Obsidian (The Dragon Kings) Read online

  He kept his distance after Aspen handed Mrs. Little her latte. But he’d been waiting. When she accidentally looked at him, he spoke.

  “I’m sorry I laughed at you. It’s just that you’re trying so hard to ignore me. Am I really that bad?”

  Yes, Aspen thought. She looked past him and saw Wobbles sneaking around the corner. “Oh, no you don’t,” Aspen said and scooped him up. Wobbles was one of Ella’s coffeehouse cats. He knew he wasn’t allowed behind the counter, but that didn’t stop him from trying eight times a day. Aspen put him on the window seat with his sister Wiggles. He meowed and nudged her hand, and Aspen petted him. Mrs. Little was reading a magazine, and a couple of kids from school were doing homework. The night would be long and slow. Might as well give math another shot.

  A hole formed on the paper next to number thirty-four as she erased the problem for the third time. Sid sat across from her.

  “You having trouble with those?” he asked. Aspen gave him what she hoped was a nasty look and tried reading the problem again. It was no use; she was never going to understand.

  “Look,” he said, pointing to the problem. “All you need to do is subtract seventeen from each side of the equal sign.” Aspen handed him her pencil, and he demonstrated. If she talked to him, maybe she could convince him to do it for her. She was about to give up her vow of silence when Tori’s voice rang out across the shop.

  “I knew you’d be bored tonight. We’ve come to keep you company.” Aspen was grateful for the distraction; with Tori there she didn’t have to concentrate on ignoring Sid. Tori could do all Aspen’s talking for her. Matt, Lila, and Dan followed her into the shop. Aspen rolled her eyes at Dan kissing Lila as soon as they cleared the door. They were the school sweethearts and had this stupid ritual that involved kissing every time they walked through a door together. It was nauseating.

  Tori dropped her stuff on the table in front of Aspen. “You never texted me back. Where’s your phone?”

  Aspen shrugged.

  “I swear, you must be the only person on Earth who doesn’t have their phone attached to their hand.”

  Aspen used it, but she hated being stuck to technology. It didn’t work in the woods anyway.

  Before Tori could continue talking, Aspen turned to Matt, who sat next to her and flung his arm across the back of her chair. She moved her chair a few inches away from him, and he scowled but removed his arm. She smiled at him apologetically.

  “I was going to call you later,” Aspen said. Matt’s eyes lit up, and she hoped he wouldn’t be too disappointed in her reason.

  “If she can find her phone, that is,” Tori said.

  Aspen rolled her eyes. She was certain her phone was in the pocket of her jeans that she wore to school. She just forgot to bring it to work.

  “Anyway, I talked to my mom, and she said they found the climber’s camera.”

  “Only the camera?”

  “Not exactly, they also found a foot,” Aspen said, grimacing.

  “A foot? As in not attached to the body?” asked Matt.

  “Exactly.”

  “How the heck do they find just a foot?” Tori asked, wrinkling her nose.

  “No clue, bears are usually messier, and wolves don’t leave anything. The foot was off by itself, no blood trail or anything.”

  “Did they see anything on the camera?”

  “Nothing that suggested anything unusual. It looked like the last picture he took was in the middle of a cave. But there were no caves near the spot he was hiking.”

  “Aspen, you weren’t supposed to tell anyone,” Dan said. He shook his head and blew his shaggy hair out of his eyes. His parents worked at the park with Aspen’s.

  Aspen’s mouth had no filter. Her mom hadn’t exactly been talking to her this afternoon. She overheard her conversation with her dad. Although, Aspen didn’t see the big deal.

  “Who cares? People will know soon enough.”

  “No, they won’t. My mom told me they’re keeping the foot secret. The rangers don’t know what they’re dealing with, and telling everyone could create unnecessary panic.”

  “Oops.”

  “I bet it was a dragon. They wouldn’t leave much behind,” said Tori.

  Aspen scowled at her. “Dragons don’t eat people.”

  “How do you know?” Tori asked.

  “It hasn’t ever happened before. Why would they start eating people now?”

