Dragon Born: Book I of the Tendaaren Chronicles
Chapter 6: She's Coming

Paul paced rapidly from one side of the house to the other. Stupid stupid stupid. He scolded himself. She is going to let me have it. He eyed his favorite liquor then shook his head. Now is not the time! She is coming. Must be presentable, must be ready.

He admired his reflection in the mirror. He wore his only tuxedo, his hair carefully combed in just the way she liked, his black eyes twinkled with mirth. She won’t be able to resist me this time.

He shuddered at the suspicious silence. I just won’t tell Scelestra the girl ran; she will come back. She always does. She has nowhere else to go. There is time before the portal clears.

A delicate knock rapped at his door. He swallowed hard, and despite his pep talk, his fingers trembled as he reached out for the handle.

Paul swung the door wide and bowed deeply to the gorgeous creature before him. Scelestra’s breasts gently swelled over her corseted dress; which swept the floor with whispering black lace. He gulped imagining long sensual and sleepless nights. It had been so long since he had gripped Scelestra’s porcelain skin and kissed that cinnamon scented neck.

She leveled a warm and lascivious gaze upon him. Her ebony hair swept up and to the side of her perfect face. Scelestra’s long lashes fluttered unabashedly at him and bit lightly on the corner or her ruby lips. She was a master temptress and had Paul wrapped around her blood manicured fingernails.

He whispered his voice as warm as honey, “My dear Sc—”

She raised a manicured fingernail to his lips. Her face inches from his.

“My dearest pet where is she we have mere minutes before the portal closes.” She purred, the silk tones of her brought him to his knees.

Scelestra’s scarlet stained eyes were impossible to ignore. Paul grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. “I sent your prize on an errand my dear so that we could have some time alone.” He leaned in seizing her luscious lips in his and pressed her into him. It had been too long.

Gently she chuckled and gracefully removed herself from his grasp. He reached longingly for her; but, she had already crossed the room.

She found the frying pan, and she could smell his blood on the rim. “What is this?” Suspicion crept into her melodious voice. Tossing the pan around as if checking its weight. “Why is there blood on it?”

Paul turned white as a ghost. How could he tell her that a little girl bested him? He was sure his prize would come back. It was just matter of when.

It was not the first time Alyenna had ran from him; but, it would be the last. It did not matter that she destroyed what he used to track her. He could still replace her. He knew her scent.

He had played this game of cat and mouse with the girl for years. This time though was different he could finally go home to Scelestra’s bed.

The girl’s timing could not be worse. That brat had knocked him out right before the portal opened. If she thought he hit her hard before, a cruel smile twisted his lips as he thought of her punishment, little mouse will pay for this.

“Paul!” Scelestra demanded, her eyes boring into him demanding an explanation.

“She is not here.” His voice trembled. “She” He paused thinking of an explanation “went for a walk.”

“A walk?” She shrieked, her scream shook debris loose from the rafters. “You insufferable buffoon! Don’t lie to me!” I saw her go through the portal. You lazy good for nothing excuse of a demon! I caught sight of her just as a dwarf and elf pulled her through!”

Paul’s throat tightened, her magic cutting off his ability to breath. Paul was cowering in the corner of her house. She stood over him brandishing the ever-offensive frying pan.

“You will retrieve her for me.” Her eyes lit with fury, and at that moment the frying pan caught fire. “You lost her again! How could you be so careless?” She sidled up to him her voice deadly quiet “Does your love for me mean so little?” She threw the pan her eyes boring into his. The whole room smoldered as large hungry bursts of flame consumed the house.

Paul felt the real pain of her statement, as he crawled to her. His desperate hands trembled as they grasped for the black lace of her dress. “My love,” He pleaded, “how could you say such things. My love for you is an ocean. It is my world. As everlasting as the stars in the night sky. My love for you swallows me whole. I know no other love than yours.“He continued to tremble with the weight of her rejection.

