by L M Lacee
“She does?” Rene` answered.
“Which one?” Johner asked Rene` who tapped the screen with Harper on it, they all studied her.
“Yeah! Like someone we know, but who?” Johner asked Ark and Axl shook their heads “No idea but someone.” Ark mumbled. Rene` pulled on his bottom lip as he to, studied her, and then said. “Well never mind, Lars is unable to attend so I will take his place. Let us go Johner and question your shadow and see what we can find out, something is niggling at me and I want to know what it is?”
Johner stood saying. “Papa! You think that's a good idea, you know with her being my shadow?”
Rene` was by his side in a second, his arm around his shoulders. “Can you honestly say you and your dragon would be fine with me and one of the boys talking to her without you?” One of the boys was either Ark or Axl.
Johner ducked his head and sighed. “No! I really want to say I would be but sadly it would be a lie. I am fairly sure there would be blood. Lots of blood.”
Axl said to Ark. “Meaning ours!”
Ark grunted then said. “I think it was just your blood, he was talking about.” Axl sucked in air between his teeth then said. “Remember I can run faster that you!”
“Bastard!”
Rene` shook his head at the two and with his arm around his son drew him out of the room away from the fools, saying to Johner, “That is what I thought son, a dragon can only be pushed so far. So let us go get this done.”
“I don’t think I can go in that room by myself, my dragon...”
Rene` grinned. “I understand, we will interview them together. It will make it easier for you.”
Johner seemed to be having words with his dragon, finally after a few intense minutes he relaxed.
“He is not happy but is willing to go along with it.”
Rene` clapped him on the shoulder. “That is all we can ask of him, let us go see what has brought your shadow here to our door.”
Ark called out. “Remember the small one has weapons.”
Rene` smiled. “Oh I do!”
They walked to the interview rooms where Johner opened the door to Harper's room, his dragon made his voice sound gruffer than normal as he said. “Come with me?”
Something about the female set his teeth on edge, he couldn't say why. She was so little. Harper stood up without a word and walked behind the male she had not seen before with Johner following into the room that held Frankie, by now a very agitated Frankie.
Ark and Axl sat down turned up the sound and relaxed in the chairs. “This is going to be fun.” Axl said. Ark grunted his agreement as they settled into watch.
Frankie, when she saw Harper grabbed her in a body hug asking. “Did they hurt you?” Not waiting for an answer she glared at the two males. “Did they use rubber hoses and a phone book or did they go right to the Taser?”
She petted Harper on her face and back then ran her hands down her arms, she twirled her from front to back to front asking of the smaller female. “Where are the marks?” Rene` and Johner stood just inside the door with stunned expressions on both their faces as Frankie questioned Harper. Who stood in her embrace and tried desperately not to laugh at Frankie's ridiculous questions and the look on the males faces. Could someone say affronted!
“Female!” Johner snarled with his dragon in his voice. “We do not torture females!”
Rene` placed his hand on Johner’s arm when the sound of wounded pride from his dragon entered his voice. Johner tipped his head back and Harper, who had escaped Frankie’s embrace but not the hand on her arm that squeezed tight, saw him take in deep breaths to help get centered, she supposed.
She wanted to tell him it would not work with them but blah! They had locked Frankie in a windowless room.
She dismissed the tall male called Johner, he was dangerous sure, she felt it, knew it but he did not set her internal alarm off not the way the older male did, He was the power, the one to stay wary of.
How she knew he was older she could not say, it was a feeling of age that hung around him and the smile, the smile said I am older and wiser tread carefully but the twinkle in his eyes, that twinkle said let’s see what you can do? It was just enough of a challenge for Harper to almost throw caution to the wind. Almost!
“Why is he doing that?” Frankie asked.
Harper swallowed her snicker and said. “He is thinking.”
