Dragon Dreams: Book 2: Prophecy of the Dragons (26 page)

"Okay, I trust you."

"Good. Now we can get started."

"Wait, no." Andi turned to Ben. "He projected what he wanted you to see. It's a trick."

Again her anger flared brighter and hotter than he'd ever felt in her before. It was clouding her judgment, there was no doubt about that, but she did make a lot of sense. He turned to Felix.

"She has a point."

"Indeed she does. She's wrong, but she's proving she has a good head on her shoulders. Alexandria, you're letting this anger cloud you. Given the circumstances, I don't blame you, but if you'll let me help, when I'm done with the two of you, you'll be able to tell if someone is projecting lies or not. Both of you. What do you say?"

Ben expected Andi to explode into another bout of rage, but she surprised him by giving Felix a nod.

"Okay. If Ben trusts you, so do I."

Ben and Felix stood in Cassie's training room. Andi wandered through other parts of the house, slowly beginning the process of getting her parents' things together. After the situation with Derian last year, Cassie and Lee had walked her through everything she'd need to do in the wake of their deaths. Of course, no one had thought for a second it would be this soon, which was why he didn't know about it until now. He tried to talk her into waiting a few days, but she insisted she needed to start working, or she'd fall into a coma of sorrow. She both wanted his support and to be left alone, so he decided to take Felix into the training room. That way she could have her space, but also be only a few steps away from him if need be.

"This is a nice room," Felix said, wandering around and inspecting the padded walls and floor. "I assume you two had some epic duels in here."

"Yeah. Cassie loved our training sessions. I did, too. Our Dragon Guard powers didn't need the exercise, but we both liked to stay sharp."

"It's a good habit to get into. One you'll need to keep up with your magic."

Ben nodded and stared at Cassie's closet full of weapons. What were they going to do with them? He'd take the few swords that he could wield with one hand and the two shields, but what of the other weapons? He sighed and looked away, eager to think about anything else.

"So what are you going to do to train me?"

"I'm going to teach you both the secrets of the Necromantic and Healing Arts. Once you're proficient in both, you'll choose to master one and forget almost everything about the other."

"So if I choose to be a Necromancer, I'll prove to the prophecy I'm evil, while choosing the Healing Arts makes me good?"

"Not even close. Neither discipline is good or evil on its own, so get that preconceived notion out of your head. It's as easy to use necromancy for good as it is to use the Healing Arts for evil. It all depends on the wizard. In fact, you've used plenty of spells from each."

"Can I master both?"

"No one ever has. Anyone who has put their mind to it has failed to become a true master of either, leaving them as an inferior wizard."

Ben couldn't help but notice that Felix didn't say it was impossible, nor did he specifically tell him not to. That spoke louder than anything. Ben would master both. His power was prophesized, after all, wasn't it?

Another thought struck him. "Am I supposed to address you as Master or something?"

Felix chuckled. "There's no need for that. As long as you treat me with respect and recognize my authority when it comes to magic, I'll give you the respect you deserve. Felix is fine."

At that instant, a burst of surprise and fright shot off of Andi. She was up in her parents' bedroom, and he rushed for the door to get to her. Before he made it, Felix froze him with a spell. He tried to break free, first physically, and then magically, but failed at both.

"The Dragon Council has come for her. They'll imprison her at the Stronghold, but it'll be the posh imprisonment they promised. She'll be treated like royalty. After the initial bump on the noggin, of course."

She took the blow to the head, fell unconscious, and then popped out of the mortal realm. His anger and frustration bubbled over, and he screamed at the top of his lungs. Felix waved his hand, and Ben could move again. He whirled around and pointed at Felix.

"You're in league with them. You kept me occupied so they could take her." He couldn't control himself and hurled a bolt of sickly energy at the necromancer.

Felix didn't move, but Ben's attacked burned up before it reached him.

"Search me again. Reach out with your feelings, like you did before, and tell me if that's true."

Ben wanted nothing more than to press his attack, but he somehow reigned in his anger and pushed his mind into Felix's. He got no details, but did get the overwhelming feeling Felix had nothing to do with Andi's capture. He slumped to his knees, feeling lost, weak, without Andi inside of him.

"Why didn't you let me save her?" He had to work to push his voice out so it was loud enough to be heard.

"You're strong enough to fight the Council, but you don't yet have the discipline to beat them. If you'd gone out there, they might have hurt her in their haste to subdue her, and once they left this realm, the healing power wouldn't be able to touch her. She'd be injured and in pain, in addition to the scared she is now. I knew you wouldn't want that."

