Dragon's Heart (29 page)

“I…”

But
before Sherri could finish whatever she wanted to say, Paul spoke up continuing
to stare at Sherri. “She’ll go and help anyway she can, but I’ll go with her.”

“Of
course, you can go with her,” Maya said quickly. “We didn’t mean she was going
to go by herself. It’s always better to have someone you know with you in a
strange place.”

Signs of
relief appeared on Sherri and Paul’s faces.

“Then
we’ll go,” Sherri said. “How soon will we leave?”

“Right
after we attempt to locate the betrayer, we’ll open the portal to send you both
to Akgon.”

Paul
hesitated. “But if we do locate him, won’t you need us here to help kill the
bastard?”
     

“No.
I can take care of him by myself now.”

“Don’t
worry, Paul,” Maya stated. “Draakar will not face the betrayer alone and you
will be avenged.”

Paul
nodded his head in agreement.

     
“Why don’t the
two of you go and pack?” Draakar said. “Take whatever you want and then join us
at the Stones.”

     
“Will we be
able to create things there, Lord, like we can here?” Sherri asked.

     
“Hmm, I’m not
sure. When we first arrived on Akgon, Earth was still in a primitive state, and
we had no trouble creating the things we needed using our powers on Akgon. But
electronics, computers, as you know it, I don’t know. However, you can create
whatever you want here and take it with you, and you can certainly test the
limits of your powers on Akgon.”

     
For the first
time since his wife’s death, Maya read the glimmer of interest flaring in Paul
at the prospect of testing his powers. He had been an engineer so it would be
interesting to see what he came up with.

P
aul and Sherri arrived in the cavern, a large suitcase
in each hand, a few minutes after everyone else and took their places around
the circle. Maya’s parents were not there.
 
Even though Maya’s mother could harness magicks, Draakar
didn’t want her trying to expend any energy until she had been trained. So her
father kept her company in their room.

Draakar
and Maya stood in the circle and called on the power of the Stones. He held her
hands and laid his forehead against hers. The current of energy in her answered
the call of need in him. The familiar glow of magicks surrounded them, getting
brighter and brighter. Together they harnessed the strength of the Stones but,
no matter how much power they generated, they were still unable to locate the
betrayer. Mother Earth couldn’t help because he had escaped through a portal
not of her world, but one that merely had a gate anchored here.

     
At least now
they knew the locations of all the portals on the planet. There were five in
all. The Circle of Stones portal already had its own protection and barred the
betrayer from the area, as well as the portal to the mist. That just left three
they had to close, but all the portals would always be watched.

     
“Will we be
able to close the other portals from here?” Maya asked.

     
“Unfortunately,
no,” Draakar responded. “Since the portals are only partially on Earth, as the
anchor, I will have to be physically present at each of them to ensure they are
closed from this side.”

     
“Then we all
will go with you, Father,” Talon said.

     
“That will not
be necessary, Talon,” Draakar replied directly to his son, hoping from his tone
Talon would know his Lord spoke to him and not his father. He noted Talon
wisely decided to keep quiet, even knowing what came next. “I will not need
everyone to go with me, but I will need everyone’s help for something else. We will
open the portal to Akgon. I can open it myself now, but you all will need to
know how to open it if I’m not around.”
 

  
Draakar understood what Talon
wanted to know and what he feared. He did not want to go through the portal
until he found his truemate. His father watched as Talon silently listened, so
he sent directly to him to ease his apprehension.
No Talon, you will not be returning with us.

    
Talon breathed an audible sigh of
relief.
Thank you, Father. Thank you, but
why?
 
Why did you change your mind?

    
Draakar turned to look at Maya and
squeezed her hand.
Because I know what
it’s like to be apart from your truemate. I’ve found mine. I have no choice but
to allow you to find yours. Besides, when Maya and I return to Akgon I will
need someone here to watch over things. You will stay here at Akgon castle, run
Akgon Enterprises and oversee the Earth brethren and the brethren of Akgon that
come looking for their mates.

    
Talon walked over to his father and
hugged him. “Thank you.”

    
When he turned away
to return to the edge of the circle with the others, Draakar stopped him.

     
“No stay.” He
linked his hand in Talon’s and Maya’s, and she linked her hand to Talon’s. The
three of them formed a circle within the Stones and combined their energies.
 
