Dragon Blood 2: Wyvern (14 page)

Amber heard her alarm and reached out to turn it off, only to bang her hand on the vanity. She struggled to wake up, trying to untangle herself from Kade’s limbs.

His arms tightened around her. “Rian’s got it. Sleep a little longer.”

Amber lay back against him. “I can’t believe we slept on my bathroom floor.”

“Speak for yourself. There’s no room in here to become a dragon.”

Amber laughed softly.

“You’re heartless.”

She pressed her hand against her heart. “Nope. I’ve still got one. I can feel it beating.”

“Prove it.”

Amber squealed as she suddenly ended up lying on the tiles, Kade above her with his head pressed to her chest. Her arms wrapped around him and she held tight. It was moments like this she could forget everything that had happened recently. But it seemed like it didn’t take much for it to come pouring back.

Kade pulled back slightly. “Are you okay?”

“I will be.”

“What happened when you and Ronan were kidnapped?”

She still hadn’t been able to tell anyone more than the basics. “I already told you. We were chained up in a dungeon.”

Kade lightly kissed her. “Whatever happened, it was Paili’s fault. Not yours.”

“Nothing happened. I just don’t want to talk about it. Now let me up. I can’t be late my first day back at school.”

Kade rose to his feet and helped Amber stand. She chased him from the bathroom, took the clothes Rian held out for her and shut the door so she could take a shower. While she had breakfast, Rian tidied away the jewels and returning to her room she took the teardrop from her jacket, asking him to make sure Ronan got it.

When Maira pulled up out the front to give her a lift to school, Amber reluctantly left her room. Out of habit, she tried the two locked doors in the hallway and wished she knew how to pick locks. She stared at them thoughtfully and wondered if Rian would be able to unlock these doors too.

Hurrying down the stairs, she grabbed her lunch and called out goodbye to her mother and grandmother. Racing to the car, she grinned when she saw Rian and Kade in the backseat.

“Don’t tell me you’re going back to high school, Rian.” Amber buckled her seatbelt.

“No. The Gold will watch over you while you are there. I will go to Kade’s place and sleep.”

“You could sleep nights. There’s always a Gold watching me.”

Rian shook his head. “Assassins favour places with few witnesses.”

Amber instantly regretted starting the conversation. That was the last thing she wanted to hear. She had enough trouble sleeping as it was. Looking over to Kade when he took hold of her hand, she smiled in answer to the query in his eyes. Maybe if she kept telling enough people she was fine, she’d start to believe it too.

By the end of the school week Amber wanted to drop from exhaustion. And it wasn’t due to the amount of jewellery she’d filled with her power. Not to mention the crystal on her duchess and even the mirror in her ensuite. She was surrounded with power she could tap into. But it hadn’t stopped the nightmares.

All Amber wanted to do when she got home from school was collapse, but her mother waylaid her in the kitchen. Amber sighed, shifting the weight of her schoolbag. The six gold bracelets on her left arm jangled. Ronan had a craftsman make them for her and you could barely see the gap that was filled with the dragon-leather that they had been cast with. Now she knew what to look for, she realised her necklace had a similar safety link. On her other wrist a plaited dragon-leather band was filled with round polished jewels, each in a separate, decorative gold setting. The blood red ruby teardrop hung at her right ear.

“Sit down a minute Amber.”

Amber dropped her bag on the floor and sat on a chair at the table. She waited for her mother to talk. She wasn’t about to spill any secrets just because an uncomfortable silence stretched between them.

“Is there anything you’d like to talk about, honey?”

“No.”

“Is something bothering you?”

“No.”

Donna sighed. “Amber, talk to me. I know something’s wrong.”

Amber stared at her mother. She had to say something. It looked like the interrogation would go on all afternoon and she had better things to do. “I’m not sleeping well.”

“Why?”

“Nightmares.”

“But why are you having nightmares, honey. What are they about?”

Why did her mother have to keep pressing for information? Especially since she couldn’t tell her what she was dreaming about. The idea that popped into her head made her pause. She’d obviously been hanging around Ronan far too much, but it’d do the job.

“Amber?”

“I wake up in a strange place and can’t find my way home. Then when I eventually get home, the house is empty. You, Dad and Jay are all missing.”

“Oh.”

The silence stretched out. “Can I go to my room now? I want to get my homework finished before Jay arrives for the weekend.”

Donna nodded. Still silent.

Amber headed up the stairs and into her room. She was glad only Rian was there. At least he wouldn’t say anything negative about what she’d said. She locked the door behind her.

“Was anything you told your mother true?”

Amber stared at Rian. Maybe she was wrong. “I’ve never had a dream like that in my life. Well, not that I can recall anyway.”

“It will work. When you leave home at the end of year twelve, she will not try and force you to stay. Guilt will make her let you return to Brisbane.”

“What makes you think I’ll leave at the end of year twelve?”

