by Nira Steele
THE DRAGON’S EYE
Nira Steele
Contents
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter 1 - When the Rush Comes
Chapter 2 - The Arrival
Chapter 3 - Into the Blue
Chapter 4 - A Place Beyond the Clouds
Chapter 5 - Wild Things
Chapter 6 - The Great Secret
Chapter 7 - Breathless
Chapter 8 - Faith and Fortitude
Chapter 9 - Revelations
Chapter 10 - Careless Whispers
Chapter 11 - All that Glitters
Chapter 12 - Gardens and Gossip
Chapter 13 - Closer
Chapter 14 - Falling
Chapter 15 - Sad Tidings
Chapter 16 - On Shining Wings
About the author
The Dragon’s Eye by Nira Steele
© 2021 Nira Steele
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by copyright law. For permissions contact:
[email protected]
Cover by Nira Steele.
Dedicated to Madi.
Thank you for making the dream come alive.
May the wind always rise up to meet you.
Chapter 1 - When the Rush Comes
Andie had always loved the highlands.
The remote wilderness was such a tranquil place. Smiling gently, she breathed it in.
Standing quietly on her aunt’s porch she gazed out over the large back yard. Beyond the bounds of the high wooden fence sat the edge of an extensive forest. Looming behind the mass of tall thick pines were the snow-capped mountains of the Nevari range.
No matter how dense the timbers grew you could always catch glimpses of those vivid white peaks. Cutting starkly into the blue expanse, they rose to a height where no human could survive. The central range of Nevari Island was well known for its harsh and majestic beauty.
Whilst the view from the back veranda was spectacular, it was not the reason Andie had travelled here today. She had come for something very personal and her timing was absolutely perfect.
By a stroke of luck her eccentric aunt had just dashed off on one of her overseas trips. Before leaving she had asked Andie to stay and tend to her animals. Andie enjoyed her aunt’s lively company but now she could truly relish the peace. It was such a wonderful way to spend the remaining days of her summer college break.
The secluded cottage was a truly magical place. Every room of the quirky little building was crammed to the rafters with incredible things. The entire living area was lined with huge glass-fronted display cabinets. They contained items her aunt had collected from all over the world.
One of Andie’s favourite past times was rifling through the vast hoard of exotic objects. However today she was finding it far nicer to be outside in the fresh air. The highlands were always glorious at this time of the year.
Andie sighed as she gazed out dreamily over the green expanse of her aunt’s back yard. From here she could see some of the menagerie which inhabited this large space. There were chickens roaming freely as they searched the lawn for seeds and insects. A pair of cats lounged idly nearby under the shade of a small cluster of fruit trees.
Casting her eyes past the side of the chicken coop, Andie noted a familiar sparkle along the planks of the back fence. It was the strings of glittering crystals which her aunt hung from the palings. Like so many of her strange little quirks, it just added to the otherworldly atmosphere here.
For Andie this place was truly special. Not far away was a small clearing where she had found something incredible.
She was only a child – barely six years old when she had made her amazing discovery. On that fateful day she had snuck out to collect berries in the forest. Slipping out silently through the back gate, she had begun foraging through the nearby bushes. Before long her attention was drawn to something glinting in the sun. She had seen a spark of light coming from the base of an ancient tree. Toddling over she found a huge faceted gem lying in the grass. Andie could still remember its dazzling colours as she held it between her hands.
Pocketing the gem with a happy gurgle she had then heard the sound of pitiful whimpering nearby. Gazing around, she spotted the scaly creature flopping around under a large shrub.
It was a baby dragon.
She could still recall exactly how it looked, even though it was fourteen years ago now. Andie could recollect every detail of the creature from its leathery muzzle to its long thick tail. It was either a rare mythical beast or the strangest lizard she had ever seen.
Instantly she had decided to take it back to her aunt’s house. To her youthful mind it seemed the only reasonable course of action to take. She immediately hefted it into her arms despite the fact it was almost the same size as her.
Miraculously she was not discovered as she had lugged it awkwardly into the cottage. Flapping its stumpy wings in a feeble effort, it had begun screeching harshly as she hauled it inside. Andie tried in vain to hush its shrieking calls before her aunt came to see what was happening.
However Andie had gotten lucky on that day. Her aunt wasn’t anywhere nearby when she had entered the house. Stumbling up the steps to the upper level she carted the creature into her room.
After praising herself for her brazen efforts she then found a large wicker basket to convert into a bed. Lining the inside with several pieces of her clothing she positioned it on a table underneath her window. Lifting the creature with a large huff, she managed to heft it into the basket. Once the infant had settled down she tucked it in with a small woollen blanket.
Andie could still remember snippets from the evening which followed. Like an old sepia film, the fragmented memories had been woven into a sweet reminiscence.