A slight sulfur scent carried within
the cavern just before a gray swirling mass formed in their center.

     
Sherri and Paul.
Draakar looked at them.
You will have to enter the circle to
enter the portal but do not break or touch the contact of our joined hands.
Enter between Talon and me; we will raise our hands to allow you through.

    
Sherri and Paul each picked up
their suitcases, and after nodding to each other they stepped under the raised
hands and entered the gray mass in the center. The sound of thunder filled the
cavern, then a flash of blinding light. Once the light blinked out, the cloud
disappeared, as had Sherri and Paul.

     
“Are they
through?” Maya asked.

     
“They’re
through,” Draakar replied. “Don’t worry, they’ll be fine. Meanwhile we have
portals to close. Now did everyone pay attention on how opening the portal was
done and the energy necessary to manipulate it?”

     
“Yes, Father. I
think we got it.” Talon grinned.

     
“Good. Closing
the portals will be a similar process.”

     
“Who will you
take with you, Draak?”
 
Ian asked.

     
Draakar smiled
at his First among Firsts, so far the only one to shorten his name. “Talon will
stay here. But I will take you, Darryl and Cass.” He turned to face James and
Robert. “You two will remain with Talon until we return.”

     
“But, Father,”
Talon interrupted, “what about my mate? How will I find her if I’m stuck here?”

     
Draakar sighed.
For a four-hundred-and-some-year-old brethren he looked and sounded like a
human teenager. He glanced over to see Maya grinning at him.

     
“You know she’s
not of age yet, Talon. When she is old enough you will be able to find her. For
now she is probably safest not being with us and drawing attention to herself.”

     
His acceptance
didn’t come immediately but finally he agreed. “All right. But I will find her,
Father.”

     
Draakar nodded
in agreement. No one told Talon they’d already seen her, leaving Draakar to let
him know. And Draakar still wasn’t sure what to do. But he’d decide before he
left if to tell him about the girl they’d seen at the airport or not. “You
will,” he said to his son. “Meanwhile, I think you had the right idea wanting
to study human ways. So go ahead and enroll in the university here. Make a
place for yourself in this world. With Akgon’s resources and your abilities,
you will do well here until it is time for you to return home with your mate.
It will take a little time for all of the knowledge Mother Earth has already
imparted to you to make sense. Robert and James can also be of great assistance
in helping you to adjust.”

     
“Sure,” James
said. “We’ll have a grand time.”

     
“That’s
correct, young Lord,” Robert replied.

     
“Okay. Cool,”
Talon said. “How soon will you guys leave and when should we expect you back?”

     
“We leave as
soon as Ian can get the jet fueled, and I’m not sure how long it will take. A
lot depends on the strength of the magicks of the portals.”

     
“Draakar,” Maya
said, “what about my parents? They’d probably want to come with us, but I’d
prefer my mother stay here and rest.”

  
“Yes, it’s the safest place for
them. I don’t want any of you leaving the parameters of the wards until we get
back and the portals are closed. The betrayer is still out there somewhere.”

     
“Don’t worry
so, we’ll be fine.” Talon hugged Maya. “I’ll take good care of your parents,
and you take good care of my father.”

     
“You know I
will.”

     
“And I’ll start
your mother’s training,” Talon offered.

      
Maya
smiled. “She’ll love that.”

T
he plane touched down in Massachusetts at Logan
airport, the first of three cities Draakar, Maya, and their Firsts had to visit
to look for the dimensional portals. A rental car awaited them at the curb as
they walked from the terminal.

     
The driver got
out and Ian palmed him a tip for his trouble. The brethren continued their
journey to Salem. There they hoped to find a long forgotten grave on Winter
Island, the gravesite a gateway to another world. After a short trip from the
airport to Salem, they arrived and Draakar had no trouble finding the marker of
power currents he sought.
 

     
This is the place,
Draakar sent as he
stopped before a mound of dirt facing the harbor.

     
The wind
buffeted them as they stood upon the cliff, and Maya pushed the hair away from
her face as she looked around. She could not locate a grave marker no matter
where she looked, only a swelling in the grass-covered ground in front of their
feet.

Understanding
dawned.
What? This pile of dirt? You’re
kidding?
she asked incredulously.

     
No, I’m not. Open your senses. Feel.

     
Maya closed her eyes and
reached out with her brethren senses.
My
God! You’re right. There’s something here. I can feel it. Like a gap, a kind of
break in the earth.

