Dragon Frost (35 page)

I drop
back down on the ground beside her, my arms are trembling, she was
alive all this time and I gave up! I clench my fist and begin
pounding the ground with tremendous force until my scales begin to
crack, gradually they begin to bleed and I hear Galataia gasp but I
don’t stop until I’ve completely worn out myself. “Kal . . . ” she
whispers with sympathy. Why is she giving me sympathy? I have up on
her! I didn’t protect her! Our father told me to protect her and I
gave up! I’m such a horrible sister . . . what I wouldn’t have
given to repeat that day differently.

“
Is it a
man?” I ask. She doesn’t answer and I look up. Her face is pulled
into a confused expression. “Was. It. A. Man?” I ask slowly,
grinding my teeth in the process, I feel my gums ache under the
force but I don’t care. I know exactly what I’m going to do when I
see him. Her eyes register and she shakes her head. “A woman?” I
ask.

She shakes her
head.

“
A Per,”
I stare at her in shock ‘Per’ an individual who is both male and
female, some say they had their bodies altered to appear as such
while others are born like that due to the confusion in the
chromosome numbers. There once long ago was a species known as:
‘Pers’ but I thought they were extinct, long ago; there atmosphere
was poisoned resulting in the inhabitants becoming infertile but
that was over four thousand years ago, they too were both male and
female. 
’They’re still alive?’
 I think and she nods. Of all my years have I never
run into a Per and I honestly never thought I would.

I
growl—my dragon claws seeping through my teeth—my inner dragon
threatens to rise and tear out per throat.

“
Galataia!” I hear a male voice call and I turn to the
sound, placing a protective hand over before my sister. Per won’t
touch her. Galataia stands and places a hand on my arm, gesturing
for me to relax, she gives me a small smile and I glance up at the
man before me. I regard his chest and hips—narrow and flat—how it
should be. 
He’s male.

“
That’s
not 
per
. . . Is
it?” She shakes her head and giggles. I smile.

“
Who are
you?” the man asks. I turn back to him.

“
Who are
you?” I ask.

“
Kalverya!” growls Galataia.

“
What?” I
ask. The man continues to stare at me and I glare at him. “What are
you looking at?” He’s shocked for a second before, glaring back at
me. Galataia steps between me and him. I’m surprised by her
actions—her back to me. What does she think she’s doing? I’m trying
not to make the same mistake, here, Sis doesn’t that
count?

“
Stephan?
What brings you here?” she asks gently. He smiles sheepishly and I
cross my arms, still, I continue glaring at
him. 
She’s way out of your league,
buddy! 
I think and
Galataia glares at me over her shoulder.

‘
Don’t make me push you in that pond!’

“
You
wouldn’t dare!” I snarl at her and she holds my gaze, firmly. She
has enough bravery to pin an argument with Dante, Father and I.
Even though she’s not a Knight but a Teacher, still she has the
heart of one.

“
I
wouldn’t dare what?” asks Stephan. I glare at him.

“
Was I
talking to you?” I snap.

He
glances at Galataia, “Rude much?” She nods.

“
You have
no idea. She can be a handful.” Galataia comments, she just . . .
she just agreed with him. 
Why? Who is he anyway? And why the hell are they
talking as if I’m not here!

“
I’m
still here you know!” I bark, they continue
converse. 
Unbelievable!

‘
Don’t complain, you were rude first,’
 I scoff at her remark.

“
Who is
she anyway? She appears like some horrible cross-dresser.” states
Stephan and I step forward only to be held into place by my
sister’s iron fist. She has our heritages’ strength and at this
moment she could crush my armour if she wanted to. Instead, she
smiles at me forcibly. I knew that smile and I knew she’s telling
me: “hurt him and I’ll hurt you”, why is she taking his side?
Didn’t she hear what he said?

“
This . .
. Stephan is my protective, big sister.” says Galataia and I still
glare at her as she turns from me to him; still her grip is around
my wrist—firmly. Just like father she feels like she needs to keep
me in line. Am I really that much of a trouble maker? Last time I
checked trouble always found me!

“
So I see
. . . ” he trails off. Something snaps within me.

“
What do
you mean by that?”

“
Nothing,
I just expected Galataia’s sister to be pretty.” I grind my teeth.
I’m not pretty like her! It’s not my fault I can’t return to my
Nephalem form—what I wouldn’t give to turn into my true form—being
a dragon is relaxing in a way. Everything and everyone leaves you
alone. He has some nerve!

“
Anyway .
. . ” my sister cuts in, “what brings you here?” She smiles sweetly
at him. This is odd . . . why is she being nice to him? My
curiosity peeks. She couldn’t . . . could she? There are
something’s in this world I cannot begin to comprehend and one of
which is displayed before me. I glance at Stephan and Galataia and
back again. My mind turning through possibilities but it all seems
clear in the way they look at each other. I leave it at that—he’s
still got a long way before he attains my approval that’s for sure
and until than I’ll continue to patronize him. This is going to be
fun. I glance around; the place appears to be calm, clear and
beautiful.

“
Where
are we?” I ask.

“
The
Dome.” repeats my sister.

“
I know
that . . . but where in the Nexus is it?” I ask. She shakes her
head and I glance at Stephan, his face is sad and Galataia lifts
his chin with her slender yet elegant fingers lightly before
smiling. He smiles back—a smile stretches across his face—his face
fades a crimson colour and my sister becomes slightly shy but
smiles. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I stride past them and enter
the lush green forest.

“
Where
are you going?” calls Galataia.

“
If
you’re not going to give me answers, I’ll find them elsewhere.” I
say and continue to walk.

‘
Is that really the case?’
 she asks me through our telepathic link. I
continue to look ahead.

