The Dragon's Daughter

Chapter 11

Saturday 2:15 p.m.

The place we landed in might as well have been a palace. White leather furniture. White marble fireplace. Thick white rug over gold marble floors. The only real color was from tasteful splashes of modern art, lamps, and what my family would call knick-knacks but in a fancy place like this, such tchotchkes were more likely referred to as "antique showpieces." Bronzes, golds, blues on shelves, and mantles caught my eyes and dazzled me. I wanted to run my fingertips over everything like when I'd first entered the treasure cave, but I resisted. Jess was my priority.

I crouched down next to her. "You OK?"

"Yeah, just a head rush." She put a hand to her forehead. "That was intense. How are you not dizzy seeing all that stuff go by?"

"Stuff?" I cocked my head, "girl, my eyes were open the whole time, but all I saw was nothing."

"Maybe it's a traveler thing." Jess shrugged, "you guys couldn't see all the cool visuals."

"So now they're cool?" I gave her a shoulder bump, "I thought they just made you dizzy?"

"They can be both cool and vomit-inducing," she grimaced and stood slowly, a small smirk on her face.

I laughed. So did she. We were alive and out of captivity.

"I hope you guys eat omelets cause that's all I can make, and I'm starving!" came Hector's voice from our left. We followed the sound to the kitchen, and I was awed. All the open space and shiny chrome and granite made me suddenly want to learn to cook. "Sweet Lord in heaven," cooed Jess as she looked around at the kitchen. I guessed she didn't notice the living room on account of collecting herself.

"We need to go find Sy. He's alone and scared. His dad is dead." I looked at the group around me. They were likely unmotivated to help, but I wasn't sure who else would be willing. I couldn't trust my dad anymore. My mom might've helped me—if I could find her.

I took a seat at the island, my feet dangling from the barstool, and I put my head down on the cool granite surface. I hadn't realized how tired I was.

"Girl, let's eat first. Nobody can think on an empty stomach. We'll find the idiot. I swear. He may not be my favorite person, but I'm not gonna leave him stranded."

"You mean it?" There may have been tears in my eyes.

"Of course I mean it!" Jess patted my shoulder. "He's a PITA but he's always been around, you know?"

"You already know I'm in. I volunteered a car for this adventure and I'm not loaning you a car unless I'm driving." Hector just shrugged.

"You're coming along?" My voice was somewhere between a thankful surprise and a scoff.

"Well yeah." Hector sounded offended, "This is the greatest adventure I've ever had. I'm not backing away from this shit."

I laid my head back on the counter. I sniffed one or two times, getting my emotions under control. I wasn't alone. Somebody was going to help me. Sure, I was fatherless now, but not alone. I should have probably helped them cook or whatever it was they were doing, but my legs hurt, and I felt like a zombie. I was being selfish, and I knew it. From my position face down, I heard Hector and Jess chatter about this and that. Things like "where's the bread?" and "the jelly is on the third shelf." or "pass me the shredded cheese."

I must have dozed off for a bit because when I woke up, there was a plate of food in front of me. The smell alone had me jerking upright. Nothing had ever smelled so good. "Thank you!" I looked up at the both of them, thankful from my very soul.

"You drooled on my counter," Hector informed me, "totally gross."

Welp. I guess those sweet feelings of thankfulness were wasted anyways.