Page 38 of The Divide that Binds Us

“No.”She frowns with a distant, haunted look.“I have nothing.”

The dragon sniffs my hand, tickling me like a feather.Azul comes to my side as the dragon whips around at the incoming visitor.They’re in a pouncing position with their back arched upward, scales rolling and clicking along the body.The incoming heels are louder, along with the dragon’s menacing growl as they stand defensively in front of us.

“Well, well, well.What a lovely beast,” the voice drawls.She moves from around the dragon, who turns slowly to keep their eyes on her.In full view, the woman is taller than me and Azul, so I’m sure heels aren’t necessary.She makes the Guards clinging behind her look like tiny punks as she towers over Azul and me in a plain navy business suit with small matching pumps.Her grayish-blond hair hangs loosely around her square jaw, with deep-set brown eyes boring into my soul.“Master Azul, always a pleasure to see you.”

“Advisor Mildred Anguine,” Azul asserts at ease with a steady smile.“I was not expecting a visit from you today.Is everything well?”

They exchange a brief but firm handshake while maintaining intense eye contact.Guards carefully eye the dragon, tightening their grips on their guns and crossbows.

Wait!Mildred is the tall lady who was standing behind King Remington during his dense speech on TV.She looks like she can swing one chiseled arm and knock us out if she wants to.

“Ah.My heart is not well.”Mildred reaches into her blazer and pulls out a small photo.

My stomach drops from the sight of the young girl wearing a purple, flowy dress with a flower crown on her head.Her bright green eyes are a dead giveaway.I ossify beside Azul, tightening my own pleasant smile so I don’t panic suspiciously.

“Have your eyes made contact with this young girl?”Mildred asks with a deep grimace.“She’s an extension of family, a little troubled little branch at times.She broke off the tree and I’ve been ill at ease in my attempts to find her without disrupting the media.”

I’m hoping my poker face is good enough.“Nope.Can’t say that I have.”

“Neither have I,” Azul adds.Her voice is stern and creaking on the edge.“We are on a light lockdown due to missing a member, but if you’d like to discuss deploying us to search for her, we can certainly arrange for that to happen discreetly.I was planning a visit to the King regarding the matter of our lost member.”

Mildred smiles.“You’ve lit a fire of hope in my heart, Azul, thank you.You see, Fae shares the tongue of dragons.Poor thing was overwhelmed when asked to use her abilities to help save them.She keeps to herself, but suddenly, everyone was paying attention to her.”

I’m sweating through my shirt.The dragon turns their attention onto the photo in Mildred’s hand and looks at me with those same enormous eyes.They look at the picture again and unleash a quiet whimper while Azul and Mildred are talking.

My thoughts are interrupted when I catch Evangeline rushing outside and going around the building toward the forest.I’m tempted to run after her and get away from this whole interaction, but my shoes are glued to the pavement.

“Well, I best be going now,” Mildred sighs so hard, her posture slumps heavily with dramaticism.“Thank you for lending your ears and eyes.Please keep me abreast in your search.I’m hoping the winds will guide her home soon.”

Mildred gives one last parting stare at the baby dragon.Her thin lips draw back in an awkward smile.The dragon sniffs and shrinks away from her before looking at me.The Guards salute us and retreat down the stairs behind Mildred.Azul stares ahead with a smile and brief wave as Mildred’s limo pulls off.

“M-Master—”

“That’s the girl, isn’t it?The one you met on Topaz?”Azul finally turns to me with a pointed look.

I gulp.“Yes, ma’am.”

“And the boy?You said he looked at you and asked if you were looking for dragons, right?”she presses.I bob my head and look at the dragon inching closer toward us.

I scratch my arm and shift my weight.My thoughts fall back to Evangeline in the forest and hoping she’s okay.I need to catch up with her and Billie.

The thoughts pour in like a busted faucet.

Fae fears the Guards and ran away.Mildred is looking for her and has Guards accompanying her.The boy possibly has the gift of sight and saw something when he looked at me.He also said he looked at a woman and she killed dragons.

I look at the baby dragon resting by my feet.They sniffed Mildred and didn’t react positively toward her.She didn’t seem particularly pleasant, either.

I gasp from the revelation.

“It’s Mildred, isn’t it?She’s the strong influence coming from Garnet.”

She doesn't want Elite or Ultima involved.

Master Azul scrunches her face.“We need to be careful going forward.We’re being watched.”

“YOU MET A DRAGON?”Billie’s roar reverberates in the tiny dorm room, it hurts my ears.

So, I caved and told Billie and Evangeline everything.It only took an hour after Mildred left to crumble and suggest a sleepover.

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