The Awakening (23 page)

“Looks like she wants to do more than spar,” Torrell drawled.

That time Jahrra couldn’t hide her laugh and even Dathian chuckled and clapped Senton on the back. He seemed rather flustered but grinned sheepishly, regardless.

Jahrra took advantage of the situation and said, “She’s a really good archer. Does she go to the University?”

Senton simply nodded.

“Well, why don’t you go find her and ask her to practice with us?!” she cried, smacking him on the shoulder.

Blinking in surprise, Senton looked at each of his friends in turn.

Torrell shrugged. “Wouldn’t hurt to have one more girl hanging around.”

Dathian gave one of his characteristic bows. “As long as she doesn’t distract you into losing your head.”

Grumbling, but hiding a tiny grin, Senton chased after the redhead.

“I think your romantic woes are over, Jahrra,” Torrell mumbled to her as they moved on.

Jahrra nodded and took a deep breath. She hoped Torrell was correct.

“So, where to next?” Torrell wondered as they waited for Senton.

“Actually,” Jahrra said after clearing her throat, “I have someone to introduce you to.”

Torrell looked utterly surprised and even more so when Jahrra presented her and Dathian to Kehllor.

“Torrell, Dathian,” she said, looking between the two and the Tanaan dragon, “this is Kehllor. He’s a member of the Coalition with me. When I saw him tonight I thought it would be a good idea to ask him to come along with us since he’s here alone. Kehllor,” she paused, “these are my friends Torrell and Dathian.”

They both acknowledged the dragon and Dathian, ever worried about his true identity, pretended to never have seen him before. Senton returned a few moments later, out of breath and wearing a big grin on his face.

“She said she’d love to join us!”

His grin faded when he spotted the dragon.

Jahrra jumped in immediately. “Senton, this is Kehllor. He’ll be joining us for a few hours before we head back home. He’s a friend from the Coalition.”

“Oh, hello, nice to meet you,” Senton said.

Jahrra had been watching Kehllor, not missing his flinch of surprise when she had introduced him as a friend. She grinned inwardly but then felt a pang of pity splice through her. Did he not have any friends? She knew what that felt like. She gave Dathian a knowing look but the elf very successfully hid his feelings on the matter. She would have to discuss this with him later.

For now, she took a deep breath and said, “So, where to now?”

She was surprised when Kehllor spoke up, “I know of a good place to view the midnight ceremonies where we won’t have to deal with the crowds.”

“Excellent,” Torrell said, rubbing her hands together. “I say we go fetch some hot cider and something to eat first though, I’m famished.”

They threaded their way back through the pressing mass of people. The night was growing late and the smells of rich food and pungent beverages mixed with the scents of sweat, dust and horses bombarded their noses. It wasn’t too unpleasant but Jahrra was sure it would start to bother her after a while. They stopped by the nearest vending stand and bought hot cider, warm fruit cakes and skewers of roasted meat, then Kehllor led them to the edge of the city and began climbing a narrow path up the side of a sparsely populated hill.

They climbed for a good fifteen minutes, passing by revelers up to mischief and pranks within the shadows of the tall trees. They were even surprised by one of the people dressed in a very convincing goblin costume.

“See!” Senton hissed, holding his hand over his heart. “I’m going to have nightmares now!”

The goblin didn’t stick around to torment them, however, and Jahrra gave Kehllor the credit for that. Who would want to risk the ire of a dragon?

Finally, once they were higher than the tallest buildings, Kehllor led them out onto a flat open ledge on the hillside. From there they could look directly down into the city’s heart, where people had started gathering massive pieces of wood for the traditional bonfire. The dancers and participants, dressed in the vivid and ornate costumes of the season, were frolicking around the circular fire pit, drawing the men and women of Lidien ever closer for the big finale.

Torrell and Senton chose to sit on a flat rock where they could dangle their legs and Dathian, sensing that Jahrra would want to pick Kehllor’s brain, leaned against a tree on the edge of their small meadow. Kehllor made himself comfortable, lying down and tucking in his feet beneath him the way Jahrra had often seen Jaax sit.

