Bound to the Dragon King (4 page)

Flames lap at my peripheral vision as my anger takes over. I’d rather walk a thousand miles barefoot before bowing down to Asher’s misguided whims. I shriek frustration as the inferno assaults the rest of my senses until I can’t tell where it stops and where I begin.

Suddenly, my feet are on the ground and I’m looking up at a confused, empty handed dragon. The bracelet is fully charged now. Asher swoops down, but there’s no way I’m letting him get a hold of me again.

My finger circles the emerald and I focus my intentions on the Animal Shelter, the only place I can think to go to get the help I need. The portal opens right before Asher lands, shifting back into his human form.

“Lindy!” The last thing I see is his dumbfounded expression before I step through the fiery circle.

It takes a few moments to get my bearing, my head spinning so fast I have to clutch the counter for balance. At least I didn’t puke all over the clerk, who stares at me in shock for a few moments before running into the back room.

The door opens and a small black cat runs out, directly at me. He leaps into the air and I gladly catch him. “Edgar.”

He yowls back at me, purring incessantly as he drags his his chin across my jaw. Is his ear burned? My poor kitty. I know he’s really not, but I’ll always think of him like that, I can’t help it. He was my only companion Uptop for years.

“Melinda?” Ruby’s voice breaks our embrace. “Oh, my God. It’s really you!” She rushes over to me, throwing her arms around my neck. “You look… well, I don’t want to say awful, but...”

“What happened?” Georgia appears beside us, stroking my hair.

“Asher… We got in a fight and… there was a werewolf, they went off together and…”

“A werewolf?” Ruby gasps.

“Asher wants to… I think they’re going to attack Arralt on their own,” I blubber. “I couldn’t convince him to come with me.”

“Attack him? How? When?” Georgia demands.

“Not right away. Ash went off to fix the shifters, but he’s being so impulsive and he has no idea what he’s getting into...” My voice cracks and a tear rolls down my cheek as I picture his face when I left him, but I didn’t have a choice.

“Let’s go see the Council,” Georgia says, leading me into the back.

Through the double doors I see the extent of the destruction our last visit caused. The gaping hole in the glass ceiling hasn’t been repaired but I see that they’ve put up a patch spell to keep out the wind and rain. Pangs of guilt and embarrassment flood through me as I remember our horrendous departure. Plants that had to be as old as some of the Council members lie smashed, charred, and scattered across the tiled floor. Tiny bits of glass crunch under my feet as I follow Georgia towards the stone platform. She stops a few feet from the stairs and turns to me.

“It will be some time before we can assemble up there again.” She points to a towering pillar with a large crack running through it. “Unfortunately some of the damage can’t be fixed with a simple patch and we can’t use more magic without bringing unwanted attention to ourselves. It’s probably all for the better though...” She smiles warmly with a hint of amusement. “We are having to improvise by working the old fashioned way, with our hands and minds.”

We walk under the platform deeper into the atrium, popping out into a cleared area with workbenches and a flurry of activity. A group of small men are standing around a blueprint discussing improvements. Flashes of light zoom past us, squeaking in high pitched voices. I’ve never seen any sprites other than Fee! I watch as they collect the shards of glass and dump them into a massive pile before darting back out to find more. Izor stands across the clearing with the Giant surveying the work with trepidation. I can’t shake the feeling that they aren’t happy to see me. Quite a few of the creatures shoot mean glances my way. Well, I guess I did cause all of this...

“Watch out!” the Giant’s gravelly voice calls out. I turn just in time to see a gnome with a large panel of glass crash into another. The sound of glass shattering forces the rest of the room to a moment of stunned silence. “Back to work you lot,” he announces and every one hops back to work with even more vigor. Most look like they're just trying to get out of his way.

Sprites flood the gnomes and quickly remove the broken glass from the floor. I hear them laugh with glee as their pile grows a little larger. They must be enjoying this. At least someone’s having some fun. Georgia bustles over to the stunned little men and helps them to their feet. They bow quickly and scamper off, nudging each other jokingly.

