Legend of the Touched (15 page)

Tai walked through the hallways of the school, taking
her good, sweet time with the pass. She was in study hall, on her
way to the vending machines to find herself a soda. Her daily
caffeine intake had already been reached, but the extra sugar buzz
would do wonders for her. When she got to where the row of machines
was, she noticed Alex there, buying some snacks. She slowed her
pace, trying to time her arrival for right as he was leaving. A
promise was a promise, and even though she was pretty sure Alex was
harmless, she would respect her husband's wishes and create a bit
more distance between them. Alex needed to bond more with Darien
anyway, not with her.

He glanced up at her and gave her a smile. "Hey!
Procrastinating from class too?"

She laughed, opening up her purse so she could find
her change. "Sort of."

"Only sort of?" He leaned against the snack machine
and watched her. His eyes were awfully intent. The same strange
cinnamon smell started to burn in her nostrils again. It was
getting a lot more potent lately.

"Yes, only sort of." She was about to put her coins
into the machine, but Alex slipped a few in before she had the
chance. "Sorry, didn't know you were using—."

"What do you want?"

"Excuse me?" She blinked, confused.

"What do you want to drink?" He leaned in towards her
and raised both of his eyebrows.

Her cheeks flushed with heat. "The grape one."

He pressed the button and a can dropped down. Alex
then leaned down to hand it to her.

"Thanks," she said softly. "You didn't have to."

"I know, but I wanted to. We haven't gotten to hang
out much lately. Feel kind of bad about that. Anyway, I was
wondering if you had a date to the dance coming up? Thought maybe
we could go?"

She swallowed, regretting accepting his buying her
the drink. "You know I have someone."

"And I heard this someone didn't ask you to go."

"It's complicated."
Way too complicated.
And
she wished she could explain everything to him. Even if she could
share the dragon's secret, he probably wouldn't believe her anyway.
She almost hadn't.

The smell of sour grapes filled her nose now, and he
rubbed at the back of his head coolly. "Can't blame me for trying
right? Don't take this the wrong way, or get mad, but I feel like
it needs to be said. If only for my own sanity. If you're unhappy
Tai, just walk away, okay?"

Her arms folded in front of her. "What makes you
think I'm not happy?"

"The way you are increasingly more tense. Maybe it
has nothing to do with him, and maybe it's not my business –"

"It's not."

"But if you don't want to be with him, you don't have
to. I'm not sure what all has happened between you guys. I know
you're close. Really close. But my point is you don't have to stick
around if it's not working."

Tai's jaw tightened and she clutched the can of soda
hard. "I'm aware, thank you. I don't know why you're assuming I'm
not happy with him. Things are tense, but I'll repeat what you
said: not your business. Just because we don't prance around on a
fluffy cloud doesn't mean we aren't happy together."

Alex smiled at her weakly. "Again, can't blame me for
trying. I needed to be positive. I'll back off now. Promise. As
cool as I think you are, I don't want to be
that
guy, and I
can't believe I'm admitting this but I am starting to like Darien.
I don't get you guys' relationship though. If you need some help
figuring out how to get around the stress, I mean, I can try?
That's what friends do right? We can still be that? Even though
I've made an idiot of myself?"

"Yes, we can be friends. As for helping, there isn't
much to be done. It's mostly personal things, but thank you." She
meant it. Hopefully he did too when he said he would back off.

Chapter Thirty-Three

The Inero

"I have someone on standby to bring me home if you
happen to go into labor while I'm gone," Matt said as he continued
to pack up his bag. He didn't think he'd need too much stuff. The
fall council meeting wouldn't be lasting for longer than a day or
two at the most, but one could never be too sure. He packed for
three days. That seemed safe to him.

Kat watched him from the bed. "Do you think I
will?"

"I doubt it, but delivering the egg early does happen
sometimes. You're far enough along where it wouldn't be a big deal.
Besides, we're only estimating your due date. It's hard to tell
when we conceived to begin with." He gave her a wink.

