Read Online Soul of the Dragon by Natalie J. Damschroder - Free Book Online
Authors: Natalie J. Damschroder
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skeptical and disbelieving even when he saw it with his own eyes. Confronted with a giant golden dragon, Rock Davis would be searching for the power source and remote control.
“It’s too personal, Rock. But thanks for the offer.”
He waited, but she had learned from him and kept silent. Finally his sigh hissed through the speaker.
“Okay. But you can come back when you’re done. You know that. We’ll always take you back.”
“Yeah? Your boss feel that way, too?” It was an impulsive question, and Alexa never acted on impulse. There was a good reason for that.
“My boss? Colin?”
“No, forget it.” Yeah, like he ever would.
“Colin feels the same way, you know that.”
“I wasn’t talking about Colin.” She pulled the phone away from her mouth. “Shit. Shit . Shitshitshitshit.” She kicked the side of the bed. “Look, Rock, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you. Eventually. Like on your birthday.”
She broke the connection and tossed the phone onto her messy bed, dropping onto her back next to it. Rock was worse than a bulldog. She had no hope he’d let this go.
* * *
The rest of the day passed quietly. Alexa got frustrated trying to find something useful on curses. Everything was fictional, or fanciful, or historical. She found a lot about talismans and counter-curses, but nothing on reversing a curse once it had been cast. And everything had a tongue-in-cheek or speculative attitude.
Cyrgyn slept, then left as soon as it was dark enough for him to cloak. She wanted to ask about the extent of his abilities—like why cloaking didn’t work during the day—but he held on to his annoyance and she didn’t think he’d be receptive to questions. Especially when Tars hadn’t made his move, and she didn’t know what hers was going to be.
The dragon had enough dexterity to press the button operating the hangar door, and when she heard it rumble she went downstairs to close it behind him.
He glided out onto the tarmac without looking back at her. She watched his wings unfurl and his neck stretch. He inhaled and snorted, and she could see his tension easing as his movements became more graceful. He lifted his forefeet off the ground, flapped his wings once, silently, and pushed off with his hind legs. Despite his twenty-foot wingspan she could barely hear the beat of those wings. She felt her throat swell at his beauty.
Then, suddenly, she couldn’t see him anymore. She wondered if he could only cloak in the air. It worried her that if he could, it would increase his vulnerability.
Tactics, she thought, slamming her hand on the button to close the doors. Not emotion.
* * *
Tars didn’t call, and she went to bed tired of the game. That annoyed her. She liked the games. She had to, or she wouldn’t have lasted in the spy business very long. Usually, she was good at them. But then, nothing was usual about this quest.
She had no trouble falling asleep. That skill hadn’t deserted her, at least. She was able to sleep soundly for three hours before the phone rang, jerking her to alertness.
In the dark she couldn’t tell which phone it was. Not the number she’d given Jolie Smith, the one Tars would have. And it wasn’t her regular GenCom phone, one he could get. She fumbled in the nightstand drawer and grabbed her only personal unit.
“Hello?”
“Lexa?”
“Aunt Ethel?”
“Oh, dear, I’ve awakened you. I didn’t know where you were, of course, so I couldn’t calculate a time difference.”
Alexa pressed the button to illuminate her watch. Three o’clock. “It’s okay.” She didn’t question how her aunt had known she was asleep. She’d been perfectly alert, no grogginess apparent, but aunts—especially aunts who’d helped raise you—could hear things normal mortals couldn’t.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
“Oh, of course. Everything’s fine. Well, mostly fine.”
Alexa
“It’s too personal, Rock. But thanks for the offer.”
He waited, but she had learned from him and kept silent. Finally his sigh hissed through the speaker.
“Okay. But you can come back when you’re done. You know that. We’ll always take you back.”
“Yeah? Your boss feel that way, too?” It was an impulsive question, and Alexa never acted on impulse. There was a good reason for that.
“My boss? Colin?”
“No, forget it.” Yeah, like he ever would.
“Colin feels the same way, you know that.”
“I wasn’t talking about Colin.” She pulled the phone away from her mouth. “Shit. Shit . Shitshitshitshit.” She kicked the side of the bed. “Look, Rock, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you. Eventually. Like on your birthday.”
She broke the connection and tossed the phone onto her messy bed, dropping onto her back next to it. Rock was worse than a bulldog. She had no hope he’d let this go.
* * *
The rest of the day passed quietly. Alexa got frustrated trying to find something useful on curses. Everything was fictional, or fanciful, or historical. She found a lot about talismans and counter-curses, but nothing on reversing a curse once it had been cast. And everything had a tongue-in-cheek or speculative attitude.
Cyrgyn slept, then left as soon as it was dark enough for him to cloak. She wanted to ask about the extent of his abilities—like why cloaking didn’t work during the day—but he held on to his annoyance and she didn’t think he’d be receptive to questions. Especially when Tars hadn’t made his move, and she didn’t know what hers was going to be.
The dragon had enough dexterity to press the button operating the hangar door, and when she heard it rumble she went downstairs to close it behind him.
He glided out onto the tarmac without looking back at her. She watched his wings unfurl and his neck stretch. He inhaled and snorted, and she could see his tension easing as his movements became more graceful. He lifted his forefeet off the ground, flapped his wings once, silently, and pushed off with his hind legs. Despite his twenty-foot wingspan she could barely hear the beat of those wings. She felt her throat swell at his beauty.
Then, suddenly, she couldn’t see him anymore. She wondered if he could only cloak in the air. It worried her that if he could, it would increase his vulnerability.
Tactics, she thought, slamming her hand on the button to close the doors. Not emotion.
* * *
Tars didn’t call, and she went to bed tired of the game. That annoyed her. She liked the games. She had to, or she wouldn’t have lasted in the spy business very long. Usually, she was good at them. But then, nothing was usual about this quest.
She had no trouble falling asleep. That skill hadn’t deserted her, at least. She was able to sleep soundly for three hours before the phone rang, jerking her to alertness.
In the dark she couldn’t tell which phone it was. Not the number she’d given Jolie Smith, the one Tars would have. And it wasn’t her regular GenCom phone, one he could get. She fumbled in the nightstand drawer and grabbed her only personal unit.
“Hello?”
“Lexa?”
“Aunt Ethel?”
“Oh, dear, I’ve awakened you. I didn’t know where you were, of course, so I couldn’t calculate a time difference.”
Alexa pressed the button to illuminate her watch. Three o’clock. “It’s okay.” She didn’t question how her aunt had known she was asleep. She’d been perfectly alert, no grogginess apparent, but aunts—especially aunts who’d helped raise you—could hear things normal mortals couldn’t.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
“Oh, of course. Everything’s fine. Well, mostly fine.”
Alexa
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