Once she let them start, the tears came hot and fast. Her body shook with sobs. She was glad her brother couldn't see her grief. He would have laughed over her tears. But she didn't want to think about her brother. That just made itworse. More tears flowed.
"Don't cry," a kind voice said behind her.
Kendra rose and whirled, wiping tears from her wet cheeks, and found herself staring into the eyes of a dragon. Legs numb, she backed away. It was the smallest dragon she had seen yet, with a body the size of a large horse, although the long neck and tail added greatly to its length. Its gleaming armor of silvery white scales reflected a glimmering rainbow sheen, and the head was bright as polished chrome. Overall, the dragon had a lean, sleek build, as if designed for speed. Strangely, Kendra realized that she felt none of the paralysis she had experienced when confronted by other dragons.
"Don't worry," the dragon said. "I won't eat you." He had a male voice, somewhat like a confident teenager, but the words came out richer and fuller than any human could have managed.
"I don't feel scared," Kendra said.
"I've never inspired much terror," the dragon replied, almost sadly. "I'm glad you're not afraid."
"I mean, I don't feel paralyzed like with some dragons," Kendra explained, not wanting to belittle him. "I'm plenty startled. I'm sure you could rip me to shreds if you wanted."
"I mean you no harm. You shine like a fairy. More than a fairy, to be accurate. And more than a fairy friend. I've actually been looking for a chance to meet you."
"What?"
"You've been surrounded by other people." The dragon swung his head away. Was he shy? That was actually kinda cute. She was wondering how his human avatar looks. Stop, it's not time for this. Gavin is in danger and Seth...ughh everyone are. "You caught my eye right when you entered Wyrmroost. I've followed you from Blackwell Keep."
Kendra scrunched her brow. "You're a little too shiny to blend in much. How did we miss you?"
Suddenly the dragon was gone, as if he had been wiped from existence. Then he was back. "I can go nearly invisible."
"Wow. That would explain it. That makes you perfect stalker by the way."
"O god, I've never thought about this that way. It's creepy actually." He chuckled."Luckily, I have a few talents besides being a runt."
"You'll grow."
"Will I? Hasn't been going very well the past several centuries."
"Centuries?" Kendra said. "You're not young?"
"I'm a full-grown adult," the dragon said with an edge of bitterness. "Dragons never completely stop growing, but the process slows down as you get old, and I'm well past the age when it slows down. But enough about me. You were crying."
"I'm having a bad day," Kendra said.
"I saw. The griffins carried off your friends."
"One of them was my brother."
"Seth, right? I've been eavesdropping a little. I'm Raxtus, by the way."
"Nice to meet you." Kendra glanced up at the walls of the gorge. "I'm trying to get out of here, but it looks like I'm boxed in."
"You really are," Raxtus agreed. "Only winged creatures can access this box canyon. If you head the other way, you'll hit a huge drop-off, the top of a cliff. There is no way to climb down. A stream used to cut through here. Sometimes it comes back and makes pretty waterfalls, but mostly the water runs a different way now."
"So I'm trapped."
"You would be trapped, yes, but I have wings. I could carry you, no problem."
"Really?" Kendra said.
"Where are you going? You guys always speak low when you discuss your plans. Not a bad idea, by the way. But bad for eavesdropping."
The dragon seemed nice, and he was clearly her only hope. Would he object to taking her to the fairy shrine? Only one way to find out. "The Fairy Queen has a shrine here," Kendra said.
"I knew it!" the dragon exclaimed. "You're fairykind, aren't you? I could tell. Well, I thought I could tell. I wasn't a hundred percent sure, but I would have bet on it. Too bad I didn't."
Kendra was not normally open about her status as fairykind, but there seemed to be no point in trying to hide it from Raxtus. "Yes, I'm fairykind. Do you know where the shrine is?"
The dragon laughed softly. "You can't begin to guess how familiar I am with the Fairy Queen's shrine, I'm probably the only dragon in the world who can go there. I don't mean near the shrine, in the vicinity, I mean actually right up to the shrine itself."
"Other dragons can't?"
"No. Almost nobody can. The Queen would strike them down. I'm guessing you can, though."
"Yes. I mean, I have before, but only at the shrine at Fablehaven. A different preserve. "
"I'm familiar with Fablehaven," Raxtus said.
"But I'm not sure if I can visit the shrine here. If the Fairy Queen doesn't wantme there, she might turn me into dandelion seeds."
