6. Aurelia

Chapter 6

Aurelia

I didn't need to be told to keep my hands together now. I twisted my fingers in nervousness as I spied a village along the edge of the wood. Dante had been doing a great job of keeping my mind off what I was about to do, but now the reality of the situation was sinking in. It was just about time to prove whether Granny had been lying to me all my life, keeping me separate and alone as a means to control me.

I couldn't imagine anyone heinous enough to do something like that. Try as I might, I simply could not believe anyone could be so cruel.

The moment of truth was upon me.

Weston stopped just outside the tree line, and everyone else with him. Wolves emerged from the shadows around us, one shifting into a robust lady with nipple piercings and buzzed, dyed-red hair.

Weston pulled his long leg from across his horse and jumped down.

"Beta, welcome home," she said, offering a bow.

I furrowed my brow at the title she used.

"The king and queen are the alphas within the kingdom," Dante whispered to me, having noticed. "Weston and Micah, the dragon commander, use the title of beta."

I understood the logic, but still thought it was a little confusing.

"Captain." Weston glanced at Dante, who walked me up the line, before turning to speak to the woman who'd greeted him. "We'll need a quick stop here before we head to the castle. Send word to the king and queen. I would like to request an audience with them as soon as I arrive."

"Yes, sir." She bowed again, sparing a glance at me before stepping away.

No emotion played across her face, her expression a stone mask, but her eyes didn't lie. She clearly knew who I was and had a strong distaste for the very air I breathed.

A cold shiver washed through me at the thought of standing in front of the dragon royalty. Animal or no, nothing would be able to save me from their judgment. So much of my life had been spent surviving, and now it could all end tomorrow.

My legs felt wooden, and I scarcely dared to breathe as we neared Weston.

"Hadriel," he called out as he watched me approach. His expression was as closed down as his captain's, his eyes hard. He gave nothing away.

I took a steadying breath as Hadriel hurried to my side. Dante stepped back.

It was to me Weston spoke. "Hadriel will ensure you are seen by the village head, who is basically the village alpha. His power level is about three-quarters of Granny's. The village head will not know why you're being seen, just that he has to comply with the court. You will need to give him directions. After he answers your questions?—"

Weston gritted his teeth, his expression turning frustrated. Something moved behind his eyes, and a heat like lava burned down my sternum. Something must've been happening with his wolf.

"He may pull out your wolf, if you'd like," he finally gritted out. I could tell it cost him dearly to do so.

His eyes zipped back and forth between mine. Electricity crackled between us.

My stomach dropped out, and it suddenly felt like I was free-falling. The lava burned down a little faster, the heat starting to spread through me. Weston's wolf clearly wanted to be the one to end my suppression. He—or they—didn't want to leave it in the hands of another.

But I needed a stranger, someone with the same amount of magic as Granny or less, to give me the answers I needed. I needed to put this to bed, and Weston was too powerful for this need.

I nodded, stepped back, and straightened my spine.

"I'm ready," I said, the wobble in my voice barely contained.

Weston's burning gaze shifted to Hadriel, whose back bowed immediately under the alpha's command.

"Watch her," Weston said. "Straight in, and straight back out."

"Yes, sir."

My body shook as we crossed the tree line, walking slowly but still faster than I would've liked. This felt like my death march, my doom waiting just up ahead. It occurred to me that I might experience a few of these such walks in the next day or two, waiting for one slice of bad news after the other.

"Having an animal will be a dream come true," I remembered, licking my lips.

Dried grasses hugged the lane toward a village up ahead. A lone tree grew off to the right, the trunk slightly curved and the branches reaching out over a little tuft of green. It would be a nice place to draw, or just pass the time.

"Of course it will," Hadriel said, patting my arm. "Just remember, no shifting. You need instruction and guidance for that. It's very dangerous the first time. I bet you can't wait to heal quickly, though. I'd forgotten how long non-suppression healing takes. Ugh, ages . What a fucking nuisance, huh? Soon that'll be behind you."

Fast healing wouldn't matter if the dragons sentenced me to death.

I swallowed down my trepidation. One thing at a time.

A shape above us caught my attention. I glanced up only to stop dead, my mouth dropping open.

A huge, winged creature cut across the sky. Glimmering purple scales covered most of its body, except for a light blue belly. Its great wings beat solidly, the feet curved under its body tipped with long, glistening black claws.

A dragon.

"Holy fuck," I said softly, staring as it glided through the air. "It's gorgeous. And huge ."

"He's average. Wait until you see the king."

Weston's assertions that he would protect me from the dragons was even more laughable after having seen one. What would he do, bite their ankles?

