Thirty-Five
Kallie
The trek was long, so agonizingly long, but the barrier is finally in my sight. My legs scream at me, every muscle, joint, and inch of my body begging for rest, but I step through anyway. My energy is pretty much non-existent, but I seem to muster up just enough to hobble over the hill where the dragons meander around the grass.
This will never get old.
“Took you long enough.”
“Don’t start with me.” I have so many questions about this whole thing. How does one obtain a dragon? Do they pick and choose, or is it fate? How do the tethers work? But I’m simply too exhausted to ask right now.
Nearing Voraxis, I have half a mind to just lie on the ground and accept defeat. It wouldn’t be too bad sleeping under the stars for a night. I’m not sure how cold it gets, but I could persevere.
“You could have offered to pick me up, ya know.”
“I am not a donkey. I won’t just give you a lift because you’re tired.”
“I didn’t say you were a fucking donkey,” I seethe. “All I’m saying is it would’ve been nice to have some help, especially after walking all this way. Or did you forget? I DON’T HAVE WINGS!”
Silence meets me on the other end, static like a call got dropped. Whatever. Prissy fucking dragon who apparently is too good to help a girl out.
The dragons all look my way as I get closer, parting from each other like they’re making an aisle to Voraxis for me. But then a familiar figure standing in the middle of the beasts catches my attention.
Belladonna lazily strokes the nose of an emerald-green dragon, and when she looks my way, she breaks out into a smile.
“Kallie, I was wondering when I would see you here,” Donni says, stilling her movements.
“Callum brought me here the other day. I had some free time on my hands and thought I would pay Voraxis a visit.”
“They’re truly magnificent, aren’t they?” She looks up at the dragon in admiration.
“They really are,” I agree.
The ground rumbles with footsteps, and without turning around, I know Voraxis is standing right behind me. I’m still pissed at him, or that’s what I tell myself, as he bends his head down to my height, expecting head pats.
“If you keep this up, the others will think you’ve gone soft.”
“They would be sadly mistaken.”
Chuckling, I give in, but there’s a pang in my chest like something is missing—or someone. I debate checking in on Callum but ultimately decide against it, especially considering everything I said earlier. Gods forbid he heard even a sentence of that. And if he did, well, it’s not a conversation I’m ready for.
“Kallie, since you found yourself with some extra time on your hands, how do you feel about another training session?” I groan internally at her suggestion. How can I deny her? My body pleads for me to tell her no, to let her know she can stick it where the sun doesn’t shine, but I relent.
“That sounds terrible. I’m in.”
We don’t stray too far from where we were. Far enough away that hopefully the other dragons don’t get any ideas, but also not close enough to start a forest fire.
“Alright, Kallie, show me what you’ve learned,” Belladonna instructs.
Right to it, I guess. Looking to Voraxis, I wait and see if he’s staying for the show.
I’m not going anywhere.
Good, because I did hike all the way over here to see you. You owe me.
Careful, Firebird. Your glow is showing.
Taking a deep breath, the hue intensifies, and flames ignite over my body. Much like our last session, my fireballs meet their targets, scorching the tree trunks. Vines sprout from the ground, more than last time, along with blossoming species of different plants and flowers.
Thunder crackles overhead right before we’re caught in a torrential downpour. Instantly, I’m soaked, my workout set completely drenched and my hair sopping wet. A laugh escapes me, and I spin around, closing my eyes with my arms held out wide. I love the rain, always have. The way it smells, how it feels on my skin. The sound of rainfall puts me at ease, especially when I’m lying in bed and watching it hit the glass panes.
I look over at Donni, who wears an expression I can’t quite place.
“What’s wrong? You don’t like the rain?” I yell, hoping she can hear me over the booming sky. She wordlessly nods her head in the direction of my upturned palms. Confused, I tilt my head, not understanding. But she does it again incessantly, and when I look to my left, I pull back in surprise. Collections of raindrops dance in my palms, forming a ball of water. It works just like the fire does, letting me play and manipulate it.
But then it freezes, and I jerk my hand back, watching the ice shards fall to the ground and shatter into unidentifiable pieces.
“I take it you haven’t done that before,” Belladonna infers. Shaking my head, I look from the ground back at her, letting her see the shit-eating grin plastered on my face.
We don’t say anything after that, and I continue my training session until the rain finally stops, and I lie on the wet grass, completely drained.
“Are you from here?” I ask, my chest heaving as I stare up at the night sky.
“Not originally. But I’ve been here for a very long time.” There’s a hint of sadness in her words, like a memory has resurfaced, and she’s mourning the single moment in time.
