Page 33 of The Healing Dragon
I place my hand on the door handle and slowly twist it, trying to make no noise. Once open, I move inside in quiet feet.
“Oli,” I say into the darkness.
There is a rustle of sheets, then the bedside table light turns on. Oli’s sleepy form comes into view. His eyes are squinted and hair turning in all directions. A glint of guilt stabs at my chest at the idea I will leave him behind once again. But there is no way I can take him with us now. We will risk our lives getting out of here.
I’ll return for Oli when it’s safer to do so.
“You are leaving?” He asks, already looking more awake than he was just a second before.
“I am.”
Oli looks over my shoulder. Jesse has removed the cloak from his head. He’s currently a floating head, but with a look of determination in his eyes.
“Be safe,” he says to both of us.
I lean closer and kiss his cheek. Oli pulls me into a hug and I soak in as much of the goodness as possible. It’s hard, but I pull away from his embrace.
“This is not goodbye, but see you later,” I say.
“You can only keep your promise to me if you keep yourself safe enough to fulfill it,” he says, referring to my promise of one day being able to take him home.
“That’s right.” I nod, trying to look away before the tears threatening to spill win.
Jesse’s hand on my shoulder is a reminder that we need to get moving. With one last look at Oli, we step out of the room and into the dark hallway. Everyone seems to be in their rooms, but we are still careful to not make noise as we pass the soldiers’ rooms. As we reach the stairs to go down, I see a silhouette standing in front of my bedroom door. I don’t realize who it is until they walk closer to the stairs.
“What are you doing, Janelle?” she asks.
One of her hands is on her chest and the other is brushingher bottom lip. Her wide eyes move from Jesse’s to me. He never placed the cloak back over his head.
“You’re not supposed to be friends with him. I already told you. How many times did I tell you?”
“Mother.” I take a step closer to her and gesture with my hands to lower her voice. “Please stop.” I look behind us to the hall where all of my father’s men are sleeping.
“His friendship was never a good idea. Why wouldn’t you listen and stay away?” She shakes her head with disapproval.
Her voice sounds lucid and very much the woman she once was, but the back-and-forth questions remind me that my mother will never be fully back. Not to the normal person she was before my father took it all from her. Losing her magic took part of her sanity.
“He is going to be very upset.” She looks off to the stairs railing. “Whatever you are planning, stop and go to bed.”
She crosses her arms as if her request isn’t ridiculous and I will simply obey. She knows exactly what I’m going to do. At least part of it.
“You know I can’t do that. You know why. He can’t get away with this. The book belongs to the King.” I try to reason with her, to no avail.
“He might not be a good man, Janelle, but he is your father and you need to obey him.”
“At what cost?” I ask.
I always wanted to know. Where would she stop? What truly would be the point my mother would no longer fall victim to him.
“He took your magic and your title. What else will you give him?”
“This is wrong.” She stumps her foot. “You will ruin everything!”
“I would?” I take a step back and bite down the bitter laughin my throat. “You are the blood relation of the Duelo family. He took your last name. You were a lady brought up as a royal now living in a hideout scared of your King. How much further will you fall for that man?”
“You wouldn’t understand. He is my soul bond, Janelle. The Oscuros took away yours, so you never had a chance to find out.”
The bitter sound that escapes my lips is unavoidable. “The blade that took his life was wielded by my hand alone.”
