Page 64 of The Healing Dragon
He hasn’t talked to it or listened to what it has to say out of fear of losing control.
“It can’t.” Calaca reaches for him and places one hand on his shoulder. “The vessel is yours. It can’t hurt you.”
“It took control once.” Matias steps away. His eyes find mine and I can see he is close to spiraling. “The day we escaped. It raised the dead to help us. I didn’t do that. It took over.”
“It did it to protect you.” I step forward. I can feel Santiago reach for me to pull me back, but his hand isn’t quick enough. “If it meant to do it again, I doubt there is much we can do to stop it.”
“Nice pep talk,” Santiago murmurs behind me.
I’m being realistic and I need Matias to be it, too. There’s no time to waste.
Matias finally nods and closes his eyes. I know the second he hears the voice on his head as his whole body flinches.
“What does it say?” I ask after a minute.
Matias’s eyes finally open and look around. He takes in his surroundings before looking down at his hands, then body. The slow inspection is odd at best. The stiff action makes me take a step back.
“Sire,” Calaca drops to its knees.
It tricked him. Somehow, it knew that talking to the book would allow it to take over. What we are looking at is no longer Matias.
I stretch my right arm out beside me and call for my snake. The power I used to feel coursing through my veins and fingertips is gone.
Matias places a hand on Calaca's head, petting it lightly before turning to us. I continue to step back until my body hits Santiago’s. His hands go back to my shoulders, and this time I don’t push them away.
I look at the hollow eyes that minutes ago held so much fear and concern.
“You are not Matias.” My voice carries disbelief.
“I am not.” The words are delivered expressionless. “I will return his body to him after I deliver my message.” He taps his ears and adds, “listen.”
It takes a step closer to us and we take a step back. Our eyes trained on it.
“What do you want?” I ask.
“Return me to The Red Book to be whole again. I will leave the body only once I’m reunited with my other half.”
“Yeah, you think we haven’t tried to get the book back,” Santiago says in a dry tone.
“Try harder!” it yells. “Speak to your King and tell him what I said. I will no longer allow the boy to keep me a secret. If he doesn’t, then I will and this time I won't let the boy return.”
Santiago and I nod in answer to the request. Matias’s head inclines just before his body drops. A coughing fit follows until his breathing finally settles. I rush after him and kneel. I look for his pulse and breathe out in relief when I find it. He stirs and I rise. As Matias comes back to consciousness, I look up at the heavens and thank the Fates.
“What happened?” Matias asks.
I give him my hand and help him rise to his feet. “We can confirm the book is the one talking to you in your head. Part of the Red Book is in you.”
“Did it say it wants to be reunited with the rest of the Red Book?”
I nod.
He rubs his head. “It told me that much before everything went fuzzy.”
“We can’t keep this from them.” Santiago gestures back to the castle. “We have to tell Brandon now.”
“Why?” Matias’s question is confused and filled with apprehension.
“The book plans to tell them if you don’t,” I say.