"But just in case, you have an arrangement made?"

"Yes, just in case. Lenora has sworn she'll keep
watch over you. Ashley as well."

"You spoke with them?" Kat's eyebrows perked up.

He glanced over at her and shrugged, not
understanding why she was acting so surprised. "We talk sometimes.
When I have to wait for my father to come to his room, Lenora is
usually there. Ashley was visiting her."

"Oh," Kat said, and her brow furrowed slightly. "Do
the Oceina have the ability to manipulate others with their magic?
Like, coerce people into thinking or agreeing with them?"

"I don't think so? Why do you ask?" He stopped
packing and faced her.

She let out a soft sigh. "I thought maybe Ashley was
doing that one time we spoke. I felt her magic on me. It burned,
and she was speaking to me kind of oddly."

"I think you're imagining things." Matt laughed
quietly. She didn't look amused and only frowned further, rubbing
her arms. He walked over to her and put his arms around her,
pulling her into his lap. "If she was using a spell on you, it was
probably one to help you relax. She knows what kind of stress
you're under. She knows about this baby possibly being a girl and
what that pressure is like, as well as trying to fit in with the
other women in general. Being married to someone with my kind of
power, it's not something to take lightly. Your favor might soon
become more sought after than Lenora's, or whoever my father
marries next."

"Why would she care?"

"Because she might just be trying to make a friend. I
don't know for sure, but I've heard they have a spell like that.
Something about the water, people find soothing. I don't know why,
but I wouldn't understand because I'm not human. Nor was I ever.
Don't read so much into things."

"Forget I asked then," she mumbled.

He placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Don't be like
that."

"Be careful around her? I'm not sure what to think
still."

"I know," he said. And he did know all too well.
Anyone who would betray their own people was not someone who could
easily be trusted.

Chapter Thirty-Four

The Inero

If Jason did any more reading, he was pretty sure his
head was going to explode. It was hard to figure out when it was a
safe time to do it. The entity known as Leo had been out of Jason's
consciousness since he made the promise to one day release the
demon. From what Jason could tell, Leo was absent all together.
Sometimes he felt as though he wasn't alone in his head. It was
during these times where he didn't read and didn't think about
anything related to his research. He needed to test a theory, and
that was to see if the demon slept or left him. Did it have
complete dominion over Jason's body? Or did Leo come and go as he
pleased?

You haven't been actively pursuing your bride
lately,
Leo said one night, once more returning to converse
with his host.

I'm still trying to regain my bearings,
Jason
said, which was true anyway. He lost a lot of his courage. It would
take time for him to get his guts back.

Maybe I should take over completely, so we can get
this out of the way. If you wish, I mean. I would have no problems
with mating with her. She's beautiful. I'm surprised you can keep
your hands off of her.

Jason sighed, glad he was alone in the house.
You
won't touch her. She's mine, and mine alone. She also deserves a
lot better than to be nothing more than a mindless
conquest.

I respect you for now, but know that I can take over
should I want to. My power grows every day. Sometime soon I will
grow weary of waiting for you to finally become a man and make you
grow up.

I don't like you threatening me, or her. Don't give
me a reason to go back on our plans.

If you do, it's of little importance to me. Not
giving you the power you desire is no skin off of my back, boy. I
only offered it to you to be kind. You don't know what you're
messing with here.

Jason couldn't help but smirk.
I have a better
idea than you think.

Chapter Thirty-Five

The Oceina

One more council meeting until next summer, which was
good because Darien didn't know how many more of these he could
take going to. The Great Dragon Council was a yearly tradition, a
necessity for all of the dragon nations to get together and keep
each other connected with the happenings of their home. This would
be his third meeting to attend this year, though, and each one was
more exhausting than the last.

