Wesley
"How do you think I should do that?" Molly asked fifth time and we were barely out of the Apollo Victoria Theatre.
"I have no idea." I answered fifth time, knowing she would just continue with her monologue until she would reach another exciting detail of costumes or decorations. We've seen "Wicked" four times. Each time she would go home and recreate one of the characters and then cosplay them on her tiktok and Instagram for weeks, until she would grow restless and start bothering me to take her again. Apparently mom and dad had patronage of West End theatres low on their priority list, so I took her as often as I could bear accompanying her.
I followed Molly's monologue the best I could, because I saw the same play each time, and I dare say Glenda was hangover today. But she saw a completely different play every time, she got hooked by different details, seduced by different characters and ultimately, I felt, that seeing plays through her eyes added to my experience. It was like seeing hacking through mine... except, that Molly spoke a language, that a normal person could understand.
"Hi Wes!"
My heart stopped in my chest as we almost bumped into Kain. He was just there in the middle of the crowd leaving "Apollo Victoria" after afternoon show. Dressed like any guy, in sneakers, blue jeans and a shirt with "Wicked" logo lapel pin. It took my panicked mind a couple of terrifying minutes to catch up to, that only I knew what he was.
"Hi Kain." I stammered out when two women flanking him turned their heads and turned out to be Nettle and Mist!
Nettle jumped up with excitement when she spotted me.
"Wes! How good to see you!" She exclaimed.
"Hi." Said Mist. She looked like she had at least some suspicion about what I might be feeling seeing three dragons in the middle of my new, free life.
Molly watched the three strangers with curiosity.
"And who is the theatre expert?" Kain asked smiling at Molly and even though I knew this kid for years and fought to keep him safe, like any other in my and Riley's underground, I could strangle him on the spot for using this smile on my little sister.
"It's my sister Molly." I said hoping, that it would make him back off.
"We were going to grab some food at Sticks'n'Sushi, care to come?" Nettle interrupted as couple of people sent us annoyed glances for partly blocking the way out.
I wanted to decline, I really did. But I was hungry, and mom and dad were having an evening for themselves, so there would be no dinner waiting at home. I was supposed to feed Molly anyways. If I was to be completely honest, I wanted to hear news about Riley, and it was easier accomplished over a dinner than in the middle of milling crowd.
"Sure." I said.
"Then let's go people! I'm famished." Nettle shouted smiling happily.
"I love theatre myself. I'm mostly into acting. I'm taking foundation at RABA currently to see if I'm any good." Kain said with perfect mix of boasting, modesty, smugness and looking into Molly's eyes. Molly sat up straighter at that.
"Really?! I would love to study technical theatre and stage management! That is if I'm good enough." Molly mitigated herself and I was about to say, that of course she was good enough or would be, when her time comes, but I reminded myself, that we haven't come here to discuss Molly's future.
"Is Riley here with you?" I asked abandoning all pretence, as only Molly could fully read all the nuances of my interest and she was too dazzled by Kain to follow anything but what he was saying.
And just as expected, Kain completely ignored my question pulling Molly deeper into some nonsense drama discussion, while Nettle watched them fascinated over her empty plate.
Mist was apparently happy to finally be able to participate in conversation.
"No. He is back at Talon HQ. He and Ember have ended up together in the end it seems." She said with her usual unreadable expression, but I could imagine it wasn't making her happy.
This could be a perfect opportunity for rejected lovers heart-to-heart if I wasn't so tightly closeted.
But just as selfish thoughts subsided, another bad feeling twisted my insides. If Ember was with Riley... Where was Garret? Were there troubles underway? Was this three dragons of the apocalypse?
"How so? What about the soldier?" I asked not even trying to hide my unease.
"I'm not sure Wes." Mist lowered her voice. "Ember... changed. I haven't seen her for a while but Riley... She captured the four pregnant dragonells for Talon and when Riley confronted her about it, she simply said these eggs were Talon's now. Then she broke up with the soldier, which I found a good move as surprising as it was. The Order of St George requested reparations for damage they suffered during the Night of Fang and Fire and Riley went to monitor negotiations and they ended up together. I guess he tries to gain some influence on Ember this way." She shrugged and I had hard time to find out of anything among thoughts milling in my head. How could Mist talk so calmly about something that looked so bloody suspicious to me? Maybe only being a rogue for a couple of months wasn't enough for fine tuning of one's gut feeling.
"She holds the eggs captive? This doesn't sound good." I said slowly.
"No. I wanted to bust them out, but Riley said he'd rather handle this himself." Mist answered with a sigh.
Riley was with Ember after she turned on the breeders dragonells? This didn't make any sense. But on the other hand Talon was no longer my problem.
"Molly? It's getting late, let's go." I said instead of diving into the topic, that I was sure would upset me.
Molly pouted but quickly said her goodbyes and we left. Walking down the stairs to the underground I put my arm around her shoulder. I suddenly had this irrational urge to protect her.
"Tell me more about Kain." Molly said on the train startling me from my worries.
"What?" I asked.
"He seems so cool. He loves drama and wants to be an actor."
