“You’re hungry too. Maybe we can eat together?” Argo nudged me with his head.
I felt bad for snapping at him. He was just a baby and learning how to function in this world he’d found himself in. Not unlike me. I placed my arm around his neck and welcomed the heat coming off his silvery scales.
He rested his head on my chest. “I’m so glad you found me. You are so much better than my mother told me you’d be.”
“You know that is weird to hear, right? I never met your mother.”
He gave a small nod of his head and sighed, blasting my face with a puff of hot smoke. I didn’t mind. His affection and kindness reminded me of Mindy.
God, I miss her.
“You’ll see her again,” Argo said, wrapping his small wings around my waist.
“How do you know?”
“Because I’ve seen it.”
“Wait, you can see the future?”
“No, but my mother told me. Remember what I said about looking inside my mind?” His stomach let out another muffled growl.
“Later. Let’s go hunting.”
With my urging, he pushed up and crouched next to me, ready to pounce. “I’ll get the one on the right, you go for the one on the left.”
“You need to be quick, or you’ll run them deeper into the forest.”
I wasn’t even done ‘talking’ when he leapt out from behind the boulder and over the brush. Two jumps, and he was on the straggler on the right. If I didn’t act fast, my own meal would run away.
Using my strigoi speed, I launched to the left and took down the stag closest to me before the rest of the herd dispersed into the woods. I broke his neck so quickly, I didn’t have time to pick up on any of his thoughts.
Phew.
Argo had devoured half of his game by the time I drained the last drop from my score. I burned the rest of the carcass of my meal while he finished the last bits of his. The sparks came within seconds of calling them. I didn’t even have to think about kissing Traian.
“I’m full.” Argo let out a long belch that echoed through the forest, sending a flock of birds from the nearby trees into the sky. “And that was fun.”
“Good job on your first kill.” I watched the last of the fire smolder into a pile of ash then held my hands up. Wind, come to me and take these remains to where you see fit.
At first, nothing happened, but then a blast of icy air came rolling off the mountain behind me, picking up the ashes and carrying them deep into the woods.
First the fire and now the wind. Am I getting better at controlling my power?
I didn’t have a second to think more about this, as Argo came rushing past me.
“I’ll race you back to the cave!” he called, after a hundred-yard head start.
Chapter 18
This was how we spent our days on Drage øy. I would wake up in the late evenings and practice mind blocking with Padrick. Then Argo and I would hunt on the west side of the mountains. When the sun came up an hour later, I’d take a dip in the small inlet on the south side of the isle. Bella, the Beluga would join me in the water almost daily, and now that Padrick knew I liked to swim, he would leave me alone.
He didn’t know about my underwater friends, unless he’d seen it in my thoughts. But I tried not to think about my time in the sea when I was around him or my two four-legged companions.
I didn’t know why I wanted to keep this a secret. Maybe because ever since I could communicate with my mind, I’d had three people in my head at a time, and I wanted to have something that was only mine. Also, when I went down in the water, I felt like I could think about Traian without the others’ input. Bella and her family, who she’d recently introduced me to, never poked inside my mind.
The mental blocking became easier with each day. After a week of practicing, I could erect my walls within seconds and withstand both Argo’s and Padrick’s prodding. One thing I hadn’t done yet was dig into Argo’s mind. He’d welcomed me to, but it still felt icky to me—even though he’d already seen and read everything inside my mind.
One thing was for sure… Argo kept growing. His body had doubled in size since we’d reached the island. His wings were no longer the tiny appendages they had been when we first arrived, and his head looked more like a mature dragon’s. The spikes along his back also seemed taller and sharper.
His appetite had grown too, and required two deer every day. At this rate, we’d decimate the island’s habitat. Padrick had instructed him to add variety to his diet and include a seal and a few puffins. Once his wings grew to where he could fly, we’d practice fishing.
Thankfully, I didn’t require feeding every day anymore. I could get by with eating only every other day, even with the increased mental concentration. I wanted to try to just feed without killing the animal, but Padrick had discouraged me, saying it wouldn’t do them any good.
“But it worked with the man back in the tunnel,” I argued.
“Yeah, the human man. Animals are different, I can’t manipulate them to forget they were attacked and fed upon,” Padrick countered.
“I didn’t attack him.”
“I did.” Padrick held his hand up before I could respond. “How else was I to get him to you unconscious?”
“That’s disgusting.” I stood up to walk out of the communal cave.
“That’s your problem right there. You think too much like a human. You haven’t embraced the fact you are not one of them anymore.”
I whirled around, sparks flying out of my hand. “I cannot believe you just said that. There is no ‘us and them’. We’re all living creatures, sharing the same damn planet. Yes, I’m at the top of the food chain, but all that means is I have the greater responsibility to take care of the rest of the links below me, because we’re all part of the same chain.”
“That’s profound.” Storm yawned from the boulder she had perched on. “So human of you.”
“I love you.” Argo came to stand next to me. “Have I told you that?”
