Dragon Frost (42 page)

Silence
draws between my words and him after some time he answers, “No.”
About time. “I . . . I . . . I think you need to go home.” He
doesn’t meet my gaze and strains his gaze on the far wall. The same
as before when I entered. “Just to be on the safe–”

“
Don’t!”
I cut him off. “I understand, I may have contracted some disease
and will die from an infection but think genius, Nerelda doesn’t
exactly have the eyes of the universe now does she and even if I
want to go home . . . right now I’m actually considering it but we
can’t speak to her.” His eyes are gentle and they drift to the door
behind me, a smile pulls at his lips. I’m confused by the action
and turn behind me. There stands Nerelda.

“
Miss
me?” she asks and I nod.

“
Of
course . . . always.” I say, the false smoothing of my voice comes
out naturally. I shield my mind before
thinking, 
what a way to lie.

“
How much
longer?” I ask the short silver haired woman as she places a
scanner over my arm. It blinks several times before a beep occurs
indicating it’s done gathering information.

“
We
done.” I glance at her wary, unsure if I want the results or not,
still I need to know. Since I’ve returned to Nephelia—the home of
the Nefaliem—I’ve been undergoing rigorous test after test, it’s
been now a whole day and they’ve tested things from my blood, to my
skin, nerves, muscles, energy levels and downstairs . . . that was
slightly awkward on my part. I never thought I’ll have a woman down
there swiping away but it was necessary I tell myself. The cool
steel bench, stings my naked limbs.

I had to remove
my scales.

She turns
to her clip board and moves to the tabloid across from me, sitting
comfortably upon a very clean sterling silver table. Sweeping it up
in one go she begins to browse for a few moments, after several
seconds which felt like hours, she finally decides to speak. “Do
you want the good news or the bad news?” she asks. I take a deep
breath, to calm my hammering heart, before saying.

“
Surprise
me.”

This
time, I take another deeper breath than the last, knowing the
previous didn’t help me. She looks at me with a gleaming smile and
I can’t help but feel slightly confused by her reaction. “The bad
news is, you’ll be required to stay here. Until you have completely
healed.” I go to protest and she holds up her hand and I hold my
tongue. “The first good news is, you won’t be alone and Captain
Ismach will want to discuss your recent adventure I’m sure. You
don’t have to tell him anything you don’t want to. No one does and
the second is your body is sitting at seven-five per cent
completion, your power center sitting at sixty you should return
back to normal in no time.”

“
So I’m
not powerless?” I ask, her eyes widen as she registers the hidden
meaning behind my words: “can I never return to the
battlefield?”

“
No, Lord
no. I’m sure Nefaliem can’t lose their powers in a coma. We’ll not
that I’ve seen anyway and you’re blood test results do confirm that
as well as the ‘Sycron’ scan.” After I’ve managed to scan my
prescriptions, my medication was placed in my utility belt. I don’t
understand how it could have happened but it did and does though
I’m still trying to keep my head clear which is an improbable task
at the moment. I have to stay on Nephelia—I could always give my
newly formed fetus to Tylif and head back to Zylaria though, what
good will it do if I die.

I slouch
on the couch, my mind shifts through the daunting and suppressing
thoughts which seem to be the thing to get me down at the moment. I
can’t seem to understand how things had turned out this way but at
the same time I know how but I refuse to accept I was negligent and
I’ve been punished because of it. I stare at the blue clear sky I
can see through the floor to ceiling glass window, the clouds shift
as slowly as I stare at one single point, after some time of
staring I feel the world moving under me and I realise than I need
to get a move on with things. I pull my mind from the natural
wonder and stand. “There she is!” A familiar voice peers happily. I
glance up.

Mackona stands
with his arms wide open.