“Thank you for bringing us here,” she said as she moved closer to the dragon.

Kehllor blinked and looked down at her. Was that a smile on his face?

“Of course,” he said, indicating Jahrra should sit down next to him.

Not wanting the invitation to grow cold, she hurriedly found a comfortable patch of earth, close enough to talk with him but not too close that either of them would be uncomfortable. She drew her knees up to her chest and flung her mask over her shoulder. Her muscles felt a bit fatigued from the sparring contest but she ignored their achy complaints.

“So, Kehllor, how did you come to be part of the Coalition?”

She knew it might be a sensitive question, as bland as it was, but she really did want to know. To her great surprise and delight, Kehllor opened up like a fountain having been clogged for far too long.

“Shiroxx found me when I was younger than I am now, wandering around the abandoned wilds of Soahna. I don’t remember much before that,” he shrugged and gave a pained grin, looking down at Jahrra with a dark blue gaze, “I must have been injured. I have the scar to prove it, but the injury must have also caused me to lose most of my memory.”

He paused, as if he had never meant to say any of this and had forgotten to keep the secrets to himself. Jahrra didn’t dare breathe or say a word and she was highly tempted to shush the people far below them, making all that ruckus as they started to light the great fire. Fortunately, Torrell, Senton and Dathian were remaining rather silent, enraptured by the activity in the city far below them.

Finally, Kehllor spoke again, “Sometimes I have terrible dreams, dreams of suffering and dragons screaming. They are familiar to me, but unknown.” He hissed in a breath of exaggeration. “I’m sorry,” he finally said, sounding gruff as he cast Jahrra a pitiful glance, “you don’t want to hear any of this.”

Jahrra surprised herself by reaching out a hand and touching his shoulder, closer to the ground than Jaax’s usually was.

“No, it’s okay. I know what you mean. I have dreams like that too. It’s like someone is trying to tell me something and the only way they can get my attention is through the nightmares.”

Kehllor blinked and nodded. “That’s exactly what it feels like.”

Jahrra smiled and took a steadying breath, trying to calm the erratic beat of her heart. Its rhythm had been relatively steady until he had mentioned the dreams, so very similar to her own.

He looked away and spoke again, “I owe my recovery to Shiroxx. If it wasn’t for her, I would still be lost in the dry deserts of Soahna, confused and angry, if not dead.”

He ground his teeth together, fighting his past or his guilt at feeling resentful towards Shiroxx. Jahrra understood that. He felt indebted to the female dragon and if he did resent her, as Jahrra suspected, then he
would
feel guilty.

“If it makes you feel any better,” she braved, “I sometimes feel the same kind of attachment towards Jaax.”

It was not quite a lie. She didn’t resent Jaax, not anymore, but she did at first. Not necessarily for taking control of her life and insisting on being her protector but more for his omission of the truth for so many years of her life. If he had told her who she was earlier, and hadn’t thrown it on her just after Hroombra’s death, perhaps it would have been easier. She shook her head. No, she would not hold it against Jaax; he was trying his best and had done everything as honorably as he could. But it wouldn’t hurt to let Kehllor think that, just a little bit, he had someone who understood him. And, at least in regards to having a troubled past, she could relate.

Kehllor looked down at her, his eyes full of questions.

“I would think it would take a lot of courage to resent the dragon Raejaaxorix.”

That was not what she’d expected to hear and she couldn’t help snorting in laughter.

When she was slightly recovered, she said, “That is very true now that I think about it. But look at it from my perspective; I’ve known him, more or less, since I was a very young child. I know no other way to respond to him.” She shrugged. “He’s not nearly so frightening, once you get to know him.”

“He’s an excellent leader,” Kehllor murmured.

Jahrra felt a thrill of pride course through her at the obvious respect in Kehllor’s voice. Suddenly, she liked him all the better for it. He may be inconveniently and uncomfortably attached to Shiroxx but he had a mind of his own, that was for sure.

