Page 38 of Draekora

“That’s not something you need to worry about right now, Alexandra.”

Alex just shook her head mutely at the old woman, lost for a response but realising that perhaps Lady Mystique was correct. One problem at a time. And speaking of—

“Do I need to be worried about some kind of butterfly effect?” Alex asked. Seeing the woman’s questioning expression, she explained, “How careful do I have to be to avoid changing the future—my real time—by accident? Like, if I squash a bug here, it could erase an entire species—that kind of thing. You get me? How can I keep my future safe when I’m not supposed to be here and could stuff up everything I know just by breathing wrong?”

Lady Mystique’s face cleared with understanding. “You being herecontributesto the future you will experience, but since you have already lived that future, there is no need to worry about what you do here in the past, for you cannot change events that have already occurred.”

Alex had to repeat that mentally—twice—before she got her head around it. “So, you’re saying that whatever I do here in the past issupposedto happen in order for the future I know to become a reality?” At Lady Mystique’s nod, Alex stated with perfect honesty, “That’s messed up.”

The old woman gave a wrinkled smile. “Nevertheless, it is true. So do, or don’t do, whatever you wish while you’re here; it will change nothing—and everything.”

Alex pressed her fingers to her forehead. “I think I’m going to have a headache for the next few millennia after all this.”

“One final thing, child,” Lady Mystique said, “and perhaps it will ease some of your concern.”

Alex looked at her hopefully.

“When you leave here, I will make it so none who you meet in this time will remember your face, nor will they recall having met anyone in this time who is shining with the bond of thevaeliana.”

Raising her eyebrows, Alex said, “You’ll dowhat?”

“The Meyarins of the future never recognised you, did they? And yet, since your time here impacts the future, how can theynothave sensed some familiarity? I can only presume it is because I am to step in and make it so. This will allow you even more freedom to make the most of your time here.”

“They won’t remember me at all?” Alex asked.

“They’ll remembersomeone,” the woman said. “But not vividly, only… impressions, you might say. Everything you do while here will be recollected as having been done by a vague, blurry face by the time your future arrives. So do not be concerned about your actions or fear your presence complicating the future.”

“Because it’s already happened,” Alex confirmed, not sure if she was amazed or disturbed by the possibilities. She didn’t question how Lady Mystique could do such a thing because if the old woman could make an entire bookshop disappear, altering memories was probably as easy as snapping her fingers together and sayingabracadabra.

“What happens now?” Alex asked.

“You’ll return to the Meyarin palace and begin your training,” Lady Mystique answered, making it sound so much simpler than Alex was sure it would be.

Shuffling on her feet, Alex admitted, “Uh, I may have burned that bridge slightly when I woke up, freaked out on them about Aven and fell off the balcony. Not to mention, took to the skies on the back of a hulking beast. They probably think I’m a crazy person.”

“Have no fear, child, for all will work out just as it should,” Lady Mystique said softly, switching back to the common tongue. “Now bid farewell to the heir of Draekora and we shall depart.”

Alex raised her eyebrows, wondering how the old woman planned to get them down to the ground from the middle of the sky without a draekon’s assistance. Last Alex checked, she hadn’t sprouted wings, regardless of the ‘unexpected changes’ wrought by thevaeliana.

With little option but to follow Lady Mystique’s order and see what would come next, Alex turned to Xiraxus. “I guess I’ll, um, see you around?” She felt a stirring of sadness at the thought of being separated from him, since even though they’d really only just met, she was comforted by his strong presence.

Xiraxus lowered his face towards Alex, enough that she reached out a hand to touch his smooth black brow, stroking him like one would a horse.

“I’ll come visit you soon,” he promised, speaking her common tongue again. “And try not to worry, Alex. Everything will be okay—you’ll see.”

I sure hope you’re right, she whispered to him in her mind.

I’m always right, he responded confidently.You’ll learn that soon enough.

“Come, Alexandra,” Lady Mystique said, holding out her hand. “Time waits for no one.”

Alex had to purse her lips together when the old woman wheezed out a laugh at her own words, obviously entertained by the irony.

Grabbing hold of the weathered hand, Alex spared a glance around the amphitheatre once more, taking in Xiraxus, Zaronia and all the other striking draekons still in attendance, before her eyes travelled out over the view of the floating islands of Draekora. That was all she saw before Lady Mystique’s grip tightened almost painfully and the world around her flashed into a blinding light. Only when it faded did Alex come to see they were no longer in Draekora.

Instead, they were in the throne room of the Meyarin palace where, seated before her on a raised dais, were King Astophe and Queen Niida.

… With both Roka and Aven standing by their sides.

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