     
Yes.
Cass agreed.
I feel it, too.

     
They all glanced around.
They were not alone. This time of day a lot of tourist frequented the area.
Ah,
Darryl sent to them.
How are you going to go about this? Will
these people be able to notice anything when we shut this gate?

     
No. They will
only see us standing as we are now admiring the view. A few who are sensitive
to magicks may feel a slight twinge. No more than Maya’s father would feel, but
that’s all.

     
What if there’s someone near with
stronger brethren blood?
Maya sent.
Won’t
they be able to detect more?

     
If there were anyone near with that
much power, I would know. Come, we don’t have much time.

 
Okay,
what do you need us to do?
Maya asked.

     
I need everyone to stand around the mound
and clasp hands.

Although
not very large, the mound appeared just wide enough for all of them to stand
around it holding hands. Draakar drew on his powers, the powers of the brethren
and Mother Earth to seal the portal. Like a beating heart, the mound pulsated
as though the magicks of the connected realm were trying to fight against the
seal. But Draakar’s magicks and will being stronger set the seal firmly in
place.

     
The Dark Lord
opened his eyes and released Ian’s hand but maintained Maya’s.
This portal is now sealed, but we’re not
done. This one was easy, but let me warn you it is the weakest of the three
portals that must be closed. It only led to one other realm. The others wield
stronger magicks and will be much more difficult to close.

     
Draakar,
Darryl sent,
why seal the portals? How come we don’t
just cut the anchors holding them here?

    
If we cut the anchors, the portal is gone
forever. Also to cut the portal would require destroying a part of Earth
magicks that is also part of the anchor, perhaps harming Earth in ways we
cannot foresee. Besides, these portals were created for a reason, even if we no
longer remember, but Mother Earth allowed the anchors to be placed and we must
honor her wishes. The other reason is someday we may need these portals.
 
    

     
“Are we going
to stay the night here, Draakar?” Maya asked, trying to hide a yawn behind her
hand.

     
Draakar smiled
at her.
You’re tired
.

     
Maya returned a
weary smile to him. They were drawing on and using massive amounts of energy.
It had been a long trying last couple of days, but they could not rest, not
quite yet. “No. I’m sorry, beloved,” Draakar replied, placing a kiss on her
hair. “Let’s head back to the airport. We can sleep on the plane.”

     
They returned
to their car and as Ian got behind the wheel he asked, “What’s our next stop?”

     
“Egypt!” Cass
exclaimed.

     
“Yes. There is
a portal at the Temple of Isis on the island of Philae,” Draakar said.

     
“But I thought
Mother Earth said there was another portal here in the U.S.,” Maya replied.

     
“Correct, but
that one will take a lot of energy and I think it’s best we try to close it
last. It is another true gateway leading to many different worlds, much like
the Circle of Stones. It will hold considerable magicks and we will have to
meld with the power of the Stones as well as Mother Earth in order to seal it.”

     
“What about the
one in Egypt?” Cass asked. “Is it like the Stone portal, too?”

     
“Not quite.”

     
“What do you
mean, not quite?”
 
Maya asked
curiously.

     
“It is the
Temple of Isis. It leads directly to her realm and from there she can, if she
wishes, send you anywhere.”

     
“Oh my God!”
Maya cried. “You mean she’s…real?”

     
Draakar
laughed. “As real as dragons that once flew in these skies.”

  
   
“Have you ever met her?”

     
“Yes, just
before her ascension. That is one portal we will not have to close, but I must
warn her.”

     
“Ascension?”
Maya asked frowning. “What exactly do you mean?”

     
“Her mortal
body died, but her energy was reborn to stand watch over this portal.”

     
“So what the
Egyptians believed was true, about life after death?” Cass asked fascinated.

      
“In a
manner of speaking,” Draakar replied. “Long ago there were some humans who were
more sensitive to magicks, but who did not have brethren blood. Isis was one
such human, and Mother Earth granted her ascension to this other realm, but she
can never return to Earth because she would die here.”

     
“Are there
others like her?” Maya said. “Who have been allowed this ascension?”

     
“Very few. But
yes there are others, and some even populate this realm.”

     
“Wow,” Maya
said, at the same time wondering if heaven was where one ascended.

