, along with herself.
Navi made for good company. She was a lot like Jason. She kept to herself and spent her time enjoying her privacy. Navi, being the head wife of the Inero line…Gwen imagined she didn't get a lot of it. Besides, as much as she didn't want to admit it, she was happy to not be alone. In a way, she missed him. Navi made for an appropriate substitute.
She settled herself onto the couch, watching Navi brush her hair in a nearby chair. Gwen chewed on her lower lip, debating whether to ask her the question on her mind. After a few minutes of hesitation, she decided it was necessary to know.
"How did you meet your husband?"
Startled, Navi stopped what she was doing. She glanced over at Chris and the two made eye contact for a few brief seconds.
"We met around a year ago," Navi said quietly. She put her brush away and folded her hands on her lap.
"I knew that much, but how?" Gwen asked.
"It's not an easy story to tell. I grew up in one of the smaller cities, a few miles outside of Inero City. I had just turned nineteen a few days prior, and my friends and I went out to celebrate. We had gone to a club, and he was there. No doubt to scope out the local women for his new conquest."
"And he found you."
"Yes, he found me." Navi laughed. "He asked me for a dance—no begged me—saying how he just wanted a moment to feel young. A pretty girl like me dancing with him would make his night. I felt bad for him. He seemed sad.
