Dragon's Blood

Chapter Eight

        "So I was by fighting the chimera by myself, and out of nowhere this enormous dragon landed beside me, breathing green fire."

Sanguis nodded over to Sivath.

"He was pretty hurt so I brought him back here. When I introduced myself as Sivath, he told me you were looking for me, Akari." The older dragon finished.

"So you knew..." Akari breathed. "You knew I was looking for you."

"I did. I am sorry that I could not have come for you sooner. Dragon Hunters have been fairly active as of late."

The seven of them were seated in Sivath's kitchen, catching up with Sanguis.

"So Tom is..." Akari hung her head.

"There was nothing we could do for him at that point," Sanguis told her gently. "Dragon blood drives Chimeras mad, and as a Blood Dragon, I was at a bit of a disadvantage."

"I understand." Akari nodded, squeezing his hand across the table.

"Speaking of blood..." Sanguis avoided her eyes. "I'm sorry for using your blood when I saved you last night. I made a promise never to do such a thing, and I put you in danger."

"So that was you!" Akari's eyes flew wide. "I thought I was dreaming. Or maybe dying."

She hunched her shoulders.

"I'm kind of glad it was neither."

She cast a nervous glance over at Sivath after a moment. Though she had been excited to meet him, the two of them had hardly spoken. He was being very patient, presumably sensing her nervous energy, but that only made her feel more guilty.

"Um...Sivath?" She began, and his eyebrows raised in acknowledgement.

"Can a Psych Dragon really breathe fire?"

He expressed slight surprise at her question, then chuckled.

"Why, yes. I can teach you if you'd like."

"That would be cool. Um, thanks."

"Dear, I thought you were excited to meet your father!" Delia exclaimed. "You act as though you're afraid of him."

"Oh! Well-" Akari flushed and studied the table beneath her. "I'm not afraid, I just...I don't know what to talk about."

"Why don't you take a walk together?" Tetra suggested. "It worked for the two of us."

That was true.

"What do you say, Akari?" Sivath asked, and Akari gave him a small nod.

"Okay."

Akari glanced around the cliff edge where Sivath lived; a small unassuming cottage nestled at the height of the outcropping. It came as little surprise that no one had found him, anyone approaching the secluded house would meet only a calm and soft-spoken middle aged man, not the towering dragon that they'd all come to expect.

"So how have you been, Akari?" Sivath asked, though his expression indicated that he figured it pointless to ask.

Many answers immediately surfaced:

I've definitely seen better days.

It's had its ups and downs.

And the slightly bitter, Everything went to hell after you left me and mom.

But what she said instead was a simple,

"Fine."

"I see."