8. Kaida

Standing outside of Adrien’s house, Kaida’s throat was on fire from its dryness. There was something about knowing Gemar planned to use his power to control them. It felt like she had brought the cloud of doom to the island. What would Kaida and Enzo do if he followed his plan? They went there for answers and came back with nothing.

I feel like an absolute failure.

Kaida tried to reason with herself by remembering how her friends believed in her. They knew she was meant for something great in this world because of how rare her magic and dragon were, and they would do anything to help her. Would they think the same thing if she told them she couldn’t last more than a day in Gemar’s presence without losing control over her tongue? If she could have kept her mouth shut and let Gemar talk, there could have been a chance at learning his plan so they could thwart him.

But of course, I couldn’t keep a level head, and our plan turned into a chaotic mess.

I don’t see how you think they would think less of you because of something like that.

If I can think less of myself for that mistake, why can’t others do the same?

Simple. People are harder on themselves than they are on others. The same applies to friends. Friends tend to give each other more grace than people do for themselves.

I find that hard to believe.

Funny coming from you. I think you have experienced this more than most.

There was no opportunity to say anything back as Kaida’s attention was drawn towards the front door opening, and her silver-haired friend, a powerful witch, walked onto the front lawn. Adrien’s power washed over her and surprisingly danced across her skin as her own magic did. Kaida had heard of two different species being in the same room where their magic would fight each other to the point the two people had to separate themselves. She never seemed to feel that way around her friends, especially Adrien, who was always the level-headed, soft-spoken friend who made her feel safe and cared for whenever she ran to her with a problem. The fact they had only known each other for a few months made no difference. It was like they had been friends since birth.

"Kaida? Are you okay?" Adrien called out from her porch. Sometimes, Kaida forgot that other species didn’t have the same eyesight as dragons. Kaida could see her friend plain as day as if she were standing in front of her instead of fifty feet away.

"Yeah, it’s me."

"Well, why are you just standing out there like a weirdo? Come on in, sweetie."

Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because I know Gemar knows I broke the barrier, but I do no know his plans with this island.

Kaida walked the rest of the path through the gate and into Adrien’s house. Kaida noticed the coloring on Adrien’s face was paler than usual, and there were bags under her eyes. Kaida opened her mouth to ask what was happening, but Adrien cut her off.

"I’m going to sit. I didn’t sleep well last night."

Sundrei sat at the end of the table with Azulia to her left. Adrien sat down across from Azulia. Sundrei’s red-tinted hair was pulled back, showing off her high cheekbones. She flashed Kaida a smile, showing off her two-pointed teeth. Azulia’s vibrant blue hair was in a braid, and she only looked up at Kaida briefly to give her a small wave before she went back to a piece of fabric on her lap that she was stitching. Adrien leaned her head back and stared up at the ceiling. There was an air about the room that made Kaida shudder. Something was wrong.

"Remy will be here in a bit. Apparently, she is caught up with something at work and running late."

Kaida furrowed her eyebrows for a moment. She didn’t do anything to let the girls know that she would be coming here to talk to them all. They all had their own jobs and did things around the island without her all the time. However, it did seem a little weird that they always seemed to be together when she needed them.

"Why would she be running late? I don’t remember us planning to get together today."

Adrien had a rag in her hand and placed it on her forehead while she continued to stare up at the ceiling. Azulia looked over at her and frowned.

"Adrien had a vision." Kaida blinked at her. This was news to her. After the last couple of months of getting to know Adrien and learning of her magic, visions were not part of the abilities Adrien possessed that Kaida was aware of. "She knew you’d be coming here, so she sent us all messages to get our butts over here so we could be here for you."

Kaida stared blankly at her three friends. How does someone just suddenly get a new ability? I’ve never heard of that.

Witches. They are fascinating creatures.

Do you know how this is possible?

I dare not ask those kinds of questions about their magic. I’ve never been able to grasp how their magic can evolve. Dragon magic is different. We have one kind of magic for our entire lives, and that is it. I like it better that way—less confusion.

I’ll say.

"I know. It shocked us all. I have an explanation, but I will wait until Remy arrives," Adrien told her as a bowl of ice water appeared before her. Adrien plopped the rag down into it, did a weird hand movement, and the rag twisted to allow the excess water to drain out before she put it back on her head.