     
Draakar, ever
present in her thoughts, must have heard her silent query. “No Maya, it is not
heaven, not even close. But there are many things existing outside of the
Christian heaven and hell that are both part and apart of this realm. Think of
the temple as a gateway and Isis as one of the last of the gatekeepers.”

     
“But what or
who are they keeping out?” Darryl asked.

  
“There are many other worlds in
the universe and beings who inhabit them. Some of those beings are a danger to
Earth. If they were aware of this place, their only interest would be in
conquering the realm and subjugating its inhabitants.”

“Like the betrayer,” Maya said.

“Exactly. Mother Earth knows her children are still too young
to have to deal with these beings from other worlds and has taken steps to keep
them out. So until the time comes that her children are of age, she will do
everything in her power to protect them, including controlling access to and
the very knowledge of the portals. Frankly, there may never come a time when
the portals will be common knowledge.”

“But other than the brethren, are there others that have been
allowed access here?” Cass asked.

“None that I know of. Ancestral memories only show our need
was great and Mother Earth adopted the first brethren as her own. By using her
magicks, our ancestors were able to take human form.”

“Well,
why aren’t there gatekeepers at the portal we just sealed or back at the
castle?” Maya asked.

“There
is no gatekeeper here or the portal at the mist because they only lead to one
realm, and Mother Earth had no fear of the beings from those realms. The
brethren are the gatekeepers for the portal at the Stones. Although, the mist
may also be a sort of gatekeeper. The last place we’ll head to should’ve also
had a gatekeeper, but it doesn’t, not anymore. The people of the land were
supposed to stand guard over the portal. But they stopped believing a long time
ago, so there is no longer a gatekeeper.”

     
“Wow.” Darryl
grinned. “Well, Egypt here we come.”

They had been
constantly traveling for the last five days and the group sitting in the car on
its way to Window Rock, Arizona felt a unanimous relief to reach the last
portal they had to close.

     
Maya leaned against Draakar’s
shoulder. He rubbed his face against her hair, inhaling her unique fragrance.
She’d found the visit to Isis the most awe inspiring. He’d promised her one day
they would return and spend more time amongst the pyramids of Egypt and enjoy
the hospitality of the temple longer. Unfortunately, this trip, time mattered;
they had a silver dragon to stop and they had to return to Akgon. As the car
slowed down, Maya raised her head off Draakar’s shoulder to stare out the
window.

     
“Wow,” she
exclaimed.

     
Draakar glanced
over her shoulder. Before them lay another magnificent sight. A graceful red
stone arch rose up from the ground, but it didn’t look as though it belonged to
the earth.
 
It appeared rather like
a very large hole in a rock. Large enough for a dragon to fly through.
Nonetheless, it was a mystical place, timeless and ageless. It reminded him of
some of the men and women of the Navajo nation they’d seen as they passed
through the reservation. The arch stood on their land.
 
   

     
“Wow!” Cass
echoed Maya’s sentiment. “It’s beautiful.”

     
“Yes,” Ian
agreed. “But it’s really open and on display. How’re we going to do this?”

     
Even as he
spoke a freak storm rolled in. Out of nowhere lightning cracked across the sky
and thunder rumbled overhead. Thick gray clouds quickly hid the afternoon sun
as people ran for shelter before the rain released in torrents from the sky. In
the span of five minutes, the day went from brightly colorful to gray as sheets
of rain poured from the sky, obscuring everything around them.

     
Draakar stepped
out of the Jeep.
Come.

Maya and
his brethren followed him. Rain fell all around the group, but a waterproof
shield surrounded them. The water didn’t so much as slide over them, as it
never touched their bodies at all. Even their shoes never sank into the mud
puddling beneath their feet.

     
They walked to
the rocky path then climbed up the side of the rock into the center of the
hole.
 

     
Draakar looked
down at the ground and frowned.
Blood has
been spilt here, recently. And the place carries the stench of the silver
dragon. This is the realm to which the betrayer crossed.

The magicks of this place is
strong. Maya take my left hand, Cass on my right, and Darryl and Ian in-between
the women.
They joined hands as they had done before and Draakar called
up his powers, as well as the others. A multicolored glow surrounded them all.
Anyone watching the arch would have seen strange colorful lights flickering
through the storm in the center of the rock formation, but no one would venture
near to see what caused the bizarre occurrence. This was, after all, a mystical
place so maybe the lights were not so strange and none of their business.