"No." He swallowed hard and kept his tears at bay. "But why her? Why not take me, too? That's what they wanted. They wanted us both in their prison."

"They figure together you two are a match for them, at least outside the Stronghold. If they take her, which they did, they know you'll attempt a rescue mission. In the Stronghold, they're confident they can subdue you."

"But they're right. I am going to go after her."

"And you should," Felix said. "But not yet. When I'm through with you, you'll be more than a match for the entire Council. And when you get to Alexandria and have access to her energies, as well? Watch out."

Ben loved the twinkle in Felix's eyes as he said all of that. He nodded at his new master. He could wait if it meant success. He didn't like it, but he could do it.

"How do you know all of this?"

"Simple deductions. I'm guessing, but I'm almost positive I'm right. The magic that courses through me gives me certain insights into the multiverse. You'll understand when you're a master. And if the prophecies are correct, you'll have a better handle on it than me. Than any wizard anywhere."

As Ben let that sink in, another question came to him. "When the time comes, will you come to the Stronghold with me?"

Felix shook his head. "I'd like to stay in the good graces of both the Dragon Council and the dragon community as a whole. It makes life easier. I can train you — in fact they expect me to train you — but that doesn't make me responsible for how you use your powers." Ben again liked the twinkle in Felix's eyes. He had a feeling he and his new master were going to get along fine.

"Now," Felix said, "It's been a rough day. Why don't you go rest up? Our training starts tomorrow and no one can afford for me to take it easy on you."

Ben nodded and left the training room. He still needed to tell Mom and Dad he was back. Add to that needing to break the news of Cassie and Lee's deaths, and now Andi's capture. He couldn't deal with any of that right now. He'd tell them later. Besides, by then he'd know more about his own situation.

He stumbled into Andi's room. Seeing all of her stuff brought another wave of sorrow and frustration to him. It was even worse since he knew she wouldn't feel that. He didn't feel any of her emotions. He slumped onto the bed and buried his head in the pillows. He'd get her back. Felix hadn't mentioned how long his training would take, but that didn't matter. He'd get her back.

And if every member of the Dragon Council died in the process? That was their fault, not his.

To be concluded in Book 3: Dragon Magic

(And keep reading for an excerpt from Dragon Magic)

E.J. Krause lives minutes from Disneyland, and he does his best to grab the spare creativity the place bleeds off. He writes speculative fiction for many different age groups. Please visit him in his stomping grounds on the World Wide Web:

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Chapter 1

Sarah woke with a start and gasped. Victor, her mate, stirred next to her and opened his eyes.

"What is it?" he asked.

"They've succeeded. The Demon of Dreams is back in his rightful place."

"That's good news, then. The council will be thrilled to hear it in the morning."

She shook her head, hoping it was only a remnant of the dream, but, no, it was true. "Leon and Cassandra were killed in the battle."

"That certainly taints things a bit. Are you sure? It's not the Nightmare Syndicate sending you false information through your dream sight?"

"No. The Nightmare Syndicate no longer exists. Alexandria and Benjamin saw to that. Go round up the council. They'll want to discuss this right away. I'll be there shortly."

Victor nodded. When they'd dressed, he kissed her forehead and hurried out. She walked across the room to her multi-dimensional communication device and took a deep breath. Maybe she should have waited to send Victor away. This always made her light-headed, and his presence would help. Nothing to be done about that now.

She started up the machine, and the holographic images of Max, the council's official record keeper, and his mate, Nix, stood in front of her. Both looked to have been roused from slumber, but not by her. Had they felt the triumph? Had the entire multiverse?

"Sarah," Nix said. "Is it over? Did they succeed?"

"Yes. The demon is back in his proper place in the Realm of Dreams. But Leon and Cassandra didn't make it."

"That can't be," Max said, while Nix's hand flew to her mouth.

"No time," Sarah said. "This infernal machine drains me so. You need to get to the pier. I've instructed Rico to send Alexandria and Benjamin there. Get them home. But first contact Felix. Hopefully he's willing to help."

"He will be," Max said. "He won't pass up this opportunity."

"Good. Now hurry. I have no clue how long before they arrive at the pier. We'll stall the council for as long as possible, but no doubt imprisonment will be called for. Benjamin needs to learn to control his powers. As long as Felix agrees to conduct lessons, we might be able to swing favor for letting them stay free. Now go."

Before Max or Nix could say anything else, Sarah powered off the machine. She slumped against the wall and took deep breaths to recover, willing away the nausea. When she deemed herself ready, she strode out of the room towards the council chamber.

