The incredible luxury of the palace was separate from the reality of Dracos, and it had taken coming to Earth and seeing Nindock’s attempt to start a new way for me to come to that realization. I still wanted to get those dragons back to Dracos because I didn’t think they were safe here on Earth, but it would have been a job to persuade them to come back to Dracos if they were doomed to spend their lives in poverty.
Living in dangerous freedom, I was sure, would be preferable to living in safe destitution for many of those dragons. How I was going to persuade them back was something I hadn’t worked out just yet.
I wandered through the shop, examining the shoddy goods and gewgaws that were meant to aid in magical powers or offer a way in to a more spiritual world. They were almost all nonsensical trinkets that enriched Lynnette but would give no benefit to the buyer.
I seemed to recall a saying from Earth history about a fool and his money. I was tempted to write it in big words right across the windows of the shop. Lynnette was conning vulnerable people with more money than sense into spending on trinkets and baubles, but I had a sense that there was much more to this money-grubbing operation.
This was all a front for something else, possibly something a lot more sinister.
I just didn’t know what that something was.
I wasn’t exactly hopeful that I would find out what Lynnette was up to just by poking around the shop, but when I decided to take a look behind the counter, I started to get an idea. Alongside the usual office stationary, branded bags, and a pair of Lynnette’s comfortable shoes I guessed she wore when she was manning the counter, I spotted a small cash box with a black plastic handle on top. I lifted the handle and the lid of the box opened, so I assumed it probably didn’t have any cash in it.
I lifted the whole box and placed it on the counter. Inside were lots of resealable plastic bags, and inside those were spells written on artificially aged parchment, crystals which even I could tell were imbued with magic, and in others, even smaller plastic bags filled with mixtures of what looked like herbs and powders.
On Dracos, the elements defined which kind of magic a person used, and it was highly illegal to even try to mix the various types or to practice a magic for which one has no affinity. The unknown and known side effects of doing such a thing meant it was just too dangerous.
My knowledge of Earth magic was slight compared to my understanding of magic on Dracos, but my guess was that these artifacts were Lynnette’s sideline gig in selling magic, potions, and magical things to people who should not possess them. Like Nindock on Dracos, I was pretty sure there would be magical practitioners who pushed the limits of their powers on Earth, and seeing some of the dragons at Nindock’s camp was evidence enough for why that should be discouraged.
I slipped the offending items back into the cash box and returned it to its rightful place. Since I had a better idea of what Lynnette was up to, I could try to catch her in the act and shame her into putting an end to her reckless stupidity.
It had taken me longer than I thought to look around, or I’d moved a lot slower than I’d thought because darkness had fallen outside. The old guy with the bottle had disappeared into whichever alley he had spent the night in, so the streets were deathly quiet. No living being or moving vehicle disturbed the quiet peace.
It was time to talk to Katie.
When I got back down into the cellar, the stupor that had come over them when they had taken the blood had worn off, and the air in the room pulsed with tightly controlled energy, which I could nearly feel across my skin.
“Katie. You want to go for a walk?”
“I’d love to,” she said immediately and with a very winning smile. It was a source of some regret that I had barely seen her smile in the time I’d known her, and it felt like I’d known her forever. Her smile was gorgeous—soft, pink lips showing off a perfectly even set of teeth—but with her lips curving up slightly on one side, it had the added bonus of being slightly crooked and imperfect. Just as I liked it. My mother’s endless—and so far, fruitless—search for perfection in every aspect of life was not something that had ever sat well with me. There was beauty in imperfection.
I held out my hand and closed it over Katie’s outstretched hand without a thought, and I led her up the stairs to the shop and then to the second floor and the roof.
When I pushed the door open to get access to the roof, a rush of cold night air blew over me, making me wish I’d kept my jacket with me. Katie hadn’t taking hers off, so she seemed okay with it wrapped up tightly around her.
“I never realized this was all up here,” she said as she walked along the walkway between the beds of plants. She leaned over to take in the scent from a particularly fragrant plant. “Basil.” She rubbed a leaf between her slim fingers and breathed in the perfume of the freshly released oils. “My favorite.”
“What’s it used for?” I copied her and sniffed at the pungent aroma.
“Mainly in cooking, to flavor sauces.”
I sniffed my fingers again. It was strong, and I couldn’t imagine how it would benefit the flavor of any dish, but then my tastes were bland, whereas this was exotic. Maybe broadening my mind about the way things worked on Dracos would extend to broadening my tastes in food.
“I didn’t bring you up here to talk about herbs though, Katie.”
She looked up from where she was bending over the plant. “Really? And there was me thinking you needed advice about which herbs to put in your next batch of tomato sauce.” She winked.
“No. Maybe some other time. How are you feeling?”
“I feel great, thanks for asking. So why did you want to bring me up here, Jevyn? I don’t mind if you just wanted some one-on-one time, but I’m guessing you have something to say, so out with it.”
