10. See What’s Become Of Me

Moira was gone and Percy was alone.

Well, not totally alone. Kady, Neo, Not-Kurjara and some of the other Dragon Warriors were here. Even the infamous time-traveling Purple Wyvern had come to his rescue. Everyone was firing a billion questions at Percy all at once and he wanted to curl up into a spiky little ball and tell them all to poke off.

He would too, if he wasn’t sure it wouldnt make Kady cry, and the Dragons all so mad they might eat him. They were trying to figure out how hed gotten here.

He knew. He just hadnt wanted to believe it. But after feeling the energy of the Purple Wyvern, he couldnt deny it any longer.

Percy had turned into a freaking dragon. Well, no that wasnt entirely right. According to Not-Kurjara, hed always been a Dragon, but one whod been cursed.

He’d be a dragon all day, every day, twice on Sundays, if it meant he could get to Moira. But she’d left him, without so much as a goodbye and he didn’t even know where to look for her, much less if she even wanted to be found.

Percy, dont you remember anything about your life before you were cursed? Porfirio had asked him question after question, but Percy stopped listening because no one really want answers from him anyway. It didnt matter, because whether he remembered his life before being a witchs familiar or not, nothing he said was going to get him to what he wanted. Which was his mate. His fated mate.

Moira was an all-powerful being. If she wanted to be with Percy, she would be. He turned his back on the squawking gang of people so none of them could see the tears threatening to fall. Big tough cowboy dragon heroes didn’t cry.

He sniffed a little and once again wished for his old life back. Being nothing more than a witchs familiar was a lot easier and much less painful than being a human. He didnt know how theyd all survived falling in love, because he wasnt sure he was going to.

Maybe hed just shift back into a hedgehog and pretend hed was nothing more than a cute little animal. Kady and the others would all forget he could talk and understand them soon enough, right?

Everyone shush your faces. Boys, we clearly have a problem to solve. So, zip it. A warmth he hadnt felt in a while hugged him, pushing away the chill in his heart. The noise of the Dragon Warriors questions stopped and Kady’s bright golden magic filled the rocky mountainside. Her powers and tugged on his familiar energy for the first time in a long time. What he had available for her was different. It wasnt the same magic he used to have. This was the elemental magic of his dragon.

She wrapped him up in the warm glow and shooed the others away. “Percy and I have some things to talk about, so go find something else to do for a few minutes.”

The others grumbled, but busied themselves gathering into groups to talk schmack amongst themselves. Kady wrapped a friendly arm around his shoulder and gave him a squeeze. “Hey there, big guy. I feel like a lot of this is my fault. Our lives got pretty upended and we’ve never really talked about how that made you feel. I didn’t even know you had a girlfriend. Or, uh, that you were a purple time-traveling DRA-GON.”

Percy wanted nothing more than to shift into his hedgehog form and lay in Kady’s lap and let her rub his belly until everything was right with the world again. No, that wasn’t true. There was something he wanted so much more. Kady had been his one friend and he was hers for a long time. She might be the one person in the world who would understand what was in his heart. She certainly knew a lot more about Dragons than he did.

“To be fair, I didnt know either. But I think my mate did. Moira. Her name was Moira and she was a Fate.” His Fate. Saying her name out loud both felt good and stung at the same time. “But I don’t think she wants to be my mate anymore.”

Kady rubbed his arm. “Why not? Don’t tell me she said I love you and replied Han Solo style.”

Naw. He wasnt as cool as Han even if he had found his princess in Moira. He knew better than to leave a declaration of love hanging like that. Although, Leia had gone after Han when hed been sent off to Jabba in carbonite. Maybe he should have played it cooler instead of showing Moira exactly how hed felt about her. Maybe then she wouldnt have left him.

Even thinking about Moira being off in the universe somewhere not having heard the truest words from his lips gave him hives. Hed said those four little words and hed say them again. “No. I told her I love her very much. But I guess that wasn’t enough.”

He thought he’d showed her too. What more could he do?

