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“Here we are,” Adam declared as he softly took her hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Ready?”
* * *
Adam beamedas he escorted Ella to the helicopter. He could feel her body tremble as he helped her aboard. “Are you going to be okay?”
She nodded but didn’t say anything, from the look on her face, fear and excitement were warring for control. Her eyes were big as saucers, her lips pulled tight into a forced smile. He almost felt bad for bringing her, but she wanted this, and he had a feeling that once she was in the air she would love it.
After getting situated and settled in they lifted off and from the moment they left the ground he knew he was right. The grimace, the scared eyes, all of it melted away into pure joy. She was transfixed on the world below, on the sensation of flying. His heart soared. If only he could really take her flying, his dragon wanted out, and it wanted to fly with her. He calmed the beast, reminding it that she was in a delicate spot and the sudden realization of dragons might be too much for her.
The flight took them over the city into the hills. Adam pointed out all the important hot spots and celebrity houses, and all the while she held his hand. She still trembled, but the change in demeanor gave him nothing to worry about. This was a woman full of excitement.
For him this flight was nothing special, he’d flown over this city hundreds of times, but this time felt a little different. Maybe it was the knowledge that he’d shared something with Ella that no one else had. This would be a memory that he’d hold on to.
On schedule, the helicopter hovered over a green hill covered in Shasta daisies and a few poppies scattered around to give the look of a white and orange sea below them. As his pilot descended, Ella turned her head, looking a bit frightened all over again.
“What’s going on?” She asked.
Adam pointed out her side to show her the blanket spread across the grass along with a picnic basket. “Lunch.”
CHAPTER4
Ella smiledbig and bright and squeezed his hand as the helicopter wavered above the ground and finally made contact. They exited and as soon as the helicopter was gone, Adam reached over and fixed her wind blown hair. Leading her to the blanket, they both sat and laid back for a moment. Ella was transfixed by the sky. Her smile still held, as she stared at the clouds.
“Wouldn’t it be amazing to actually fly?” She whispered.
His heart skipped a beat. He wanted to tell her he could, that he could give her that, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He feared scaring her off, and he was certain that revealing himself as an ancient black dragon might just send her running. A nagging voice at the back of his mind whispered,maybe she’ll accept you. He almost snorted out loud at the thought. A human accepting him as a dragon and an immortal. If only he could allow himself to indulge in that thought.
After they laid in the field for a while, Adam sat up, opened the basket and started pulling out food and drinks. Arranging everything next to the blanket, he handed her a glass and poured a bright red liquid up to the brim for her, then poured his own.
“What is this?” Ella inhaled deeply, but he knew she wouldn’t be able to identify the scent. It was a fairy specialty, a beautiful mix of Underworld herbs and flowers that made for a delicious drink that filled you with contentment and had a flavor that no one could put words to.
“It’s a specialty drink from the Cafe, I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so they just packed us full of a bit of everything. Cat thought you might like the drink. It’s a blend of herbs and flowers, it’s meant to give you a calming feeling.”
She took a sip, and he could see the fairy drink send a wave of calm and ease over Ella. “Wow, that is…um… I don’t know. It’s like nothing I’ve ever tasted before, but it’s somehow familiar at the same time. How’s that even possible?”
He nodded. “A lot of people say the same thing. It is definitely a show stealer, which is why it’s not on the menu. It’s one of those hidden menu items.”
She laughed and took another sip. “What is it called?”
“Heart Blossom Water.”
Ella placed her glass to the side, nestling it in the grass. “Well, now I know what I’m ordering next time I go in there.”
They spent hours relaxing in the meadow, sipping on fairy juice, eating the variety of finger foods and snacks that Cat had packed for them. Adam felt the worries of life drift away as Ella told him about life growing up in a small Northern California town. He could stay there forever with her, her sing-song voice lolling him into a peace and reverie that he’d never known before.
“I wish I could stay here,” Ella whispered.
He gave her a lopsided grin and joked. “Right here in this exact spot?”
She shook her head and sat up. “I like this city a lot, at least what I’ve seen so far.”
“You know you don’t have to move on.” Adam almost held his breath. “You could stay here, and I can help you reach all the places you want to see.”
“That’s really sweet, I appreciate it, but I couldn’t ask that of you.”
“Why not?” Adam sat up and looked her in the eyes. “If this is your last hurrah so to speak, why not ask for what you want. You don’t have to do it all on your own. There’s no medal for not letting others help you when you get to the end of life.”
“Ouch.” She muttered. “You really are just giving it to me straight, huh?”