Rian smiled momentarily. “My time is spent anticipating your every need. I have even found a suitable house for you.”

Amber stared at him. “Really?”

Rian nodded. “I have employed a woman to take care of it for you. She has a daughter, but the child is well behaved. She will be no bother.” Rian stared at Amber.
“It is a good cover for Doneele and her granny.”

“I want to see it.”

“Next time you are in the city.”

Amber grinned. “Maybe you do know me after all.” She couldn’t wait to return to Brisbane.

Rian nodded. “There is a change of clothes on the bathroom vanity for you.” He bent to pick up her schoolbag.

With a nod, she headed for the bathroom and had a quick shower. When she entered her bedroom again, her homework was laid out on her desk, ready for her to start. Afternoon tea was beside it. She took a bite from one of the biscuits laid neatly on the plate as she sat and started her homework. She was nearly finished when she sensed her brother pull up out the front. Shannon’s warriors flew high above to guard him.

Pushing her schoolwork aside, she stretched, tracking his progress with her mind. He paused in the kitchen to greet their mother and then followed her to the sewing room where their grandmother was. Amber was tempted to go downstairs to see him, but she didn’t want to risk another interrogation from her mother. Or get into an argument with her grandmother.

They’d already had one at breakfast. Finally Amber sensed Jasper come upstairs by himself. She rose to let him in. “You took your time.”

Jasper entered the room and looked around. He stared at Amber and then crossed the room to pick up one of the crystal containers on her duchess. “What the hell have you done to the place?”

Amber closed and locked her door. “What do you mean?” She looked around. Everything seemed the same to her. The only difference was the glow of her power on numerous objects.

“Can’t you see it? Feel it? You and this room are crawling with power.”

Amber crossed the room in seconds, pulling the crystal from Jasper. She pushed him towards the seat at her desk. Panic flared and she tried to control it. “Sit down and don’t say another word.”

“But-”

“Are you trying to get me killed? Shut up.” Amber took her phone from her pocket and rang Ronan. “Get over here right now.”

“Don’t order me around, little girl.”

“I didn’t say a word. Jay can see it. Now get over here before you’re given the wrong information and think you have to kill me.” She waved Rian back to the corner he’d been relaxing in.

“Why do you have to make everything a drama? I’ll be there as soon as I’m ready.”

“Then call your Gold and ask him for a word by word of everything that has happened since Jay entered my room. And there were no words spoken in our minds.”

“Amber-”

She moved the phone from her mouth. “Sit down and shut up, Jay.”

Ronan laughed. “Amber, relax. I’ll soon know if you speak the truth. I’ll bring some items for your brother to look at.”

“You have other jewels that are…” her voice trailed off, not knowing how to word it without giving any information away.

“I’ll see you later, Amber.”

“Okay.” She put her phone away when Ronan disconnected and stared at her brother.

“Can I move now? And speak?”

“It depends on what you might say.”

Jasper looked around the room. His eyes landed on every item filled with power. “I guess there are some things it would be best not to discuss right now.” He rose to his feet, lifting the pendant at her neck before he let it fall back against the front of her jacket.

“Yeah. You’ll have to save your questions for Ronan. I can’t answer them.”

Jasper nodded. “Just answer me one question.”

“If I can.”

“Is this what keeps you up at night?”

Amber shot a glance to Rian who shook his head. That only left Kade who must have told Jasper. “No.” It mightn’t be what kept her awake, but it was what she did when she couldn’t sleep.

“Next time you’re online, google post traumatic stress syndrome.”

“Don’t you start.”

“Have you looked in a mirror lately?”

“I’m fine.”

“No you’re not. You look like you’re living in a war zone. And Mum asked me to speak to you.”

So maybe it hadn’t been Kade. “She’s already done that today.”

“Yeah and it made her even more concerned. She thinks you’re on drugs. I was about to suggest she get you tested and then I wondered if that would be advisable with the possible alterations becoming a mage might have caused.”

“Nothing will show in a blood test,” Rian said.

“How do you know? There are only three of us,” Amber said.

“Ronan made the doctor run a lot of tests on you when the two of you escaped. He wanted to make sure there was no other reason, other than exhaustion, that you would not wake.”

Amber stared at Rian a moment, then realised he wouldn’t have allowed the tests if they weren’t for her benefit. She nodded and turned back to Jasper. “So what? I should go down there and tell her to test me for drugs if she’s so worried?”

Jasper put out a hand to stop her when she started to march across the room. “Amber. Calm down. Just keep it in mind the next time Mum asks.”

Amber shrugged his hand off her. “I’m sick of people telling me to calm down.”

“Well you are a little on edge lately.”

“A little!” Amber glared at Jasper. “Paili is still out there.” She waved towards the French doors. “And she has the money to pay for more than a thousand warriors to attack all at once.”

Kade walked in the French doors. “She wouldn’t do that where there are human witnesses. Even the warriors wouldn’t. They could be killed for risking that type of exposure.”

