Page 14 of The Healing Dragon
The old man tries to raise his gun at me again. His dislike for my disrespect is evident. The dog pushes the gun down without moving his eyes from me.
“Follow me,” he gestures to the front door.
I can feel more than see Jesse walking next to me. I make sure I pause in front of the door, allowing him to step before me. The dog and the old man follow me, shutting the door.
“You sure have a lot of attitude for someone who–”
“And you talk a lot for someone whose job is outside the walls of this house.” I point to the main entrance before he can finish talking. “Shouldn’t you be getting back to work?”
“Janelle,” my mother calls.
Her frail body looks just as fragile as the last time I saw her. I leave everyone else behind as I rush towards her. I hug her tight to my chest, breathing her in. Her skin and hair always smells like sweet honey. It’s the one thing that hasn’t changed about her. The day that does change will be the day I worry she is no longer here.
My mother suffers from a sickness very few have ever guessed at. Her skin is nearly paper thin, and so are her bones. She doesn’t just look fragile. She is.
My gift for healing first surfaced when I was three. My mother was bedridden after a fall. I rested my palm on her arm, wishing I could do something to keep her from getting hurt. Like a miracle came to life, I did it. I healed her. From that day on, I healed her weekly.
My healing gift has its limitations. I cannot heal myself and I can only heal small surface wounds and pain. The latter is more important than I ever thought possible.
Something I didn’t understand was why she made me promise I wouldn’t tell a soul about my gift. Most of all, my father. I later found that the reason for her sickness was him. She feared if he learned I could help her debilitated state, hewould attempt to take even more of her power. She wasn't protecting me but herself.
See, my father and mother are soul bonds, and a little secret about soul bonds is how, once established, one can access the magic of the other one. That is how Ray was able to command my fire. He never tried to take my magic when we bonded, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t in the future. He watched, like many others, how my father grew in power while my mother nearly faded away. Once taken, the power cannot be given back. However, I question if my father would’ve returned it if he could.
My mother has done little for me throughout my life, but unbeknown to her, by keeping my gift from my father, she shielded me. I thank her for that even if it wasn't her intention. She kept me safe from him before I knew how to do it myself. I’m certain he would have found a way to use and profit off my gift.
She pulls away and looks at me. I can see tears lining her eyes, but they don’t fall. They never do. “Your father is waiting to see you. He is so happy that you’re back.”
I know those words are hollow. If they were true, it would be even worse. Because it would mean I was playing right into his hand. I take a deep breath and nod. There’s no point in delaying any longer than necessary. I can’t see Jesse, but I am certain he is still somewhere here. I follow my mother as she leads the way down the hall. We enter a long dining room where a formal wood table is at the center. He might be okay with hiding out on an old farm, but he would never allow his surroundings to be anything but the best.
My father’s eyes look up to watch me as I cross the room. He scans me from head to toe. I don’t think he is searching for injuries as much as assessing what he has in his hands.
“Janelle,” he says.
His disdain for my attire is conveyed in the tilt of his lips. I’m a far cry from the tailored dresses he always insisted I wore.
“Father,” I say, unclenching my tight jaw.
The silence that follows could be called uncomfortable for anyone who didn’t grow up in a family like mine. I’m used to pregnant pauses and moments of tension. Mostly when my father is contemplating his next steps. He’s a man who plans, after all.
He extends his hand to the chair in front of me. The invitation comes as a relief to my mother, who’s still standing next to me. I can almost hear her sigh as I take a seat. This new concern for me and my father might come from the fact that she no longer has other children, or that she has not seen me in a while. The most likely scenario is that she is here all alone withhim. She has his focus and rage.
My brothers and I were never close. They were both much older than me. Despite their best attempts, their magic abilities were never up to par with my father’s ambitions. They spent most of their time avoiding my father’s plans. They bailed whenever they could and just lazed around the rest of the time.
I look at my father and see so much of my brothers in him. They were walking portraits that depicted him, from the short curly red hair to the sprinkle of matching freckles over his nose and cheeks. His big nose and heavy brows always made him look upset at the world.
The more I grew in power and drew my father’s attention, the more they got away with. I was the distraction they needed to live their lives. The brotherly love the Oscuro brothers displayed was something I never had.
For a while, I resented them for their lack of interest in me. As I got older and I realized who our father was, I couldn’t hatethem. They saw an out in me and I couldn’t begrudge them the opportunity. Even now, I wish I had done more for them. I had the Oscuro brothers, even if it was in secret. My brothers were older than the boys and never found friendships that didn’t want something from them.
I look over my shoulder to where I sense Jesse standing. I always had him and, in part, he was all I needed to stay sane. The summer months were always my favorite.
A servant is at my side, dropping a plate of food in front of me. I hold back a gasp as I look down at my plate. The amount of food is something I’ve not seen in a while. Did I really used to eat like this? And why does it feel like that was years ago and not simply months ago?
“None of your brothers made it out of that castle alive, but you did. Took you long enough to find your way back.”
Not an ounce of remorse at the fact that his own ambition had two of his children dead.
His statement wasn’t a question, but I know he wants me to say something to acknowledge I’ve been paying attention. The reminder of my brothers hurts. The fact that their lives were sacrificed for the ambitious man sitting across from me makes me nauseous.
