Dragonfire: Freedom in Flames (Secrets of the Makai Book 3) (6 page)

Landon tapped the eraser on the paper. “You’ll survive fine if you can learn to recognize all the trigger signs. You know when it’s happening, and so far, you
have
been able to control it. So stop trying to stay awake, get some sleep, and you’ll have a better mindset about it.”

“You make it sound easy.”

“Well, it isn’t as hard as how you’re making it. Besides, how are you going to face Lazaro or that dragon in the Forest of Darkness when you’re half asleep most of the time? You can’t walk for more than ten steps and I guarantee Donovan isn’t going to let you go in your current physical condition.”

“So eat and sleep, like he said,” Victor scolded, though his tone had lost the hints of irritation. “We’ll wake you up in the morning. Nine hours and no more.”

“Fine. I’ll try bread.”

Victor retrieved a paper bag from the kitchen counter, then pulled out three slices of seeded bread. “Butter?”

“Is it…does it have.…” The idea of his food being alive made him gag. “No thanks.”

APPROVAL

SOMETHING DIFFERENT
was moving through the forest outside. Tristan perked up at the sound of crunching leaves, footsteps cutting a path through the trees. “Samara?” he whispered, curious if she picked fall for this very reason, so he could be warned if anyone approached the cabin. “Who’s out there?”

Samara didn’t reply.

Tristan made his way to the dresser for a T-shirt and almost forgot to grab the staff on his way outside. He paused with one foot in the crunching leaves; the same warning system would work both ways, alerting outsiders of his approach.

He created a slight breeze to rustle the leaves, letting the wind circle the entire forest to make the same noise everywhere before he started walking.

Energy raced through his skin. He moved quickly into the deeper parts of the forest, until he saw Donovan sitting cross-legged on a small knoll.

“Not bad,” he said, keeping his eyes closed and his shoulders relaxed. “I suspected the room before you. Are you attempting to sneak up on me for a reason? To train, perhaps?”

“No.” Tristan stepped out from behind a tree. “Samara wouldn’t tell me who was here, so I just.…”

“Good. Perhaps dragons are curious in nature.”

“I’m—” Tristan snapped his mouth shut. This was not the argument he wanted to waste his energy on.

“Your maps are in that case.” Donovan jerked his head toward a thin metal box, large enough for the maps to lay flat.

“Thanks. Is that all of them?”

“I have one in storage with the museum items.”

Tristan took a few more steps forward, debating whether he should sit and get comfortable. “When can I see it?”

“When I know you’ve eaten a decent meal.”

“I have to see Dorian first.”

“Why? She has nothing to do with your food.”

“It’s none of your business, okay? I
just
need to talk to her.”

“Oliver forbids it.”

“So what? This is important.”

Donovan rolled his shoulders and neck, but kept his eyes closed. “Landon showed me your list. Dorian doesn’t feel like the highest priority.”

“You said it yourself; I need to start with the very basics. And in this case, it’s
food
. Do you think I
want
to wither away like this? I think Dorian can help me with that. And Pink. I would like Dorian’s help in figuring out what sort of flower she needs, because I have no idea how long her lifespan is, and I hate to think the pixies will become extinct a second time just because I fell asleep one day and didn’t get around to it.”

Donovan nodded, moving from his neck and shoulders to stretching his arms. “Very well. And what about Lazaro and this dragon? Are your motivations equally as admirable?”

“I doubt it.” Tristan knelt in the leaves and sat on his heels. “I need something from each of them before I do anything, and I don’t actually know if what they want is possible.”

“Lazaro believes you are unwilling to fulfill your end of the bargain, but I refuse to permit this meeting until you are in more stable condition.”

“But what if—”

“You’ll meet with Dorian first, so you can work out this food issue. Pink is not my concern.”

Tristan nodded.

“I’ll send Victor and Landon with you. Oliver won’t appreciate my presence, so I’ll remain hidden but available if needed.”

“Oliver doesn’t want me there either, so I should get permission to be there, or arrange to meet with Dorian secretly.”

“Easy enough. We’ll make arrangements for Landon and Victor, and I’ll keep Oliver occupied with a bit of cat and mouse while you sneak in.”

“When can we go? What time is it there?”

Donovan thought for a moment. “3am. So I suggest we wait a few hours. And, I would like to use that time wisely.”

Tristan glanced up from the ground, not liking the implications.

“Don’t look so worried.” A hint of an amused smile twitched on the man’s lips. “I’ve been compiling a list of warning signs to shifting and I think you should be aware of them. When we are out, if you feel any of these symptoms, we should retreat and head home.”

“I wouldn’t think retreating would be an option for you.”