“What are you doing here so early?” Amber’s eyes travelled from Kade to Rian. “Did you call him?”

Kade reached for her. “Leave him alone.” He wrapped his arms around her. “How about Jay tells your mother we’re heading out to my place and we get out of here?”

“I haven’t finished my homework.”

Kade laughed softly. “Do it Sunday night. Or Rian can do it. Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”

“They’re in the kitchen.”

“I’ll head down and distract them. You can follow shortly.” Jasper strode across the room.

Weariness washed over her and she sagged against Kade. She needed sleep. Desperately. She could hear Rian close down her laptop and ready her bag. Then Kade pulled away from her.

“Your brother is ready for you to leave now.” Kade guided her to the door.

Rian handed her an overnight bag and Amber took it without a word as she left her room. Reaching the stairs, she paused at the top before slowly walking down. Avoiding looking at her mother and grandmother, she stopped at Jasper’s side.

“We’ll see you Sunday night. And quit worrying, Mum.” Jasper guided her out to his car, opening the front passenger door for her. “Come on. Before Mum is out here with last minute instructions.”

The front door opened as if Jasper’s words had conjured her and Amber hastily sat and buckled herself in. Jasper strode around the front of his car, a wave and a smile for his mother. Within minutes they were on the road.

Amber glanced up as she sensed Kade and Rian overhead, Shannon’s two warriors flanking them. She closed her eyes and fell asleep to be woken as they pulled up in front of Kade’s house. Keeping her eyes closed, she tried to banish the sea of blood from her mind. She couldn’t sleep without dreaming of it. No matter how short a sleep it was.

When she sensed Kade beside the car door, Amber opened it. She wearily hopped out and stared at him. He reached out and ran the back of his fingers along her cheekbone.

“Would sleeping tablets help?” Jasper asked from behind her.

Amber spun to face him. “No!” She couldn’t think of anything worse than being trapped in her nightmares.

“It’s okay. It was just a suggestion.” He held his hands up as if to surrender.

Ronan walked towards them out of the Void. “What have you done to yourself?” He stopped in front of Amber. “Chait, get out of the Void now.” The Gold Dragon appeared beside Ronan in human form. Ronan turned to him, his eyes ice. “Why didn’t you tell me? You said she was having trouble sleeping. She looks like the walking dead. You’re meant to look out for her. Get out of my sight.”

Chait did the smart thing and re-entered the Void.

“It’s not his fault I can’t sleep,” Amber protested.

“Inside. I’m not standing out here to discuss this.” Ronan looked towards Jasper. “Or anything else for that matter.”

Amber trailed behind Ronan, Kade’s arm around her waist. She dropped onto one of the kitchen chairs Rian held out for her and watched as Ronan placed six jewels on the table. He turned to Jasper.

“Do any of them look different to you?”

Jasper picked up two of them. “These two. They seem to be-”

“Keep your observations to yourself.” Ronan turned to Amber. “You go and get some sleep before you collapse.” He turned to Jasper again. “And you, follow me.” He led the way to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

Amber had already told Jasper about running water so he knew why Ronan wished to see him in the bathroom. He had secrets to share.

“Come on Amber.” Kade rose to his feet. “Come and have a sleep.”

She shook her head, her mind still filled with visions of blood.

“Then at least lie down and rest.”

“I don’t want to sleep,” Amber muttered.

Kade pulled her to her feet. “Then rest. Just lie down and rest.”

She didn’t have the energy to argue so she let him lead her to his room. The curtains were closed and the room was in darkness. Dropping onto the bed, she stared up at the ceiling. She didn’t want to sleep, but exhaustion claimed her and she once again fell into nightmares. She struggled to leave them, but something forced her to stay asleep.

“Quit trying to wake up.”

Amber was shocked to hear Ronan’s voice in her dream. “What are you doing here?”

“Sleep. You won’t dream now.”

“How do you know?” Amber could only see blackness. “Anything could be hidden in the dark.”

“You’re very difficult to please you know.”

Amber smiled as her dream world lightened to a rugged coastline with a sheer drop to jagged rocks in the ocean below. “Where is this place?”

“Home.”

Amber turned to see Ronan seated beside her on the cliff, his legs hanging over the edge. And it was the real Ronan, right down to the gold flecks in his eyes. “I don’t have a home.”

“Mine.”

“Where is it?”

“Shut up and rest, Amber.” Ronan pointed behind her. “There’s your bed. Now go and sleep in it.”

A hand carved wooden bed sat on the rocky ground behind her. In the distance a castle rose above everything. It made the one they had stayed in look like a cottage. She turned back to Ronan who continued to look out to sea. “Is this your lands? The ones you want to get back?”

He nodded. “This is where I was born. I helped build that castle. Right where the hovel I was born in stood.”

Amber met his eyes for a moment and then walked to the bed and curled up in it. The sound of waves lulled her to sleep and no cries of help invaded her dreams.