  “They’ve been eating people forever. We don’t hear about it because no one survives.”

  “Where the hell do you get your information?”

  Tori scooted closer to Sid. “Everyone knows it, but no one dares to say it in front of the mighty Aspen. We’ve been waiting for proof. Maybe now you’ll stop taking pictures of those creepy things.”

  Aspen burned with fury. Tori was her best friend, but in this instant she couldn’t stand her.

  “Aspen’s right. They don’t eat people,” Sid spoke up from next to Tori. He had a busted pencil in his hand and her math book open in front of him. He looked concerned. Aspen handed him another pencil. Indecision was etched across Tori’s face. Aspen almost laughed at her dilemma. Tomorrow Tori would be singing a different tune about dragons.

  Matt got up. “Thanks. I should tell my folks and let them know to keep it quiet.”

  Tori turned to Aspen. “Can you get me something to drink? I’m parched.”

  “Sure, what do you want?”

  “The usual,” she replied.

  “The usual? Tori you’ve been coming here for the last three years, and you never order the same thing.”

  Tori grabbed Sid’s hands, and he jumped. “What do you think I should get?” He stared at her hands for a minute and then at Aspen with a perplexed look. He didn’t realize Tori had it bad for him, and Aspen almost pitied him. He paused for a second then said, “A green tea latte.”

  “Oh, those are good. Can you make it for me?”

  “Only if Aspen shows me how.”

  “Never mind, Tori. I got it.”

  He followed her anyway.

  Aspen brought Tori her latte and left Sid behind the counter. A few minutes later Tori giggled. Aspen turned to see what she was looking at. Sid had both Wobbles and Wiggles up on the counter drinking milk from a bowl.

  “Stupid freaking idiot,” Aspen said, heading for the cats.

  “Ah, you talked to me!”

  Actually she didn’t. She was talking to herself. Let him think what he wanted though. Aspen picked both cats up and moved them to the window seat.

  Dan spoke up. “I think we should go. I need to tell my folks they’ll need to do some damage control. We know Matt’s parents won’t keep it quiet.”

  “Sorry,” Aspen mumbled.

  “Tori, you coming?”

  “Yep.” She grabbed her bag, gave Aspen a hug, and kissed Sid on the cheek. His face reddened, and he went back to the table and continued scribbling on Aspen’s math homework.

  “I gotta use the little girl’s room. Be right there,” Tori said to Dan.

  Dan waited until Tori was out of earshot.

  “There’s something else you should know.”

  Aspen snapped her head up. “What?”

  “They strongly suspect it was a dragon. They can’t prove anything, but you need to be careful.”

  “Are they reporting it as a dragon attack?”

  Dan shook his head. “But if they can’t figure out what it is, they might. Just to have an explanation. I know how much you love them.”

  Aspen bristled. They weren’t dangerous, but if everyone thought they were eating people, everything would change. Right now, they were left alone. If word got out, it’d be a witch-hunt. Aspen had to prove they weren’t dangerous. If she could just get close to one again, like she had with the black dragon, she could film him and show the whole world they weren’t responsible for the deaths in the parks.

  Aspen and Sid closed up in an almost easy silence. He didn’t try to get her to talk
to him again. Sid brought her coat and offered to help her put it on. Aspen hesitated, not wanting to give him the wrong idea, but then she slid her arms in the sleeves. It felt natural, almost normal. So did Sid walking her to her car. Aspen even let him open the door for her, but she didn’t say anything to him.

  “Here’s your book. I did the assignment for you. You may want to copy it in your own handwriting.” Aspen took the book and looked up at him in the darkness. He smiled and shut the door.

  She drifted back three years to the memory of her first kiss. Marc had taken her to a movie and when they got ready to go home, he opened the car door for her. Before she got in, she looked up at him, and he smiled that same smile Sid had, bringing his face toward hers. She remembered feeling nervous because she’d never kissed anyone before. His kiss was soft like a gentle rain. Little did she know that gentle rain would turn into a major storm.