Padrick bowed his head in defeat and stood up from his bed. “That’s not what I meant. Sometimes you have to do things you aren’t proud of or that aren’t even right because you need to survive the moment. It’s a balancing act.” He walked over and stood right before me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
I let the energy die down in my hands. “Everyone’s important. Life is important. I know that more so now than I did as a human. That’s the difference between me and my father.”
“This is true.”
“I need some fresh air and a swim. I’ll see you guys in a few hours.” I turned and left the cave.
“Tell Bella hello from us,” Argo called out as I ran down the mountain.
Shit. They knew about her too. Was there nothing sacred that I could keep to myself?
A few hours later, I returned to the cave to find Argo playing with a rock. He batted it back and forth with his front feet. Every now and then, a tongue of fire would escape from his mouth. He reminded me of a cat the way he entertained himself.
“About time you got here. Storm went hunting, and Padrick is off meditating somewhere on the island.” Argo straightened his back and ignored the rock as he focused on me. “It’s time you and I had a chat.”
“About what?”
“You know what. You need to look in here.” He tapped the side of his head with the tip of his wing. “I know you’ve been avoiding it because you fear what you may find, but you mustn’t be afraid. There is information here only for you.”
He was right. I had been too afraid of facing the truth. I didn’t know if I could handle another revelation about myself or something that tied me to the past. I had enjoyed the last week of just being there. Minus learning how to mentally block others’ thoughts and protect my mind, I had spent my time living. But that time had run out, apparently.
“Can we do this somewhere outside of this cave?” I asked.
“I would prefer that as well.” He marched up unti
l he stood next to me, his head coming to my shoulder. “Shall we find a nice cliff with a great view?”
I smiled and lowered my head until the side of my face touched his. “You know me so well.”
“I know you like to go swimming to get away from us. I understand that you need your space. Once I am full-grown, I can give you that more freely, but until then, I need you.”
“I know. I’ve been terrible. Can you forgive me?”
“There is nothing to forgive. Now let’s go find a good vista point.” He let out a puff of smoke.
“Lead the way.” I laughed.
Within minutes, we were at the top of the mountain where we found a flat rock to sit on facing the north. Golden sunlight bathed us as we settled on the spot, and Argo’s scales sparkled in the light.
“You are so beautiful,” I observed out loud.
“So are you.” He sat his back end down but kept his front legs upright and wrapped his long, spiky tail around his feet. His white, leathery wings rested on either side of his body. “You are much prettier than the mental image that was passed down from my mother.”
“Image? Remember, I didn’t meet your mother. How did she know what I would look like?” I settled into a lotus position facing him.
He towered over me for a moment, then lowered himself down until his head was level with mine. “You will see when you look inside. Are you ready?”
“No. I don’t think I’ll ever be ready. I’ve never been ready for anything that has happened since I met Traian.” I adjusted my legs and then met his gaze. “But that hasn’t kept me from moving forward. That’s the only direction I can go.”
“Except for right now. You need to look behind you, deep into the past, to find answers to help you move forward.”
We sat there in silence for a few moments, enjoying the cool, early morning air and the weak sunlight on our skin. I rejoiced in the fact I could let the sunrays touch me. Maybe this strigoi life wasn’t that bad after all.
“Let’s do this thing.” I closed my eyes.
He let out a soft sigh and lowered his head into my lap. “Place your hands right above my eyes. It will make it easier to see everything.”
“‘See’?” I felt the soft leathery scales on the side of his face until I reached the spot where the spikes began, inches above his eyes. “I thought I was reading your mind.”
“These are memories, Everly, not thoughts.”
I opened my third eye and focused on the tiny sparks of light dashing across his brain in every direction. I had done this when we first bonded and I’d heard his thoughts. However, this time, his mind seemed to pull me forward. I could feel myself being drawn deeper into his head. Sparks of light zipped past me as I found myself in the center of his mind.
The first image that played before me was of a blonde elven girl reaching down and touching his face. When I looked closer, I realized it wasn’t him. The reflection in the girl’s eyes showed me a red dragon. Zara. The image changed to the dragon flying high above the clouds with the girl on her back. The girl squealed with joy as Zara dove through the sky.
“This surpasses anything I have ever experienced in my life,” she shouted. I will never tire of this feeling.”
“This is only the beginning, my dear. I haven’t shown you anything yet.” Zara’s voice boomed inside my head as if she was speaking in my ear.
The image shifted, and now we were inside the cave. I recognized it instantly. The dip at the center of the room was now a fireplace, but in this memory, it was Zara’s bed. Now I understood even more why Traian had established his coven in that spot. The moment I thought of him, he appeared in the memory.
I’d seen him before when he was human, in the memories from Evelina, but these were Zara’s memories. The perspective was only slightly different. When Evelina looked at Traian, I could feel her emotions of love, lust, desire, and devotion. From Zara’s point of view, I felt the comradery, loyalty, and compassion, but most of all, hope.
A series of many films played in rapid succession. Each one recapped the life that Traian had lived in Carpatia Valley while he was human. In these memories, I saw a beautiful, white, flying horse become Traian’s companion. I watched Zara fly Traian to a hidden mountain covered in fog close to the cave, before returning to guard Evelina, who lay unconscious in a glass coffin, floating on the underground lake.
