Fire Proof

Chapter Twenty-Two

I gently lay my brother down on the stone floor before rushing to the door with a yell. "Aislee! Aislee where'd you go?" I sigh with my fists against the door. "Irrumabo." I curse under my breath.

This was not the sister I remember. At times, yes, the best friend I grew up with came to the surface, but something definitely happened here that changed her. And not for the better.

I get it. The caves collapsed on top of her and should have killed her, yet she survived. It was traumatizing for everyone! But for her to become a different person because of it? I don't understand!

With another huff, I dip my shoulder to the door and lean my back against it, sliding to the stone floor beneath me. I take the time to survey where she put us. The room is dim, lit by a singular torch in the far corner, and the Fire definitely isn't a strong, experienced one. One bed is placed in the center, it's head against the wall. A small set of drawers is the only other furniture the room possesses.

I groan, feeling very much like she stuck us in some sort of prison. And what was up with the guards at the entrance? Bowing at her? What does that mean? How much truly changed since I've been here? I push myself off the floor and stumble to the bed. While I want nothing more than to investigate what's really going on, I know that after a long journey like that, I need rest. And I need strength for whatever comes later; I have a feeling it won't be pretty.

I wake to a jarring knock at the door. Turning over and sitting up, I find my brother already awake, sitting on the stone floor and playing with the sparks that shoot from his fingertips.

"Jupiter!" I hiss, making him look up at me and the electricity vanish. I stand up just as whoever is on the other side of the door gets it unlocked. It's a woman, probably several years older than me. She has grey hair — telling me she's a Wind — and her skin is that of a native. In her arms, she carries a large tray holding a couple of clay bowls. With her comes the smell of porridge, instinctively making my stomach grumble.

I push the thought of breakfast out of my mind and dart past her and close the door before she has even said a single word. Shocked, she whirls around to follow my movement, and the bowls spin off the tray. A moment before they touch the stone, they're floating back to their place. I glance at the woman, but her sole focus is on the bowls, confirming my guess at her being a Wind: she has telekinesis.

Finally she meets my eyes, "quid quod?" Her voice is smooth, and sounds much older than what I imagine she actually is.

I hold up my hand. "I need answers." She raises an eyebrow.

"Me paenitet?"

I lean against the door to prevent her from leaving, and prevent anyone else from coming in. "Our sister shows up and offers to bring us home, but when we arrive, she throws us in a room that doesn't belong to us and locks the door from the other side! I need to know what has happened here." I soften my voice at the end, praying she knows English. Most of the dragons learn it, but not all.

The silence in the room stretches where I almost can't take it any longer, but finally she lets out a sigh. She walks over to Jupiter — who has been silent and wide-eyed the entire time — and places the tray on the floor in front of him. I watch her closely as she hands him one of the bowls and a clay spoon. She makes sure he starts eating before focusing back on me.

"Alright," she begins. Her accent is thick, but at least she knew what I was saying. "Your sister is Aislee, yes?" I nod in confirmation. "Your sister is Cave Leader; she is in charge. I cannot let you out of here until she approves and gives the order. Or Tai."

"Tai?"

"Her mate. He won her in a fight two years ago and has never left her side. Except for when she went to get you."

The wheels in my head turn. Aislee is Leader. That means Father is dead. And so is Mother. I sink to the floor, my back stays against the door. "What happened? To my parents."

"They perished in the battle. I'm sorry." I nod at her words, because they are what I was expecting.

"So Aislee took over?" She nods.

"I really shouldn't be discussing this with you, but maybe you can help."

"Help?" What could she possibly want my help with?

"When I say Aislee took over, she took over. She is not ruling as your parents taught her, how she should be. She has changed so many things, I don't know where to begin. And — " she stops for a second, as if it pains her to say what else she is thinking. "My daughter, she can be pretty rebellious. She isn't taking the way Aislee runs things very well. I'm afraid she's going to be exiled."

I stare at her. "Exiled? My sister wouldn't —"

"She already has." The woman interrupts me.

My breath catches in my throat. "She's actually forced someone out of the Caves?"

She nods, "and I'm afraid Zekaya will be too."

I let out the breath I didn't realize I've been holding. "Okay. Thanks for filling me in a little. . ."

"Zeph," she smiles, "call me Zeph."

"Okay, Zeph, do you mind if we just head out while the door is unlocked?"

She opens her mouth but I cut her off. "We won't tell it was you who let us out, I just need to go find my sister." Jupiter takes this as a cue and leaps up, having finished both his and my bowls. I don't mention it as he grabs my hand and I whisk the door open, pulling him with me out into the hallway.

The halls are damp, and lit only every few meters. I try the best I can to get us where I want to, but the battle's toll on the tunnels makes that difficult. A series of turns, stairs, and circles later, I finally hear a large amount of commotion and conversation.

Jupiter squeezes me hand and we follow the noise until we end up at a pair of wooden doors. They stand wide open to the dining hall — which I notice also looks slightly different than I remember. Several picnic table-styled sitting arrangements crowd the cavern, and at least two-thirds the seats are full.

I push Jupiter against the wall with one hand, moving to flatten myself next to him. I peek into the cave and start scanning over the dragons with my eyes, looking for specific blue waves of hair. I don't see her, until my eyes reach the back.

There, as if she's royalty, she sits at an isolated table facing the doors in peering through. She's next to a turquoise-haired man, and as far as I can tell from here, they're holding hands while they talk and eat their breakfast.

This must be Tai.

Leaving Jupiter to either follow me or stay put, whatever he chooses, I storm in there. My hands tighten into fists and my eyes narrow at my sister. The sound of my feet hitting the stone ceases all conversations until I'm the only dragon making any noise at all. Everyone shifts in their seats and all eyes turn to me.

When I reach the isolated table, I realize Jupiter had stayed back. I'm glad; if this becomes ugly I don't want to see him get hurt. When I stop in front of my sister and her mate, the first thing she says is:

"Who let you out?"

I raise an eyebrow. "You don't see a problem with that sentence?" I shake my head at her. "You're different, you've changed. And you've changed this place. What would Mother and Father think of this?"

It gets quiet for several moments. She stares at me and it's like I can see the wheels physically turning in her brain as she searches for something to say back.

"Well, Azari, I'm glad you're here." I'm shocked at this response, but I let her continue. "I have been doing some digging and searching — both before I left and since you've been here — and I have found you two perfect matches!"

A few members of the crowd applaud but based on my sister's expression, she was expecting more from them. "Excuse me?"

She stands up. "Every dragon needs a partner, sis." She winks at me before addressing everyone behind me. "To the ring!"