Frankie eyed her and then Johner but refrained from commenting further, her question seemed to break the tension in the room however and Rene` moved to the table and waited while Johner, now calmer, brought over two chairs placed one beside the one Harper pushed Frankie into and took the other to Rene`.
Johner and Rene` sat after the females did. Frankie smiled in appreciation thinking, Gentlemen. Rene` said. “Thank you Johner. Now Ladies we would like to ask you a few questions. We will commence with the interview now.”
“Yes my Lord.” Johner said to the small camera in the corner of the room he nodded his head and said.
“Start the recorder now please Axl.”
Frankie asked Harper. “What is he doing?”
“Talking to someone called Axl who is monitoring the camera.”
Frankie looked around as she asked. “Camera?”
“Yep.” Harper answered.
“Where?”
Harper turned Frankie’s head and tipped it up and pointed high up to the corner where the wall met the ceiling and showed her the small camera.
Frankie did the lips thing and then she jumped up and bounced and waved. Again Harper thought, Pogo stick!
Frankie waved. “Hey, hey, Axl! How you doing?”
Harper watched the males watch Frankie and hid her grin at their totally amazed looks.
Axl said to Ark. “That one is a little loose in the head, Johner has his work cut out for him I think!”
Ark sighed. “For your age and experience you know nothing about females. She is not loose in the head which is a terrible term and you had better not let Edee hear you say it! Seriously Axl you better try harder at recognizing when someone is something other.”
“What other, like a faerie?”
“I am not sure. Now the short one, her you need to watch.”
“Really she is small and quiet!”
“Did you learn nothing from Olinda?”
“She does not look like Olinda.”
“Brother you make me weary. Do not let her size fool you, this one is a killer, brother.”
Axl grinned. “As if she does, her I understand, the other one is the problem, unpredictable.”
“What you know about females is pitiful!”
“Yet if I remember I got more dates last month than you!”
“Brother shut up!”
Frankie returned to her seat and asked. “Was he one of the nice dragons that brought us here?”
They both noticed the looks on the male’s faces. “What…You thought we didn’t know, seriously?”
Frankie frowned as she looked at Harper and asked. “Was it meant to be a secret?”
Harper shrugged. “I doubt it, they are everywhere.”
“See that is what I thought but they act like we did not know.”
“Maybe they think we are unobservant.”
Frankie thought about that for a minute as she did the lip thing and said. “Oh that is a possibility.”
Harper nodded. “I would say so.”
Frankie asked concern coloring her words. “Oh should I have not told then?”
“Too late now and Frankie. I think they know about the dragons!”
Frankie did the lip thing and then said. “Yeah I guess they do.”
Rene` could see were this was heading, he cut them off. “Ladies.”
“They are so polite.” Frankie whispered to Harper who whispered back. “Yep they are.”
To the males Frankie said, “You are so polite.”
“We thank you.” Johner said with a wide smile. Rene`s brows lifted and his
voice was a little sterner. “Ladies my name is Rene` Kingsley.” When Frankie opened her mouth he said quickly. “Yes, Johner is my son.” She subsided and ducked her head.
“They,” He nodded towards the camera, “are two of the guards that brought you here.”
Harper asked “The two without vests?”
Rene` raised his eyebrows but answered her, “Yes they are Shields, what you would know as commandos I think the term is, their names are Ark and Axl Battle.”
“Cool names.” Frankie mumbled and they heard a short growl quickly cut off. Johner tipped his head to the ceiling as his father looked at him. Rene` sighed twice before going on. “As you already know Johner is the Commander of the castle guards. Prime Lars was meant to interview you but he has been detained. I have been asked to come and interview you instead.”
Harper wanted to ask by whom but thought the answer may upset Frankie, so she kept quiet. Rene` asked. “Now could you tell us who you are?”
Harper answered before Frankie could. “My name is Harper and this is my friend Frankie.”
“Best friend.” Frankie said out the side of her mouth. Harper dutiful said, “Best friend.”
“Now we are getting somewhere!” Rene` said.
