Intaglio: Dragons All The Way Down

Also by Danika Stone:

Intaglio: The Snake and the Coins
(Volume 1)

Tathagata

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Intaglio: Dragons All
The Way Down

by
Danika Stone

Copyright, Legal Notice and Disclaimer:

This
book is dedicated to my two favourite DLs in the world.

:
: : : : : : : : :

To
D: for inspiring and assisting in the creation of this novel.

To
Deena: for being a ‘super golden’ friend, and the best sort of editor.

:
: : : : : : : : :

You
are BOTH the reason this happened.

The meadow in
which we did meet,

oh tiny
infinity, we give back.

But this love,
Love, has had no end,

and so, as it
had no birth,

it has no death.
It is like a long river

that changes
only its shores and its banks.

Pablo Neruda

 (selection from
Love Sonnet 92,Translation by Terence Clarke)

In the aftermath
of the explosive New Year’s fight that had nearly destroyed their relationship,
things between Ava and Cole had settled into a new balance.  The altered
equilibrium had its own challenges, but their time together held a promise of
more… things once static, now pushed into motion.  Sometimes, Ava believed it
was because of her father’s acceptance of their relationship.  Oliver asked
about Cole and Chim in the same breath now.  Other times, she believed it was
because they’d survived a fuck-up where both of them had been involved.  The
recovery from the turmoil that seemed almost too good to believe.  On rare
occasions, Ava mused if it was because they were planning their first trip back
to Cole’s parents after the first visit's trial by fire.  No matter the reason,
things had shifted, the two of them drifting into new territory; one where the
foundation was built on stone rather than sand. 

They were
settled together now.  No questions asked.

Today was the
day before the Spring semester began and the four of them – Cole, Chim, Suzanne
and Ava – were downtown in the street-side shops frequented by the university
crowd.  Ava needed some new clothes before classes began.  She’d destroyed her
last good pair of jeans in the New Year’s Eve painting session and needed a
business outfit as well.  The Director of the National Gallery had invited her
to attend a visioning meeting later that Spring.  The graffiti show scheduled
for the following summer was quickly moving into the realm of reality. 

Ava had nothing
appropriate to wear.

Suzanne offered
to go with Ava while Cole and Chim wandered off together to check out the
hardware store.  As every art student knew, there was always opportunity to
pick up cheap art supplies there.  Ava was glad Chim had suggested it.  There
had been a stiffness between Marcus and Cole since the events of New Year’s. 
Ava knew Chim tended to be overly protective of her... and while she loved that
aspect of his character most times, it bothered her to see her oldest friend
holding out on Cole.  The two men left the store arguing over the inherent
value of art versus art as an agent of change, laughter audible long after the door
banged shut. 

Two hours later,
Ava and Suzanne were in one of the larger consignment shops, looking for Ava’s
meeting-wear.  The Director had assured her everything was set, but she still
needed to attend the meeting and present her portfolio.  The entire Board and
the show's curator would be there; high heels and a dress seemed like a small
fee to pay for being taken seriously.  While Ava and Suzanne pulled dresses off
the rack, someone called out to her from the men’s section.

“Oh, for god’s
sake,” Suzanne groaned.  “It’s Kip Fucking Chambers.”

Ava turned in
surprise.  Suzanne had a very Chim expression on her face right now; her
nostrils  were flared, lips pursed.  She looked like a pit bull about to
attack.

“Be nice,
Suzanne,” Ava hissed.  “He’s alright.  Just being friendly.”

Suzanne’s hand
snaked out, wrapping painfully around her wrist. Ava’s eyes widened.

“Don’t be
stupid,” she warned, “anyone who looks at you the way that guy looks at you is
NOT trying to be your friend.”

Ava tugged her
hand away, turning back as Kip neared.  She was suddenly aware of all the
unconscious details suggesting Suzanne was right.  Kip was smiling, for one,
but his eyes were on Ava alone.   There was something about the way he ignored
everything else around him, moving around people and objects as if caught in an
undertow that had Ava’s nervousness re-emerging.

“No...” Ava said
slowly, shifting guiltily.  “He’s just like that.  Kip’s used to getting his
own way.  He’s famous.” 

She wondered if
her words sounded as lame to Suzanne as they did to her.  The answer came half
a second later as her friend spun on her.

“Are you trying
to fuck things up with Cole on purpose?!” she snapped.

Ava stepped back
in shock. 

“N-no,” she
answered shakily, lifting her chin.  “I’m not.”  Then again, more forcefully. 
“Honestly, Sue, I’m NOT!”

Suzanne sneered.

“Glad to hear
it... because Cole deserves better than that.”

She had no time
to respond as Kip arrived.  Suzanne muttered something that sounded like
‘asshole’
before pasting on a fake smile and sticking out her hand.

“Why, Mr.
Chambers,” she drawled.  “To what do we owe the honour of your company?”

Ava elbowed her
but Kip just laughed.  He reached out, shaking Suzanne’s hand quickly before
positioning himself nearer to Ava than needed.

“Nothing
special.  Just saw you guys, and uh... thought I’d come over and say hi.”

Suzanne made a
rude noise in the back of her throat, and Ava took a step away from Kip. 
Without seeming to notice, he mirrored her movement.  Apprehension rose under
Ava’s skin. 

This
wasn’t
helping the situation.

“So what’re you
guys up to today?” Kip asked, shoving his hands in his pockets and grinning. 

“Shopping, as
you can see.” Suzanne said dryly.  She looked like she was about to throw a
punch or a Molotov cocktail under a bus.

“Yes, shopping,”
Ava added, falsely bright.  “I have a meeting and needed to pick up some
clothes.  So how about you?” she asked, her words tumbling faster and faster. 
“You here shopping with Raya?  This store seems very… her.”

Ava glanced over
to Suzanne
.  ‘That’s right, Suzanne, Kip has a girlfriend – ha!  Score one
point...’

“No... no...” he
muttered, dropping his eyes in embarrassment, “Raya headed back to her place on
the Coast a few days early.  I have a show coming up in Japan this summer, and
I’ll be moving on after that, although I’ll be coming back in the summer, of
course, for the film.”

“And you didn’t
go with Raya?”  Suzanne taunted.  “That’s interesting.”  Ava glared at her. 

Kip laughed,
boyishly ducking his chin.

“Raya and me, we
kind of do our own thing.  She wanted to visit her folks. I thought I'd party a
bit here.”  His voice dropped slightly.  “Hang out with friends.”

His eyes were on
Ava again: scrutinizing her.  The whole conversation was making her increasingly
edgy.

“Cool… that uh…
that sounds fun,” Ava answered, aware of how trite it sounded.  “Well, when you
see Raya, thank her for the cheque.  It was really generous to hold up her side
of the agreement.”

“Sorry, thank
her for what?”  Kip asked.

“The cheque,”
Ava answered.  When he didn’t respond, she added, “you know, given that I
hadn’t actually done any of the work for the film.”

Kip’s expression
shifted like dark clouds coming in from the horizon.

“You’re not
gonna be part of the film at all now?” he asked curtly.