Kady nodded and looked thoughtful. “I don’t know what happened, but maybe you could win her back? I don’t want you to be sad Percy. Your happiness means a lot to me. You were my friend when I didn’t have any others and I’ll always be here for you. Hedgehog or Dragon.”

Her admission of their friendship meant more to him than she could know. He latched on to the idea of winning her back being something that would make him not be so sad.

He could win her back. If the Fates were looking down at them from the skies, he would need a very grand gesture just to get her attention. Hmm. WWJD?

The Purple Wyvern glanced over at them from his confab with the Neo, clearly eavesdropping. He frowned and studied him. Do you remember being at the conception of this religion, Percival? Have you traveled to the inception Christianity?

Kady covered her mouth and was trying really hard not to giggle. She pulled herself together when Porfirio scowled out her. This was serious business. He could lose Moira forever.

She gave him a chagrined shrug and filled the Dragon Warrior in. He doesnt mean Jesus.

Porfirio came over since he didnt have to pretend that he wasnt paying attention any longer. What does the J stand for then?

John, Kady answered.

The Baptist? Porfirio asked.

Wayne.

Duh. The greatest cowboy hero of all time. If anyone could give him the right way to win Moira back, it was John Wayne.

Neo rejoined the conversation and patted Percy on the back. “The famous cowboy? Even Ive seen a John Wayne flick.”

Percy was surprised Kadys mate knew who John Wayne was. The three of them had held a few spaghetti western nights, but Neo had been more invested in the meatballs than the movie. “Yeah. He’d know what to do in this situation. He’s a badass and the little ladies love him. If I were more like him, maybe Moira wouldn’t have left.”

Oops. Percy hadnt meant to let that last sentence pop out. Neo was the epitome of a hero and would never feel sorry for himself or question his ability to keep his woman by his side. Right?

Neo scowled and exchanged a look with Kady. The two of them had always had a kind of mental telepathy that Percy hadn’t understood until Moira.

“Percy,” Neo said, “you’re not a cowboy like John Wayne.”

Great. Yeah. Because that was going to make him feel better. “Obviously. I don’t even have a horse. You don’t have to tell me I’m not bad ass enough to keep a woman like Moira around.”

“Listen here, young hedgehog, err, really old and ancient dragon,” Kady interrupted wagging her finger at Percy. Neo took her hand in his and gave it a little kiss.

Percy didn’t feel the same jealousy he had before when Neo showed affection to Kady. He understood better now. Neo lowered her hand and caught Percy in his gaze. The big black Dragon inside of him flickered through his eyes and pierced Percy. In the past that might have sent him scampering away, but not today. He didnt have to be afraid of Dragon Warriors, not anymore. Not since he was a Dragon.

Besides, Neo loved his friend Kady and she loved him back. No one who could love the way they did could be bad.

“Percy, you’re the most bad ass hedgehog I’ve ever known. As a Dragon, youll be one epic Warrior. When Kady needed you most, you were there to protect her and comfort her. You’re not a cowboy like John Wayne, because he was a fake. He played a tough guy in the movies, but you’re a real tough guy. You’re the bad ass and any woman, Fate, witch, a little lady hedgehog, or a fated mate, whatever would be lucky to have you.”

The hair on Percys arm stood up just like his spines would if he was having a particularly proud moment in hedgehog form. A flicker of purple dragon scales shimmered across his skin.

“You think I’m a bad ass?” He was loyal, he was smart, he was kind, but no one had ever thought he was tough.

“I don’t think it. I know. But you’re the one who has to believe it.” Neo clapped him on the shoulder, man to man. Dragon to Dragon.

Percy could never actually talk to The Duke, but if he wasnt honest, Neo was a real life hero and theres no one elses advice hed rather hear. “I know you’re tougher than most and you love real hard. I love Moira real hard, so I guess that makes me a bad ass too.”