The first time he'd been there he'd gone to sit by
his father's side and observe the meetings, as was tradition for
when a son finally came to adulthood. He sat through the opening
meeting, listened to the Great Dragon Lord of the Inero make his
plea for assistance to the entire council. A plea Darien didn't
feel was sincere and he was happy to have seen right through it.
Otherwise things would be a lot more complicated with the war
situation. The second meeting he attended was when he had been
sworn in as the Great Dragon Lord of the Oceina. He still thought
it was a mistake, but he'd agreed to it because Orion had believed
it to be a divine appointment. None of his brothers wanted the
position, and if they did, they would be worse in the position than
Darien. He wanted to please his father and do what was right.

This third, and hopefully final, meeting of the year
would be a follow up to the first meeting. He didn't quite
understand what else needed to be said. Darien had gone over the
notes of the previous meeting with his uncle Arthur, and nothing
huge had happened. Not beyond the Inero's plague claim. He'd
already given his answer on that situation, telling them he didn't
feel capable of delivering aide to a country while still trying to
figure out the ropes of his own. There was so much he still didn't
quite understand. The country of Oceina was large with a lot of
different cultures mixed inside. The more he learned about it, the
more he realized that what happened in the city only represented a
minority.

What could be the reason behind this meeting? He
swallowed, not sure he was ready to know. Something in his gut told
him it would be the answer to why the borders between his nation
and the Inero were closed. The formal declaration of war was
coming. It had to be, and he was still not prepared. At least if
the Inero came out and made their move publicly instead of moving
when no one was looking, he could hopefully get some support from
his uncles. If all else failed, he would feel more comfortable with
forcing them to comply with his demands. He hoped it didn't come to
that. They had to listen if there was solid evidence. He didn't
want to be a dictator like the Inero.

Leaving Tai, again, was also hard. More so this time
since they were having so many problems.

He stared into her beautiful blue eyes. "I'll –"

"Be back soon, you promise," she said with a soft
nod. "I remember."

"So long as you do." He laughed. "I'll be sure to
contact you in some way as soon as we land. This time it really
should only last for the weekend. No surprise lessons in the
library."

"Okay, good. I love you and I'll see you first thing
when you get back." She kissed his lips and then backed away.

Brian had just finished transforming on the roof, and
it was time to go. Darien stared at his brother's massive dragon
shape. His snake-like body was long, at least eighty feet. His
scales were various shades of sharp blue, and when the sun
reflected off of them they shimmered with iridescence.

"I could have taken us." Darien felt bad about
pulling his eldest brother away from the family for the task of
simply being a chauffeur. It didn't seem right. Darien had all of
this magic even if he wasn't great in size. It's not like he would
have gotten tired.

Lance patted his back before going to board the
dragon. "But then you'd be tired. It's at least a six-hour flight.
You're going to need every bit of energy you have for the meetings.
Jet lag isn't fun."

"I'd be okay." Darien doubted he'd notice it much.
But he let the issue go after that. While he could have pulled
rank, he didn't want to do that to his brothers unless it was
absolutely necessary. A traveling arrangement didn't fit into that
category in his eyes. Without another word, he boarded his
brother's back as well. He gave one last look at Tai and blew her a
kiss.

Brian lifted them off of the ground, and soon they
were following a current leading them to the Dragon Council Island,
a place equidistant from all of the tribes' capital cities. Lance
leaned back once they were stable in the air and watched the clouds
pass by.

"You know this is it," Lance said.

Darien glanced over at his brother before returning
his gaze straight ahead. "I do. They're going to make their formal
first move. I got another message from Dad."

"I'm sure you did." Lance rolled his eyes and Darien
glared at him.

"I'm serious. I know you're not exactly a firm
believer in all things spiritual and the afterlife, but was I wrong
last time?" He raised an eyebrow.

Lance bit his lip, wincing slightly. "No, you weren't
wrong. It's just hard because he's dead. And I'll be honest. I'm a
little jealous he only talks to you."