Paul did not notice Scelestra roll her eyes. He was too focused on his own emotions and not being burned alive. Paul, unlike her other pets, was in love with Scelestra of his own accord. She did not need to possess his mind nor had any interest in expending the effort to do so. His dedication to her was unmatched, and for this reason alone she kept him alive. The Fire continued to advance the hungry flames crept closer to them.

She bent down to meet his eyes, expertly feigning the affection he craved. She stroked his cheek. Pau leaned into her hand and moaned with monumental relief.

Her voice then took on a dark rumbling tone that he rarely heard. A support beam came crashing down two feet from him. The sparks were flying everywhere burning his skin. Her nails dug into his face drawing specks of blood.

“You will return with me to Tendaara, and you will replace her and bring her to me as planned.” her voice now a vicious hiss. With that, she grabbed his hand and dragged him from the house. As they left the entire house was caught up in a blaze and came crashing down.

“Damien!” Aly shrieked. His body was spasming, his eyes rolling into the back of his head pools of sweat forming all over his clothes. “Help! Someone, please help!”

Aagi a vision of strength and fiery hair shoved her out of the way. He began throwing objects that Damien could hit in his spasm as far away from his body as he could.

Then he grabbed Aly’s shoulders and dragged her back. The throes of the seizure had buried Damien. There was yellow foam flaked with blood. After several minutes his body shuddered and stilled. Aagi released Aly and checked Damien’s vital signs.

" ‘e’ll be fine lass.” he soothed “its all part o’ ’is .... gift as it t’were.”

Aly threw herself at Damien double checking Aagi’s assessment. He was indeed breathing softly almost peacefully. She sighed then turned the full force of her anxiety on Aagi.

“What the hell was that?” She exclaimed.

“Oi miss it twas nutin. ’e just ’ad a bad dream.” Aagi heaved Damien’s limp body over his shoulder and started to walk away. Damien’s feet dragged on the ground behind him. Aly shadowed Aagi showering him with unanswerable questions. He politely let her spew nonsense until she calmed down when they arrived at what she could only assume was an infirmary.

Aagi knocked impatiently at the door. “Oi! it ’appened again!”

A patient looking middle-aged woman dressed in infirmary white cracked the door and glared at Aagi.

“Was that really necessary?” She demanded.

Aagi harumphed and shifted Damien’s body on his shoulder in response to a comment. He captured her attention immediately.

The nurse was alarmed by the sight of Damien’s nearly lifeless form. She swung the doors wide and hurried them inside. She gestured toward an empty bed, as she was busily running around the room gathering supplies and potions.

Alyenna went to bed and stared worriedly over Damien. Cocky, confident Damien now pale and helpless. His mouth still covered in dried sweat and red-yellow foam. A gentle hand lightly rested on her shoulder, pulling her attention away.

It was Baellnar. “he’s okay Aly I promise.” He whispered to her. The soothing tones of his voice seeping into her veins. She did not notice the glow in the air around her as he spoke.

Aly visibly relaxed. She decided to make herself of use. She grabbed a wet cloth and started dabbing away at Damien’s face.

Aagi threw his hands up in frustration at the ease in which Aly was settled down. “Oh, o’ course you listen to ‘im. oi already tol’ ya that!”

“It’s because you’re a redhead. No one trusts redheads.” Baellnar said shoving Aagi “everyone knows gingers have no soul.” He beamed proudly at Aagi. Aagi glared at him and then started laughing hysterically and walked away saying something about weapons being more manageable than women.

Alyenna’s attention focused back on Damien whose breathing was getting stronger. Slowly his eyes opened, and he smiled at her.

“Hey, beautiful like I said you don’t have a class with Arienne today because I am in charge of your anatomy lesson.” He winked. Alyenna stood frozen and uncomprehensive of what had just happened and even more so of Damien’s immediate nonchalance.

He then looked around the room, and a sudden realization hit him. He sank back into the pillow. “Well shit.” He sighed. “What did I say then?” Then his face scrunched up, and he moaned in pain”God my head hurts.” Damien shoved his face deep into the pillow.

