The Final Storm (Part 3)

The Unexpected Guest

Jaydon didn’t wake up the whole day. As soon as Ralem had left he had gone to the only inn in town- Blackbird’s Inn. It was old and was rumored to be infested with rats but had really good food. He had no other choice. He checked himself in under the first name he could think of- which happened to be Jaydon. The innkeeper looked at him suspiciously before handing him his key.

And this is where he spent almost the whole day, sitting on his cot looking out the window at the small town. He couldn’t believe he was here- back in Redfield again. He couldn’t believe how dramatically his life had changed: from preparing for a ball in Baroke to handing his dragon over to his sister in Redfield. He dug his face in his hands. What am I to do? He thought. I can’t go back to Baroke without Jaydon. I can’t do… anything without him. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks in his stomach. He didn’t realize how much he… depended on the dragon. Which made him feel even worse about dumping him at his sister’s house.  

He fell back on his thin bed, reaching out for Jaydon. The dragon was unconscious, but responded weakly to him. Stay strong, Jaydon. I’m here. Ralem said even though he knew Jaydon wouldn’t hear. Right here, he said, closing his eyes. Trust me, he said and he was out without even realizing it.

He dreamed about Arianna.

At the Blake household it was a flurry of activity. The healer was mumbling and doing her magic on Jaydon, who was prone and shirtless on a soft pad by the fire. The wondering children were dismissed as the healer did her job. While Sarah and Taylor watched she wet a rag and gently cleaned Jaydon’s back -staying well away from the deeply colored swelling where his back had broken- exposing raw cuts and welts from ant bites. When she wiped the mud away from Jaydon’s shoulder blade Sarah gasped in amazement at the silver tattoo. “Ralem never told me he got a tattoo,” then she shut up as the healer shot her a look.

The healer touched the tattoo and- was she just seeing things?- it seemed to move! The healer’s crinkled face crinkled even more in disgust. She got out a bowl and some strange smelling herbs and started mixing frantically. “Who took him to you? Did you see their face?”

“Umm no. He didn’t even give us his name. Just said he had been in an accident,” Taylor said helpfully, massaging Sarah on the shoulders.

The healer made a frustrated noise, “Did you remember his stature? Was he tall?”

Sarah crinkled her brow and looked at Taylor. He returned a blank look. “Well… I suppose he was tall,” she ventured. “But we couldn’t see much under his cloak.”

            The healer nodded, but kept on muttering as she mixed the herbs and fed the nasty mixture to Jaydon.

Sarah spoke up again, “Will he be okay?”

            “I don’t know,” the healer replied- was that anger in her voice?- “It depends on one critical factor that I am going to have to figure out. It could be months before he could walk again. It could be days.”

            “Days? But-” Sarah started.

            The healer dipped her head, “Things aren’t what they seem, Sarah. Ralem is… different from the brother you remembered him as.”

            There was a heavy silence except for the crackling of the fire and Jaydon’s hoarse breathing. Taylor had stopped rubbing her back. “What do you mean?” she asked in a small voice.

            The healer turned her head slowly and when her gaze met Sarah it made her stiffen. “It is a bad omen that he has come. He has foolishly brought trouble on your family. But you must keep him,” she motioned towards Jaydon, “safe until his master comes back to collect him.”