"Listen, Aurelia... What's up with you?" Hadriel took my arm to get me moving. "What's going on? I mean, besides your life being turned upside down and finding out your past was a pile of garbage that was just set on fire and being dragged to a new kingdom to face the possibility of death. What else is troubling you?"

I watched the dragon soar for a moment longer, taking jerking steps to keep up with Hadriel.

"They're beautiful," I gushed. "Is it too much to hope that I have a dragon in me instead of a wolf? I'd love to be able to fly."

"They're a bunch of mean fuckers with rage problems and no regard for boundaries. Fuck them. Listen, I want to help you. I'm on your side. But you can't shut everyone out. You're creating an internal world not unlike the one you just left."

I could hear the worry in his voice. It poked that soft spot he'd created within me by being friendly. By caring.

"I'm... hardening up." I refocused on the lane leading into the village. "I'm now in another place where I will not be welcome, but this time it isn't because of what I am, it's because of what I've done. This time it is valid. I need to stay strong."

"What we think makes us strong can sometimes make us brittle. It isn't the same thing as locking yourself inside. It's okay to grieve."

I let out a shaky laugh I didn't feel. "If I start grieving, I might never stop."

"It might seem that way, but the dawn is just around the corner, I know it. Just... do me a favor. Give this place a chance. Endure the accusations of your murdering their villagers, tell your story, and yes, take the judgment. But until then, give it a chance. I know you'll love it."

I sighed softly. It was hard to deny him after all he'd done for me in staying by my side and helping me escape when I'd needed to.

I nodded. "Okay."

He gave me a tight smile and a nod in return. "Good. Here we are—we're entering the village."

Homes dotted the way, roads and lanes meandering over the natural rise and fall of the earth to reach them all. The main strip held small shops and cute little eateries leading to a central square where traders had set up their tables and tents. In the far corner, some sort of traveling show was rolling out an awning.

"This is the village where the shadow market dealers lurk the most," he murmured, walking close in at my side. "The stalls are torn down as soon as they're discovered, but they pop up again in a blink. It drives Finley mad."

"Granny never mentioned the shadow markets being torn down." I scoffed at my own statement. "I guess we now know she didn't mention a lot of things."

He patted my arm. "Your filthy kingdom probably never bothered," he said as we heard, "Hah!"

Hadriel flinched and slowed, stepping just in front of me. "What in the gods' assholes?"

"You won't take me alive!" a man shouted. "Go ahead, try it! Try to get me. I will take every last one of you."

In an alleyway, a nude, skinny man with a bony chest and thinning brown hair slashed a knife through the air. Three wolves stood around him, their fur bristling, having backed him against a wall around the corner from a small shop. Their lips were pulled back, revealing their teeth, as they inched closer. They were clearly trying to subdue him without getting a knife in the ribs for their efforts. The problem was they were doing it all wrong.

I sighed and wanted to cry. It was probably my product he had taken; he'd been on a journey and was obviously angry at the interruption. Nothing like an example of my crimes to push the dragons toward action.

I looked away for a moment, wanting for all the world to go back in time and do my life over. To make different decisions, push Granny down a different path. Or maybe just claim ignorance about drugs and hope she pointed me in a less damaging direction.

"Obviously, there was a shadow market here recently," Hadriel muttered.

"Fuck," I ground out, altering course and heading toward the man.

"No, love, let them handle it." He hurried after me. "No, no. Aurelia, they'll get him, don't worry."

"They aren't doing it right. It's likely I created this situation. I have an obligation to fix it. It won't take more than a moment."

Reaching the wolves gathered around the man, I stuck out my hand to keep them put.

"Back off," I barked. One of them snarled, making my stomach clench in unease. I didn't slow, though, wedging myself between the various parties.

"Foul toadstool!" The man slashed, his knife cutting through the air straight for me.

I twisted out of the way easily; he was a bit slower than Raz, and much slower than some of the people I'd fought on the way here. Child's play.

"He's in a nightmare," I told the wolves. "It's fine. Get me a big, dark tarp or a thick blanket or something else that will fit over him. It needs to cut out the light."

"You vicious shroom!" The man flared his arms, which were bent at the elbows, and dropped his head while bending over—a very strange sort of pose. "You harbinger of fungus!"

I noticed Hadriel walking closer, stopping at the corner of the alley. He wore a grin. He did love odd things.

One of the wolves pushed forward, its growl rising.

"Back off," I said again, looking off to my side so I could stare down the obvious leader. He stood just in front of the others, and they took their cues off his movements. After being around Weston, I knew the signs.

"Give me some room," I commanded, needing them to just fuck off so I could get this done quickly. They were a distraction no one needed. "Send someone to get that blanket. Now! "

The lead wolf hesitated for a moment before sending one of the other wolves. The man swiped again, stepping forward this time, hellbent on cutting me.