“I personally wouldn’t. But you don’t seem inclined to aggression. For as long as I’ve known you, you don’t stand your ground. You run and hide until you know your options. It’s not a bad thing, per se, and it might even be what’s kept you alive all this time.” Donovan raised a hand to silence Tristan’s defense. “As time goes on, and you gain more experience and control, this trait might change. But for now, let us accept that perhaps not all dragons are vicious in nature.”

The agonizing weight on his shoulders lifted. “Thank you. That helps me a lot.”

“I still expect you to learn how to defend yourself and others, because you are loyal and protective. Perhaps even possessive.”

“I am?”

Donovan rolled his eyes. “I would have preferred not to label you so literally, but your inaccurate imagination and fears seem to be doing you a disservice.”

Tristan nodded, anxious with excitement and dread over the course of this conversation.

“We’ve been interviewing Pink about dragons. She says they do not rely on the use of power, although they do tend to camouflage themselves when they do not wish to be seen, which is most often. She is not sure if this is a power dragons have, or a natural, biological ability. I believe you did this when you first met Lazaro and Gram on the island, and I would like you to experiment with the idea and develop this skill as quickly as possible.”

Tristan couldn’t remember camouflaging himself deliberately, but agreed it would be a good skill to have.

“Dragons are simple, logical, and can see all the elements of nature quite easily. But they tend not to alter them in any way. You picked up the concepts quickly, but it never felt natural. Correct?”

Tristan nodded.

“We suspect the power you took on due to making contact with the gems is a crippling factor for you. It is not something to be ignored, yet you have no instinct for how to cope. So we either need to figure out how to rid these powers from your capacity, or you must learn to embrace it, even if it goes against your nature to do so.”

“Can I get rid of it?”

Donovan shrugged. “I know nothing of the power these gems wield, and my theories about your ability to cope may be completely wrong. There is no need to resist these powers, yet I find you constantly fighting this battle within yourself. You strive to suppress it, when you should simply let it be.”

“Let it run wild? It would destroy and kill and who knows what else. Look at what it did to Samara….”

“I cannot say. It is a lot to take on and only time will tell if it was meant to be controlled, or never meant to be consumed in the first place. That said, you’re letting your fears dictate your health rate.”

“I am not.”

“You fear that if you are healthy, you will have to start training to face these things about yourself. So you stay unhealthy to buy time.”

Anger stirred in the pit of his stomach.

“Meeting with Dorian sounds like a positive step, so long as it’s not just an excuse for a social call.”

“It’s not.”

“All right, back to what we know about dragons.”

Tristan took a huge breath and nodded for Donovan to continue.

“They may or may not know how to transport themselves. When Pink’s village knew a dragon was coming, they would gather on a mountaintop and watch them fly in. She has only ever seen one dragon, and remembers hearing they reside in caves, often collapsing the entrance to keep from being discovered. I believe this to be true, as it did appear to be a natural behavior when you were last a dragon, though we weren’t sure why you were doing it at the time.”

Tristan grimaced. The human body was definitely not designed to withstand the crush of falling rocks.

“They are quiet, analytical, loyal, and known as impartial peacekeepers among the races. This may be why they were chosen to uphold the contract.”

“How much do you know about the contract?”

“Very little.”

Tristan wasn’t sure if he was relieved or not. “What about this gift of tongues?”

“Perhaps you need to be a dragon to experience an internal translation.”

Tristan shook his head. “I couldn’t think clearly when I was a dragon, and nothing you said made sense. It was all yelling and—” his eyes shifted briefly and a cold wave of terror stunned him into silence.

Donovan didn’t appear to notice. “It could be that you were unwilling to listen to reason at the time, being in somewhat of a panic mode. Perhaps you should make a list of things to question the dragon spirit, if Molajah is no longer available.”

The thought of Molajah’s last words filled him with confusion. How would he know who to trust, if he couldn’t trust anyone? Was Molajah’s soul destroyed? Jacques? Were the ghosts in the clearing on his side or not? If the council was falling apart, where did that leave him? Was he being blamed? How much support did he have, if the dragons were divided?

He hadn’t realized he was swaying until Donovan gripped his shoulders, easing him onto a soft mat that hadn’t been there before. “I’m so tired.”

“Landon and Victor will be here shortly, then we’ll go see Dorian.”

Tristan nodded.

“It may not be in your nature to sustain so much power, but you must not let it build like it was. Small tremors are far easier to handle than massive earthquakes.”

“I understand.” Expelling so much energy had been a good solution, but a high price for Samara.

“When you feel physically shaky or mentally anxious, find something to focus on. Something that takes a great deal of energy.”

“What can I do that won’t damage Samara?”

Donovan shrugged. “She will help you come up with something.”

Tristan smiled. “So you admit the room is a she?”

“It does have a female voice. Am I correct to assume you don’t wish to eat before we go to Dorian’s?”

“Definitely.”

“I do not think a vegetarian diet is the right choice.”

“Why not? Lots of people are vegetarian—” Tristan’s eyes shifted as he gasped for breath, gripping the staff like his life depended on it.

