Page 17 of The Healing Dragon
His eyes pour into mine, trying to read my interest. “He is family to Bianca. Meaning he is family to me.” His eyes move back to the boy.
“The boy with the soul lost to the curse book.” I recall the story Jesse told me in secrecy.
It feels like a lifetime away since he would confide in me that way.
“You recognized him.” Jesse’s tone is accusatory. But I don’t bother getting offended.
“I met him the day of my exile in the woods. He saved my life.”
The truth of these words resonates when spoken aloud. I’m here getting a second chance, thanks to the boy behind bars. My mind and heart decide on a course of action as I gaze at him. I turn to Jesse and look him in the eyes. I need him to understand how serious I am about what I’m about to say.
“We will not leave this place without him.” I turn to face Matias. “At least I am not,” I vow.
CHAPTER SIX
JESSE
Ipace back and forth along the length of the basement. The prisoners are no longer looking our way and have instead resorted to staring at the walls or converse with one another. All except for him.
Matias.
The one variable I was not prepared for. Janelle’s connection to him still makes no sense to me, but it doesn’t matter. The fact of the matter is that I can’t leave without him. Bianca will never forgive me.
Bianca is the future queen of Puerto Quinn, if my brother has his way. I’ve known him his whole life and never would I’ve imagined his ruling partner to be a woman like Bianca. She’s such a wild card and unpredictable. The total opposite of all the women that came before her. I’ve spent days watching my brother worry himself sick over her whereabouts while she was looking for Matias, and here he was all along.
Matias stares at the wall with no expression. His body might be here, but his mind is gone. I fear Bianca will hate me if I don’t bring her Matias back, but I also fear what seeingMatias in this condition will do to her. He is a shadow of a person. I never got to meet him, but from what Roman and Santiago told me, the man before me is not him. What remains here is the shell of who he used to be.
“If you help me, this would go a lot faster.” Janelle is holding two mops and a bucket.
She has filled the bucket to the brim and from the bubbles at the top, I’m inclined to believe she has already added some type of soap she probably found in the supply closet. Uncertain if she really thinks I’m going to let her do the manual task, I approach her.
“You don’t need to do that.” I place my hand over the cleaning supplies and spell the inanimate items to do the task themselves.
They move clumsily but quietly. Beginning at one edge of the basement, they scrub and wipe the floor.
“Thank you,” she says.
I clear my throat and move to look at Matias again. He remains unmoving.
“What is your business with him?” I ask.
She steps to my side, her eyes train on the boy. “Like I said, I met him once. He was kind.”
“Outside of the Black Castle?”
“Yes,” she says and inclines her head. “After my exile. As I made my way out of the forest.”
If she saw him after she was kicked out, then he must have been on his way back. He was going to make it back in the time frame he gave Bianca. He was so close. I can’t help but pity the guy.
“What do you think they did to him?” I ask her.
He is in terrible shape. No wonder he has this gone look in his eyes. He has escaped to a place in his head to survive.
“My father is ruthless. But I can only imagine. We have noreal clue how the Red Book works, but I know what my father wants from it.” Her eyes are pained.
“And that is?” I ask.
“To uncap his magic and be as powerful as he can be. He plans on taking down your brother and his reign that way.”