“He would be glad to hear that,” Jahrra said, “but I think he would like to hear it directly from you.”

He sighed. “Perhaps someday, when I feel it is my place to approach him.”

Jahrra would have argued with him about that, telling him that Jaax would never turn him away if he wished to speak with him, but she thought she had said enough for now.

“I can tell you will be an asset to the Coalition, Kehllor,” she said instead, “and I’m glad I got up the gumption to introduce myself to you, even if it meant flying out of the meeting hall to chase you down in the plaza.”

She gave a wide grin and Kehllor returned it.

“Ah,” he said, his voice sounding lighter than before, “they are coming to the end of the ceremony. Shall we join your friends to get a closer look?”

Jahrra nodded and went to stand beside Dathian, Senton and Torrell, with Kehllor just behind, as they watched the revelers throw the herbs and required items onto the bonfire. Once the ceremony was complete, and the citizens of Lidien began their journeys home to finish off the festival in the privacy of their own dwellings, Jahrra and her friends climbed back down the hill. They bid farewell to Kehllor, who wandered off in the opposite direction, seeking Shiroxx’s home no doubt, and then they set about finding a carriage to carry them back to the house on the hill.

***

Kehllor paused after leaving Jahrra and her friends, but they were too busy hunting down a cart to take notice of his hesitation. He glanced over his shoulder, narrowing his eyes at Jahrra as she settled herself in the coach her friend had managed to hire, then sighed, making a decision that had been slipping from his conscience’s grasp for the past several weeks now.

He hadn’t just been wandering Lidien to enjoy the Sobledthe festivities, and he wasn’t just going to Shiroxx’s house for a party. No, she had sent him out to spy. To find Jahrra and to get to know her so that he may report back to the dragoness with all the little details.

Shiroxx had been delighted when Kehllor told her about Jahrra’s forced introduction outside of Emehriel Hall. To the female dragon it had been a gift dropped at her feet.

“Excellent!” she had said, her brown eyes gleaming with malice. “This is a superb opportunity. Do accept her eager friendship Kehllor, I so wish to know her thoughts and desires.”

Kehllor had been thoroughly disgusted at the time but quickly pushed that feeling away. He owed Shiroxx everything. A little bit of harmless spying couldn’t hurt. Besides, Jahrra was a young woman, what kinds of horrifying secrets might she have that could later bring her harm?
None
, he had told himself. He didn’t want to think about why Shiroxx would want to know so much about the human girl, but he had agreed in the end.

And tonight, Jahrra had fallen at his feet once again. It was the perfect chance to delve into her thoughts. But instead of getting her to open up, he had done so instead. She had been so kind, so willing to be his friend, that he forgot his pledge to Shiroxx. And he wouldn’t think of it again. Yes, he would remain loyal to her but he would not be her spy, especially if it meant harming Jahrra in any way. He would just have to lie about ever seeing her, or make up some frivolous things to tell Shiroxx.

Taking a deep breath, he turned back around and continued his journey towards the red dragon’s residence, formulating what he would say when she asked him if he had succeeded in his task.

***

It was only an hour after midnight when Jahrra and her companions finally made it back to the estate on the hill. Jaax opened the door for them when they knocked, for Neira was still out enjoying the night.

He looked tired again and Jahrra was about to tell him he needn’t stay up with them when he smiled and said, “I hope you don’t mind me joining you in front of the fire to finish off this Sobledthe celebration.”

Dathian and Senton smiled, Torrell looked as if she had forgotten how to speak. Jahrra elbowed her and shook her head in feigned disgust.

“Don’t worry, Torrell,” Jaax said as he blew a torrent of emerald and blue flames over the wood piled in the large fireplace. “I won’t eat you.”

Senton gasped in delight as the flames licked the wood, turning every shade of the rainbow as they ate up the magical herbs Jaax had sprinkled over them earlier that night.