The idea of some one-on-one time, as Katie put it, was something that had been swirling around in my mind, but I needed to see if Katie was going to be open with me about what went on at Nindock’s town earlier.
“How about the others? I notice they seem to have a lot more energy now than when I left yesterday. Derek must have spared you all a lot of blood.”
Katie stood and turned to face me, looking intently at me. Her beautiful eyes were half closed, regarding me with some suspicion. This was it. Either she told the truth or made up some story. For my own benefit, I hoped she told the truth.
“Okay. Don’t be mad, but Penny persuaded one of the dragons at Nindock’s place to give her some blood, enough to last us a while. We paid him for it and were really careful not to hurt him.”
I couldn’t hide my disappointment. “How did you pay? What did Penny have to barter with?”
Katie dropped her eyes down to her boots. “That I’m not entirely clear on just yet.”
“Well, I hope it was a fair price.”
“Let’s just say the dragon came back looking pleased and volunteered more blood. I guess he must have been happy to get what he did.”
“And Penny? She was happy with the price she paid?”
“I think, like the rest of them, they would have been happy to pay almost any price. Are you mad?”
I looked down into Katie’s eyes.
“You know that I said you should stay away from there and have nothing to do with the dragons there.”
“I do.”
“And yet you went there anyway?”
Katie’s face seemed to harden, her eyes flashing fiercely. “I have my people to look after, Jevyn. I want to be close with you, you know that, but nothing comes before my people. You should be able to understand that.” Her defense was passionate and heartfelt, and I could hardly argue.
“I do. Look, I’m not mad with you. I want you and your people to stay well until we can get to the bottom of what is causing your illness. I would ask you to continue to make sure no dragons are harmed should you need to go back for more.”
Katie’s eyes widened. “Are you sure? You were so adamant about staying away.”
&nbs
p; I nodded slowly. “I was, but I think I may have been wrong.”
“Wow. What happened?”
“Listen, take a look above you, Katie. Look at all those stars.”
Katie looked up, scanning her eyes across the night sky.
“They are beautiful tonight. But how—”
“There are countless stars up there, Katie. Countless worlds that we know nothing about, and there are countless ways that people, beings, can live together that would bring peace and prosperity to all the people in that society. When I look at the way we have ordered things on Dracos, I’m not sure we have developed one of those countless ways.”
“But there are always going to be winners and losers in every system. That’s nature.”
“Maybe, but look at how we live there. My family rules because in the past we were the strongest family, physically, of the main families or tribes of dragons at the time. We rose to the top because we were the strongest. Not because we offered more to the people we rule over. We have to try to develop things that will help people, but knowledge and strength don’t always make the best combination. The only reason my mother is so determined to bring in technology is not necessarily to help many people but to offer something the other tribes don’t and keep herself in power.”
She considered that for a long moment. “So, what conclusions did you draw with all this thinking?”
“I saw the people at the market for the first time, really saw them, when we were looking for Lynnette and Derek. All the technology in the world isn’t going to help them. They need more food and better shelter and the opportunity to live their lives so they can support their families and slowly create a society where everyone is equally deserving of opportunity and where the weakest, those who can’t support themselves, can be helped to do so. I saw that at Nindock’s town. Their life may be hard, but it was harder still on Dracos, and at least here they are free to make their own decisions. It was my intention to bring them back to Dracos, but the more I think about it, the more I think I should be helping them here instead.”
I wasn’t absolutely convinced that last conclusion didn’t have as much to do with my being able to stay here with Katie, but it still felt right. And that was the first time I’d admitted to myself that was what I wanted to do.
“But what about the other people I saw? Famil and the people who are trying to find better ways through science and technology? They’re all working at things to help other people, aren’t they?”
As soon as Katie mentioned Famil’s name, I flashed back to when we were children. When we all played together in a group and when Famil was my best friend. I could remember the way my mother behaved when I told her in my innocence that Famil was. I saw a look on my mother’s face that I didn’t understand back then, but which made perfect sense later. Instead of welcoming Famil as my friend, she had said, “That’s all very well for now, Jevyn, but as you get older, you’ll see why you can’t be friends with people like that forever.”
As time had gone by, I’d always rebelled in small ways against my mother’s act of snobbery. Why she felt Famil and my other friends were beneath me, I didn’t understand and never did.
“You okay, Jevyn? You seemed to go somewhere else for a minute.”
“Yes, I’m fine. Just thinking about how my mother was with Famil when we were kids. Somehow she didn’t think she was good enough for me.”
“Well, she seemed nice to me.”
“To me too. Maybe you can understand why I’m having my doubts about how Dracos society is run.”
“Maybe. There are many people here on Earth who don’t like how things are here either.”
