Her Rejection's Revenge

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: NOT ABOUT ME

I am coming, Miriam. Will you stop freaking out, for Goddess’s sake? Kai has finally agreed to free Lady Kensington and we’re on our way out.

Who the hell is Kai? Miriam asked impatiently.

Kai is the dragon. Can you give me five more minutes? I fumed, bending my body in every possible direction to find my way out. How the hell did I get inside in the first place? Rachel was close behind me, pushing me through the narrow passageway.

“Woaaah!” I exclaimed when I felt my body being lifted from the small hole, and I grasped about for balance. I found my body being upheaved on dragon’s scale once again, and Rachel at my side as we both clung to the spikes.

Decidedly, riding dragons was becoming a habit. Kai flew us down to solid ground, and we both jumped out immediately.

When we were finally able to breathe fresh air, I gulped in greedily bouts of oxygen that I choked on my own respiration. I glanced at the girl beside me, thinking how hard it was for her having been kept in the dark for so many years.

“Are you alright?” I asked her, and she nodded vigorously, hugging herself against the chill nature of the mountains. I removed one of my coats and enveloped her in the warmth and snuggled into it. “Here, take this for the cold.”

I’ve been so stupid, so clueless, Kai muttered behind me making me jump. So stupid. I don’t know how I believed that this would work, but I was such a fool to think that I could cater for her needs.

Kai, don’t blame yourself, please. What matters is that you managed to let her go. To free her despite your true feelings for her.

Do you think she will ever forgive me? Kai asked with a forlorn voice, and I hugged his huge head in a comforting gesture. I ached for him, like it was my own feelings resurfacing again. Thoughts of Braxton plagued me yet again, and the wounds which had started to heal became fresh once again.

I hated it that every single memory of my past was tainted, everything that Braxton had done now had another meaning. Like him controlling my fashion sense – preventing me from wearing my choice of clothes had been another way of him to ascertain his power over me. I sighed heavily.

Would the past never leave me? I knew that I should be grateful that I was no longer the weak and powerless Zelda Settlemire. I was now someone who could speak to dragons. According to both dragons and werewolves, that was an unmeasurable power not to be underestimated. However, I was under the impression that I was being forged from steel, and the path ahead didn’t look any easier.

I don’t think it’s a question of forgiving you Kai. You haven’t done anything wrong, but you just have a different point of view. The difference between you and Lady Kensington is too vast to overcome.

There was a time when both kingdoms were vouching for a reunion between the two species, Kai informed me in a lugubrious note. How would it have been possible then?

I blinked in incomprehension. Oh, you mean the reunion between Prince Aerys and the Dragon princess? But how are dragons able to take human form?

Kai huffed loudly. All I know is that there is a very specific high pedigree of pure dragon blood who can take the human form. The others, like the rest of us cannot transform into human shape.

I think this makes a huge difference. The princess was a human who shifted to dragons, so there was a certain amount of compatibility. Anyway, it’s too complicated for you and Rachel. How would you be able to live with her if you cannot even communicate?

You’re right. I should never have kidnapped her without using my brains. I made a colossal mistake in bringing her here.

Don’t rake your head about the past now, I advised by caressing the rough scales tenderly. It’s never a good idea to visit the past. You’ve taken the right decision to let her go, Kai. Trust me, if there was a way for you and Rachel to be together, I would have found it.

I know. I know. But I wish to make atonements. For my atrocious behaviour. I wish to become her hero, not the maleficent monster who kidnapped her. I’ll tell you one thing. He stood over the edge of the mountains and stared right in front of him. See those mountains over there?

I watched nonplussed as it didn’t mean anything to me.

“The Dragon’s Lair,” the voice of Everett Becker stated right behind me, and before I could react, Kai hissed fire at my feet.

Relax, I warned him pacifyingly. He’s with me and he’s not here to harm you. We’re going to take care of Lady Kensington. We need to treat her as soon as possible. Is that alright with you?

Kai gave a brisk nod, and I turned back to where he’d been pointing earlier. What’s in the Dragon’s Lair? I asked calmly, nodding my head in that direction. A heavy feeling settled in my chest, one that I could not explain. It was a mixture of sadness mingled with anticipation.

Like something very important was about to enfold right in front of my eyes, What more could happen now?

There are powerful dragons over there, even more powerful than me. And they have one of yours in captivity.

Shock was too feeble a word to describe my feelings at the revelation. One of ours? What did he mean by that? The statement was so ambiguous that it took me a moment to understand the meaning behind his cryptic remark.