A warmth from his heart spread out from the inside and every bit of his skin turned hot and pink. He was a bad ass. He was a hero and he would find a way to win his lady love back. Her love was the quest of a lifetime and well worth it. Plus Percy was worthy of her love too.

Whether he was a hedgehog or a dragon.

Ace, Trip, and Porfirio joined the group. Ace punched him in the shoulder. Of course you are. Only you would have the balls to open a fucking portal and travel back to the very spot where the Dragon Tree will be.

The tree? It was no sapling, and its branches and leaves were not shaped like a dragon at all.

I guess if you did it for love, we gotta be on team Percy, Trip said. So what are we going to do to help you win the heart of your fair maiden back?

Ultimately it was her choice. He couldnt make her do anything.

Duh.

That was the key. Moira was a Fate and made the choices for everyone else. Would she even know she was allowed to decide like this for herself. She could create their fates, she alone could twist and turn the universe so they were the right ones for each other.

He wanted her to choose him, needed her to see out of anything in the entire universe, he chose her. That this time they were the ones who were destined to be together, but because Moira made it so.

Percy just needed a way to communicate that to Moira and he knew just the guys to help him figure out how to do that. Hey Neo, the Dragon Warriors all believe in the Fates, right?

The idea of the goddess guiding our lives is a principal belief of all Dragon shifters. As he spoke, the amulet around Kadys neck glowed with their shared magic.

And that necklace that you gave it to Kady is part of that?

Yes. My... upbringing was different, but perhaps Porfirio can tell you about how the Purple Dragons get their soul shards. He is your Wyvern.

Porfirio nodded. When we first learn to shift as youngsters, the witches of our time pulled out a shard of our soul and ask the Goddess to imbue it with our destiny. Porfirios eyes narrowed with each word as his brain figured out where Percy was going with this idea. You dont appear to have a shard, so perhaps you were cursed in childhood. That would explain why you dont remember much.

Kady gasped. You want a shard to show your fate so she can choose you.

Got it in one shot. Percy swallowed and bowed his head to Kady. Do you think you can pull a shard from my soul?

Whoa. Kady blinked, her eyes darting around, thinking hard. Ive never done anything like that. What if I break you?

You know my soul better than almost anyone. If he was lucky someday Moira would know it better than anyone else. I trust you.

Neo rubbed Kadys back. Youre much more powerful than so many witches. Youll do great.

Okay. she nodded and rubbed her hands together. Well need some kind of crystal or whatever for me to put it into once I pull it from you.

Hmm. An amulet. It had to be something meaningful so that it could hold that essential part of him securely and that would be good enough for him to present to Moira if she chose him and came back. He searched his mind for what was in his pack, but it was mostly snacks and other candies. If hed brought a candy necklace or a candy ring, that might do, but he mostly had candy corn and Mamp;Ms. No go there.

He only had a few other prized possessions. His tablet so he could watch movies and his cowboy hat. His eyes flashed to the hat. Hed laid it on the corner of the bed when theyd first gotten to the tree and had forgotten about it since then. It was the symbol of all he hoped to be in his human life. Plus it was a cozy place to curl up as a hedgehog.

Around the outside was a decorative hat band. It was simple, a leather cord, with a single silver bead holding it in place. Percy dashed inside and grabbed the hat and slipped the band off, then brought it back out to Kady. Its not very fancy, but will this do?

Kady took the proffered item and fingered the bead. I think its great, Pers. I have an idea though that I think youll like. Ill change it back if you dont like it, but can I show you?

Percy hadnt had a lot of his own choices in his life. He didnt get to choose to be a familiar, he didnt decide to be a shifter with a human form, but he would always pick Kady to be his witch and his friend. You dont have to show me. Im sure it will be perfect. Do it.

Kady grinned and held the bead tight in her hand. She closed her eyes and a golden glow formed inside. It only took a minute and when she opened her palm, the bead had transformed into a tiny silver hedgehog, spikes, and all.

See. Perfect. That was exactly what hed want to give to his Fate. Thanks. Now lets do this. Ive got a sunset to ride off into.