Golden Dragon

Chapter 13: Message from mom

Tiny’s POV cont.

Dr. Whitaker just cleared me so I could get some food; yay, food, I am staved. It feels like I haven’t eaten in a week. While waiting for the nurse to bring me my food, I told John I had something important to tell everyone. He told me he would grab our grandparents; the nurse returned with a food tray. A club sandwich and some fries. “Yummy,” Ryan goes to take a fry off my plate. “Oh hell no, no one takes my food and lives,” after threatening to stab him with my spoon, the nurse let the boys know she brought them their own trays because she figured they would be hungry, and she knows how serious I am about my food.

I giggle. Mrs. Tammy has been my grandparents’ personal nurse forever, and she has seen firsthand how serious I am about my food. Last summer, she had to reset Daimon’s wrist because he tried to steal the last slice of my pizza on a dare. Don’t judge me; I haven’t eaten that whole day, and he had the nerve to steal my food.

I finished half my food when John came back with our grandparents. I told my Grandpa Charlie to lock the door. He came over and gave me a hug. Grandma Phills followed suit. She moved my empty tray, and I scooted over so she could sit next to me and I could lay her. Grandma started to play with my hair.

“How are you feeling, my little Starbright?” Grandma asked me.

“I am feeling good, nanna,” but I do have something to tell you guys. I looked at everyone in the room. John came and sat on the other side of me on my bed; Grandpa scooted his chair next to John. Ryan sat at the bottom of my bed, and Darren and Daimon pulled their chairs to the end of the bed.

I explained to them what happened while I was out.

“You saw mom,” John asked.

I could hear the emotion in his voice, “Yes,” she told me to tell you she is proud of you, and you will make an amazing king like she always thought you could. Oh, and to stop doubting yourself, follow your instincts,” I told him.

He hugged me and thanked me; I passed along the rest of the messages from our mom to Ryan and Daimon. I looked at Darren. I could see his excitement to see what our mother’s message was to him.

“Mom told me to tell you no; she said you would know what she is talking about, and if you do it, she will make it her personal mission to haunt you, and not in a good way.” I give my brother a puzzled look.

He puffs out and mumbles about how she is still raining on his parade; why can’t she let him be great?

Before I could ask him what that was about, Grandma interrupted me and asked me what gift my mother had unlocked.

I told her it is called Praesidium Ex Tenebris.

“I see; that makes sense that your great-grandmother would choose that gift to unlock, given recent events”, grandma said.

“What is Praesidium Ex Tenebris?” Ryan asked.

“I believe it means protection from darkness; my Latin is a little rusty,” John answered.

“So, what does it do? my little ninja warrior, “Grandpa asked.

“It’s like a dark magic detector; I will be able to see the aura of someone or something tainted in dark magic.”

“Will you still be able to sense it in your shifted forms?” my grandma asked.

I told her, "Yes, Katia and Karema would be able to sense dark magic too."" We all talked some more until I started yawning. Grandma put everyone out of my room except John because she knew he wasn’t going to leave no matter how much she asked or threatened. She gives me a hug and a kiss on the forehead, then goes to wait at the door for my grandpa to do the same. She tells me they will be back in a couple of hours after everyone gets some rest.

Philis POV

I just left the office after speaking with my Lexi, who is on the verge of having a breakdown about his daughter. I had to give him an update about the dark magic traces we found in Tiny’s lab results. He took the news just about how I thought he would take it; he panicked and demanded his assistant to cancel his meeting and pack him a bag.

I told him to calm his horses; his father and I had everything under control. He needed to stay in his kingdom and figure out how the information about Tiny’s departure was leaked. He grumbles some but eventually agrees to stay put; I tell him I will keep him updated. We ended the call, and I reached out to Carmen and Jacob and let them know I was on the way to be in the Fae Kingdom shortly.I head to my workshop to get started on opening a portal to the fae kingdom; I am still a little drained from the battle, so it will take me a little longer to open one than normal. About a half hour later, I have the portal up and working. I step through, and Carmen instantly tackles me. I sit up laughing.

“Looks like some things still haven’t changed, “I tell her.

“Oh, shut up, you old bat,” she tells me. I have missed you.

“Oh, I have missed you too, my care bear,” I tell her.

Carmen and I have been sisters from different misters since grade school. We met Jacob and Charlie when we got to high school, and they were close like brothers. We were a close-knit group; it's funny how our children became mates.

“Let the poor woman breathe, Carmen,” Jacob said, coming up behind us and prying his mate off me.

“Hey, Jackie,” he says, helping me off the ground and giving me a hug.

“How are our grandkids,” he asks me.

“That’s why I am here. Charlie didn’t want to disclose what was happening over the phone.”

“What happened? Are the kids okay?” Carmen asked.

I tell them the situation, from Tiny’s suspension to the attack. I tell them that Tiny is under a sleeping spell and the herbs I need to make a potion to wake her are in their kingdom.