Redeeming the Broken Dragon

Chapter 29. The Trip North

Toronto Pearson International Airport hummed with activity in the crisp morning air. Still, Solstace and Crimson moved through it like shadows, unnoticed by the humans. They were an odd pair—the last Dragon, tall and imposing, with an aura of ancient power lingering around him, and Crimson, the half-vampire hybrid whose emotions flickered through her hair like an ever-changing canvas.

They sat in the secluded corner of the departure lounge, waiting for their flight to Yakutsk, the nearest airport to their Siberian destination, Chersky. Solstace stole glances at Crimson. Shadows of moody blue danced through her normally vibrant crimson hair, each shift mirroring the tumultuous waves crashing within her.

“You know,” Solstace started, a hint of wonder in his voice, “I’ve flown around the globe a lot, but this trip... it’s got a whole different vibe.”

Crimson looked up, her eyes reflecting the arctic skies they were about to meet. “Different how? You’re not flying in a private jet?” She chuckled.

“Yeah, that’s part of it!” He leaned back, arms crossed. “But there’s more to it, you know? It’s not just another mission. Feels like... I dunno, like a chance to make things right.”

Crimson’s lips curled into a small, wistful smile. “Redemption’? That’s a new one coming from you, Mr. Last Dragon,” she teased, a playful glint in her eyes.

A gentle ease washed over Solstace’s features, like the calm after a storm, his eyes warming in a way that softened the hard lines of his face. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

Indeed. And there’s a lot I would like to know. Crimson thought to herself, her hair changing quickly from crimson to black and back to crimson again.

The call for their flight interrupted their conversation, and as they boarded the plane, a tight knot twisted in Crimson’s stomach, winding its way through her nerves like a coiled snake ready to strike. What am I going to find there? I’ve wanted to know about my past, but now, getting so close to answers, I wonder if I want to know.

They both settled into their pods in first class. This arrangement would make it easier for them to rest during this long flight.

Crimson’s eyes flickered towards Solstace, catching the flight attendants orbiting him like moths to a flame, their movements light and eager.

Bitches. Crimson caught herself envious of the attention they were giving him.

The flight attendant gave them the safety instructions, and everyone settled in for the departure.

As the aircraft ascended, Crimson’s fingers gripped the armrest, her knuckles whitening against the soft fabric. Her hair bloomed into a pale rose, a visual whisper of her anxiety. Solstace noticed her discomfort and hesitated before speaking, “Crimson, look at me.”

She turned to face him, her breathing shallow.

“Focus on my voice,” he said calmly. “We’re heading into the unknown but doing it together. You’re not alone in this.”

Crimson closed her eyes, taking deep breaths, as her hair slowly returned to its fiery red. “Thank you,” she murmured.

“Flying never freaked me out before,” she said, trying to shake off her nerves. “Not sure why this flight is different. Maybe it’s the company I’m keeping? Dragons are known for their ‘turbulent’ presence, aren’t they?”

Solstace raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Oh, so it’s my fault now? Here I was, thinking my dragon aura would be comforting. Like a warm, scaly blanket.”

Crimson couldn’t help but laugh at the image. “A scaly blanket? That sounds... mildly terrifying and somewhat itchy.”

“No one’s ever complained before,” Solstace shot back, a mischievous grin on his face. “Dragons are known for many things, but ‘comforting’ isn’t typically one of them.”

“Guess there’s a first time for everything,” Crimson quipped, feeling more at ease.

“I think it’s not the flight that’s bothering you.” Solstace offered a half smile.

Crimson nodded in reply.

Solstace looked out the window, watching the world shrink away beneath them. “I’ve spent centuries coveting power to capture the prophesied hybrid. But now...” His voice trailed off.

“Now?” Crimson prompted, curious, her hair slightly returning to its usual crimson.

“Now, I realize the error in my ways. I wonder, though, what will happen after…” Solstace trailed off.

“After?” she asked.