  Aspen came back to the present and found herself alone in the parking lot. She turned on the radio and took out her math homework. Sure enough, it was done, but each answer had detailed instructions explaining exactly how to solve the problem. And short comments were written all over the page. Random things Sid thought she should know. “You should name your dragons. I like Valentine for the red one and Jolantha for the purple.” “Wiggles and Wobbles don’t like you much.” “I wish you weren’t afraid of me.”

  Okay, so he wasn’t that bad. Sure, he was a tad annoying, but she probably presented him a huge challenge when she immediately gave him the cold shoulder. That was understandable. Challenges were meant to be attacked with no mercy. If the tables were turned, she’d be doing the exact same thing. It sucked to admit.

  Why was Aspen backing down from him? She hadn’t felt this kind of fear since, well, since she realized what Marc was going to do to her. She shivered. Maybe it was time for her to face this demon. Aspen wouldn’t run from him. She wouldn’t avoid him. She would attack this fear head on.

  Sid went straight home after work, frustrated by Aspen’s rejection. He had been unable to reach Theo on his phone to ask about his research on Aspen, so he raced up the stairs and stopped dead in his doorway. Seated on a chair next to Theo was Sid’s sister, Pearl, the last person he wanted to see.

  “You’re angry,” she said quietly as Sid dragged out his box of geodes, a newfound hobby, and sifted through them. “You shouldn’t be. Just because I’m on the council doesn’t mean I’m not on your side.”

  “Then why are you here?” Sid asked, digging under his bed for a hammer. “I thought I was allowed to have contact with my mentor, no one else.”

  “You’re the king,” said Theo sarcastically. “We’ve got to keep you safe. How am I supposed to do that without your sister?”

  “Theo seems to believe you got in over your head. Anytime a dragon decides that they want to get romantically involved with a human, that’s an issue. Especially within the first month. That’s why I’m here. He thought perhaps I could talk some sense into you. So you tell me why I am here,” said Pearl. She ran her fingers through her deep red hair. Pearl felt different somehow, a foreign emotion coming from her. She was usually solid and calm like the trees, but today she felt volatile like the ocean. Though she was radiating happiness and love. Sid forgot himself for a moment.

  “You’ve been sealed,” he said.

  “Yeah.” She grinned and stretched out her bare foot, revealing a thin golden script. The intricate pattern revealed no name.

  “Who is it?” Sid asked, dejected. Blank etchings only meant one thing. Whoever she sealed herself to didn’t love her back.

  “Raja.”

  “And his name is missing because?”

  “He wants to make sure you really become king before he allows himself to be sealed.”

  “That prick,” Theo interjected. “Sid’s gonna be king. Raja needs to give it up. Besides, he’s been after you a long time. Why would he make you wait?”

  She huffed and pulled her foot under her long silver skirt. “Raja’s just being cautious. I can wait ten years. Plus, it’s not exactly a conscious decision. He’ll seal himself to me when he’s ready. I love Raja. That’s not going to change. Enough about me. We are here to talk about you, Sid.”

  “So, talk. I’m listening.”

  “Why am I here?” Pearl asked once again, exasperated.

  “Did Theo tell you about Aspen?” Sid asked, turning over a geode in his hand, feeling the rough bumps to find its sweet spot. She nodded, and he continued. “I work with her. The first thing she said to me tonight was ‘Sid, we’re never going to be friends.’ Then she didn’t talk to me for the rest of the night.”

  “You mean like Winerva?” asked Pearl, her smile widening, and her eyes lighting up with laughter. “You do remember Winerva, don’t you?”

  “The evil white hag,” Theo muttered. “That was the summer Skye tried to kill him,” said Theo. “And poor Candide was heart—”

  “Enough with my lousy love life,” Sid said, pointing his hammer at them. “That has nothing to do with Aspen, and I’d rather forget about it. Find something else to gossip about.”

  Theo laughed, and Sid swung his hammer. With a loud thunk, the rock split exactly where he wanted, and showered Theo and Pearl with chalky dust and pea size chips; the inside revealed brilliant purple gems.