I’m in
hysterics, I jump into his arms without a moments’ hesitation and
eventually pull from him. “What are you doing here? I thought you
were in Moolon.” I say. He laughs and hugs me once more and I
eagerly indulge in his arms. Mackona has been my friend for as long
as I can remember, on the first day of my new school on this world,
I remember the stony blue eyes and silver heads of the students who
turned to me with an impassive yet scrutinizing gaze. It was
unnerving, their presence only made the hair on my Idol form rise,
at the time I was sure that I was human because even in the Virtual
Arena we had to fight monsters using our powers and I at the time
as a human had difficulty.

“
She’s 
no
 warrior.” snickered on of my classmates, loud enough,
that she hoped to hurt me. “But a 
weakling
.”

“
Maybe
you should go back to your own world, human!” called a boy, lanky
and tall. He was a complete bully and aimed each day to make my
life living hell.

We had
spent hours together and he helped me relax. He helped me to forget
about the stress of telling a man who would rather spend his time
with women than with children. I honestly don’t see him as a
father. “When are you going to tell him?” he asks.

“
I don’t
know?” I admit almost scared, somewhat wary of the future. He wraps
his arm around me and I lean in.

“
Fine let
me ask you this . . . do you trust him?” he inquires. I nod, unable
to speak instead, I stare out at over the deep blue ocean. The
bright blue sky and fluffy clouds only complement the tranquil day.
We may be at war but we refuse to allow any battles on our world.
This is our home. This is our sanctuary and I’ll be damned if I
allowed some pesky demons to do me some harm.

“
Ahem . .
. ” a voice breaks through and I freeze. I know that voice and
immediately, I push myself from Mo and glance at Altair who’s
glaring at Mo with icy daggers.

“
Lord
Altair,” begins Mo. “How is everything? Are you enjoying being off
the front-lines? You should tell me all about your adventures some
time.”

Altair
continues to glare with his arms crossed over his shoulders.

“
May I
borrow Kalverya?” he asks and I stiffen. That tone is colder than
his eyes and I feel it tickling my spin making me internally
shudder. The effect this man can have on me at times is illogical.
“Kal.” he says and holds out his hand. I stand and weave around the
bench, I place my hand in Altair’s and we turn and leave. I peek
over my shoulder once more at Mo and he just shrugs an apologetic
shrug and I attempt to force a smile that I didn’t feel it may have
come out halfheartedly.

I glance
down at the pavement before us and take in the detail of the
silver-white mosaic design, our feet are silent and the grass is
ever green and well-trimmed. I only than realise that Altair has
threaded my arm through his and has clasped my hand under his on
his forearm. I try not to yank out my arm but it’s difficult—we’ve
never walked like this, before. I try not to say anything because
it may come out cruel. I shield my mind and think, why do I always
have to be the good guy? I bite my bottom lip to keep my mouth from
repeating my thoughts.

“
What’s
wrong?” his voice is like velvet to my ears and I fight the
impending chances of my heart skipping a bit. I glance at him with
confusion.

“
What
makes you think something’s wrong?” I ask.

“
Easy.
You’re never this quiet when you’re okay.” I scowl at him but his
eyes seem to flicker deeper blue shade and I can’t help but stare
at him. I can’t lie to him I know that much and on top of which I
don’t want to.

“
My
powers are returning.” I confess, half the truth. I want to ask him
if he’ll come with me or maybe Dante or maybe I’ll have to go
alone.

“
That’s
great.” he says. I don’t look at him.

“
And I
should be allowed back onto the front-lines soon.” His eyes go
dark. Instead I whisper, “There’s something I need to talk to you
about.” I say in reference to the plan that’s forming in my mind,
slowly but carefully—I need to return to Zylaria, Mo knows this
much but he and I both know Altair, Dante and my grandmother won’t
like it. His eyes flicker with confusion and uncertainty for a
moment and I believe I saw a glaze of fear sweep across his deep
blue alluring eyes. I glance down at our hands. “I’m not sure when
the right time is, though . . . ”—I want to know you won’t run
away— “this is really important.”

