The Cleansing (Book One: The Folara Chronicles)

081: Ondrea

Ondrea slammed her fist against the counter top. Stupid selfish Kahlest! Couldn't she see the greater interest lay in securing the entire planet, not just her own preeminence on a battlefield? How dare she?

Mathilde shook her head. "They get like this before...." Her eyes filled with tears again.

"Give me the box with Demor. I will need her to complete the revocation."

"I should probably come with you..." Mathilde did not want to leave her home or engage in the conflict as much as her wayward daughter did. "I've never been without my dragon."

"Well, as you saw today, she's not a pet, my dear cousin, she's a valuable link in the healing of this planet." Ondrea swirled herself into Harpyiae form.

"Will you give her back when you're done?" She opened the box for a last peek, and was unprepared for the fiery blast that singed her eyebrows.

"You must accompany Ondrea Taan to the open sea and revoke your kai, Mathilde. The Council of Ladies will not be able to function if all kai are not revoked. This is mandatory." The tiny dragon bellowed.

Mathilde's eyes watered worse than with her tears and she dropped the box. Ondrea leaped forward and caught it before it could fall, but the little dragon had lifted off her velvet bed and flown to the window sill. Ondrea stared at it in speculation. This creature was not to be manipulated or fooled in any way.

"H-how long will we be gone?"

"Two days." The dragon answered before Ondrea could try and count it out. It had taken her a week to get there. "I will lead the way."

"I have to tell my family." Mathilde cried, wiping her face with a cold towel.

"No. There is no time. Quildor marches, but there is another consideration you will need to be aware of. In fact, several other considerations. We must go to the open sea now." The dragon said, and fluttered above the window in eagerness to begin their flight. No bigger than her doubled fist, Ondrea sized the tiny creature up for stamina.

"Will you be able to fly with us?"

"The question isn't whether I can fly with you, but whether you can keep up with me. I haven't transported two before. I believe I can as long as we are all touching. Please step closer, raise your wings." The dragon's little green wings rose and as she made contact with Ondrea and Mathilde's arms, they all three lifted off. "You mustn't let me go, no matter what happens."

The rush of wind beneath their wings caused Ondrea and Mathilde to gasp, and then the feeling of nothingness engulfed them and they were transported to another place before either of them could even protest.

The touchdown was rough, and they all three spilled onto the gravel and dirt. Mathilde screeched in astonishment, while Ondrea rolled and came up looking scared. The dragon righted herself and panted, licking flames from her lips delicately. "Well, that wasn't so bad, now was it?"

The hill they currently resided on was similar in color and size to that of Valdemar. She swallowed, feeling quite dehydrated. "Where are we?"

"One hundred miles from where we started. It would have taken you two over an hour to fly here and you'd be all worn out as well. This is much easier, though we will have to work on the landing. I've never been so clumsy, but never been so out of practice either." Demor was perched not far away on the limb of a bush. "Just six more of those jumps to go."

"Six more?" Mathilde's eyes were enormous pools of fear.

"We will arrive in a quarter of the time it would have taken you to travel this distance. Believe me, Ladies, this is infinitely better."