What do you mean by one of ours? I clarified his enigmatic answer judiciously to lay off any remnant doubts. Are you implying that they have captured a werewolf and held him prisoner in the Dragon’s Lair?

Yes, that’s exactly what I mean. A strong werewolf if the word that goes by is correct. He tried to escape a few times, but there are too many dragons around. All I know is that they had to wrap him tightly up to subdue his powers.

Have you seen the prisoner? Can you describe him for me?

I had the weirdest feeling that I knew who it was. But out of the corner of my eyes, I could see Miriam and Ajax reaching us along with the others. I didn’t want to get their hopes up just yet. Not before I confirmed that it was actually the Prince of Davenport, Aerys Sullivan we were talking about.

I mean, what were the odds? That the mighty prince was still alive and being captive among the dragons? If that was true, then it meant everything would change for werewolves. For me.

Hope raged in my blood as I could finally, finally see a way through my revenge vendetta. It felt like destiny was reaching out to me with the opportunity on a golden platter. Hot tears scalded my eyes with the breathless anticipation. This was my moment to shine.

No, I’m afraid that’s all I got, Kai replied with a pensive frown. I haven’t been to the Dragon’s Lair for a long time. So, I never got the opportunity of actually seeing the prisoner. Besides, I couldn’t take the risk of them finding out that I had a human here, so I kept my distance.

How do you know about it then? How did you find out about the werewolf in captivity if you didn’t go there.

The same way humans knew about me keeping Rachel. Words go around. I do have a few dragon friends who brags about having had a werewolf tied up for nearly a year now.

I sighed. I had no idea since when Miriam’s brother had gone missing, and if I were to take a wild guess, they’d probably match. It could not be a coincidence, could it? All the hairs on my arms rose in anticipation, and I placed my hands on my hips with my legs slightly apart as I faced the mountains.

Thank you, Kai. This is precious information for us. Things are not very stable on earth amongst the werewolves, and this piece of information is worth gold in our community. I will make sure that Rachel hears of your bravery.

The dragon watched the others approached with the same hostility he’d reserved for me earlier. I need to go now, Zelda Of Settlemire, the odd girl who can speak to dragon without a drop of dragon blood. I am so glad to have met you.

I nodded my gratefulness again to him. Likewise, Kai. I hope we meet again soon.

There was nothing anyone could do when Kai flapped his wings sending gusts of winds in our direction as his feet left the ground for his majestic flight. There was no way that a creature like this could be kept under control.

“What did he say, Zelda?” Everett asked with pursed lips as he surveyed the areas in the vicinity of Dragon’s Lair together with me. “What’s out there?”

My shoulders trembled when I faced him, with eyes loaded with something intense and meaningful. But the words wouldn’t come out as Miriam was watching over me like a hawk. I tried to feign indifference and shrugged aside the question.

“Nothing. He’s just expressing his regret for what he’d done and asking us to leave. How’s Lady Kensington?”

Everett frowned down at me for longer than necessary before replying. “The guards have taken her to safety. She was too fragile to climb down, and we had to bring up the plane. She’s being safely transported back while we’re waiting for another transportation which will be coming shortly for us.”

I was so afraid that Miriam would read my thoughts anytime that I was jumpy. For once, it was hard for me to maintain my fake façade as the others joined us.

“Zee, are you alright?” Miriam asked pouncing over me and engulfing me in one of her freely given hugs. My throat constricted with emotions at her lack of propriety and show of love. I could no longer hide the truth from her anymore.

Walking slowly towards her, I took her frozen hands in mine and looked directly in her beautiful green eyes. “Miriam…,” I began in a wobbly voice. “…I have something to tell you.”

Her eyes misted over at how serious I sounded. “Zee, please don’t tell me you’re leaving us? I always knew that there would come one day when you would set out on your way for your mission. I just hope that today is not it. Now that you’ve discovered your powers, will you be on your way?”

I reflected upon her musing for a long time.

It was true. I could take a dragon to New York City and blow off the whole community, but that would be too quick and so inefficient. The wounds that have been given to me were so deep that I wanted them to burn slowly in their own fire and shortcomings. My revenge would be bittersweet.

However, I was so touched by Miriam’s concern that it took me a moment to get over the emotional assault. How could that messy bubbly girl have gotten under my skin? She was the complete dichotomy to what I appreciated in another being. Cold and unemotional was how I preferred my acquaintances.

But this was not about me, no longer. I had to tell her the news no matter how my brain rejected the idea. I hadn’t taken a decision with my heart for so long that the feeling settled uncomfortably inside my chest.

“Miriam, I have a strong feeling that your brother may still be alive,” I blurted out before I lost my courage.