Flying To New Heights

Chapter Sixteen

Adelaide was worried she would get more rude and creepy stares from the others when they walked into the common room. Oliver walked close to her, because he knew she was worried about something from the way she kept cracking her knuckles.
      Adelaide and Oliver walked out into the common room. Calix stood beside them. Cordelia appeared out of nowhere and ran up to Calix.
      "Calix! I have urgent news!" She exclaimed, waving her arms. "The Council sent a messenger to the old headquarters with a message."
      "How did you find this out?" Calix asked.
"Monroe was flying to one of our outposts and saw him," Cordelia said. "She flew to him and scared him into giving the message to her."
"Does she have it with her at this moment?" Calix asked.
"Yes. She's in your office," Cordelia said.
"Adelaide, Oliver, Cordelia will help you get something to eat. I have to deal with this," Calix said. Adelaide nodded, edging a bit closer to Oliver.
"All right, you two. Come on," Cordelia said. "That, over there, is the prey cave. For dragons. Then it's cooked over there." Cordelia first pointed to a large opening from which a soft light was coming, and then to a very large fire pit in an alcove.
"What about me?" Adelaide asked.
Cordelia sighed. "Every dragon has a human partner. The dragons catch the prey, the human cooks it. The best part is no one argues." Adelaide nodded. Oliver walked off into the prey cave to catch something. Adelaide was anxious. She had never cooked something over a huge fire pit. And she didn't know anyone in the Parliament besides Johnathan, Calix, and Cordelia.
"Adelaide!" A familiar voice yelled. Adelaide turned towards the entrance and saw Orchid running to her. Orchid? Orchid reached Adelaide and hugged her fiercely.
"Adelaide," she said , "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I knew the whole time. I didn't let you in that one night so you would go stay with Oliver. And I've been contacting everyone and they all told me you had been captured by the Council-"
"Wait," Adelaide said, pushing away. "The reason you distanced yourself from me and everyone else wasn't because you didn't like me, but because you're in the Parliament of Peace?" I asked, astounded. Orchid nodded.
"Hey, Orchid," a husky voice said. Adelaide saw a reddish-orange dragon wrap his wings around Orchid, who hugged him back. He let her go.
"Adelaide, this is Braiden. He's head of messages and prisoners," Orchid said. "And...he's my boyfriend."
"Huh," Adelaide said. Then Orchid's eyes shifted to Adelaide's arm and went wide.
"Your arm," she said, pulling up Adelaide's sleeve. "Were you touched by a CursedTalon?"
"Yeah," Adelaide said quietly. Orchid hugged her again.
      "Did you see Dad while you were there?" She whispered into my ear.
      "No," I said quietly. Orchid nodded.
      "I need to go," Orchid said. "Looks like your friend is back." She walked off and she noticed Oliver coming towards me, holding a sheep in his hands. Adelaide grinned and ran to him. Oliver and Adelaide walked to the fire pit and they both roasted the sheep. Adelaide noticed bins against the wall where dragons put the remains of their meal. Adelaide turned back to the roasting sheep.
     "Why do they have a prey cave?" Adelaide asked out loud, even though she thought that Oliver wouldn't know.
     "They think it helps dragons with their killing and hunting and stuff like that and it helps them bond and team with others," Oliver said, sounding like a student reciting a poem. Adelaide nodded. Soon their sheep was done. Adelaide and Oliver took it to one of the tables and Oliver tore off meat for Adelaide, and then some for himself. It went like this until they were both full.
     "Adelaide," Cordelia said, "and Oliver. The message was about you two."