“Fools,” a cool disdainful voice says from behind me. “It will take ages to get the repairs done without magic. It’s a shame they won’t let me try.” Madam Hazel approaches from the shadows, sneering at the worksite like it offends her.

“But,” I interject thinking of Georgia’s words, “wouldn’t that be like sending up a beacon to SIGMA?”

She snorts with derision. “Everyone is so afraid of this SIGMA.” She turns her glowing green eyes to mine. “You want to know what I think?” she asks and answers without waiting for me to respond. “I think that SIGMA is weaker than they appear to be. I think we should just attack now while we have your boyfriend alive and in the flesh.”

“Don’t call him my boyfriend,” I say defensively. He’s so much more than that, but there’s no way I’m going to admit it to this bitch. Plus who know’s where we stand right now. “And you don’t have him at all,” I add, looking around to remind her about what happened last time we were here.

“Ohh,” she croons sardonically. “Trouble with the big lizard? It looks like you don’t have him either.” I know she’s just trying to get to me and it’s definitely working. I want nothing more than to smack the smile right off of her glamoured face.

“Now now, Hazel,” Izor says. “No need to ruffle the poor girl’s feathers.” The old man smiles warmly at me. “I’m sure Melinda knows just where Asher is, isn’t that right?”

“Actually…” I stumble over the words and my heart sinks to my stomach. “I kinda lost him.”

“What do you mean you lost him?” Hazel shouts, drawing looks of apprehension from the work crew who are now actively trying to avoid us.

“It’s kind of a long story,” I say apprehensively. The Council members all look at me expectantly and I know there’s no way I can give them a shortened version. I tell them all everything that happened after Ash triggered the alarm. When I tell them about the werewolf they look at each other skeptically, but allow me to continue without asking questions. I skimp over the details of our argument, but I think they get the gist of it since I’m here and he’s out with Colin hunting down the shifters.

“I knew she wouldn’t be able to handle him,” Hazel says disdainfully. “Maybe she’s not enough for him. We should give him the other witches to choose from.”

“That’s not how this works, Hazel,” Georgia sternly reminds her.

“We must trust Asher to make his own decisions. He is the King, whether or not he accepts that just yet. I think Melinda is doing a fine job of handling herself,” Izor says.

“You’re weak, old man,” Hazel spits at him. “If you would just do your job as Council leader and order her to do her part…”

“Hazel! This is not the place or the time to discuss Council politics,” Georgia chides. “If Melinda agrees to help us, it will be of her own free will. You have no business ordering a Witch to do anything, might I remind all of you.” She looks at everyone sternly, her arms crossed atop her large bosom.

“I agree with the Sorceress,” the Giant adds with his voice booming over the cacophony of hammers and saws. “We have helped her immeasurably. It’s time she returned the favor.”

“Helped me? How have you helped me?” I demand harshly.

“We have had some hand in making sure you were looked after,” Izor says sadly.

“Do you think you got a job at one of the Underground Libraries based on your merit? Or your name?” Hazel laughs cruelly. “You could barely spell a book closed, let alone complete a basic Return spell. Your father may be important, but we have connections all over the Underground. Isn’t that right Georgia?”

Her words sting. My father is important in the Underground but he never, not once, helped me in any way. Jerk. And getting a job at the library was a big achievement after leaving school. Have I never accomplished anything on my own?

“If you all insist on speaking of Council business in front of others,” Georgia snaps angrily at them, “then you’ll do so without us. Come Melinda. Let’s discuss Witch business elsewhere.”

Georgia grabs my hand to try and comfort me while leading me away from the crowd. “I got you the job at the library on a trial basis. Mags is a close friend and she owed me a favor, but she was more than satisfied with your performance, so you earned your permanent spot on your own. I did think that you would be happy there. You always seemed to like books when you were little,” she whispers to me with a sad smile.

Little? How long have they been watching me? I’m not sure I even want to know.

Chapter Five

Back in the lobby we find Ruby and Edgar waiting for us.