“How did you end up here, then? Did you just meet Benny, and it was love at first sight?”
“Something like that. Benny has been my rock for a long time. I don’t know what I would do without him.” Her answer sends a pang through my chest.
I wonder what it would feel like to have a person like that. My dad has always been there for me. Kate too. They love me. I know they do, but their love is a given. Well, my mother’s should’ve been too, so I guess I should be grateful. But aside from family? That connection, that undeniable pull that makes you not want to breathe without the other? To feel like a piece has been missing your entire life, and all of a sudden, the gaping hole stitches itself back together, and you’re complete.
I haven’t given it much thought—that unrequited, love-at-first-sight bullshit. How can you look at someone and just know that they’re the one? Maybe I’m just broken. So beyond repair that there isn’t anyone willing to put up with me on my worst day. Unfortunately, they’re more frequent than not.
“How did you know he was the one?”
“It was a feeling I got when I was around him.” She smiles like the memory is surfacing, playing in her head like a movie. “It didn’t matter what kind of day I had, when I saw him, it all floated away, like I could finally breathe. He’s always been caring and kind. He makes me strive to be a better person, because no matter how tough life gets, it will always get better.” A beat passes before she finishes. “And I will spend the rest of my life giving him the love he deserves, because he deserves everything I can give him and more.”
Sometime from when she started and stopped, I sat up, wanting to immerse myself in what she was saying and hang on every last word. I hadn’t realized I was crying until she bent down next to me and wiped my tears away.
I offer her a small smile, not knowing what to say. What is there to say? Their love sounds like one you would find in a romance novel. Maybe that’s why I escape into them, pretending I’m the main character in each story, to feel that one-in-a-million type of affection.
“I never had a mom,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “Well, a mom that cared about me. And I hope you don’t think this is weird, but I think this is what that would feel like.”
She leans down, wrapping me up in her arms. One of her hands leaves my back to hold the back of my head, holding me tighter as she whispers into my ear. “Honey, your mom loved you very much.” Now it sounds like she’s crying. “I’m sorry you grew up with one that didn’t make you feel loved and cherished. That wasn’t what your mother wanted.”
My body goes rigid at her words. Donni pulls back, looking into my eyes. “She did what she had to do in order to protect you, and I’m sorry if it doesn’t feel that way. Kallie, she would have been so proud of you.” Tears stream down her cheeks, racing the ones falling down mine. I never would’ve thought Belladonna would be the type to cry, but I guess, eventually, whatever you bottle up has to come out at some point.
“You are so beautiful. So strong and courageous. There aren’t many people who would take the hand they’ve been dealt and handle it with as much grace as you have. I can assure you, wherever your mother is, she is thanking all the stars in the sky for guiding you back home.”
We sit there for a while, neither of us saying anything as we listen to the dragons fly overhead.
“I should probably be getting back,” I say, stretching out my legs before standing. Donni rises, and we start our way back across the field. When we make it to the barrier, I internally groan at the thought of walking all the way back to the house.
“Are you sure you can’t fly me home?”
“I’m going to stop entertaining these ridiculous questions.”
“Would you care for some company?” Belladonna asks as we step through.
“Don’t you need to get back home?”
“Benny won’t mind. He’s very fond of you.”
Chuckling, I reply, “I can’t imagine why.”
“Is it so hard to think that we would enjoy your company?” Her question strikes a chord, a little harsher than I would have thought.
“It’s just easier for me that way,” I murmur. “You knew my mom?” I blurt. The question has been running circles in my head since that conversation.
“I did. Very well, actually. I would consider her to be my best friend.”
“How did you know her? From what I’ve gathered, she lived in Astralis.”
“I’m afraid that’s a conversation for another time.” And that’s that, I guess. I let out a huff of frustration, but I try to understand. It’s probably difficult to talk about. My mother is dead, and if she was her best friend, well…I can’t expect it’s easy to talk about.
About halfway back, I’m basically crawling on the forest floor. Twigs snap around us, and I’m heavily debating lying down and letting whatever the hell is out here to have at me.
“I’m not really a fan of the whole portal thing, but do you think we can just do that? I think if I take another step, the ground will swallow me whole.”
“Thank the Goddess.” Her reaction surprises me.
“You’re tired too?”
“Of course I’m tired, but I wasn’t going to be the first one to break,” she says with a wink.
I laugh, limping over to the portal she’s created. We step through together, and the only thing I’m thinking about is a nice, long, hot shower and the bedsheets I’m about to wrap myself up in.