After dinner she had headed back to her room with two pilfered biscuits stuffed into her pockets. Sitting beside the creature she then attempted to feed it her purloined snacks. It disliked her treats, so Andie ended up eating them herself. When the evening stars appeared she had laid the pretty gem just next to its scaly cheek. Letting it hold her hand between its leathery front paws, she could remember smiling as it blinked its slate grey eyes at her.
She had stayed up into the night, listening as it whimpered softly to her.
The next morning she had awoken to find the basket empty.
Andie had cried so very hard, wailing to her aunt how she had lost her baby dragon. Her aunt hugged her tightly to her chest for almost an hour, saying it was just another of Andie’s vivid dreams. She never believed her aunt at the time and immediately began searching for the creature. Andie spent several days sneaking out into the forest until her parents came and took her home.
It was so many years ago, like another lifetime really.
Time had moved on. Andie had grown up.
The world may have changed, she may have changed… but this place had remained the same. Like the constancy of nature her aunt’s cottage was a beacon for her. It was the only point of stability in her constantly changing world. For her entire life it had existed like this, preserved in all its wonderfully eccentric charm.
And so had the hope she harboured deep in her heart. Releasing a sigh Andie wandered down the back stairs and headed out towards the forest.
✽✽✽
It did not take her long to find her special place.
Over the years the old tree had become something of a shrine for her. Faded tinsel and aging trinkets dangled from its gnarled broken branches. They were a testament to Andie’s numerous pilgrimages here.
Wryly she smiled to herself. Her au
nt’s peculiar habits were definitely rubbing off on her. At least she wasn’t cavorting through the forest with a bottle of vodka in hand… well, not yet anyway.
Chuckling softly Andie retrieved an item from the pocket of her tracksuit pants. Holding it up, she marvelled at the beautiful colours refracting through its structure.
The huge gem truly was a miracle.
Andie had rediscovered it several years ago whilst snooping through her aunt’s things. As she was casually rummaging through a display cabinet, she had found an inscribed wooden case tucked away at the back. Standing upright she then examined its carvings as she tried to work out how it opened. When she pressed a tiny button on the front it had taken a few seconds for it to unlock. The moment she had seen what was sitting inside she nearly dropped it onto her feet.
It had been Andie’s moment of vindication. Everybody had always mocked her, dismissing her baby dragon story as nothing but a fantasy. However deep down she had always known her memories were true.
So now she had it – her proof. Turning the large jewel in her fingers Andie smiled with satisfaction. She had learned the gem was an Alexandrite, a very rare and expensive type of gemstone. Popular for their optical properties the stones were always in high demand. This one was absolutely huge, covering half the width of her upturned palm. It would undergo dramatic colour shifts depending on the light source surrounding it.
Since her discovery of the gem Andie made the journey to her aunt’s house whenever she could. She would retrieve the stone in secret and then place it at the base of the old gnarled tree. It would remain there for several days in an attempt to lure the creature back. Sadly, it had always been returned to its box at the end of her many visits.
The years had passed.
The deep recesses of her aunt’s cabinets had become ever more dust laden.
A part of her knew this was probably an exercise in futility. But as childish as it often felt, this was something she just had to do. So Andie knelt down in the soft warm grass and cupped the gem between her hands. Closing her eyes she made a secret wish for her beautiful beacon to be seen.
She crouched there quietly, breathing in the tranquil atmosphere. Everything smelled so earthy and fresh just as it always did. Half opening her eyes she listened to the sounds of the forest surrounding her. She could hear the gentle rustling of soft leaves mixing in with the tinkling of birdsong. Such a sweet relaxing melody….
Abruptly she fell into shadow. For a moment she thought it was a cloud passing over but the darkness passed in the blink of an eye. She felt a strange presence, almost as if someone was approaching.
Then a rush of air burst over her. Leaves flew up into the atmosphere, filling it with shades of gold, green and rich dark amber. Andie flicked her eyes skywards as a hard thumping hit her ears.
For a moment her vision filled with ruby red scales. They gleamed brightly in the sun, a brief flash of dazzling colour.
A huge reptilian body had shot straight over her. Vast membranous wings stretched out to either side, spanning the entire width of her view. Behind it a long tail trailed out into a thick dark bulb.
Andie sat there completely stunned as she gaped up through the ribbons of swirling leaves.
“No,” she muttered. Then her brain tried to process what she was seeing. Surely that could not be what she thought it was?
Or could it?
A part of her acknowledged she should have been utterly terrified by this vision. However the truth was she wasn’t even remotely scared right now. There was only one thing surging through her - it was a pure and simple emotion.
Complete and utter joy. As a wave of passion flooded her mind her eyes began watering.
“Wait!” she screeched out to the sky.
She started to run, rushing headlong into the forest. Without a care she headed straight after the creature. Nothing was going to stop her - not bushes, not trees, not anything.
Crashing through the undergrowth she ignored the tugs of her ripping clothes. Even the sharp stings of pain did not deter her pursuit. There was too much at stake here, she could not afford to stop for anything. If she did not keep going she could lose it.