“Something we have in common, then, Katie. Maybe we were just born rebels.” I forced a smile. I didn’t feel like a rebel. I felt like someone whose eyes had just opened after being blind for life. “When I see what has happened to you and your people in the name of keeping power, and the dragons at Nindock’s town, I realize how privileged I’ve been but also how my life isn’t real life. Because my family can cross dimensions and bring technology, we can rule, but when that rule doesn’t help people, then maybe it’s time for a change.”
“Sounds like a change might be good.” Katie paused for several seconds. “Is that all you wanted to talk about up here on this beautiful night under a lovely starlit sky?” Katie’s lips turned up in a seductive grin.
I looked at her for a while, wondering if getting involved with Katie would turn out for the good or into a massive heartache for us both. We were so different in so many ways, and yet in our desire to help our respective peoples, we were so alike, I’d come to find.
Then I realized that right then, with her standing there looking so bewitching in the pale moonlight, I didn’t care. I wrapped my arms around her and pressed my lips to hers, the time for talking over.
Chapter Three
Katie
Lynnette’s shop
Boise, Idaho
“SO, WHAT’S THE agenda for today, guys?” I said when I had woken up. I had a dream where Jevyn kissed me under a huge moon and I responded, and then we . . . well, the details are unimportant. The dream had meant I woke up in a great mood. Fresh blood may have had some part to play in it, but I was raring to go.
“There’s only me here, Katie.”
I looked around properly. Jevyn was right. Apart from Derek of course. Derek was always there, but with it being his place, I couldn’t complain too much. I would have liked to have carried on what I was doing in my dream, but with Derek there, that wasn’t going to happen.
“Where are they all?”
“Frankie and Marty went off to try and get some supplies. You’re getting short of food. Penny and Sparks said they needed stuff. Personal stuff, so I didn’t ask for details. They said they’d be back later.”
“Wow. I must have needed some sleep. I was practically comatose. So, what are your plans?”
“I thought maybe we could go search for Lynnette. I really need to find out what she’s up to.”
“Where were you thinking of looking?”
“I don’t know, in all truth. You’re the Boise girl, so maybe you might have an idea or two.”
“You won’t find her.” Both Jevyn and I turned our heads to where Derek was sitting. I mean, he never used to say much, but when he did, it generally turned out to be pithy. After the burger yesterday, which he had accepted with wide-eyed alacrity, I hoped he’d be more likely to trust me.
“Why do you say that, Derek?”
“Because she’s gone.”
“Gone where?” Jevyn asked.
Derek cast a begrudging glance at Jevyn and then looked back to me. “Dunno, but she’s gone.”
“Has she gone for good?” I asked. I wouldn’t mind if she had. She was certainly a handful, and I wasn’t the one trying to keep tabs on her.
“Dunno.” Derek shrugged. “But I hope she comes back soon. I miss her.”
“So, you know she’s gone, but you don’t know where or for how long?” I asked.
“That’s right.”
“Did she say anything before she went?”
He shook his head.
“Anyway,” Derek said, “there’s someone at the door. You need to answer it.” He turned back to his screen. I’d heard nothing, no doorbell or anyone hammering on the glass for attention. In all the time we’d been there, I hadn’t noticed anyone trying to get in. I figured they all saw the closed sign and assumed Lynnette had gone on vacation.
“How do you know, Derek?”
Derek reached over and turned his monitor so I could see it. Then he clicked on a minimized screen that grew to take up the whole screen. It showed the scene just outside the front door of the shop. We’d kept the front locked once Derek had shown us where the keys were and used the back door to get in and out. It opened onto a yard with a low wall all around that ran along an alley we could follow onto the main street.
“That’s Nindock,” Jevyn said. I looked closer at th
e screen, and sure enough, Jevyn was right.
“How did he know we were here?” I asked.
“No idea. Come on, we can’t leave him out on the street for long.” Jevyn was already halfway up the stairs before I’d managed to stand up. I followed him at a more sedate pace.
By the time I reached the front door, Jevyn had let Nindock in and locked the door again. He made sure all the blinds were closed, so the shop was even darker than normal.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Don’t you realize the danger you’re putting yourself in?” Jevyn said.
“And don’t you see what danger you’re putting us in, too?” I said slightly louder.
Nindock stood patiently, watching us both speak while he turned his head like a spectator at a tennis match.
“And a great good morning to you two from me. Pleased to see me, are you?” Nindock broke into a broad grin, staring straight into Jevyn’s eyes.
Jevyn grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into the back room, away from any possible prying eyes. I followed behind, hoping to find out what was going on as long as I could keep up with Jevyn’s pace.
“How did you know how to find us?” Jevyn asked, pushing Nindock onto one of the sofas.
“Take it easy, Jevyn, my friend. I had one of my guys follow you yesterday.”
“I kept a close eye on anyone behind me yesterday. Nobody followed me in a car.” I was certain nobody had. After all our time on the run, keeping a sharp eye on everything else on the road, it had become second nature to check often.
Riding Rifts (Vampire's Elixir Series Book 2) Page 3