Kaida bounced on her feet while they waited for Remy to arrive. The energy built up inside of her, begging to be released. She wasn’t sure where the energy came from, but it made her want to go for a run. Without thinking about it, Kaida began to pace. She felt the girls’ eyes on her as she did, but she didn’t know how to explain it. She just needed to burn this adrenaline off before she shifted.

No one needs me to do that right now.

Remy walked in behind her and stopped in the doorway as she watched Kaida pace. Kaida couldn’t sit down yet, so she stopped long enough to say something to Remy before returning to it.

"Hi. I don’t know why. I just need to move."

"The fuck? How long has she been like this?" Remy asked the group.

Azulia chuckled. "About ten minutes. I think we all need to let her go. Might be something with Plasma Dragons since no one seems to know anything about them."

Kaida shrugged. "I think that’s the best we will understand about why. I just need to burn energy right now."

"Okay. First, Adrien gets a spidey sense of a vision; next, Kaida has an exuberant amount of energy out of nowhere. Can we read why people suddenly get extra powers or act totally bizarro?"

Remy’s comment made Kaida laugh. It relaxed her, knowing that none of them had changed how they reacted to her, not even after learning she was a powerful dragon or had multiple mates. Now, having extra things going on with her was something they just accepted and moved on so she wouldn’t freak out.

Well, one good thing about coming to this island is that I found the most perfect friends.

"I wish I knew. It’s like things are lining up perfectly for something big." It came out of Kaida’s mouth before she could think that through. Something about it felt right, though. Why? She didn’t know.

It must have struck the others similarly after Kaida felt them all look at her with interest.

"What do you mean by something big?" Remy asked her.

Kaida looked to the ceiling and deeply breathed, "I don’t know. Maybe it’s because the Dark Dimension is open?"

Adrien still had the rag on her head and turned her head just enough to keep it there. "You know what, maybe that is why. Fate decides to step in just enough to power the right people and guide them in the right direction to stop this. The only problem is that we are all stuck here until our mates return for us."

Kaida shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. They were the people who she thought would know about the barrier collapsing. It was shocking news to her that they didn’t know. If anything, she thought the whole island would know.

You forgot to let them know why we were leaving.

Well, that was a mistake.

"Uh. So. Fun fact. The barrier is no longer there."

Kaida’s delivery of this news had all of the girls’ mouths open in response. They really didn’t know.

"WHAT?!" they said in unison.

"Yeah...the other day, I had a moment of clarity. I was tired of everyone being stuck here, and I wanted a way back to the mainland so the guys and I could take back our kingdom and set things right. I wanted you guys to be able to go home and warn your people about the Dark Dimension so we can all fight this. So, I took a risk and collapsed the barrier."

They sat there in shock. All of their faces were contorted with surprise and then concern. It was Adrien who seemed to recover first.

"Let me get this straight. Your magic can close small openings of the Dark Dimension AND break a barrier that contained magic from all five species?"

Azulia frowned at Adrien. "I don’t know about that. To be able to have that level of power is astronomical. I doubt Kaida would have that level of magic, even if she is the rarest of dragons." She turned to Kaida with an apologetic smile. "No offense, sweetie."

Kaida waved her hand. "None taken. I have to agree. I didn’t stop and think about it before, but it makes sense that all five magics did not construct it." Then she returned to pacing.

"Then how could she shatter it like it was nothing?"

"Simple. The dragons created it. That is the only logical explanation. Everyone told us it was the five species, so we wouldn’t try. Or the dragons and the witches. It would make sense that only a couple of them got together to put this barrier up and just agreed to tell the kingdoms that everyone did it, so it felt as if no one could break it," Azulia explained.

Remy scoffed. "It’s not like the Lycans could have added to that. We don’t have magic. We just shift into animals."

Then it dawned on Kaida. "They would have had to use blood from every species. That’s not going to happen."

Remy shook her head. "Absolutely not. Lycans are suspicious breeds. We don’t trust easily."

"Same for vampyres," Sundrei called out and leaned back in her chair.

Kaida bumped Remy, standing beside her. "Trusted me pretty easily."