So she kept going, and going, and going.
Until she could go no further. Eventually large black spots began to appear before her eyes. Her lungs were burning and her heart was pounding….
Then she fell to her knees.
Andie had always been a good runner but three years of college life had left her out of condition. Not that it really mattered as the altitude would have defeated her anyway. Dropping her head she closed her eyes as she gasped for breath.
The creature was gone. Rasping, she flopped sideways onto the ground. She was surrounded by thick pine forest now, the ground so deep in needles it crunched underneath her. For endless moments she lay there sucking in air as she looked towards the sky. What little she could see of it was covered with a thick white haze of cloud.
Then she noticed it - the forest was starting to darken around her.
Closing her eyes Andie rubbed her face with burning fingers. As reality sunk in she realised she had a very big problem facing her.
She did not have a clue where she was. Her phone was at her aunt’s house so she could not contact anyone from here. Not that it would have made any difference as even at the cottage the reception was pretty patchy.
Normally Andie could orientate herself to the sun but it wasn’t an option for her now. Even the stars she knew so well would not be coming out tonight.
Rubbing her hands over her arms she twitched as her fingers ignited the scratches in her flesh. Emitting a gasp Andie glanced down to find speckles of blood dotting her tee shirt. Lifting one arm she discovered a long gash which was already starting to ache. Her tracksuit pants had not fared any better, there were rips and blood streaks covering the pale blue fabric.
Trying to inspect the damage she lifted one leg slowly to the side. It wasn’t worth the effort though as the muscles protested too much.
What on earth had she been thinking? Now the adrenaline was wearing off Andie was starting to feel rather stupid. The dragon – or whatever it was – would be very far away by now. If she had stopped and thought for a moment she would have realised this.
However she had not been thinking of course. As soon as she saw the creature she was consumed by the desire to find it. Thoughts started reeling through her head, a list of dark and deadly scenarios. What if it actually was her dragon? Would it have even recognised her now?
It might have decided she would make a tasty snack.
Andie started smiling but it was more of a grimace really. The warm wet tendrils sliding across her cheeks were telling a different story.
This was insane. She could have noted where it was heading then gone to investigate safely. There was no way she was the only person who had seen the huge creature. She could have checked at the nearby township for any reports of strange sightings.
“Idiot,” she murmured to herself.
Cursing her impetuousness Andie started getting up from the prickly ground. Rolling onto her front she began slowly lurching to her knees. Taking a deep breath she then groaned her way to her feet. Sighing heavily she slowly rubbed her burning eyes.
She needed to come up with a plan immediately. Her first thought was to look for any signs of her passing. Her dash into the forest would have left behind a decent trail. If she could find where it ended she might be able to find her way back. But she needed to get started before it grew too dark to see. Turning in the direction she had come from, Andie felt something pressing into her leg. Searching one of her pockets she found the beautiful gem inside. Shakily holding it up, she levelled a glare at its form.
“You’re nothing but trouble,” she muttered.
Then she heard a noise nearby, the sound of pine needles being crushed. Flicking her head towards the source she sucked in a mouthful of air.
Something was out there. She froze in place and li
stened intently for another sound. All around her was silence, too much silence for the forest.
“Hello?” Andie called out in a thin high voice.
There was no response. As she stood there thinking a dreadful idea dawned on her. What if the beast had hunted her down?
“Hello?”
A female voice had spoken. It was light and rich with a strange foreign accent. Andie spun around so fast she almost tripped over her feet. Raking the trees with her eyes, she tried to find the source of those peculiar tones.
Then their owner moved into view. The first thing Andie noticed was a crop of short blonde hair.
“Can you see me?” the girl asked. She was wearing what looked like biker’s leathers covering her from neck to ankles. Strapped to her waist were a collection of pouches which wiggled as she moved. “What is your name?” she said softly as she approached.
Andie realised she was gaping. Blinking rapidly she tried to collect herself.
“My name’s Andie,” she responded haltingly, somewhat surprised by how shaky she sounded. Then the tears began welling up as her composure crumbled. Perhaps it was relief or simply exhaustion catching up with her. “I’m so sorry. I’ve done something really stupid,” Andie choked out as she dropped her head.
“Oh you poor thing,” the girl breathed. She tilted her head as she started moving towards Andie. “I can help you if you need some assistance. My name is Tessa.”
Looking up Andie noticed how slender and petite the girl was. She had to be at least four inches shorter than Andie. As her gaze slid upwards she was met by something truly amazing.
A pair of large violet eyes. Momentarily shocked Andie staggered backwards across the pine needles. Tessa’s face was absolutely beautiful, like the countenance of a doll. Framed by a bob of straight blonde hair it was a visage of impossible perfection.
For a moment Andie thought she was hallucinating. Then Tessa’s delicate pink mouth stretched into a warm smile.