  “Anyway,” Pearl continued as though rocks had not rained down upon her. “It has everything to do with Aspen. Winerva hated you the moment she laid eyes on you.” She reached down and snatched half of his rock. “You couldn’t stand it. Obsidian must be liked by everyone,” she said rolling her eyes. “Was there anything you did that summer that didn’t piss her off?”

  “No,” Sid said, picking up another rock and setting it down. Without searching for a good spot, he swung the hammer again, and this time the rock shattered with a loud crack. Theo ducked as a shard flew past his head and splintered the computer screen.

  “Watch it, will ya?”

  Sid sighed. “Look, it’s been a long day. Can you guys leave me alone for a little while?” He dug through the box again.

  “No, I’m only going to be here for a week or so, and then I won’t see my baby brother for the next ten years. I’m not going to leave you alone,” Pearl said and sat on the floor next to him.

  “You’re not supposed to be here now, yet here you are.”

  Pearl laughed. “You’re in a mood, aren’t you? Maybe you’re right, and I’ll be back, but only if there’s trouble, so let’s hope I don’t come back. Since I’m here, you might as well enjoy my company.”

  “Why are you only staying a week?” Sid asked, holding his hammer high above another geode.

  “I have to start the search for the queen,” she said.

  Sid missed this rock entirely and put a hole in his floor. The search was starting early. The queen was the reason he never sealed himself to Skye. He knew Pearl would head up the search because she was the representative for the royal tribe, but he would know nothing of the queen until the council presented her before him for the testing.

  Sid gave up on the rocks. “Why are you starting the search already?”

  “It’s always this early. We need a few years to narrow the field, and then they have to go through extensive training before the testing.”

  Sid shivered, thinking of the horror stories he’d heard about the testing. He’d never witnessed it, but only about half of the potential queens made it out alive. Even fewer made it out sane. Most kings had to watch three or four candidates go through the testing before one was finally accepted. Again, that choice would not be his.

  “I talked to Skye,” said Pearl, interrupting Sid’s thoughts.

  His stomach knotted. Of course she talked to Skye. Was there any part of his life his sister didn’t stick her snout into? Sid waited, knowing that no matter what he said, Pearl would find away to get her point across.

  Pearl continued. “She wanted me to tell you she is sorry for the way she left things.”

&
nbsp; Sid missed Skye. He’d give anything to have her sitting in front of him instead of Pearl. She had been the bright spot in his life, the one who made sure he always faced the sun instead of the clouds. Humanity would be more fun with her around.

  “Where is she?”

  “Back home in the Everglades. She stopped to see me on the way.”

  “Can I see her?”

  “No, you know—”

  “Would you like to know what I found out about Aspen?” Theo interrupted.

  “Absolutely,” Sid said as Pearl started to protest. Anything to escape the painful road his conversation with Pearl was heading. He picked up a shard of the shattered geode and ran his fingers across the tiny purple spikes.

  “Almost every bit of information I found on her was attached to dragons. Did you know she has pictures of us?”

  “Yeah, she showed me some this morning.” Sid dug into his pocket, remembering he still had her phone. He handed it to Theo.

  Theo thumbed through the pictures as Pearl watched over his shoulder.

  “She actually likes dragons,” commented Pearl, perplexed. “That’s a bit, um, unusual.”

  “So why do you think she hates me as a human if she likes dragons?”

  “Well, she doesn’t know you’re a dragon,” said Pearl, taking the phone from Theo.

  “She’s going to hate you even more when she finds out you jacked her phone,” said Theo, spinning around to the computer.

  “I didn’t mean to steal it. She ran off before I could give it to her, and then I forgot about it. I’ll give it back tomorrow.”

  Theo scowled and pulled off a piece of the shattered computer screen. “You’re going to have to replace this, you know. I wanted to show you the rest of the pictures she’s taken, but that will have to wait. Anyway, Stacey and Jason Winters, her parents, are park rangers. As a child, Aspen moved from one park to another. My guess is that’s where her fascination with dragons comes from; she’s lived near us her entire life. The info on her family is sketchy. It looks like she has an older sister and a twin brother. They lead a quiet life.”