The Story continues! Picks up at the end of Dragon Heir ~ Spoilers contained if you haven't finished the series. Please Read and Review!
"Jack! Hurry up! You're going to miss your flight!"
The bellowing voice of Jack's mother, Becka, rose up the stairs where Jack was, at this moment, trying to tear himself away from his beloved Shadowslayer – at least for the flight anyway. Her voice shook him from his absorption and he grabbed his bag and Shadowslayer's case and ran down the stairs, taking them two at a time.
"I'm coming, mom," Jack called.
He slowed as he reached the kitchen and saw more faces than he expected.
At the sight of Ellen, his face relaxed into a smile. More now than ever, her presence in his life was sweet and strengthening, like breathing. After almost losing her in the Siege of Trinity, Jack took the time to memorize her features every time he looked at her. Her short brown hair had grown a bit over the summer and her skin was glowing with tan. The angry red lines of scars across her arms and chest had dimmed a bit and were nearly hidden now. She held herself tall and straight, proudly, though, when she moved he noticed she held her arms stiffly at her sides – her ribs must still pain her.
As he was dissecting her every movement, he heard someone clear his throat, and he looked up.
Next to Ellen stood Seph, one eyebrow raised as if to say, "she's OK lover-boy, now stop staring!" Jack almost laughed. Once he had looked on Seph with suspicion, but throughout the course of last year, that suspicion had faded into respect. But the Seph he knew had been remade since the Lady had healed him and since the end of the siege had given him leave to spend time with Madison down in Coalton County. Instead of brooding and dangerous, Seph now practically radiated happiness and ease. As Jack looked, Madison bounded into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around Seph, planting a firm kiss on his cheek.
Since becoming the Dragon Heir, Madison, too, had been remade. She felt a lightness that she'd never felt before, optimistic in a way she'd never been. She no longer felt her past as an anchor, restraining her, restricting her to that role of small town girl. She now felt that her life could be whatever she wanted. She'd found summer camps for her brother and her sister, not wanting to leave them with her mother while she was out of the country. They'd gone happily, anxious to leave the mountain. It had helped that they had been horseback riding camps.
Her relationship with Seph had changed too. Though the Lady had revealed their true feelings to each other, the two had taken a little time afterward to really understand what loving each other might mean. Seph's legendary patience won her over and she found herself loosening up on trying to shoulder the whole world herself. Neither of them could remember a time they were so happy or had such a good friend.
Her cheeks blushed when she looked up to find everyone looking at her. Trying to diffuse the tension, she said, "Well now, Jack's finally up," she winked at him, "Guess we're ready to go then."
They all grunted in approval and headed out to the car. Trailing the group, Jack took a private moment to say Hi to Ellen. "How're you feeling?" he said softly, pulling her close to him.
Annoyance contorted her face. She hated being taken care of and Jack had been annoying attentive to her every move since the battle. "I'm fine," she said. "You know, why don't you and I skip the trip to the Ghyll and go at with Waymaker and Shadowslayer? I'll prove to you that I can kick your butt any day!"
Jack smiled a small smile before wrapping his strong hand behind Ellen's head and kissing her firmly. Breaking the kiss, pulling inches away from her lips, Jack formed a crooked smile, "Any day," he said. And the kissing turned into a surreptitious punching match all the way to the airport.
Outside the airport they met up with Will Childers and Harmon Fitch, bags in hand. Will, looking very much like a clean-cut lineman, and Fitch, looking like an urban guerilla in bright orange camo, waved as the car pulled up and the assorted heirs piled out.
"Off to the Ghyll," Fitch crowed, smiling, "I've gotta say, I can't help but think it's gotta go better than the last time we were there, eh Will?"
Will laughed, but Jack swallowed. He didn't particularly like to dwell on the thoughts of the last time he'd been at Raven's Ghyll, now Dragon's Ghyll. While the ending was good, it still wasn't memories he cared to relive.
Seph spoke up, "Don't worry guys, the Ghyll is under new management, shall we say." He laughed. "Hastings- I mean, my dad, said that the place is amazing, full of hidden passageways, jewels and sefas that are hundreds, if not thousands of years old, and beautiful grounds." He looked at Madison for this last part. "I hope you brought your pastels," he added playfully.
She smiled, "You did promise to sit for me some more. I'll bet Sara, my art teacher, would love some new landscapes and portraits."
Seph heaved a huge fake sigh, pretending to tire of sitting for Madison, when, in fact, he loved any and every second he spent with her. Plus, after he sat for her, they always took time to go exploring the woods, or curl up in the sun.
The six travelers poured into the airport, ready for a new adventure with hopefully a great deal less danger than they were used to. It was the summer before they all went their separate ways for college, and they'd decided to spend a chunk of it in Europe, catching up with Linda and Hastings in Dragon's Ghyll castle.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, someone else had other plans for the summer.
Duh Duh Duh!!! More to follow!