“
How can
it possibly be that important?” I glare at him once more. “What?” I
slip my hand from his and walk on ahead. I enter the veranda and
glance back over my shoulder and see him walking towards me with a
confused gesture, his expression is the reflection of his
gesticulation.

“
It’
can’t be that important, right?” he suggests and I snap.

“
How can
you possibly know if you never even considered it?” I growl. He can
be an absolute idiot at times, I turn my heel and march inside the
large silver palace, guards are stationed on either side of the
archway and they stiffen as I glide by or rather stalk by as I hear
a voice that sends chills down my spine every time.

“
Don’t
you 
dare
 slouch!” she growls. I turn to the source of the
voice and my hunch is confirmed. The lady of Cordial, it’s all
familiar her eyes, deep claws and sharp teeth identify her as
non-other than; Madam Rougé. She storms towards me, “How many times
have I told you? You’re a lady and a woman, it won’t do your
children any good should you slouch!” I have yet to understand what
she means by that, Nefaliem children are handed to Tylif to grow
from a fetus to a mockery of a third-trimester. I force my back up
straight which I didn’t realise hunched over so much in my raging
mode. I glance over my shoulder and see Altair striding towards
me.

“
Will you
slow down!” he demands once he’s beside me.

“
Why
would I need to? You can catch me at any time you please!” I snap
with my arms crossing over my body once I’ve turned to face him. My
mood still flares and I can see that he too refuses to back
down. 
’You are such a frustrating man!’
 I growl and he grinds he’s teeth.

‘
Why are you so worked up?’
 The sound of clapping occurs beside us. So
close that I feel my ears were going to pop, realizing that I
wasn’t the only one as well that seems to have been affected by the
strong clapping of Madam Rougé. Though I really wish she would keep
things to a minimum especially when it comes to catching our
sensitive senses. I don’t mind but she can at least try and keep
from intentionally dulling our sensitive hearing.

“
Enough
you two! Even though you think you’re having a private
conversation. It’s far from it.” I stare at her confused and glance
back at Altair who also has an expression of confusion and
misunderstanding wrapped across his features. I don’t blame him but
I glance back at Madam Rougé as her icy blue eyes pierce our form.
I refuse to fall victim to a woman who seems to have caused so much
trouble in a small about of time. “What is going on this time?” she
demands with her hands upon her curvaceous hips, the blue fleecy
material lined in silver, covers her scales from her V neckline
down to the ground where the gown trails behind her like all women
of aristocracy.

“
It’s not
my fault!” growls Altair, “she’s chucking a tantrum!” He casually
gestures at me. I spin around, to face him once more.

“
What?
I’m chucking a tantrum.” I glare and grind my teeth. I’m forced way
from Altair and Madam Rougé moves to stand firmly between us.
Determined to keep us from trying to rip each other’s throats out
not that I blame her instead, I glare.

“
You two
have finally come home. This should be a time for celebration not
conflict.”

“
But—“ I
begin.

“
No.” She
firmly drags her finger across the air before pointing it at me,
sternly. “I don’t want to hear it, the Queen will be here soon and
you two will not act like children in front of her.”

There’s
silence.

I peek at
Altair and see he’s slightly deflated and a bit frustrated, the
murkiness in his eyes is not hard to miss.

“
Well I’m
not at all impressed,” came a dominating and reserved voice I knew
for as long as I can remember. I glance down the hall there stands
the Queen, immediately we straighten up and bow with a slight
curtsy with our hands over our hearts. It didn’t matter if you were
a man or a woman. The requirement to respect a Queen is someone
that can never be disregarded otherwise, it’s considered to be one
disrespectful to a being stronger than us all and two, it’s just
not acceptable. After all, when there are problems that the
ordinary military of our world can’t handle, it’s the royal family
that has to step up in order to preserve its race. “Now, now . . .
we’re all friends here,” says my grandmother.