"Right. You have to be careful. You don't just hang out at the shrine without apurpose."
Kendra chuckled. "You don't talk like a dragon."
"I'm unusual. I'm not a dragon of Wyrmroost."
"You're not? "
"I'm at Wyrmroost, but not of Wyrmroost. I was never admitted formally. I'm under no obligation to remain here. I come and go. I'm at Wyrmroost a lot, though, partly because my dad lives here. But I travel all over, mostly incognito, you know, invisible. I really like drive-in movies."
"I've seen a dragon outside of Wyrmroost," Kendra said. "I've heard of many others. I've never heard of one like you. What kind of dragon are you then?"
"There are no other dragons like me," Raxtus admitted. "See, when I was still in my egg, a cockatrice got into the nest. My dad wasn't around, and my mom had just gotten herself killed, so there was nobody to protect us. Three eggs were eaten. Had they hatched, they would have been my siblings. But before the cockatrice got to the last egg, some fairies intervened and rescued me. By the way, I don't remember any of this; it was told to me later. Even for a dragon in an egg, I was young when this happened. The fairies who saved me brought me to one of the Fairy Queen's shrines for protection. I was incubated and hatched by fairy magic, and I came out… unique."
"You're beautiful," Kendra admired. "And nice."
The dragon gave a snuffling, annoyed laugh. "I get that a lot. I'm the pretty dragon. The funny dragon. Problem is, dragons are supposed to be fearsome and awe-inspiring. Not witty. Being the funny dragon is like being the bald mammoth. Being the pretty dragon is like being the ugly fairy. Get it?"
"You get teased?"
"I wish I only got teased! Mocked would be mote accurate. Scorned. Berated. Shunned. Who my dad is only makes it ten times worse, although it also explains why I'm still alive."
"Who is your dad?"
The dragon didn't answer. He looked up at the sky. "I've known you for like five minutes and I'm already confessing my problems. Laying out my whole life story. Why do I always do this? It's like, I want to get it out there at the start so I don't get hurt later on. But I just come off as needy and pathetic. Here you are with real problems and I keep turning the conversation back to me."
"No, it's okay, I'm interested, I want to know."
Raxtus pawed at the ground. "I guess I have to continue now that I've led you on. My dad is Celebrant the Just. He's basically the king of dragons. The biggest, the strongest, the best. And I'm his greatest disappointment. Raxtus the fairy dragon."
Kendra wanted to give him a hug, but realized that might prove his point. "I'm sure your dad is proud of you," Kendra said. "I bet most of this is just in your head."
"I wish you were right," Raxtus replied. "It's no delusion. Celebrant has basically disowned me. I have two brothers. Half brothers. They came from a different clutch, obviously. Each of them rules one of the other forbidden sanctuaries. I look way more like Dad than either of them do-going by shape and color, I mean. I'm the miniature version of Celebrant. He has these glossy platinum scales, a lot like mine, but harder than adamant. On him they look awesome. He's built thicker than me, all muscle. He has like five breath weapons, and knows tons of offensive spells, but he's no thug. His mind is keen as a razor. He has it all. Dignity. Majesty."
"He can't hate you just because you're small!" Kendra asserted.
"Small is only part of it. Guess what my breath weapon does? Helps things grow! You know, makes flowers bloom. And the only magic I can do is defensive stuff like hiding, or else healing. Again, like a fairy. It doesn't help that I look so much like my dad. I know it shames him. He hasn't utterly disavowed me, though. Somewhere deep inside, he feels guilty that my siblings were killed, that he wasn't there to stop the cockatrice, and that he didn't know I had survived until years later. For that, I remain under his protection, which means that as much as other dragons shun me, none of them want to fight me. No dragon on Earth is eager to risk the wrath of Celebrant."
"See! He loves you."
"No. Guilt is not love. Dad has made it clear he doesn't want me near him. And he's right. My presence discredits him: the humiliating contrast between the most magnificent dragon in the world and his absurd jester of a son."
Kendra could think of nothing to say. Again she resisted the urge to hug him.
"Anyhow, now you know my sorry background. The full confession. I don't want to be feeble and useless; I'm not proud of it. I love action movies. My fondest dream is to be a hero. To be fierce and brave, to somehow prove myself a real dragon. But when the opportunity arises, I cringe. Like when the griffins took your friends. I could have charged to the rescue. Come on, they were griffins! But there were a lot of them, and I knew who must have sent them. I decided to lie low for a minute, and before I knew it, the opportunity had passed me by."
