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As with the previous part – eight years earlier than main story and spoilers.

Side Story One

Family Holiday

Part Six

The kids were being suspiciously quiet. Sonia wasn’t sure if it was because they were still frightened, they knew she was in pain or Matt was keeping them quiet, and in this state she couldn’t touch their minds to find out. She laid her head on the table and tried not to cry. She didn’t want to upset the kids more than they already were. Her head was hurting so much that she hadn’t really noticed where they had stopped, other than it being a small tea room and ice cream bar Matt had found. It might be attached to a farm shop or something. Wherever it was must be off the beaten track;  they were the only people there, apart from the sole member of staff.

She didn’t realise quite how out of it she was until she felt something sweep over her and the headache faded slightly. She looked up at the young woman serving her ice cream with surprise. It wasn’t often she failed to notice that someone had talent. She glanced at Matt questioningly. He must have brought them here deliberately.

She’s one of the people who contacted me via that forum I set up, Matt said. She’s a good girl. Thinks I’m quite mad.

She’s a Wild? Who trained her? she asked.

More of an Ember. She can heal a bit, but not much else. She was the nearest healer I could think of and you needed help. And it was her mother I believe. It runs in the family. Now, her adopted brother is a Wild and quite disturbing. He doesn’t think I’m crazy.

Sonia pulled a face at the mention of the ideas he expounded under his assumed name. You know those are far more likely to attract the Laverne’s attention than us talking. And that would explain why we missed her. We don’t usually miss healers, but no one’s looking for Embers. A pity. She’s very good. She could have been superb with training.

Perhaps we should be, he said. They may be limited, but as you noted they can be very good within their specialities. And your family miss more than they realise. Typically, he ignored the bit about his crazy forum. She half suspected he was using it to decoy the Lavernes. Maybe he trusted the wards that prevented anyone suspecting them more than she thought.

“What were those things?” Lydia asked suddenly. “And how did we get away from them?”

Matt frowned at her. “I don’t know, but we’re safe now thanks to Karen. We shouldn’t talk about this until we get back to the cottage. Let’s just have our ice cream and not think about it.”

Lydia scowled at him but subsided.

Sonia gave him a long look. She’d felt that nudge and it wasn’t even aimed at her.

Lydia is tough, he said unapologetically. I don’t want her scaring Cat and I certainly don’t want Jayden hearing it. That young man is crazy enough to go investigating.

Sonia’s stomach lurched at the mention of Jayden, but when she tried to chase the source of her alarm down her headache rose up again. She swore mentally at how easily she overstretched herself and turned her attention to the ice cream. She felt Cat’s healing sweep over her again and smiled up at the young woman gratefully. “Thank you.”

“You should lay off things for a few days,” Cat said, softly enough that the kids wouldn’t hear. “I don’t know what you’ve been doing, but you’re in too big a mess for me to fix. It’s all I can do to suppress the pain.”

“I know,” Sonia said equally quietly. “I’ll try.” She took another spoonful of her strawberry ice cream. “This is good! Is it homemade?”

Cat nodded. “My grandmother’s recipe. It’s made with clotted cream and real strawberries.”

“It’s lovely. Thank you.” she turned her attention back to Matt. I think we should go home tomorrow. The holiday is pretty much ruined already and I don’t think those things will give up as long as we’re nearby.

PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO VOTE! YOU CAN ASK ANY CHARACTER A QUESTION IF YOU DO!

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Chapter Fifteen

Part Six

Several long moments of silnce followed Dariad’s declaration.

Valeria frowned at him thoughtfully. “That makes more sense than I like to admit. There’s definitely something odd about her.” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “But she certainly didn’t feel like a dragon.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Chapter Fifteen

Part Five

“Ema!” Karen stared at the Daoine girl who was waiting patiently where she’d triggered the border alarms. “What are you doing here? And what were you doing in dragon territory?”

“Karen!” Ema leapt to her feet and hugged her. “I was hoping the first purple dragon knew where her sister was.” She said it as if that was the most normal thing in the world, then glanced at Matthias Morgan. “Oh my goodness! I know who you are. I confess to wondering if you were the dragon lord. Apparently I was right.” Read the rest of this entry »

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As with the previous part – eight years earlier than main story and spoilers.

Side Story One

Family Holiday

Part Five

Fear, her own and that of the kids, pounded at Sonia’s senses like the cold rain on her skin. Whatever it was that was hunting them, it was all around them here. They had to get out of this bubble!

She ignored the stabbing pain in her head with effort as she threw her mind around them, feeling for the barrier between them and the normal world. Before the Lavernes had injured her so badly, she had been able to create pockets like this. She should still be able to navigate them. Sure enough, she sensed a thin oily wall of glistening darkness some way down the hill and across the river. Read the rest of this entry »

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Chapter Fifteen

Part Four

Halia’s expression was unreadable as Matthias explained Lydia’s plan and Rilletta’s suggestions to her. She was sitting on her heels by his chair and none of her usual resentment was seeping through. Instead, Daniel sensed mostly curiousity and a touch of relief. When his father finished the dragon stared at her hands, obviously deep in thought.

“Halia?” his father asked.

“I’m thinking, Matthias-idan,” she said softly. Daniel frowned at the change in way she addressed his father. From his father’s expression he noticed it too, but he didn’t comment. Read the rest of this entry »

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Chapter Fifteen

Part Three

Lyrekka started swearing in draconic as soon as they entered the chamber. Salia followed hesitantly and then recoiled with a sob at the sight that met her. Behind her she heard Coromel give a little moan of horror.
Read the rest of this entry »

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As with the previous part – eight years earlier than main story and spoilers.

Side Story One

Family Holiday

Part Four

They’d left the car at Tarr Steps and wandered along the side of the river until they reached Withypool, where they stopped for lunch. It was another glorious day and the forecast had mentioned no chance of rain, but as the path back to the car took them towards higher ground, Sonia’s stomach began to knot up again. The brief image of a rainstorm which had bothered her last night returned and she frowned up at the sky, but she saw nothing untoward. Read the rest of this entry »

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Chapter Fifteen

Part Two

The corridor was dim after the brightness of the garden. The only light came from the doorway behind them. Salia and Coromel clung to each other as they followed Karilya.

“I-I really don’t think we should be here.” Salia looked at the thick layer of dust just visible in the gloom. “It doesn’t look like anyone ever comes here.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Chapter Fifteen

Part One

“This place is weird,” Coromel whispered to Salia. She and Karilya were showing the sylph around the garden and the dragon girl had run on ahead. “Karilya and her mother seem nice, but they’re dragons.”

“Karilya is definitely nice,” Salia said equally quietly. “I know it doesn’t make sense, but she really is just like us even if she is a dragon.” She paused and frowned. “I’m not sure about Lyrrekka. She does seem nice and I know she was genuinely furious about what had been done to you by that dragon I bit. But, like you say, she’s a dragon and she works for Gerian.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Side Story Previous | Side Story Next

As with the previous part – eight years earlier than main story and spoilers.

Side Story One

Family Holiday

Part Three

The steam train had been fun and served admirably to distract the kids from the earlier fright.  Sonia wanted to keep it that way and so she didn’t mention it for the rest of the day, but waiting for Matt to finish putting the kids to bed so the two of them could talk was making her twitchy. Read the rest of this entry »