When Traian returned, he brought the winged horse with him. In the lake cave, near where our current bedrooms were located, he placed a vial of glass. A sensation of wonder filled my heart as I watched him use the magic in his hands to grow the most beautiful flower I had ever seen in my life. Its petals were white but had a milky, iridescent shine to them.
Traian took these petals and placed them in Evelina’s mouth. Moments later, she opened her eyes and spoke. I could feel the relief vibrating through Zara’s body. She had almost lost her elven companion.
The next scenes that came did not have Traian or Evelina in them. The first one, Zara sat on a mountain peak, when a ghostly form of Eva appeared before her in midair and touched Zara’s head with her hand. I had seen Eva appear before, when I had touched Argo’s egg, but I wasn’t prepared for what I witnessed next.
I watched in horror as the village that had been Traian’s home burned to ashes while its inhabitants were slaughtered or taken captive. Then Zara attacked a black dragon with an armored rider. I recognized the dragon immediately.
Nostafaru.
The two beasts fought as their riders battled using magic. Moments later, a poisoned dart from one of the enemy warriors on the ground struck Evelina in the leg. She fell from the sky, but Zara caught her in time. Rage burned hot throughout Zara’s body as she laid her companion on the ground and turned to the black dragon.
“I don’t care that you are the father of my child. I will kill you and your master too.”
She ripped off a chunk of his wing as if it were paper. He swiped at her, slicing a long wound across her belly. The pain from the gash only fueled her anger. She slapped him so hard he lay still for a moment. In that time, Zara whirled around and found the rider who had fallen off the black dragon’s back mere seconds before. She caught the man with her front feet and ripped his head off with her teeth.
When she spit it out, the helmet fell off, revealing his face.
Motherfucker. I cringed at my father’s decapitated head, but continued to watch.
Instead of returning to save Evelina or Traian, Zara took to the air and flew away from the battle scene. Her body was weak from the wounds and the amount of energy she’d used in the fight. She soared over the mountains and valleys, far from her companion.
I couldn’t help but feel angry now. “How could she just abandon them like that?”
“Keep watching,” Argo reminded me.
Zara flew to a large mountain with a hole big enough for her to enter. At the opening, a long-horned sheep with golden eyes met her.
“Let me pass. I must keep my child safe.”
“I cannot allow you to enter our home. You will kill us.”
“I am dying. I only have moments to birth this egg before my body takes its last breath. Nothing can save me, except for my companion, and she is dead. The world’s hope lies in my offspring’s hands.” Zara lowered her head all the way to the ground, leaving herself vulnerable to the sheep’s horns. “I mean you no harm. Let me die in peace, knowing my child will lie dormant until his companion comes for him.”
The sheep stood for a moment, blocking the entrance before moving aside. “Come. I will take you to a cavern deep in the mountain where you may take your final rest.”
He led her through a labyrinth of wide tunnels, but they were almost too small for a dragon of her size to maneuver through. She squeezed on until they reached a cave I recognized—the one I had found Argo in.
“Seal this room,” Zara commanded. “Only the one with this symbol on her palm and fire in her hands can enter. She will have red hair and an elf companion
.” She blasted a cross of fire with an upside-down triangle and the circle of fire at the center onto the rocky ground. “She is the planet’s hope. Evil is gaining strength, and dark days are coming. Prepare yourselves.”
The sheep bowed his head to the dragon. “Rest in peace, oh great creature. Know we will protect your seed until the girl comes.”
“Thank you.”
Zara curled up as the sheep backed out of the room. Two more flanked him as he exited. They put their horns together, and a shield of golden light formed, sealing the entrance to the cave. The light faded, leaving a solid wall of black rock. Zara groaned as she pushed a small silver egg from her body.
“My child. I will be with you always. May you do great things and save this world. The girl that comes, she will be part witch and part undead. Her father is your father’s master, because only his own offspring will defeat him. But she will need you, her lover, and the sword of my companion, to vanquish the evil he has become.”
A faint image of me appeared hovering above the dragon. I wore black pants and a tank top. Spirals of silver from the tattoo on my torso glowed in the dark cave. And then Zara took her final breath.
Chapter 19
I fell over on top of Argo’s head from exhaustion. One of his spikes poked my shoulder, but I didn’t care. Seeing his mother’s memories had been like experiencing them myself. They had been more intense than when I had seen Eva’s or Evelina’s recollections. I didn’t know dragons could recall and pass down their recollections to their offspring with such detail.
“I know it’s exhausting. You did good.” Argo wrapped one of his wings around me, as if to give me a hug.
“What if I fail, Argo?” I rested my face against his neck.
“That’s why I’m here. We won’t fail if we stick together.” His other wing covered me too. “Give me a few more weeks to grow full-size, and then we can go save Traian. And then we need to get Evelina’s sword.”
I noted he said ‘we’ instead of ‘I’ or ‘you’. The last part of the memory replayed over and over in my head.
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