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Chapter Seven
Part Seven

Daniel found Mela in the lounge. She was sitting on the sofa, which had been covered with a plastic sheet to protect it. Her legs were tucked underneath her and her attention was fixed on the television. He rapped loudly on the door frame to get her attention. She looked up and grinned at him before turning back to the television.

“I never knew Gaia was so weird,” she said.

“Hmm?” He glanced at the TV and saw that she was watching some sort of science documentary. “Weird?”

“Weird!” She pointed at the television. “How can a world actually work that way?”

“What way?” He looked back at the television and frowned at the images of underwater volcanoes. “What’s it about?”

“Plate Tectonics, I think it called it.”

Daniel blinked at the concentration on her face as she spoke, and again when he realised she’d actually said Plate Tectonics in English.

“Really? How much of what it’s saying gets through?” he asked.

“Enough. I’m missing more just because I don’t understand rather than things not getting through.”

“Well, you’re only fourteen, honey.” His father walked past him into the room. “Most fourteen year old humans would find the details of geophysics a bit of a stretch as well.” He turned to Daniel. “I just received a rather disturbing phone call from someone I know you’ve met.”

Daniel cocked his head at him. “Who?”

“Sarah Tyler.”

Daniel stared at his father for a moment and the closed his mouth when he realised it was open. “That’s what she meant when she said she surmised some things Ebona and I didn’t say! She figured out your identity. How do you know her?”

“Never mind that. I was expecting her to yell at me, but she was calling about something else. You both need to go back to the other world within the hour.” He scowled at the wall. “And take Sonia with you.”

“Huh? A few minutes ago you wanted me to leave Mela here. And why the hell would I take mum with me?”

“A few minutes ago I hadn’t received a phone call telling me that a trio of red dragons had broken through a thin spot over Wales and were flying in this direction.”

“What?!” Daniel sat down on the sofa with a bump. “Dragons here? They don’t…”

“Come here?” he asked. “Oh, they do, if they find a breach. But it’s rare for three to appear at once.  And they broke through deliberately as well. This isn’t random and Sarah is certain they’re after Mela. I’ve sent some of mine to intercept them, but…”

“But it’s wisest to get their target out of the way,” Daniel said. “For once I agree with you. But why mum?”

“I want you to take her back to Waldhafen with you. She’ll be safer there and they’re good people. They’ll look after her and their healers might be able to help her. Goodness knows nothing else I’ve tried has. Even Halia’s only been able to stabilise her sudden decline.”

Daniel eyed his father thoughtfully for a moment and then nodded. “I’ll tell Ebona and collect my stuff. Where’s my spear?”

“In your wardrobe with your bags, and I’ve already told Ebona. You just need to pack.” His father put his hands on his shoulders. “Be careful. The dragons will come after you again. They really want this girl for some reason.”

***

“Welcome, Warriors,” A large black gryphon Andrew assumed was Kimi’s mentor greeted them. He rose and dipped in a bow. “I am Aratts.”

”Thank you,” Andrew said as Kaguya and Lydia helped him sit down. “I’m Kimi’s heart friend Andrew. These are my sister Lydia and her heart friend Bennu.”

“Welcome,” Aratts repeated. “Where is Kimi?”

“She said she’ll be back soon,” Kaguya said. “I’ll go and await her.” She gave Andrew a concerned look as she left. “You should make some ice for your ankle, ice warrior. It’s swelling up.”

He looked down and saw she was right. “I would if I knew how… Ow!” he broke off as Lydia grabbed his injured foot and started to remove his trainer.

“Sorry, but we need to get the shoe off, get some ice on that ankle and lie you down. I guess we’re stuck here for a couple of days at least.”

“I’ll make some ice.” Kimi came in with Kaguya and Eyvindr. She tapped beaks with Aratts in some kind of greeting and then walked over to a barrel of water that stood in the corner and breathed on it. It froze instantly. “There!”

As Lydia smashed up some of the ice and tended to Andrew’s ankle, he listened to Kimi describe what had happened to them.

“The light warrior is an intelligent young woman,” Aratts said when she finished. “She’ll be okay. But what you say about Elapyron…” He shuddered.

“I was hoping you might be able to train Andrew and Lydia a little,” Kimi said. “They don’t know how to control their powers yet. Especially not Andrew. We’ve been lucky so far, but it can’t last.”

“I noticed when he couldn’t make ice for himself. I think I can help once he’s recovered a bit.”

“Thank you.” Andrew said as Kaguya  returned with cushions and piled them on the floor nearby.

Andrew hopped over to them with Lydia’s help and lay down.

“We’d be grateful for any help you can give us, sir,” Lydia said.

“You’re welcome,” he said. “We’ll talk more when you’ve rested.”

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