Aly continued to dab his forehead with a cold cloth as Baellnar sent for Allabandar. Moments later Allabandar entered the room. Aly suspected Aagi had already informed him of the situation. He walked silently up to Damien’s bedside. His eyes were full of care and concern.

“It’s been a while since an attack Damien are you okay?” He said with all the care of a father with a child who skinned their knee.

“Yeah, I am fine. Is Ruth around?” Said the nurse.

“Ruth?” Aly asked confused.

“Yes, as a dragon Ruth is especially talented for pulling prophecies out of seers and healing them. Prophecies are usually incredibly traumatic it is only Dragonkin that can bring our seers back quickly without harming them. We are not entirely certain how it works, but it does.”

I am right here young one. Said a beautiful and familiar voice in Aly’s head. She turned toward the window, and there was one enormous serpentine eye. It swirled with colors of every jewel she had ever seen, surrounded by pearlescent scales. Alyenna worked to contain her shock as the drake;’s face shrank. More and more of the dragon appeared until the dragon’s daunting sized evaporated and a small winged lizard, no impressive than a house cat, had appeared in its place. It carefully picked its way into the room and perched on the headboard of Damien’s bed.

The creature nuzzled Damien a faint golden glow circled both of them. He sighed in relief and sat up in bed.

What did you do to him?

I healed him, hatchling. His visions take so much from him I just gave a little bit of his life force back. He should be able to remember now.

How did you heal him? Aly asked.

All dragonkin can heal. It comes from the fire within our souls. With that essence of fire, we both heal and destroy.

What else can you do?

Each dragon has shapeshifting powers. The shapes we can take are largely determined by our birth element. I am of water so I can create a great storm or a summer rain and I can be any creature of the sea. This ability has protected us through the centuries both from Scelestra and from the age of dragon hunters. We only reveal our true form if we choose.

Damien oblivious to this mental conversation sighed and began to relay his vision.

“a tower covered in thorns. There are red eyes everywhere. Death and darkness have swallowed the ground here. Then up to the top of the tower. There is a man a large man with black hair and black eyes. There are scars on his cheeks. He is kissing her feet. She hands him something a tracking stone I think and gestures to the door. She crosses the room and then all I see is her eyes her horrid red eyes. She is looking into the keep she can see us! She is speaking to someone here!” Again he fainted.

Ruth the size of a small cat nestled herself onto his chest and closed her eyes. The glow around her tiny serpentine body pulsing and surrounding her and Damien.

Allabandar’s brow furrowed and he looked at Aly shaking his head in sadness. “It is too soon but you must go. We cannot trust anyone. Not where Scelestra is concerned, and she has a spy at the Fortress. It also sounds like she has someone hunting you. You must leave.” He turned to Baellnar and Aagi “You two get provisions. You know where you leave by dawn.”

Their departure was kept a secret. No one could know that after only a day in the keep she had to leave. The plan had been she would stay for so much longer and prepare. There was no time for that now. Her remaining at the keep put too many lives at risk.

Those who lived in the castle only knew that tonight would be a welcome Gala that evening. The party of the century. They did not know that their hero would leave them in the morning twilight.

To quell any suspicions Aly was forced to attend. She was escorted back to her rooms after Damien was resting peacefully. When she opened the door she barely noticed that on her bed was a beautiful emerald lace dress trimmed with gold. Next to it was a lightly jeweled emerald necklace with a dragon pendant and teardrop emerald earrings.

A maid waited for her as she entered and escorted her through the bureau into a luxurious bath. One that was impossible for her to enjoy. Worry crept through her veins. She knew nothing about this Scelestra but it was enough to send even a dragon into a panic. No one was willing to speak of her for fear she is listening. How is that possible? Scelestra is one woman and she is clearly not in the fortress. She is clearly notorious wouldn’t it be obvious if she was?