Remy gave her a full-tooth grin. "I’m not like the rest of my people. I think being a Meta Wolf gave me an edge not to suspect others so much."

Kaida gave her a questioning look, but Remy ignored her. "Okay. So, the dragons and the witches put the barrier up together. Maybe the Fae, too. That means that it was not as strong as everyone thought. Who knows? Maybe it wasn’t even put together as much as we thought. Like, maybe, it was a simpler spell."

Adrien lifted the rag off her head. "That could be it. I know some spells could create a barrier like that. It would hold most inside. The only ones that could get close to it would be the dragons and the faeries because they have wings. Once you reach the barrier, it will create an attack to drive you away."

Kaida nodded her head, "Yeah, it shocks you if you get too close."

"Exactly! So many people would think, ’Nope, not risking my life,’ when going near it because it can defend itself. I know of a spell that is like that. So, a witch was certainly involved."

Kaida began to pace again, "Okay. So, that would mean that the dragon who ruled at the time talked to a witch and got them to create this barrier so he could send the Elemental Dragons here. Then, every kingdom thought it would be a good idea to send those rejected to the island to put a distance between the mates and give them time to either fix their issues or just move on."

Azulia nodded. "Then every kingdom told their people that the barrier existed to keep them in, and if they crossed it, they could die from the magic. Also, it would take the person’s mate to return to get them, allowing them to go through it because they can give them the right to do it."

"Yes. Tell people that only the person’s mate can bring them back because the person in charge of the barrier would give them access." Kaida added.

"Interesting. That is a great way to keep people here without causing them to get the notion they can come back on their own," Remy concluded.

Kaida took in the information and tried to apply it to her situation. All her life, she was told that once you went to the island, you could only come back if the mate who was the rejectee wanted their mate back. Enzo rejected her; she came here, and he came back to get her and asked his father for access to the barrier to get here.

That means the person with access to the barrier could also tell someone no just because they think the mate is not good enough. Every person who controls their kingdom would want the strongest people together to create powerful offspring.

Then something else crept into her mind, and she had to ask, "How does it work in other kingdoms? Is there one king and queen per kingdom?"

"No," the others said.

"Lycans have their own packs. There is one Alpha that rules them all, but there are so many packs. Once someone is rejected, they must go to the Alpha, who controls the barrier, to get here."

The others nodded in agreement. They had something similar.

"Faeries are interesting creatures. We live alone, mostly like dragons. But there is a court of officials that rules us. There is a Seelie Court and an Unseelie Court. Each one loosely governs the people. I believe each court has access to the barrier. Well...what we thought was access to the barrier."

Sundrei pointed her finger at Azulia. "Yeah, the Vampyres are the same way. We have the Lunar and Solar Vampyres. There is a court of people who rule each side."

Kaida looked at Adrien, who had the rag back on her head. "What about Witches?"

"There are covens all across the kingdom. All of them have a High Priestess and Priest who rule them. There is one coven who is more powerful than the others, which I was a part of. I had my mother send me here after my mate rejected me."

"So, she was the one who supposedly had access?"

"As far as I know, yes."

Kaida moved her arms and legs out like she was shaking off water. The energy inside of her was bubbling under the skin. All of this information didn’t help. Now, her skin started to crawl. It was difficult for her to realize that all the kingdoms lied to their people. Part of her thought it was to keep them safe. The other part of her thought this was their way of controlling them.

"What do we do with this information?"

The girls all looked at one another and shrugged. Adrien glanced at her and gave her a sympathetic smile. "I don’t think there is much we can do about it. It is how all of our kingdoms have run for hundreds of years. Why would people want things to change when it has worked out for them all this time?"

"Ugh, I think you are right."

"Well, if anything, I would say that I think we have bigger problems than this on our hands." Adrien sat up and groaned. "The fact that I am getting visions is a clue to something I didn’t think was possible."

Kaida stopped her movements and looked at her friend. It was the first time Kaida had noticed that Adrien was worse off than she thought. There was tension in her shoulders, her skin looked clammy, and her face was sagging as if she hadn’t slept the night before at all and was contorted in pain for hours. Adrien looked awful.

"Did one vision do all of this to you? You look as if a stampeding dragon ran you over."