‘
It is.’

‘
Alright, I’ll join you.’
 After some time of aimlessly wondering through the
lush green forest, my sister would tell me without uttering a
single word verbally that I’m going the wrong way or that I’ll fall
into a trench or run into a bear. I would instead just ignore her
and because I didn’t take heed in her words, I ended up falling
victim to everything she said would happen until, Stephan decided
to announce “maybe someone who knows where they’re going should
lead” luckily for me I had enough modesty to allow that to happen
and he was shocked by me easily stepping down. His expression was
hilarious. My sister remained quiet while I showed up her boyfriend
even though I didn’t like him at all one bit and if I found out he
didn’t like my sister the way she liked him I would enjoy making
him sorry for breaking her heart. Though, I kept that to myself and
followed without question as Stephan led the way to what appears
like small cluster of cottages.

Men and
women would stop and stare. I glare instead and instantly they
turned their heads away. 
What’s wrong with these people?
 I think. 
There’s no need to
stare.

‘
They haven’t seen a new person and whenever they do it’s
normally not good.’
 thinks my sister as she smiles at me apologetically.
Stephan regards me with confusion before turning his gaze to my
sister who stood beside him with her hand in his. The cottages
weren’t well done but they were done to protect its inhabitants
from the change in weather.

I glance
around and ask, “How many people live here?”

“
Twenty-one, including Stephan and I.” says my
sister.

“
Though
we don’t often get a lot of visitors,” says Stephan as he gives me
a blank expression.

“
Is there
a problem with that?” I ask with venom.

“
Kal!”
warns my sister and I cross my arms and turn my attention to an old
woman whose black and grey streaked hair glows under the sunlight
that lightly filters through the canopy. The forest floor was
weaved in low grass, ponds with wheat like vegetation and moss.
Thick, large, old trees surround the clearing as I notice not a
single child is to be seen other than the one hiding behind the
woman at the far end of the clearing, her hand protectively placed
on her sons shoulder as he peers out at me with wide
eyes.

“
Galataia, Stephan who is this?” asks the old woman and she
smiles at me the lines on her face becoming more evident, I smile
back.

“
This is
my sister Virgo.” says Galataia as she gestures to me with free
hand.

“
You are
dear?” she asks.

“
Kalverya,” I say.

“
What an
odd name?” I shrug. She wasn’t the first and she isn’t going to be
the last. “You know that means a part of a skull right?” I nod.
“And you’re okay with it?” she continues to ask and I nod. “You
don’t talk much . . . do you?”

“
No.” My
sister’s arm wraps around me and she pulls me into her. I glance
down at her, what is she up to now?

“
Don’t
worry Virgo; my sister just needs to warm up to people before she
feels comfortable with them.”

“
I
understand. Please, follow me.” she says and turns her back; her
hands are cupped behind her as she walks past the woman and the boy
who stares at me with wide eyes. I turn from them and focus on the
light brown dirt path that winds through the small cluster of
homes, from what I can see there are three main sections, with
seven small cottages in each, some of which have fires going as the
smell of ash and burnt wood greets my nose. “What are you doing
here?” asks Virgo as she continues to lead us.

“
I was
trying to escape.” I say and she stops. The white bandanna on her
head hides the black-gray thick bun on her head and she quirks a
brow and her lips are pulled into a thin line. What’s up with
her?

“
Looks
like you’ve succeeded.” I glance at Galataia and she
nods.

‘
Does she know?’
 I ask her.

‘
No.’
 Virgo
beings to walk on ahead and we follow after.

Several
men and women peer at me as we glide along what appears to be a
dirt-road. Everyone continues to gaze at me and they continue to do
so—I pay them no mind but I’m really getting sick of it! I don’t
ask to be the centre of attention yet I seem to always be. Father
was right I would be gaining a lot of attention because of my
looks.

They can stop staring.
 I think my sister seems to have ignored that. I know
her silence means she’s enjoying this—surely they have seen a
female Knight. 
I really hate being the centre of attention!

“
Here we
are!” declares Virgo.

I pull my
gaze from the people around us and glance at the small cottage
before us. I tilt my head to the side—trying to figure out what is
so great about the cottage until I notice Galataia and Stephan
enter the small cottage and I look at Virgo. She gestures for me to
enter and I follow after the couple, wandering along the small
steppingstones with a little natural green garden.

Just like the
others there are no fences.

As I
enter the small cottage I notice instantly, it
’s well furnished with wooden tables and
chairs, the floorboards groan beneath my feet and a fireplace is
tended to by a woman who dusts her hands on her apron, with a
bandanna wrapped around her head, she bows her head to me before
standing and departing. My eyes lingered on her form til she was
out of my sight before my eyes drifted to my sister. “So is this
where you live?” I ask. She nods. “It’s . . . different.” It’s odd
seeing my sister, someone who has lived a very well-furnished
lifestyle, to fall to something like the simple cottage life was
bizarre. I guess when you’re lost to your family or divided from
your family—you’re practically on your own. The thought of this
makes my heart aches for her.

She must
have been scared and all alone. Normally, I was always there to
calm her and quell her of her pain and her fears but when I wasn’t,
who was? That’s when Stephan moves to Galataia and plants a kiss on
her cheek before moving to the kitchen. 
Let me guess . . . he lives here
too
. 
With her!
 Something boiled inside of me and Galataia turns
towards me with a disapproving look. I think she may have noticed
something but I can’t help but feel something within me rise. I
realise than I’m growling—I’m growling like an animal—like a
dragon. She sighs and moves over to me. “Kal . . .” she begins. She
looks like she already knows what to say but can’t face
me.