“The teeth. Very sharp. Most likely designed for...meat.”

“I’m not a dragon right now, so just...let me have a choice.” He could only pretend he wasn’t a meat-eater for so long.

TAKING SIDES

ONLY A FEW
moments of silence passed before Landon and Victor were letting themselves into Tristan’s cabin. Pink twirled in each corner of the room.

“That wasn’t three hours,” Tristan grumbled to no one in particular.

“Donovan’s checking it out now, and I’ll make the arrangements through Oliver if you still want to see her. We figure on catching them before Dorian gets into her routine, assuming she wants to see you. Will she?”

“I think so. But you never know with her.” At least their last chat didn’t go so bad.

“We’re hoping to go in about an hour,” added Victor. “It’ll give you time to shower and it’ll take that long just to get up the stairs.”

Tristan let his head flop against the back of the couch, dreading the idea.

“You do still want to go, don’t you?” Landon asked. He held out a hand for Pink and she settled gracefully.

“Definitely.”

“And you’re sure you don’t want me to make some breakfast first?” asked Victor.

“I’m sure. Thanks.”

“All right then.” Landon opened the front door. Pink took off at full speed. “I’ll set up the meeting while you get showered.”

Tristan sat with his eyes closed until Victor startled him awake. “You really should shower. We have time.”

“I don’t think Dorian cares.”

“Well,
you
might care if you saw yourself in a mirror. Besides, it’s all about impressions. She might not notice if you do take a shower, but she definitely will if you don’t.

“That bad, eh?”

Victor smiled.

“Fine. But I’m not doing it to impress her. I just need to wake up.”

“Whatever you say, man.” Victor handed him a folded pair of jeans and a T-shirt. “I’ll wait here if you need anything.”

The shower helped immensely, and luckily, the excitement of getting back outside outweighed the lull of sleep induced by the hot water. They were halfway up the spiral staircase before he needed to sit down and rest. “Here’s a question. Why can’t I just transport myself up?”

Landon and Victor glanced at each other before Victor answered. “It’s not technically possible, as part of the built-in security of the structure itself, but you have managed before.”

“And Donovan said I shouldn’t let this power sit idle for too long, so....”

“It doesn’t exactly take that much,” argued Victor.

In the end, neither could give him a good reason not to. “I don’t care; I’m doing it. Wake me up when you get to the top.”

The instant Tristan transported himself, noisy chaos and swirls of furious blinding lights filled him with trepidation.
Molajah?
He’d forgotten about the maddening lights when being transported; the council yanking him away from his own reality while in the flux of transport.
Where’s the falcon?
Tristan called, not caring if it was Molajah or the council instigating contact.
We had a deal!

Pitches and tones changed octaves and speeds until Tristan could pick up on a few words.
No longer…guardian...no authority.

Molajah said he had authority. I did my part!

The voices seemed more stable now.
You are bound by a contract to protect. We know your plans. Do not break the contract.

I don’t have any plans.
May as well see what they knew.

You intend to free the beings from the safety of their stones.

Dang. They did know. Tristan figured out which light was speaking and squared his shoulders to it.
Shouldn’t they be given the chance to survive on their own?

The orb of light hovered closer.
Their only chance for survival is to remain hidden in safety.

But they’ll never be free
, interrupted Tristan.
What kind of life is that?

Look at how the humans have treated you. The world can’t handle magical creatures. Even your human allies are forced to remain in hiding.

They only hide their abilities.

The faeries won’t have that option. If they are seen, they will be captured and annihilated in the name of science.

They should be free to make that choice.

Free to be slaughtered? They won’t have numbers on their side, or warriors, or strategist. They won’t know anything about the current technologies.

I do understand your point,
Tristan conceded.
But what if I change into a dragon and I forget all of you, along with this stupid contract, and I start eating the friends who are only trying to help me, by taming me into some overgrown pet?

So be it. If you are unable to free the races, they will simply remain in safekeeping. As for your allies, the fewer people who know about the contract the better. Clearly, you are not seeing the bigger picture.

But, you’re not giving me any information. The Earth is getting worse! Maybe it’s not ideal for the races, but the flowers Pink needs to reproduce might not even exist anymore. What condition will the Earth be a thousand years from now, and what chance will Pink’s race have then?
Tristan sucked in a breath as the orbs of bright light dimmed, becoming a line of tall, pale dragons and half a dozen people. Almost like a court setting.

This little clone of a creature you speak of has no relevance to the contract. The environmental infrastructure of the Earth is the result of human negligence; the humans won’t survive long in the conditions they’ve created.

I agree we’re terrible keepers of the world, but—

You are not one of them. The sooner you see that….

You wouldn’t let him be one of us,
called a distant voice. Tristan spotted a middle-aged man bound to a post by some sort of cord, glowing with a greenish essence.