I turned at the last moment, just out of reach, letting the knife harmlessly glide by. Hadriel's eyes widened, and I wasn't sure why. This was a walk in the park.

Now to get the man's attention so that I could talk him down.

"Hello." I swung my hands up over my head and clapped them together.

The man's eyes narrowed in my direction. "Don't you dare hello me. Hah!"

He thrust, and I sidestepped, twisting again. I brought my hands up into another clap. "Hello?"

"No!" the man said, flaring his arms and moving like some sort of bird. "No hello for you."

If I wasn't worried it might set him off, I would've laughed. Raz was always so filled with hate around me. He was never this playful.

I clapped once to the side and then did a little jig, my eyes never leaving his. "If the fungus grows, we stomp. We shove it down! Hello?"

He slowed, watching me, taking my cues to gradually shift in his journey. He looked at my feet, unsure what to make of my movements. That was perfect. It meant he was malleable.

"We must stomp it down. Hello!" I did the jig again.

" Yassssss. " He didn't stomp. His motor skills weren't totally in line with his eyesight, it seemed. He just kinda shimmied back and forth a bit. "Hello, toadstools."

"Hello, toadstools," I mimicked, actually having a bit of fun. "Goodbye." Another jig, then a clap. "Goodbye!"

"Goodbye!" the man roared, shaking his limbs against the sky. "Begone, fungus of the fire. Spore of eternal stink."

"Oh look." I lifted my hands like he had, drawing back his attention. I pulled them down, elbows first, bending my knees at the same time, making myself into a sort of square. "Look."

"Look," the man said in wonder, watching me. I started to sway. He followed suit as though mesmerized.

"Lo-ok," I drew out, swaying with my whole body. "Look!" I pointed skyward. "We are the sun. Oh my! We are the bringers of the light. Or are we a cave?"

I bent and tilted my head at him.

"Or . . . are we . . . a cave . . ." he said hesitantly, again not quite sure.

"The sky collapses into a cave." I made a popping sound and started to shrink.

He, utterly transfixed, followed, getting smaller, then smaller still. It occurred to me that he didn't have the drooling, strange, sightless quality that the man in the city I was captured in did. He certainly didn't have the same level of malnourishment. I wondered if that meant he was new to the product. Maybe he could still be salvaged if they could keep those shadow markets out of the area.

I splayed my fingers wide, and he followed, the knife dropping and clattering away. He didn't notice.

A man—probably the wolf from a moment ago—jogged up with a large woolen blanket. He slowed as he neared, his face a mask of confusion at the scene. He clearly had no sense of humor.

"The cave is deep, the roots are long," I said softly, reaching back as he repeated the phrase. When the blanket wasn't immediately offered, I shook my hand to get him moving.

"The blanket, man, give her the gods-fucked blanket," Hadriel groused.

The man did, stepping back again.

"The cave is..." I let the words trail away.

"Deep," the man supplied, on his knees now.

"The roots are . . ."

"Long," the man breathed.

"Where are the roots?" I asked in a haunting voice. "Where are they?"

He looked at the ground, and I stepped forward and laid the blanket over his body, fully covering him. As I watched, the blanket shivered, and then settled as he eased into the darkness.

"Right." I turned toward the others, kicking the knife away as I did so. "He should be fine. I'd check on him in half an hour. Just lift up the tail end of that blanket to give him some air. It's not a hot day, but that's a heavy blanket. The drug will go dormant, and he will go with it. It'll slowly erode away. Toward the end, he'll likely get sick—that's the coating. He won't die—that would've already happened—but he might throw up. If he stays in the current position, just leave him be. It'll make the drug less appealing. If he lies down and you fear he might choke, help him." I paused in the sudden silence, the man in his human form blinking at me and the wolves staring. "Okay?"

The silence stretched.

"Just move on, love," Hadriel said. "They heard you. They're either dumb or confused. They'll figure it out."

There was nothing more I could do right now to help the man, so I did as Hadriel said.

"In the future, if it is one of Granny's drugs, all you need to do is talk the person around and get or throw him into a small, dark space. A cupboard will do, or a closet." I shrugged. "Doesn't matter. If the person is like this, with a weapon, usually they'll yell and then they'll strike. Wait, dodge, bat the weapon away, then force them into that small, dark space. But be careful, because they often bite. Close the door, maybe lock it, and wait. Okay?" I took a deep breath. "But please, whatever you do, stop making it worse by threatening to assault these people."

I paused a beat, looking between them, hoping my lecture sank in. When they still didn't respond, I headed back toward Hadriel.

The man who'd brought the blanket cleared out of the way. "Who are you?" he asked in a wispy voice.

"Didn't you hear?" I didn't look back and recited what the man had said. "I'm the harbinger of fungus."