I could agree with the drama part at least...
"I told him about my sword and the armour I'm making and he wants to see them." Molly rattled on and I quickly raked my memory to unearth anything about Kain. But there wasn't much, he was just a hatchling, one of many...
I was sure he wouldn't be interested in my sister though. Molly was precious and sweet, but she was only fifteen and Kain looked like a teen movie star.
"I don't know him that well." I stalled.
"Oh, but is that okay that I ask mom to let him come by?" She asked and I was again powerless. I wouldn't tell bad lies about Kain and the only thing I had against him was that he was a bloody dragon!
"I don't know... He is a lot older than you." I tried the second-best thing I could come by.
"You mean he is a predator?" Molly asked me seriously and I didn't dare to ask where did she know this expression from. Kain definitely was a predator.
"No. Not like that. But he is an adult and you are a child. Don't you think mom will have something against such a... friend?" I answered.
"Not if you say good for him." Molly smiled sweetly and I felt that after dodging Talon for over a decade I've casually walked into a very primitive trap.
"I'm fine mom, really." I insisted setting the table for four as mom tasted the stew and fussed about my non existing love life and uncertain lonely future. Honestly I have tried to hang out with both my colleagues and at Dalston Superstore. My future would work itself out.
"One more, Kain is eating with us." Mom said and I sighed inwardly opening the drawer for additional plate. I might have not done enough to prevent dragons from re-entering my life. I might have missed them more, than I have ever thought possible.
"Are they out to see a play again?" I asked.
"No, they went for a stroll. With your sword and Molly's festival armour." Dad said emptying dishwasher.
To his credit Kain was okay. He came by no more than twice a week and left too soon rather than too late.
He and Molly disappeared into their world of impressions and costumes, but not to an extent that would bother mom or dad. Alongside some of Molly's friends from dancing lessons, they made the apartment into a backstage of a very poorly managed theatre on one weekend with both my parents assisting and encouraging them.
Kain had amazing people skills, when he wanted to and both my parents liked him already. Maybe the idea of an acting career wasn't completely off.
The front doors opened and soon we were joined by Kain and Molly both blushing and smiling. Kain carried a props sword, that I have gifted to Molly when she had this idea of a Valkyrie cosplay. He held it in a very convincing way, if I could judge from all the fake sword fights, I've seen in the movies and plays. Molly dumped her armour in the hall.
"Got some good pictures?" Dad asked them.
"Yes, amazing!" Molly exclaimed with shining eyes and they bowed over her phone to admire.
Kain edged towards me, when mom said.
"You can talk later, lets eat."
"Mom, may I watch telly at Wes?" Molly asked as soon as Kain was out the door after a cheerful dinner, much of which passed on my mom and Molly drooling over pictures of him brandishing Molly's sword in different positions.
"But not till late?" Was moms default answer. I groaned inwardly anticipating an evening of hearing exaltations about Kain's good looks and talent.
At my place instead of dumping her carcass on the sofa and switching on the TV, Molly cornered me as soon as we entered my small apartment.
She was flushed with more than climbing the stairs. Her eyes shone and were open wide when she said.
"I know Wes."
"What?" I asked.
"I know about dragons." She almost whispered and then giggled, when blood in my veins froze to ice. I closed the doors feeling strangely numb as she continued in low voice, clearly barely able to hold back her excitement.
"We went for a walk to take pictures and such. And he told me everything about Riley and himself being dragons. About Talon and the Order of St George..."
"Kain is full of shite!" I interrupted her.
"This is horseshit and you should know better than to believe that." I said cursing the day she's met Kain, no the day we stole him for Talon, no, actually the day he was hatched.
Molly's face sank and she looked at me with hurt expression.
"Don't lie to me Wesley. He showed me."
"He showed you?!" I exclaimed shock and anger getting the better of me. "He showed you what exactly?" I was going to kill Kain, there was no other way!
Molly was close to tears, I needed to think! I needed to know what happened and finding out would give me some time to think.
"I'm sorry. Just tell me what happened." I said patting her arm gently as I sat down on the sofa and pulled her down to sit beside me.
Molly turned to me and started without former enthusiasm.
"I asked Kain to pick me up after school and we went to Woodland Gardens for a walk. I told him about this play idea I had with a lady warrior slaying a dragon." I should have foreseen something like this would happen with them both fools loving plays and theatre more than their own lives apparently.
"He was interested but didn't like the part about slaying the dragon, so we've changed it. And then we played the scene. I was a virtuous virgin and I slew the knight, who wanted to kill the dragon. Kain was the knight and then as he lay there in the grass, I kissed him and he changed into a dragon."
"I'm so going to kill him." I couldn't stop myself.
"Sorry." I mitigated myself.
"What happened then? You were terrified and ran home of course." I prompted her.
"No. I sat down on the grass and he laid his head on my thighs and we talked. He told me that he is a dragon and so is Riley, Nettle and Mist. That you were kidnapped by their organization called Talon and escaped and then helped him to escape."
I was having a bloody heart attack!
"Then he invited me to mount him and we flew alongside Longford River and to the fountain. Then he shifted back and walked me home." Molly finished grumpily.
