Page 3 of The Healing Dragon
He’s ready for a fight, and I have so much pent-up anger inside me I might just give him one.
“It’s a stupid suggestion. We are going in circles. You think I didn’t conduct my search thoroughly enough, brother?” I move away from the wall towards him.
Roman’s eyes narrow, and a glimpse of something dark crosses his face. “Then why don’t we find someone who can point us directly to the man we have been looking for.” At the loud silence in the room, he clears his throat, doubling down. “An idea I’m sure every person in this room has had, but doesn’t dare say out loud as to not cross the walking dark cloud you’ve become,brother.” The last word is spit out in a mocking tone.
I admit I have not acted like myself recently. I gaze across the room and see how several people avert their eyes.
“Roman,” Brandon warns.
The big fool doesn’t listen. If anything, his eyes show a flash of something that says he is done playing nice.
“How about we go find the one girl who probably knows exactly where the book is?” Roman asks.
The pounding in my heart is so loud it makes it hard to hear. I've been avoiding the topic of Janelle for months. I’ve tried to. The ghost of her haunts me in my sleep and every waking hour. I can’t eat without wondering if she has food. I cannot shower without wondering if she has clean water, and sleep avoids me wondering if she is safe at night. Her memory brings a mixture of worry and guilt. It’s quickly followed by revulsion at myself. Despite what she did, I can’t stop caring for her. It will be my downfall.
“What makes you think she knows?” I ask.
I hate how the mention of her existence stabs at my chest and reopens a wound I wish to forget. Her betrayal has tattooed a brand of shame and hurt across my forehead. I see it in the eyes of every person who looks in my direction, including myself in the mirror.
“All she has to do is find her daddy. Duelo Senior will always take back what’s his.”
At the mention of her father getting her back under his control, I sneer.
Roman pauses long enough to clear his throat. His voice softens like he is trying to reason with my better judgment. “She was his most-prized possession. The way he used toparade that girl for all to see. Duelo must be trying to steer her back to himself if he hasn’t already.”
I shake my head.
There’s no way we’ll find Janelle and make her do anything. She has done and been through enough. She’ll laugh at our faces for even suggesting the idea. That’sIfshe is alive. The thought that she might not be clouds my mind. I can’t even think straight.
“He hasn’t,” Brandon confirms.
The confidence in his statement tells me he knows exactly where she is. I have not allowed myself to fall into the temptation of searching for her even while I was out searching for her father and his followers. Am I really surprised to learn that my brother knows?
“No, we are not going to take that route,” I say with determination to my brothers.
“Do you have any other suggestions?” Brandon’s tone is sharp.
I shake my head. There are grunts of disapproval coming from several people around the room. Roman was right. They‘ve all been thinking about it to some extent if they are so quick to shake their heads at me for turning the idea down.
Brandon tiresomely adds, “you used to have ideas, Jesse. This is when we need them the most.”
“Leave her out of this.” I breathe out each word with more rage than I’ve ever felt. “You took her magic and told her to stay away.”
I don’t even recognize my own voice.
“Watch your mouth.” Brandon slams his fist on the table again. Making all in the room jump. “You’re speaking to your King in this room. Not your brother.” His words are slow and full of enmity.
We don’t use rank amongst our closest team members andabsolutely never around family. The tension in the room triples. Those who were shooting me disapproving looks and shaking their heads are now finding the edge of the table incredibly interesting as they look down. Not one gaze meets mine as I look around.
“Count me out.” I look him up and down. “KingOscuro.”
I move towards the door without looking back, but his words freeze me in place.
“What if we make her a deal?”
I pause and face the King of Puerto Quinn.
“Suppose we were to propose a pardon and the restoration of her magic in exchange for the Red Book?” Brandon asks.
