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“Let me come with you,” she says. “I know we can’t talk when you’re in your dragon form, but let me ride you. At least this way, you won’t have to be alone for a little while.”
Despite knowing it’s probably not the best idea, I find myself nodding slowly, agreeing to let her come with me. Together, we head outside and I wordlessly strip out of my clothes. I move to the center of the yard and close my eyes, shifting into my true form. I’m comfortable as a human, but when I’m a dragon, I feel free. It’s in this form that I’m strong and brave and whole, and nothing can take that away from me.
Peggy climbs onto my back and holds tightly. Once I’m certain she’s in a good position and that she isn’t going to fall, I begin to fly. I notice that as I fly, she hums quietly and rubs my scales. It’s a nice feeling. I’ve had girls ride on me before, but it’s never been quite like this before. Even the times Peggy has ridden on me in my dragon form, she hasn’t touched me so gently, and I like it.
It’s a long flight, but I find myself growing calmer as we near the pick-up point instead of more tense. Eventually, we reach the place where I left Natalie and where she’ll be waiting for us. She didn’t come home last night with Donald, so I’m guessing she didn’t find him.
A fresh blanket of snow covers the mountain pass, and I wonder if Natalie got caught in the storm. I take a deep breath before I can freak out, though. She might be human, but she’s basically a dragon in every way that matters. She was raised in the clan and she knows how to take care of herself. She knows how to be strong. She knows how to be brave and she knows how to find shelter when there’s a storm.
Storm Dawn isn’t too far, anyway, so she may have simply sought shelter there.
I don’t see Natalie right away, but I land just the same. Peggy slips off me and rubs her shoulders.
“It’s cold,” she says. “Are you okay?” She motions to my bare feet in the snow.
“Not really,” I tell her honestly. “But it’s just for a minute. She should be here. Natalie?”
“Natalie!” Peggy calls out. “Are you here?”
“Natalie isn’t here,” a voice says. We turn in unison to see a tall, gangly-looking teenager step out from behind some trees. He’s obviously human. He’s got long, shaggy brown hair and he’s wearing a coat that’s much too big for him. I’m not sure if he’s wearing it to make himself look bigger and scarier than he is.
“Oh?” I raise an eyebrow. Peggy tenses, but I reach for her hand and give it a squeeze. This kid isn’t a threat. I’m not sure who he is or why he’s here, but he doesn’t exactly have “I’m an evil murderer” scratched on his forehead. Besides, Natalie can hold her own. Yes, even against someone like this. “Where is she?”
“Not here,” he shrugs. “But she and that guy gave me a message to give you.”
“What guy?” Peggy asks, and she can’t hide the hopefulness in her voice. I swallow hard because I, too, suddenly feel something churning in my heart: the stirrings of something strong, something that makes me wonder if maybe, just maybe, Natalie pulled through.
Maybe coming here wasn’t a terrible idea.
Maybe she was really onto something.
“His name is Donald,” the boy says. “They told me you’d know what that meant.”
“She found him,” Peggy whispers.
“She fucking did it,” I agree.
“Yeah, so…the thing is, they had to go somewhere,” the boy says.
“What? Where?”
“An island?”
“Which island?” I ask, trying to get more information, but the boy shrugs.
“They didn’t tell me that. They just wanted you to know that they’re going to an island to get something they need, and then they’ll be home.”
“Did they say when?”
“Nope,” the boy shakes his head. “Just as soon as possible.”
“Thank you for the message,” Peggy says. “You were waiting out here all alone in the cold? I don’t know how we can repay you.”
“Don’t worry about it,” the boy says. “Donald made it worth my while,” he chuckles. Then he looks at me, nodding toward my feet. “You should probably get going, though. Dragons can still get frostbite, you know.”
With that, the boy turns and leaves, heading up the path. Peggy looks at me.
“What did he mean when he said Donald made it worth his while?”