Adrien groaned again as she shifted around in her seat to get comfortable. "Yes. Visions are not easy to handle. Your body seizes during the entire duration of it, and then your mind is contorting to accept the information being shown to you. It’s physically and mentally exhausting."

"Forgot about the fact that you had a vision. What the fuck is up with that? I thought you said you had to be born with this ability?" Remy asked Adrien before walking over to the cabinet full of potions that Adrien cooked up. "Is there a potion in here that can help you?"

"Yeah. It’s in a pink bottle shaped like a prism."

Remy looked around briefly and tilted her head. "Is it shimmering the rainbow?"

Adrien let out a small laugh and then groaned in pain. "Yes. That is what prisms do."

Remy grabbed the small bottle, uncorked it, and handed it to Adrien. "Drink up and explain this mess. I really want to know how you managed to get a vision when you’ve never had them before."

Adrien downed the contents and groaned in pain some more from the movement. "You and me both."

"So, spill, what is with the random vision," Kaida demanded.

Adrien’s color returned to her face, and the tension in her shoulders relaxed a little. She could sit upright for the first time since Kaida had seen her, which bode well.

"Okay. So. There is a legend amongst my people about a High Priestess who can wield all of the abilities that witches possess. This would make her a Supreme Witch and rule the entirety of the kingdom if this happens. The abilities are visions, teleportation, creation of portals, telekinesis, illusion manipulation, resurgence, or the ability to revive herself or others from the dead and control spirits. These abilities, and some other abilities, are spread among our people. Each person given an ability is born with it, so my getting one this late in life makes me think about this legend. The legend states that one person can have seven abilities, making them the most powerful witch in the realm. If someone ascends to this power level, they are to rule the kingdom."

Kaida stared blankly at her friend while she processed what was said. If Adrien’s legend was true, this meant that she could be the person who would end up with seven abilities. To randomly gain the ability to vision when she should have been born with it meant this legend had to be true.

But why would it start now?

"What does this mean?"

"Unless my parents lied to me all of my life and kept this ability from me, it means that there is a chance that the legend is coming true. There is a downside to this. I won’t be the only one who is gaining these abilities. If I understand the legend correctly, at least seven of us will start gaining the abilities."

"This doesn’t sound good." Kaida’s energy faded, and she leaned against the doorframe.

"It’s not," Adrien deadpanned.

Azulia leaned forward and looked at Adrien. "Are you implying that there will be a battle between these seven people? Is that where you are going with this?"

Adrien nodded. "Yes. Not only that, but I will also be hunted down. My people do not like this legend. They want to keep things how they are. My mother can maintain civility between our people because she does her best to allow leeway within the covens. The only reason she is more powerful and able to rule the rest is that her ability to create spells has seemed limitless. There is no contender against her because of this."

Kaida waved her hands. "Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me your mom can create spells on the spot?"

Adrien looked up and a little off to the right as she contemplated her answer. "That is the best way to describe it. That makes her more powerful, and people don’t want to risk their lives to try to gain her position."

"Wow...no wonder you are so good at potions. I think you got some of her ability," Kaida pointed out.

Adrien nodded. "That could be. I know this is a lot. I had the vision of Kaida breaking the barrier, and we all needed to be here to discuss all of this because I didn’t know how to interpret everything on my own. That is why I called in the calvary."

"Good call," Kaida said and breathed deeply. "I think everyone should return to their kingdom."

They all looked at her with widened eyes and their mouths open.

"Think about it. We were kept here because we thought the barrier wouldn’t let us out. The Dark Dimension is open, though I didn’t see much of it while in Dragaal. I don’t know why, but I still feel it will spread. From the sounds of things, Adrien is a sitting target here. She must return since she has this Supreme legend to deal with while finding the artifact. That is why I broke the barrier in the first place."

Adrien stood up, this time without showing pain or groaning from the vision. "You may be a bigger genius than I thought. You’re right. We need to go back if for nothing else, to warn our people about the Dark Dimension. It affects us all in different ways. We are the only ones who know about this right now, so our duty is to warn everyone."

The girls agreed with tears in their eyes. Kaida’s chest tightened at what this meant. We have to say our goodbyes.