“What’s wrong?” Ruby asks. I fight back the tears that have been threatening to spill over since I got here but it’s a losing battle. I can’t even begin to put words to the feelings that are overwhelming me right now. Ruby throws her arms around me and lets me sob into her shoulder. “What happened, G?” she asks Georgia.

“Let’s take her home. There’s not much we can do here.”

“But,” I hiccup through a sob, “my apartment… SIGMA.” I hate blubbering like an idiot.

“Oh no, silly,” Georgia says while brushing my wild hair out of my face. “You can come home with us.”

“Wait...” I swallow hard, trying to pull it together. “You live together?”

“Of course! Georgia is my mom. Well, adopted mom, but she’s been taking care of me since I was a kid. Why do you think I’m the only candidate that works here?” She squeals in excitement and grabs my shoulders. “I’ve never had anyone over before. This is going to be great!”

“Ruby stop acting like a child,” Georgia jokingly chides Ruby. I let out a little giggle when I realize that she’s not angry, just being motherly. Now that I know more about their relationship it seems to fit them and it’s probably a big reason that I like both of them so much.

“Edgar would you like to come as well?” Georgia asks my cat. He doesn’t answer, instead purring loudly in what I assume is a yes. He jumps into my arms and snuggles in.

We wait in the lobby while Georgia calls a cab. Piling into the back, I can tell that the cabby has probably never seen a fare like ours. His furrowed brow deepens when he notices Edgar. Georgia’s forest green robe is not something you see in the heat of Arizona and a cat willing to get into the car without a struggle. Odd. Thankfully he doesn’t ask questions and whisks us away to an old neighborhood on the outskirts of town. We come to a stop in front of a quaint stone house tucked in amongst impressive acacia trees. Georgia pays the driver while Ruby grabs my arm and drags me inside.

“Come on Lindy,” Ruby says. “Let me give you the grand tour!”

I follow her from room to room. The place is much more spacious than it looks on the outside. I can’t help but feel envious of her getting to live here. It’s exactly how a witch should live. I could spend hours in the library, pouring over spell books and searching through the nooks and crannies for hidden treasures. Ruby’s room looks out over the scrub brush hills that lead into the desert. I watch the sun light up her room marvelously with brilliant reds and oranges.

I wish I could have a house like this one day to raise a family in. The thought of having kids sends a pang of sadness through me. Asher has been my only family for such a long time and I just portaled away from him like a petulant child. He can be so stubborn, although I guess I can be pretty stubborn too. I just hope he sees me as more than someone to sleep with. I can help him, I know I can, I just don’t know quite how yet.

“I found you some clothes,” Ruby says emerging from her closet.

“Oh,” I say, looking down at my filthy attire. “I didn’t realize how dirty I was.” I take the clothes from her gratefully.

“You can use my shower.” She points at the wooden door at the end of the hallway. “Georgia wants to talk downstairs as soon as you’re ready.” She smiles a little worriedly at me but thankfully doesn’t ask any questions.

“Thanks Ruby,” I say trying not to make eye contact. I’m not sure I can keep it together and I don’t want to start crying again.

The shower feels amazing. The hot water makes my skin turn pink and I breathe in a lung full of steam. Dirt swirls around my toes and down the drain. I wish the whole day could get washed away too. Thinking of Asher again makes my heart ache with longing. How could I run away from the one I love so easily? I wonder how he feels about me now.

I grab a bottle of something pink and shimmery, hoping for a hair potion. I open the top and find the shower filled with pink bubbles in the shape of different types of flowers. Popping a translucent blossom releases the smell of the flower itself. I giggle and pop more of them, delighting in the scent of roses, geraniums, lilies, and jasmine. Grabbing the next bottle I notice that they are actually labeled. Stupid me, of course they are. Any witch worth her wand labels the potions she makes. The one in my hand is some sort of exfoliant. I put it back and find the hair potion. The spell tingles pleasantly against my scalp. I hear the sound of music wafting from somewhere in the house, reminding me that Georgia and Ruby are waiting for me.