So, Ladies why are you here?”
“Because you brought us here!” Frankie answered while she looked at Johner as he smiled at her like she was so sweet and shook his head. “No, my father meant. Why. Are. You. Here?”
Frankie lent a little over the table. “Because. You. Brought. Us. Here!”
Both males stared at her as she stared back.
Harper waited, then Johner rubbed the back of his neck and swallowed the quick words on his tongue instead he said. “Okay! Let us try this. How did you get here?”
Harper waited as Frankie gave him a puzzled look. “We walked here with you and your guards.”
“Yes...yes, you did but before that. How did you get here?”
“Oh I see. In a truck.” Frankie answered as though it was obvious and she could not understand why he was asking…
“Huh! Good, so why?” Johner asked with a smile.
Bewildered she answered. “Because it was a long way to walk. I do not know why you need to know that?”
Harper waited, Rene` leaned back in his chair and watched the three people while his dragon churned over, who did Harper remind them of? They had not missed the fact she conveniently left off their surnames. That they knew was no accident.
Johner hitched his chair closer to the table and eyed his shadow. “So if it was a long way to walk. Why come?”
Frankie copied Johner with her chair and almost swooned as she caught his scent saying. “Cause we needed too.”
“It is not an easy place to find?” He stated.
Frankie did the lips thing, Harper waited as Frankie looked at her then the silent male and finally Johner. “Really! We found it real easy, are you sure it is hard to find?”
“Yes I am sure.”
“I am shocked we just drove on through the tunnel of trees and presto we were here. Right Harper?”
“Yep, it is.”
Johner tried once more. “So I ask again, why are you here?”
Frankie stared at him for a few seconds, did the lips thing and then said. “Because you brought us here!”
Johner sighed loudly, flicked his eyes to Harper who stared back at him with an expressionless face and shuttered eyes then back to Frankie. “Alright what decided you to travel here to the castle?”
“Harper brought me.”
“But why? You must have some idea?”
“Oh I do!” They went back to the staring, Rene` sighed loudly twice again. Harper waited, a half smile on her face. See! His Dragon said looking at Harper, that expression seems like…
Rene` turned his head from side to side he asked his dragon. What is that noise?
His dragon whispered so softly, it was more a feeling than words as he answered. The ancients are singing.
Why can I hear it and none other?
We were Dragon Lord.
So Reighn will be hearing this?
If he is in the castle, yes.
Why are they singing?
I do not know.
Rene` mentally shook his head as he dropped his chair back onto the floor with a thump and asked. “Alright Harper why are you here?” He held his hand up when Frankie went to speak causing her to snap her lips together. “Looking for someone?” Harper told him.
“Could you give me more details?”
“I could?” She replied. “If I was so inclined.”
Rene` smiled. Harper wasn’t sure if it was a nice smile or not as he asked. “What would help you, become inclined?”
“Eww! I know... I know!” Frankie said as she held her hand up and wiggled in her chair, they all looked at her. “What? I do know?”
Rene`s brows went up again as Johner said not quite under his breath. “This should be good.”
Harper waited as Rene` asked with a calmness that was belied by the annoyance shining in his eyes.
“Please tell us?”
Frankie gave them one of her best smiles, wide with teeth showing, she knew it was one of her best features. Harper never had the heart to tell her it made her look demented but as she witnessed the male’s reactions when they drew back from the table, she thought she might just have too. Frankie rushed out. “She needs coffee and I need a berry shake we missed morning tea. Right Harper?”
“Yep!”
Johner dropped his head on to the table as he groaned. Rene` sighed, Harper counted. Yep, twice! As fun as this was, Harper needed to get out of the room so as not to hurt Frankie’s feelings she said. “While, Frankie is right I would be inclined to tell you why we are here if you could tell me when you all started to fill the town with folks?”
“How long have you been here?” Rene` asked sharply.
“Since you brought us in.” Frankie replied.