"Somebody must have seen you!" I said incredulous.
"Kain said he can magically shield us from sight when in dragon form." Molly said.
"Well I've lived with dragons all my life and have never heard about such a thing!" I was angry. This was a disaster. Talon have ruined my life and now they will also have Molly. Mom...
"Oh my god! Wes you are crying?!" I heard Molly's horrified voice and noticed that indeed beside pain in my chest, my eyes were stinging and my nose was running. Molly produced a tissue and I accepted it and wiped my nose. I decided to play to her pity if she wasn't afraid.
"This is just so dangerous. Molly I don't know what to do. This knowledge can be your death!" I started wanting to scare her.
"But Kain said both Talon and the Order were defeated now." She said pleading.
"Yes, they were. But you never know with immortals and we are like roaches to them. Our short lives expendable. Our feelings inconsequential." I talked slowly battling the rage in me. Rage at this intrusion. I put my arms around Molly and hugged her tightly.
"You are wonderful and smart and special. You are too important to me and mom and dad to put yourself in danger like that." I said to her and felt her hugging me back.
"I'm sorry Wes." She whispered.
"Why did you let him befriend me?" She asked me after a while.
"Was this so that the two of you would play a comedy and pretend in front of me forever?"
I sighed.
"I don't know. You were just playing theatre. I thought it would pass... He needs to move on at some point and that would have been this…" I didn't know why I let her befriend Kain. I only knew, that I was suddenly very scared.
And that Kain would hear from me for that.
"Still wanna watch TV?" I asked Molly.
She shook her head.
"I better go to home. Have things to think through." She said slowly.
"Fine, let's go." I had things to think about too.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" I shouted at Kain barging into a small suite next morning. Blighters were never home in the evenings so I spent a sleepless night considering all the cruel ways I would torture Kain.
Nettle answered the doors wearing white pyjamas. She let me in and after hearing that I wanted to talk to Kain, excused herself to go out of the room, and back to bed, was my guess.
Kain was just getting up from a futon in what was tiny sitting room. But he recovered quickly and stood up to face me wrapping a comforter around himself.
"What do you mean?" He asked calmly squaring his shoulders and sending me an impassive look of his black eyes. I was suddenly hit by realisation of how bloody good looking he was, and this made me even more pissed off.
"You know bloody well what I mean! Why did you tell Molly about dragons?" I shouted at him.
"Easy Wes, you're about to tell the whole quarter." Nettle said re-entering the room still in her PJs.
The other doors opened, and tousled Mist appeared wearing a scandalous red negligee.
"What is this ruckus?" She asked sleepily.
"Kain told my sister about dragons, Talon and the Order and then he shifted, asked her to mount him and gave her a ride in a park!" I told her not taking my eyes off Kain all the time. Bastard had audacity to laugh. Nettle gasped and Mist turned to Kain.
"Damn it Kain. What did you do that for?" She asked him irritation creasing her beautiful face.
"I felt a connection with her and thought, that she could be a rider. She won't tell anybody." Kain answered defensively and all I could be sure of was, that these were indeed all words.
"We are not to look for riders man." Nettle said and Kain shot her an angry look.
"And who has decided that?" He retorted.
"Anybody is going to tell me what is going on?" I asked lamely.
"Okay, but we better sit down." Nettle said and she and Mist folded the futon while Kain went to one of the other rooms and returned wearing dark blue sweatpants.
I sat down on one of the chairs and Kain made four cups of tea and placed one close to me on the coffee table. Finally, the trio sat down in front of me on the futon.
"So we've met this very old dragon..." Nettle started.
I sat stunned. This couldn't be true. And yet it somehow made perfect sense. Why else haven't dragons just taken over the world with fire?
So dragon's magic was way more powerful, than what Talon thought them, but because it broke the laws of this world using it was risky. Unlucky dragon could find themselves locked out of their familiar timeline or the world itself. Unless they had a rider, a human, often a... gifted one, who knew what they were and still loved them, giving them an invitation to this world by one of its own... Knew and loved. Suddenly I felt strangely happy and scared and confused all at once.
But it didn't change much about my sister.
"So you think my sister is special? She is not. Not like that! She doesn't have magic. She will just fall in love with you, if she hasn't already, and get hurt when you remain cold and unfeeling..."
Kain snorted, leaned forward and looked me deep in the eye.
"And who says I am cold and unfeeling? That I would hurt her? Are you sure you are talking about your sister?" He said and I almost lost breath. Molly have told him!
Sudden embarrassment made this unbearable for me. I couldn't answer Kain and I didn't want to see if the others knew what he was talking about. So I just stood up and left. I went towards underground station tormented by sudden uncertainty and feelings that I have repressed for such a long time, that I couldn't bare a risk of them being suddenly dragged into daylight by some snotty hatchling. Was I Riley's rider? Was this, what this all was about? I wanted to know more about it, and at the same time I didn't. Kain was not only toying with my sister, he meant to keep her too... If she wanted him to. And mom and dad wouldn't help unless I told them the truth… Which I wouldn't.
I needed to think… and more information.