Flying To New Heights

Chapter Eight

Adelaide woke up leaning up against a sleeping Oliver. She smiled and closed her eyes again. Not sleeping, but just thinking. She remembered he mother's harsh and angry face. Yet the same face was the one who had raised her. Did her mother love her? She didn't know. Adelaide sat up and opened her groggy eyes. It was mid-morning. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, making Oliver's golden-orange scales glimmer. Oliver stirred next to her, and he opened his eyes.
    "Good morning," Oliver said, stretching out.
     "Good morning," Adelaide said. She stretched out, her bottom sore from laying on the ground. She could have slept on the bed that Autumn had made for her, but she wasn't going to pass up any chance to spend time with Oliver, even if they were sleeping during that time. Oliver got up. He then froze in his tracks. Adelaide was nervous...what was wrong with Oliver? His normally warm, careful eyes were now fearful and worried. They darted around, scanning the room. His eyes passed over the windows and doors more than six times.
    "What's wrong?" Adelaide asked quietly.
     "Quick! Get under that blanket!" Oliver whispered. Adelaide dove for the cover of the blanket, her heart hammering in her chest. She heard a loud knock on the door, and then she heard it open.
    "We have heard reports of Unrestricted Underage Flying, along with reports of a human in the area," a deep, raspy voice said. She then heard the soft task of scales against wood.
    "What? Oliver would never fly on his own. And my other son is fifteen! As for the reports of a human in the area, I have never heard anything more absurd. Humans are scared of us! And even if they aren't scared of dragons in general, they would be scared of me because I am a FireEyes. And those puny humans value their lives so much, I doubt they would risk coming here," Autumn ranted, her voice loud and angry.
    "Well, I am a member of the Council's Squadron, and that means I get to do a search of the house," the deep, raspy voice said.
     "Well, I do not care who you are! This is my home, and I do not want any of the Council's Squadron in it," Autumn yelled. "So go away!" Autumn then slammed the door, making the Windows shutter in their frames.
      "In the name of the Council, I order you to open this door!" The voice yelled. "In the name of Seaweed, Kaitlyn, Comet, Apollo, Elbran, and Scorch, open this blasted door!"
      "I despise all of them! Especially Scorch!" Autumn yelled. "He is a traitor of the highest level. He betrayed my family! Now, go away!"
       "Please, we need to search the house. It would go against our orders to just walk away. The Council would have our heads!" The voice said.
        "Just tell them you didn't find the human," Autumn ordered.
        "All right. Fine," the voice said, muffled by the closed door. Autumn sighed and Adelaide crawled out from under the blanket.
"Are they gone?" She asked, a bit shaken by what she had heard. Autumn nodded solemnly.
"The Council has Squadron fliers and spies everywhere. I wouldn't be surprised if the Council is keeping tabs on us," Autumn said.
"Why wouldn't you be surprised?" Adelaide asked, her curious nature flaring up inside her. She loved dragon culture. Sure, they learned about dragons in school, but it only reached as far as anatomy and politics. They didn't teach anything about religious beliefs, which always interested Adelaide. She knew the dragons had different beliefs than humans. She was also really curious about the Drag'Darra, the dragon naming ceremony. The only thing she knew about it was that every newly hatched dragon and his or her mother was taken to the dragon's sacred tree. She ZZZ.didn't know anything beyond that. She didn't even know the name of the tree, but she knew it mustn't be spoken unless you are in the presence of a female dragon who has been to the tree. Adelaide shook her head clear of her wandering thoughts. Autumn was closing the curtains.
"What did you say, dear?" Autumn asked.
"Why wouldn't you be surprised?" Adelaide asked again.
      "I used to know Scorch. I used to know him very well. He...," Autumn trailed off, leaving Adelaide waiting for an explanation.
     "He what?" Adelaide asked.
     "He and I used to be in love," Autumn said sadly. "He then left me to focus on his Council work."
     "Oh. Then what about...?" Adelaide asked, looking at Oliver, who was reading a piece of paper. She looked hard at the piece of paper. She hadn't seen it around the room, and she had looked hard at every nook and cranny.
      "Scorch is Conrad and Oliver's father," Autumn said, her voice displaying her longing to see Scorch again. Adelaide nodded and watched Oliver put the piece of paper in a roll off to the right. That's probably Oliver's room, Adelaide thought.
      "And those Squadron members where looking for...me?" Adelaide asked.
      "Not you specially, but a human spotted in this area," Autumn corrected. Adelaide nodded, her thoughts drifting to Mercy, the woman sent by the Parliament of Peace to spy on her. Was she still watching Adelaide? And why?
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I was wondering if I should write an Elemental book after this one... Comment your opinions!!!! Thanks!!!
-KendraSorenson1