"Who sent the griffins?" Kendra inquired eagerly.
"Thronis, the sky giant up on Stormcrag. He keeps griffins like people keep hounds. The dwarf was Zogo. The giant's dwarf."
"You know where Thronis lives?"
"Sure."
"Here's your chance for heroics!" Kendra said. "We can rescue my brother and the others!"
"You're right, that would be valiant. Too valiant. I'd get us both killed. If I was lucky, maybe I'd invigorate some of his houseplants along the way. I'm barely half a dragon, Kendra. The rest of me is glitter and fairy dust. Even the bravest dragons stay far from Thronis. He is both giant and sorcerer. Powerful spells protect his stronghold atop Stormcrag. True, I yearn to be a hero, but I'm a coward at heart. Want an example? I followed you all morning trying to work up the courage to say hello. I only found the nerve once you started crying."
"But you could go invisible," Kendra suggested. "Sneak up there in the dead of night."
"Spells," Raxtus said. "Thronis would know. He'd slay me before I could help anyone. Look, as a friend, I'm the ideal dragon. As a hero, not so much."
"Can you turn into a human?" Kendra wondered.
"Like an avatar? A human version of myself? Yes, God yes! If I couldn't I don't know what would i do. For years I took consolation that one day I could escape to human form, once I learned the trick, and maybe become part of acommunity. Here it is. It must be fate that when I visit a reservation I meet you. I can help you if you want to. At time my dragon version, even if it's tragic and freak is what we actually need. I'll turn later and we can maybe hug or cuddle, I felt that you wanted to do these things while I was talking about my sad life." He loughed a little when he saw Kendra blushing.
"You're not a freak," Kendra tried to change the direction of conversation. "You're the coolest looking dragon I've ever seen. You're like a sports car. The only dragons I've seen or heard of are harsh and mean. It's easy to be mean when you have sharp teeth andclaws. It would be much harder to be likable. I've never even pictured a likable dragon until right now."
"You're very kind. You know, we dragons don't get to air out our feelings on talk shows. We don't have therapists. But talking to you has been helpful. Thanks for listening. Also I see what are you trying to do." He chuckled another time."You're adorable when you're blushing, but as you want I'll help. You mentioned you've been to Fablehaven."
"Right. I've been there a lot."
"And you can talk to fairies."
"Yes."
"I wonder if you might have met my foster mom. Her name is Shiara."
Kendra brightened. "Silver wings? Blue hair?"
"That's her!"
"She's the best fairy at Fablehaven!" Kendra gushed.
"You don't have to lay it on quite so thick," Raxtus said.
"No, I'm serious. Shiara stands out. She has helped me. Most fairies are flaky, but Shiara is actually reliable and smart."
"She saved me from the cockatrice and nurtured me. It wasn't at Fablehaven. This happened long before Fablehaven was founded. I don't visit her as often as I should. It feels too much like embracing the sissy side of my nature. As if anyone cared! Sometimes, though, I sneak into Fablehaven at night and visit her."
"How do you sneak into Fablehaven?"
"Same way I sneak into Wyrmroost. I may be less than half a dragon, but I have a few tricks. One is traveling from one fairy shrine to another. Anywhere the Fairy Queen has a shrine is open to me."
Kendra felt almost too excited to ask her next question. "Could you take me home?" If she could only get back to Fablehaven, she could return with reinforcements.
"Sorry, Kendra. I don't think I could transport a passenger. Maybe someday, with study and practice. Even if I could, the last time I tried to visit Fablehaven, the way seemed barred."
Kendra frowned. The shrine at Fablehaven had been destroyed, so it made sense that Raxtus would not be able to use it. She should have thought of that before she asked.
Still, there were other ways the dragon might be of service. "Could you take me to the Fairy Queen's shrine here at Wyrmroost?"
"Sure. It isn't even far: Especially flying."
Kendra glanced at the knapsack. "You said you have healing powers. My friend is hurt."
"Warren? A peryton gored him, right? I don't know what it is with those antlers. They must be slightly poisonous. They make ugly wounds. Well, I could try. I mean, I'm better with plants. But why not? I could give it a shot. Can he get up here? I'm not the biggest dragon, but I doubt I could fit through the mouth of a knapsack."
"I'll be right back," Kendra said. "You won't leave?"