*****

Sarah wanted to scream out that the council was acting foolish and rash. Just because Leon and Cassandra were gone didn't mean Benjamin and Alexandria would now decide on the path of evil. In fact, keeping them here likely would be the very catalyst for it. She made an impassioned speech, but it mostly fell on deaf ears. Victor's presence, his calm demeanor, was all that kept her under control. A quick look to Angus and Ingrid, Gretchen and Reggie, and even Jonas and Abigail, showed they shared her frustration.

With the overwhelming feeling of the council so fervently expressed, Jonas didn't bother asking for a vote. Sarah would have liked her tally against imprisonment to be official, but she understood Jonas's reasoning. They needed to show a united front when the young dragon and her guard, the cause of so much commotion throughout not only dragon society, but the multiverse as a whole, came to live in the Stronghold for the next few millennium. What would the others say when Felix either showed up with them or not long after? She'd worry about those politics when they proved necessary.

"Now that it's settled," Jonas said, "we need to decide who shall retrieve them."

Before anyone had a chance to speak up, the door to the council chamber opened, and Timothy and Sasha strode in. Each member and their guard stared as the dragon and his mate walk to their seats. Sarah could feel the curiosity burning in the room, hers and Victor's included, but everyone held their tongues until Timothy and Sasha were ready. Jonas took the lead in the questioning.

"Please explain your absence."

Sarah grit her teeth at Sasha's ever-present sneer, but, as always, Timothy masked that by flashing his huge smile and answering in his friendly voice, which, as far as she was concerned, was as fake as the aerosol snow on Christmas trees some used on the mortal realm.

"We were assaulted as soon as we left. Neither of us saw our attackers, and they used some sort of powerful spell to keep us out of commission until just minutes ago. When we came to, we found ourselves alone right where we had landed in the mortal realm. We, of course, hurried back here without delay." He let that sink in for a second or two, and then said, "Now what is this about retrieving the two little stars of the prophecy?"

Sarah didn't buy a word of that story, but she couldn't say anything, not without a shred of proof. Victor's emotions sang that he felt the same. She made eye contact first with Angus, then Gretchen, and found them, along with, no doubt, Ingrid and Reggie, to be on the same page.

"The demon, Rico, called Alexandria, Benjamin, Leon, and Cassandra to him to complete the quest in the Realm of Dreams," Jonas said. "We received word not long ago that the mission was completed successfully. The Demon of Dreams is back in his rightful spot and once again in control of dreams everywhere. The Nightmare Syndicate, on the other hand, no longer exists."

"That's excellent news," Timothy said. "So why the turn in the council? Why imprisonment now?"

Jonas let out a sigh, one everyone else in the council chamber mirrored. "Leon and Cassandra didn't make it."

Timothy bowed his head, and Sarah couldn't tell if his sorrow was heartfelt, or if he was putting on a great performance. Sasha, as always, wore her scowl. "That's awful! How did they die?"

"We don't yet know the details, but without Alexandria's parents to keep them on course, the council has decided imprisonment would now be the best option. That's what you two walked in on."

"May I make a suggestion?" Timothy asked. Sarah squeezed her fists tight. No doubt this would be some sort of self-serving request. Too bad only a few of them would see that.

Jonas gave a nod, and Timothy continued. "It's obvious young Benjamin's powers are unstable. He could be quite an inconvenience, at best, and downright dangerous, at worst. We should take Alexandria and leave Benjamin behind to be trained. Once he has a handle on his powers, we can allow him to join her. At least then we'll know what to expect from him, and can keep him under better control."

Sarah's blood ran cold at the suggestion, as did Victor's. Neither Angus and Ingrid, nor Gretchen and Reggie looked happy, either. Jonas, always the statesman, wore a neutral expression, but she assumed he saw the flaw, likely deliberate, in this plan. If they separated Benjamin and Alexandria, no doubt evil was more plausible than good. Judging by the happy conversations running through the council, though, a vote would again prove pointless. She decided to bite her tongue and wait to fix this mess when everything was settled down.

The room quieted as Jonas raised his hands over his head. "Then it's settled. Harold, Ezekiel, and Katrina, you and your guards head to the mortal realm to fetch Alexandria. From what Sarah said earlier, I assume Felix has already contacted them to begin Benjamin's training?"

"If he hasn't yet," she said, "he soon will."

Timothy frowned and Sasha's scowl grew deeper at the mention of Felix, but neither raised any objections. No doubt they would have liked to hand-pick a much less competent instructor.

"If no one anyone has anything to add," Jonas said, "meeting adjourned."