Page 2 of Madison

They, like Grail, were evil and only thought to gain untold riches and wealth from sources within the different time lines that he was supposed to care for. From future records, the Time Displacement Office – the TDO and the Elders of their kind, knew that he had taken this opportunity to steal them away along with all their equipment. In the aftermath of the devastating slide, everyone would assume they had been killed as well. After decades of exhaustive tracing and retracing the lines of time back, the TDO knew this was where he made his first move to bring his plan to fruition.

But the quake, the distraction as it was never to happen. At least not where it had happened in the history they had studied. It had happened the day before in Tokyo, where Ember was studying and gathering information. She worried for her, and when she couldn’t contact her, she just knew the worst had happened.

Storm had been trying to contact her sister for hours without luck. They were both immortals and could shift and fly away if danger was imminent, but with the suddenness of the quake in Tokyo and the horrific scale on which it had occurred, Storm feared her sister needed her and needed her now.

Storm felt the first touches of Ember as she exited the store. The feelings got stronger the more Storm concentrated on her sister’s touch to her mind. It was all she could do to keep an eye out as to where she was going and thinking about her sister at the same time.

“Are you all right? I’ve been trying to reach you for hours. What’s happened?” Storm said as soon as the link was snapped into place between them. Ember told her that she was fine, never better. “I’ve been so worried about you that I can barely breathe.”

“There are signs of him here. I have contacted several of our kind in the area, and they say that he stayed with them for one night two days ago. I can smell him and his poison here deep within the belly of the mountains where the records are kept.” Storm smiled at her greeting. Ember was never one to mince words when it came to their jobs.

“Did he hurt any of them? Ask them for their help?” It would be just like him to murder them all just to throw them off his scent. But, at least for now, he only killed when he could gain from it.

“No. He spoke to no one but the people who were kind enough to allow him to rest at their dwellings. They say that he had a satchel with him, but he didn’t seem to want to let anyone know what was in it. The Elders found a small thread, or we may not have known that he was even here. He’s either getting better at hiding from us, or we’re getting worse at our job, Storm.”

“It’s the same story here. He spent a night with the others here and then left. No one mentioned a satchel, though. He moved the place and altered the fabric where he had been. Ember, he didn’t take the people he had before. Somehow, he has modified the events of that night yet again.” Storm was suddenly terrified, and she was sure things were going to get worse before they caught up with him. “What do you suppose was in the sachet? I mean, is it important you think?”

“Moran, the one who was closest to him when he was here, said that it had photos in it. Some of them were old tin types, others digital, and one hologram. He thought they looked like me, but the eyes were the wrong color. I’m assuming that it must have been of you. Also, from what I could gather, there were images of the people in California. There…there was a picture of a man, as well. One that we’ve not encountered in all our searches as yet.”

“Photos? Maybe he’s using outside help trying to find these people. Makes sense that he would have pictures. He’d have to show them who to look for, right? No, he didn’t take anyone, as far as I can tell. It’s…he’s changed everything again.”

There was a long pause, through their connection; Storm could feel her sister’s tension.

“What is it? Something has happened. Tell me.”

“The Elders, they called me two days ago. They needed an extraction. I…they had me take a human away from a deadly shooting. I’ve no details yet, but he is to be guarded at all costs. I have him deep within the mountains with us. He is curious but not frightened. I think that is why there was a shift in the location of where the quake happened. I think we missed this man somehow, and we angered Grail by taking him. He was in one of the photos in the Grails collection. Storm, this man, he was to die.”

“Who is he? Had he been taken by Grail before? Is he one of Grail’s minions?” She was more worried for her sister’s safety than ever before.

“No. He isn’t like that. His mind and body are pure. His spirit is clear. The shooting I took him from killed the others like him – men who uphold the law. I barely made it to him before the killings began in a house in New York. My wings were damaged slightly; I’ve been in a healing sleep until now.” Still, Storm could feel her hesitation.

“Tell me the rest, Ember.” She could have looked, she supposed, but in her current state, she knew that she’d hurt her sister. And she didn’t want to do that. Hurting her would hurt her as well. “Ember?”

“I’ve been…the others here, we’ve…I’ve formed a bond with one. I’ve found my mate, Storm. After all this time, I’ve found my mate, and I’m afraid. Not of him, no, but what this is going to mean for the two of us. They will curtail my work soon.”

Storm felt her heart stutter to a stop. Her mate, Ember, had found her mate. Storm moved to the outer wall of the store and leaned heavily against it. This would change everything. Ember could no longer help her with their job. As soon as Storm thought about it, she felt horrible. Ember had found her mate. She should be rejoicing.

“Storm, please don’t be mad. I didn’t mean for this to happen.” She had hurt her anyway. The tone of Ember’s voice told her that.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m happy for you. It’s just a surprise, that’s all. I wish you nothing but happiness and good fortune. I love you.” Storm, stronger now because she had heard from Ember and knew that her sister was going to be all right, continued. “I’m going to contact the Elders and see what they want me to do now. You’ll be all right for now? You’re making sure that you’re all safe while you work?”

“Yes, I am fine. Thank you, Sister. I will be waiting for you in our cave. You let me know when you will be arriving, and I’ll be watching the sky for you.”

Storm hoped it would be that easy, but knowing the Elders as she did, she doubted it very much. They would want something from her, and she’d do it because Storm was loyal to a fault.

~~Devotion to the continued existence of life~~

~~Devotion to the supreme good~~

~~Pure condition of body and mind~~

It was against the Laws of the Realm to appear before the Elders in any other form than the one that you had been born to. She didn’t mind that so much as she loved being a dragon whenever she could. As soon as Storm arrived at the castle, she reached out to touch the magistrate to set up a meeting with the Elders and the Queen. She was both surprised and terrified that they had readily agreed to see her as soon as she had eaten and shifted.

Food was brought to her, and she enjoyed a large meal. As soon as she had finished, she knew that she needed to complete her mission and get back to her sister. Moving to the outdoor paddock just outside her suite of rooms, Storm began her shift.

She loved to be a human. Storm loved the soft textures of their skin, the feel of the hair upon the body. She also loved the way the fingers bent and was able to grasp things within them. The light feelings of simply walking would make her giddy with anticipation of stepping into the grass or sand with her bare feet. But to be her true self, there was nothing better.

Storm was a dragon, an Enneahedral Dragon—also known as a Ninefold Dragon. She was as rare as any being could be. Storm was the ninth daughter of nine daughters for nine generations. When she had been hatched, she had inherited all the elementals of the earth and the nine directives as well. Her powers were nine times that of her sister Ember—even though she’d only been seconds behind her in coming out of her shell and abilities that went beyond any other dragons.

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