Chapter 29
Dorian hadn’t slept well. He’d woken every hour or so to check on Alex as he lay under his wing.
They were both unhappy about the outcome, and although Dorian had appreciated Alex’s sentiment, there was no way he was going to promise to keep his heart open in Handor.
Alex owned his heart, and he’d hear no argument to the contrary.
Ben had popped in just before sunrise to wish Dorian all the best. Alex had slept through the visit, and Dorian had asked Ben to keep a close eye on Alex. Ben had smiled and promised that Alex would have several caretakers, and Dorian need not worry.
The room had been emptied, his nest gone, and his belongings packed into saddlebags he could drape over his neck.
There was no point in taking his phone or other electronics; whatever tech the dragons had, they wouldn’t be compatible.
Jack, Chris and Alex were discussing opening the portal, and Karl and Ashley were on hand in case they might need additional juice.
“Okay, Dorian,” Chris called. “Ready to go?”
He did as instructed and stood in the centre of the triangle Jack, Chris, and Alex had formed.
Chris was the first to cast, and an orange swirl appeared in front of him.
Jack added his magic, as did Alex. While he wasn’t magical in his own right, he could sense the level of power being used, and it was beyond anything he’d experienced.
“Karl,” Jack called. “I think we could use a bit of you to balance this stream out a little.”
Dorian assumed that Karl’s demon skill added a different flavour, and as Karl cast, the portal increased in size, easily big enough for him to walk through.
“When you’re ready, Alex, you can guide Dorian in,” Chris said.
He never used a portal before, in either his human or dragon form, and Chris had assured him it was safe.
Alex beckoned him to follow as he stepped into the orange swirl.
“Thank you all so much,” he said as he took one last look at the room that had been his safe harbour for the last few weeks.
“I’ll always be grateful for everything you’ve done. ”
“As I said, we’re not finished yet,” Chris said. “But for now, safe travels and fair you well.”
Dorian braced himself as he entered the portal, not really knowing what to expect.
Chris and Alex hadn’t known how a dragon might experience an elf portal, and he was quite surprised to find it was all like an all-over bath bomb, his scales fizzing delightfully as he stepped into the orange swirl.
On the other side, he emerged into a green meadow, the sky clear and the sun overhead, reminding him of some of the fields he’d seen on his flights over Crofton Hall.
A light breeze brought a waft of sweet-scented flowers, and he stared around, seeing what resembled chimney stacks in the distance. That must be Handor.
“What now?” he asked Alex.
“I guess we wait for your escort. I’d think they’d have noticed we’d arrived; that portal kicks out a lot of power. Moving dragons isn’t easy.”
He playfully swatted Alex with his tail. “Oi, I hope you’re not saying I’m fat.”
“Merely big-boned.”
The sound of flapping wings overhead made him look up, and he saw a dragon, twice his size, but with similar scarlet and gold scales. He circled several times and landed with what seemed to Dorian as effortless grace.
“Dorian, descendant of Firestarter, welcome to the dragon lands of Handor. I am Circet, your facilitator.” His voice was deep, with a gravelly edge.
“Thank you for letting me come here.”
“We would not cast a brother away.” Circet turned to Alex. “You are the elf, Alex Reynolds?”
“Yes, sir.”
Circet chuckled. “You have better manners than most of your kind. I have been informed you are to be Dorian’s link back to the other realm, and that you have requested visitations.”
“Yes, sir. Dorian is a dear friend. We want to ensure he is well-settled and that he knows he will not be forgotten.”
Circet cocked his head to one side. “Hmm, I think you are more than a dear friend, but that is not my business. For today, you must say your goodbyes. You may visit in a few weeks.”
Dorian didn’t want to wait that long. “I was hoping Alex would be allowed sooner.”
“You need to prioritise your new life, Dorian.” Circet uncurled his claw to reveal what appeared to be a silver golf ball. “Take this. You will be contacted when you can visit properly for the first time.”
Alex took the ball. “I’ll be waiting.”
“I will give you a few moments to say your farewells, Dorian. Then we will go to the city.”
Circet retreated several metres away. Dorian was grateful for his understanding. Alex reached out, and Dorian leant down so that Alex could place his arms around Dorian’s neck. “I will miss you, Dorian. So very much.”
He didn’t care that Circet might be observing; he pulled Alex close and wrapped his wings around him. “This is not the end. You are too wonderful to forget easily.”
Alex pressed a kiss to Dorian’s cheek. “I love you.”
He heard a low rumble from Circet. He would need to go. “When I return, we’ll have a home with two beds. One for my human form and a second for our nest.”
He would be patient, but he would not give up on Alex. They broke their embrace. “I will see you soon.”
“Time to go, Dorian,” Circet called.
Alex opened the portal. He was only transporting himself, so there was no need for the others’ help. “I want to hear all about how wonderful Handor is.”
“See you soon, gorgeous.”
Alex stepped into the portal and was gone. Dorian felt bereft and unsure. Had he done the right thing by putting his future in a place he knew nobody?
“I know this must be difficult for you, Dorian. But you are welcome here, and we will do our utmost to make your transition as easy as possible. We will have guides available for every new thing you will learn, and I will be here for you. And our head of family wishes to speak to you.”
Dorian nodded. “I don’t know what to say.”
“All will come in time. You are a baby in this world, and no one expects you to know anything or be perfect. Now take flight and follow me.”
Circet launched himself into the sky, and Dorian followed. The air here was even better than that at Crofton Hall, and the thermals were perfect for gliding. He let the joy of being airborne lift his spirits.
As they approached the city, he realised the objects he’d seen weren’t chimney stacks but towers. He’d heard of dragons having roosts but had never thought he’d see so many and on such a scale.