Jacques?

The man grinned before the power of the cord expanded to cover his head.

You were supposed to free him,
Tristan shouted, turning back to the human figure who had been speaking.
I had a deal with Molajah!

Molajah is no longer part of this discussion.

If you don’t free him, I’ll release every creature from every gem I can get my hands on.

Do not be so juvenile. How long will a few little fish survive in a sea of hungry sharks? You will be the cause of their extinctions, and that will disgrace all of us.

Maybe they’re stronger than that. Maybe the thought of one more day in captivity is killing them. Maybe—

The terms of this contract are not up for negotiation.

But what if the Earth continues to deteriorate, and it’s because the magical races are being held prisoner? What if this stupid contract is disrupting the natural balance of—

You know nothing of the wars and politics that brought this contract into being, and you would do well to keep your personal wants and needs out of your decision-making process.

Tristan took in the silent spectators. Were they as divided as Molajah implied?
You’re right. I don’t know what was going on when this contract was made. But tell me this—what happens if I break the contract?

Breaking the contract will undo the oath that binds us to protect the races.

But what will happen to all of you?

We will be…free of this responsibility. To some, the oath is a burden. To others, it is an honor to uphold.

But free…free to live? Free to die? What does that mean exactly?

No one can say for sure.

Will your souls be free to move on to wherever they would have gone after a normal lifespan, or will they be condemned because they failed to move on when they should have?

As I said before—

But since you don’t know what will happen, isn’t that a good reason for me to keep the races held in captivity, so you can keep living the way you are?
What else did Molajah say about the council’s motives?
You are trading the lives of others so you can live longer. How does that not disgrace the honor of dragons?

You risk charges of High Treason, deliberately ignoring the laws of our people—

I don’t care!
Tristan let the surging energy fuel the frustration that had festered for the past year.
No one seems willing to tell me what the laws are, and for all I know, I’m the only one left who can make a difference! If I wasn’t, I’m sure you’d all be happy to tell me there are a thousand other dragons more capable of doing the same job.

Obviously we’ve had difficulties in finding a means to communicate with you. However, we have upheld this contract for thousands of years and we aren’t about to permit a youngling’s impulsive conduct undo everything we have built. It is the purpose of this council to make decisions of this manner, and you must follow our lead.

To what end?
said Tristan.
I’ll bet you’ve been sabotaging every living dragon in hopes this day would never come, so you could live forever in this.…
Tristan took another look around, finding the lack of walls or sky or ceiling unsettling.
You’re afraid of what the next life holds for you, so how can you say I’m making an emotional decision, when you have so much more to lose if I follow through? From what I understand, dragons were never immortal until this contract came along.

We will not stand by while the runt of the litter accuses us of such things.

I don’t care if I’m the weakest, runtiest dragon that ever existed, but I keep getting the feeling you wanted it that way!
Tristan shouted, long past the concern of offending anyone. What could they do to him anyway? In this realm, he could lash out and speak his mind for a change.
You didn’t want me to be a real dragon, doing whatever dragons do. You just wanted me to breathe, so the contract would know there were still dragons in existence. Is that all you need me for? Was Jacques supposed to keep me alive, and nothing more?

You know nothing of Jacques’ role.

Then why is he being held prisoner? Is it because I was more successful than what you expected, and suddenly there’s an actual chance the dragons could fulfill whatever this agreement is, and you all could move on to wherever you’re supposed to be? Oh, that’s right, you don’t know what comes after this life—
The instant he said it, he remembered the shrub’s words: wise or foolish.

An immature tantrum or not, it was too late to take anything back; the room erupted in a chaos of colors and brightness as the spectators began fighting. Jacques struggled against the power binding him to a pillar. Tristan rushed toward the man, just as a burning sensation slashed him in half.

Tristan battled for a breath that wouldn’t come in the dark passage at the top of the stairs, while his thoughts attempted to untangle what happened. A buzzing noise hovered above him, then faded as he slid to the floor, grateful for a wall rather than falling backward down the stairs.

“What are you doing up here?”

Tristan blinked at a broad-shouldered, bald man standing over him, recognizing the tribal tattoos covering his muscular arms and neck. He still couldn’t catch his breath and coughed up a mouthful of thick blood.

The man stepped back in response. “I’ll get the doctor. Or Donovan.”

Chills shivered through Tristan’s body, yet he couldn’t move. The air crushed him against the stone with a force ten times the strength of gravity—or so it seemed.

Banging footsteps echoed from the stairway and Pink hovered in front of him.

“Tristan!” Victor almost helped him get to his feet, then stepped back.

Tristan couldn’t speak. A breeze blew through the hall, coming from the front entrance, as Donovan rounded the corner. Behind him, four ghosts followed. Tristan’s eyes widen and he tried to sit taller. Maybe if he could get to the stairs….