"I'm a coward, not impolite! Oh, did you mean would I run if trouble shows up? If I run away, I'll take the knapsack with me. Not that I sense any danger. I've been paying attention. I think we're good. So I'll be here."
Kendra descended the ladder. Warren was asleep. She could not see Bubda. Kneeling beside Warren, she prodded his cheek. "Hey, you awake?"
He smacked his lips and his eyelids fluttered up. "Huh? We okay?" His voice sounded thick.
"Did you take more medicine?"
"Sorry, I'm a little loopy. The pain."
"It's okay. That's why you have medicine. I made friends with a dragon."
Warren blinked. He rubbed his eyes. "Sorry. Feels like my head is stuffed with cotton. I think I misheard you."
"No, really. A nice dragon. He was raised by fairies, and he might be able to heal you."
"This is my most messed-up dream yet."
"Do you think you could climb the ladder?"
"You're serious?"
"He's too big to fit down here. But he's not super big. For a dragon, at least."
Warren leaned up on one elbow. "You really think he can heal me?"
"Worth a try."
"Unless he eats us." Warren winced as he sat up. "You'll need to be my
crutch."
"Can you make it up the ladder? Should we wait for the medicine to wear off?"
"This is the best time. The medicine numbs me. Up we go."
"Wait a second. Can we take a small risk living a knapsack here without protection for a moment? If yes I can change and come down to you two." Raxtus said from outside.
Kendra looked into Warren's eyes for a permition a nd when he noded she helped him to take a sit and started to go up on the ladder. When she looked out she didn't notice the dragon, but a handsome, tall teenager stood before her giving her one of the pritiest smiles that she's ever seen. He seems like 18 or 19 years old. Kendra took his hand by he was helping her rise out. She looked into his eyes and... damn, he's hot. But Gavin. Nevermind, the most important man for her now was injured on the floor of knapsack.
"I think we can lay down it near that big rock." Raxtus said.
He bring knapsack and did exactly what he'd said. Then he get himself inside. Kendra looked around and followed him. As they got Raxtus change into the dragon bareilly fit in the space.
Warren was on his back on the ground, sweating and panting. Shielding his eyes with one hand, he stared at Raxtus. "That has got to be the shiniest dragon I've ever seen."
"He doesn't look very well," Raxtus commented.
"Thanks, Doc," Warren mumbled.
"Can you try to heal him?" Kendra asked.
"I can try." Craning his neck forward, Raxtus stared down at Warren.
Squealing softly, the dragon exhaled over the length of his body, glittery sparks twinkling silver and gold. Warren squirmed and shivered, as if taken by a sudden chill. The hair on his head began to flutter, and the stubble on his jaw sprouted and lengthened. A moment later, Warren had long, flowing hair and a heavy beard. Grimacing, Warren patted his injured chest. Then he raked his fingers through his hair. "You've got to be kidding. Who is this joker?"
"Sorry," Raxtus said. "It didn't take."
"Oh, it took," Warren complained, sitting up. His beard reached halfway down his chest. His thick hair hung past his shoulders. "It just didn't cure anything. On the bright side, I think I popped open some scabs."
"Thanks for trying," Kendra said.
Raxtus hung his head.
"Hey, don't look down," Warren said. "I appreciate the effort. I do feel a little more lucid. And my breath tastes slightly mintier."
"I rarely work with humans," Raxtus apologized.
"He's going to carry us to the fairy shrine," Kendra said.
"Now, that would be a huge favor. Sorry to be a bear. Excruciating agony makes me cranky. Kendra, you know where to find me."
Raxtus change again and one second later the both were standing outside.
"Humiliating," Raxtus muttered.
"You warned us it might not work," Kendra said.
"Did you notice how he wasn't scared of me? At all?"
"I told him you were nice. Besides, he's on pain medication."
"I'm about as intimidating as a puppy. Wearing diapers. With a pacifier in itsmouth. Well, one thing I can do right is fly."
"How do we do this? Should I get on your back?"
"No. I'm too spiny and sharp. You'd need a saddle. Not that any dragon worth a nickel would wear a saddle. They would die of shame. But shame is where I live. I own the whole neighborhood. I'd wear a saddle if we had one. But we don't. So I'll have to carry you. Would you feel safer inside the knapsack?"
"Would I be safer?"
"I won't drop you, if that's what you're implying. You can trust me on that."
"Okay," Kendra said, shouldering the knapsack. "Take me flying."
"Yup ma'am. And don't be afraid, I can still remember about our hug n' cuddle."