Annoyed Rene` said. “Seriously I will not entertain you as your shadow will, so cease this nonsense now.”
Frankie sat up straight. “Someone’s just rude. What is a shadow and why are you annoyed you were not put in jail!” She demanded of Rene`.”
Rene` lifted an eyebrow and his dragon looked out at Frankie and Harper as he growled. “Maybe a little time in the cells beneath the castle will encourage you to talk?”
Frankie’s hand grabbed Harper’s arm and squeezed, her face whitened as she sucked in a scared breath. Harper snarled out a warning.
“Enough! I will allow once only for you to scare her like that. Consider yourself warned dragon!” Her eyes turned ghostly grey as Harper’s anger vibrated throughout the room. Johner felt the hair stand up on his arms, Rene` was sure he saw a small blue flame in the depths of her eyes, he felt and saw the anger swirl in the air between them. He was positive he could almost reach out and touch it. His dragon rose to the surface, reacting accordingly to the perceived threat, making Rene` stand abruptly accidentally throwing his chair into the wall behind him causing Johner to stand just as hurriedly looking for the threat. Which in turn had Frankie jumping from her chair with a startled yelp to stand behind Harper. An instant later knives appeared where none were, in Harper’s capable hands.
Seconds after that the door was thrown open and Ark and a very big powerfully built male with energy emanating from him stood in the doorway.
Reighn took in the tense situation and felt Ark still beside him. Calmly he asked as his eyes stayed on the small female with knives. “Papa, are you alright?”
Rene` heaved in a deep breath and felt his dragon recede as he answered absently wondering how he and his dragon had lost control of the situation so suddenly which caused his dragon to rise. There was no intent of danger here, power yes but nothing that would make his reaction so volatile. They were far too old to lose control like that. “Yes, thank you my son.”
Then they all heard Frankie ask. “Do you see the size of him Harper, he has
got to be the biggest one yet. Don’t cha think?”
“Yep. I do!” Harper responded and once again Frankie’s innocent question had broken the tension that held them captive. Reighn walked further into the room releasing the hold he placed on Johner who went immediately to Frankie and stood near her.
Frankie did the lips thing again as she looked at the male. Ark asked Harper as Axl entered the room. “Why does she do that is she alright?”
Harper didn’t bother looking away from the powerful male who had come to stand next to Rene`.
“Yep, she is thinking.”
“Put up your knives female.” Reighn growled, and to Johner he said. “You allowed our Sire in here while she remained armed?”
“Dude!” Harper growled back. “No one allowed anything, he’s a grown male, hardly senile. Frankie what do you think?” She asked as she sheathed both knives under her jacket, while the room seemed to hold its breath. Ignoring the sudden atmosphere Harper’s words invoked. Frankie answered. “Nah! Not senile!”
Reighn looked at his Sire and together all the males said. “Dude?”
CHAPTER THREE:
T hings moved swiftly Harper and Frankie found themselves with Reighn, Johner and Rene` leaving the interview room while Frankie asked question after question of Johner about the castle, who he was, what his job was like, what a shadow was. Did he have family, was there a King and Queen anywhere! Then more questions about what the castle was made from, what did he mean she was his shadow?
He patiently answered each one even the shadow question several different ways. Harper would have slapped a gag over her mouth long ago, like… after question two. Harper walked between a quiet Rene` and Reighn.
“So you are some big honcho here then?” Harper asked after they had walked up a flight of wide stone stairs. Reighn nodded. “I am the current Dragon Lord, my Sire.” he indicated Rene`. “Was the past Dragon Lord.”
“And that means what exactly?” Harper asked.
“Ohh! I know...I know!” They stopped as Frankie bounced in place. Harper reached out to grab the bouncing Frankie. Really Pogo stick! When Johner growled, she slapped her hand instead to his chest. The males all tensed, Reighn did a quick scan for knives because the female was incredibly fast with them.