Then he saw them. When he’d been told as a young nestling about the land where the other dragons went, he’d envisaged maybe a few dozen had escaped to their new lives, but now he realised there were thousands of them.
Every colour, in different sizes, in the air and on the ground between the towers.
Circlet must’ve seen his surprise. “We are considerable in numbers. And we sustain ourselves with the fertile lands to the north and the hunting grounds to the east.”
As they approached the city, Dorian saw a large domed building far bigger than any other, surrounded by gardens. “What’s that?” he asked.
“The citadel. A great chamber for all to meet and discuss the troubles of the day. The leaders meet frequently there and hear the concerns of their people.”
Dorian had so much to learn. “Anyone can bring a grievance?”
“As long as it is merited. You lodge a complaint with the clerk, and you will be tabled for a discussion.” Circet chuckled. “No political system is perfect, but when dragons fight, it can be to the death, so it is better to do so with words.”
Circet gestured towards an open green space. “We will land there. And I will introduce you to our kinfolk. As I said, you are more than welcome here, Dorian, for as long as you need to be.”
He probably should have asked Chris what he’d told the dragons about his predicament. As they landed, he thought he’d better check if Circet understood his situation. “You were told I was forced to make a choice?”
“Yes. You were wise to pick your dragon form, but then I would say no different. The elf representative told me that although you have accepted your fate at this time, ultimately you would like to return to your shifter life, but it may take some time for your supporters to discover a way to do so.”
“I don’t want you to think that I am ungrateful for the offer of a home here, but I do wish to return someday.”
Circet snorted. “I saw your affection for the elf who bought you here. I may be old, but I know what it is like to be in love and to have found one’s nestmate. Normally, they do not come with pointy ears and magic.”
Dorian was relieved there was no hint of reprimand. Maybe this was the normal way of dragons, but humans would have been quick to judge. “Thank you for your understanding. Alex means a great deal to me.”
“Hence why we have allowed you to remain in contact with him. But I must insist you first spend some time here and settle without distraction. There is much to learn, and you cannot do that if you are constantly pining for something elsewhere.”
Dorian knew Circet was right. He had no easy fix; he could be here for many years, hopefully not, but there was no good pretending he would be leaving tomorrow.
They landed. At first, there wasn’t anybody to greet them, but moments later, two red dragons appeared, who were nearly three times his size.
“Excellent. This is Jani and Joniz,” Circet said point to each in turn. “They will be your main guides. I wanted you to meet them first. Be prepared, many more will join us soon. It may get overwhelming at times.”
“Hello, Dorian,” Jani said. “It is my honour to be able to help you. Anything you want, any questions you have, please just ask. We’ve arranged for you to have one of the towers in the family quarter, although it might be a little big, you can decide if you would prefer somewhere smaller.”
“I pretty much know nothing. All you’ll get from me is questions,” he said, trying not to sound nervous but failing miserably.
“Food and shelter are of the utmost importance. We all need full bellies and a place we can retreat to whenever we think things are getting a bit too much. That is our tower, some of the older dragons refer to them as roosts, but most of us prefer the modern terminology.”
Joniz nodded. “We share ours as we are nestmates. But that’s not something you need to worry about for now.”
“I’m not really looking for one of those. But as much as I do like my privacy, I’d consider myself quite sociable.”
“Most dragons are. We live in family groups, the towers are erected so we are close to each other. We hunt and feed as a group, and you’ll soon get used to mingling with your kin.”
“I want to contribute.” He’d never been the type to rely solely on other people. “Although I’ve never had to hunt, so that’s something else I’m going to have to learn.”
“We’ll teach you. But you may need to limit yourself to some of the smaller game animals. At least to begin with.”
Jani and Joniz struck him as being kind and patient, and he would need all their good grace.
Three more dragons appeared just behind; although they were slightly smaller, they were still much bigger than Dorian, and another five landed.
One of which was Dorian’s size, and he was relieved he wouldn’t be the only one here of his stature.
Dorian shuffled backwards, the wall of red dragons an intimidating mass. Jani came to stand at his side and placed her wing over him. “Dorian will need some space,” she said.
The dragons hunkered down into their sitting positions, all looking expectantly at him, and he thought they were trying to make themselves seem smaller.
“Manxel, so good of you to bring, Tial,” Circet said. “I thought he would still be out on his hunting lessons.”
The dragon called Manxel had black horns and ridges. “Cutting short one day won’t hurt him.”
It dawned on Dorian that they were talking about Manxel as if he were a child, and the reason he was Dorian’s size was that he wasn’t fully grown.
Each of the dragons introduced themselves, and Dorian was more lost with each one. His mind was whirring, and while he felt nothing but good intentions, he wanted to go home. Home to Alex, wherever that might be.
His responses trickled away to one-word answers, and he had so many questions he had no idea where to start.
Circet took pity on him. “I think I will show Dorian his tower. Let him have some time to collect his thoughts. Joniz can fetch him later so we can eat together, as a celebration of Dorian’s first night in Handor.
Circet guided him away on foot. Dorian was surprised they hadn’t taken to the air.
But the reason became clear as he was led to the base of a nearby clay tower.
Circet pushed open the door, which could have accommodated a dragon way bigger than Dorian, and they entered a circular room.
He stared up. There was no ceiling, but a platform below a roof with a window.
“That’s the perch, you can launch directly from there into the skies. Much easier than taking off from the ground.”
He saw a mound of blankets and cushions from which he could build a nest and several shelves for his belongings.
“Take some time for yourself, Dorian,” Circet said. “Don’t overthink too much.”
Circet left him to his new home. He liked the colours and shape, but it was like nowhere he’d lived before.
He placed his saddlebags with his possessions to one side for now and constructed himself a nest. He curled up, wings over his head and closed his eyes.
He’d dream of Alex and try not to cry himself to sleep.