The maid scrubbed away some of the tensions of the day. Aly tried to enjoy it. She had a sinking feeling this would be the last bath she would have in a while. This was an old world one without electricity and plumbing. Out on the road, there would be very few resources. Aly still had no idea where she was, or even when she was; but, she was here and she would do what she could to survive.

The maid stood beside the tub carrying a luxuriously fluffy terrycloth towel. She could not have been more 17. She shuffled about the room quietly expertly arranging the items needed to prepare her for the Gala.

Aly was sworn to secrecy about their plans for the morning. So not knowing what else to talk to her maid about she strained for conversation. She did want someone to tell her where she was though but knew it would be weird to ask directly. She chose to start with softball questions.

“Thank you so much for your help.” She said testing the waters. The maid said nothing she just handed her the towel and gestured for her to step behind a changing screen. Aly tried again “what is your name?”

“Emily.” in a tone that clearly indicated she was not interested in conversation.

“Emily that is a pretty name what does it mean?” She tried again.

“My name miss? It’s just the one my parents gave me.”

Alyenna frustrated with the lack of interest she was getting from Emily. One word answers would accomplish nothing. So she tried a more open-ended question.

“So, how did you start working here?”

“Allabandar took me in when I lost my family and our home was destroyed in a local skirmish,” she said this so matter of factly it mystified Aly. How could something so devastating seem so casual to Emily? She waited for her to continue but Emily was too busy tending to the task of braiding her hair. Sighing in frustration she was almost ready to let Emily complete her work in peace. Then one more question pushed at her to be asked so she did.

“Emily, what do you call this place?”

Emily stopped and looked at her. “What do you mean miss? The fortress? It’s called Kaelen’s Keep” Aly Nodded that helped a little. “No, I mean where are we what is the name of this land?”

“This land miss? Well, we live in the land of Tendaara.” She said casually as she busied herself around Aly.

That is inconceivable! No, it cannot be. “Sorry I must not have heard you. Where are we?”

“Tendaara.” The maid said clearly annoyed.

Aly sunk forward in her chair. Her head tucked between her knees.

“Are you okay miss? Miss?”

Aly stared into the distant tiles. Oblivious to the maid worrying about her person. Nothing mattered in this moment. This is impossible. I accepted talking dragons, ridiculously handsome men, enormous caverns that are feats of architecture and art, but this is too much. This cannot be . . . how am I in my books!? When am I in my books!? How is this place real!? in the distance, she heard her name being called. Her mind was spinning. she continued to stare at the tiles. Her muscles unmoving. She lost herself in her own dimension her own time. She didn’t care. She felt her body shake. She didn’t care. Then everything got cold and wet.

“Stop doing that!” Alyenna screamed at Aagi who held the offending bucket of water in his hand.

“We were worried about you.” Came a soft voice behind her.

“I am fine. . . I was just thinking.”

“oi! Must o’ been a’ ’elluva thought miss!”

“care to share?” Said the soft bell tones of Baellnar.

“No, not particularly,” Aly said defiantly. Then stared accusatorially at them, done with the nice way of getting information. Politics was never her thing anyway. ” How about you care to share? What is really going on?”

The three figures stared at each other for a while. Emily relieved she could continue with her task, no longer cared about their conversation. She continued to fuss around Aly fixing the sopping mess that was her head. Eventually, the men dismissed themselves.

After that Aly was lost in thought, oblivious to the movements and ministration of Emily. She spent the rest of the evening in a daze. She ate very little and quickly excused herself from the celebration. She claimed the very valid excuse of exhaustion for her early departure which most understood. Baellnar rose with her concerned with her withdrawn and forlorn appearance, and escorted her gently back to her room. Alyenna crawled into bed. The flowers, pearls, jewels, and other trimmings for the gala stick thickly laid in her hair, and she finally slept, but not well.

Aly awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of her own screams. Drenched in a cold sweat. Her sheets were strewn all over the floor. She sat wide awake.

Her mind flashed back to the image. Blood covered her body. There was a gaping hole in her chest. Her heart was held aloft by a man with auburn hair, and it was on fire.