He shrugged. “After defeating Zoltan and saving the Moondance Pack. Who will I be?” he said thoughtfully.

Crimson nodded, absorbing his words. “I’ve always felt like an outsider too, half of one thing, half of another. But with King Vlad... and now with you...” she looked away from him, “I’m starting to feel like I belong somewhere.”

Solstace turned to her, a rare vulnerability in his eyes. “You belong, Crimson. You’re more than your heritage; you’re a force in your own right. And you’re a pain in my…”

A short, disbelieving laugh escaped her lips, sharp and sudden, like the crack of a whip in a quiet room. “Well, thank you very much, Mr. Grumpy! Why don’t you tell me how you truly feel?”

Finally, her hair was entirely back to her usual crimson color. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“Whatever for?” Solstace gave her a crooked grin and a wink.

His wink sent a warm, liquid sensation rippling through her, melting her insides like wax near a flame.Why does that man have this kind of effect on me? She wondered.

Their conversation drifted to lighter topics as the hours passed, their laughter filling the small space between them. But as they neared Yakutsk, the weight of their mission settled upon them again.

“Hey, you look beat. Try to catch some z’s,” Solstace suggested.

Crimson rolled her eyes playfully. “Sure thing, ‘Dad’!

She settled in, and it didn’t take long for the sleep to take over her. The soothing arms of sleep soon betrayed her, spiraling into a dark vortex of haunting visions and echoing screams. It was the same nightmare as before. She was in an experimental lab, walking in hallways, crossing women in hospital gowns.

Crimson began to toss restlessly, her breaths coming in short, sharp gasps. A soft moan escaped her lips, tinged with the unmistakable timbre of fear. Her face, usually so composed, was now twisted in the grip of some unseen nightmare, her hands clenching and unclenching as if grappling with invisible demons.

Solstace was by her side in a heartbeat. He kneeled beside her. “It’s OK, you’re safe,” he said softly. “The same nightmare again, huh?”

Why the f**k does she keep having this recurrent nightmare? Solstace thought to himself.

As her eyelids fluttered open, revealing eyes clouded with the remnants of her nightmare, Crimson reached out instinctively. Her fingers found Solstace’s strong form, and she clung to him with a desperation born of her lingering terror. In that vulnerable moment, she seemed to draw strength from his presence, her hands gripping his shirt as if he were the only anchor in a tumultuous sea of fear.

He sat next to her in her pod, still hugging her. Rubbing her back. “You’re OK.” He hushed. Solstace’s voice hesitated slightly as he asked, “The same nightmare as before?” His eyes, wide with concern, searched her face for an answer, betraying the unease that knotted his brow.

She nodded. “The same hallways and women walking around.” She inhaled profoundly. “It feels like something awful went down there. Gives me the creeps… I can’t shake off the feeling,” she said, looking up at him, “that it’s somehow tied to my past.”

“We’ll sort it out, promise,” he said, comforting her. He kept rubbing her back. He felt her dose off again, and he settled her back before going to his pod.

Sitting in his pod, he pondered. Are these dreams premonitions or recollections? What are we walking into? Maybe King Vlad was right in wanting to protect her from her past… I’d go to the ends of the earth to keep her safe… Solstace thought, barely realizing his feelings for Crimson.

As the plane began its descent, Crimson woke up. She looked out at the sprawling, icy landscape below. It was both beautiful and intimidating, a land of secrets and survival. She felt a shiver run down her spine, not from the cold but from the realization that this journey would change them both in ways they couldn’t yet fathom.

Solstace caught her gaze and offered a reassuring smile. “We’ve got this, no sweat. Together, all the way.”

“Together, yeah. Even with your grumpiness,” Crimson replied with a playful smile.

Ahead lay the untamed heart of Siberia, its wilderness a silent, formidable invitation, beckoning them into a journey laced with veiled threats and hidden promises. Though the path ahead was fraught with danger and uncertainty, they faced it as a united front, ready to confront whatever mysteries lay hidden in the icy depths of Chersky.