Power of the Seers (Dragon Oracle Book 4) Page 3

  “Come on, don’t tell me that I’m the only one who wants some of this?” I asked, holding the bottle to my other-worldly counterpart, but she just turned green and rushed off to the bathroom in the back of the plane.

  Yeah, get that, they had real, functioning bathrooms in their giant skybirds! I could say a prayer of gratitude every night and I still didn’t think I would ever be able to get across just how much I felt joy in each and every new discovery.

  So, I wrapped my mouth around the bottle and chugged, letting the bubbly, sparkling liquid slip down my throat.

  Thank you, Davie. I thought, enjoying the lightness that came with it, and how my cheeks began to warm. For everything.

  Really, she was the only reason I was on this plane. I figured if she had given her life to make sure I got back in one piece, I could try my hardest to make sure that the people she loved also stayed in one piece, and this magical boy we were after seemed the best shot at that.

  Besides, I had lived my whole life as either a victim or a gutter rat. It was about time I tried out being the hero for once.

  Davie would have liked that.

  6

  Survivor’s Guilt

  Mickey

  I stared out the window, watching clouds go by and trying to gather my feelings. We had far too much to do for me to get swept up in another crying fit now. I had to push through and find the boy I saw in my vision.

  But it was so hard. Every single moment I was conscious—and some moments when I wasn’t—I was reminded of everything that I had lost.

  I remembered the moment my mother told me I was going to have a little sister. It was like the world had spun off its axis, lightning had struck me, and the continent of America had broken free only to be swept away into the Pacific Ocean all at once. The memory was burned into my mind of me standing there and realizing that my life would change forever.

  And the moment she was born? It was like everything made sense. I wanted to jump for joy and laugh and cry and never frown again. She was a big baby, and a funny shade of pink, but I knew I would love her for all eternity. We grew up the best of friends, always happy and always safe with each other.

  But then the fire happened.

  Another memory burned into my mind, but also my skin. I had woken up coughing, and for some reason, I couldn’t see. Which was strange, because Davie was scared of the dark, and the nightlight in her room always illuminated the gap under my door where our rooms were connected.

  Then I had realized that I couldn’t breathe.

  I had stumbled out of my bed, and my only thought was that I had to get to Davie. So, I did. I fought and I fought to get through the doors connecting our rooms. The handle was red-hot, and it seared my hand, causing the flesh to pop and sizzle, but I didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was her. My little sister.

  My Davie.

  When I got to her, she was hiding under the bed, shaking and crying, but I got her and I got us out.

  Well… I got her to the stairs, licks of flame coming up from the floorboards to scorch my feet. I wasn’t even halfway down when it suddenly collapsed from under me, and we both fell down into the flames.

  I landed first, hard, on my left side. It felt like whole chunks of my body was being ripped away, but I forced myself to my feet again.

  I tried to pull Davie along, but her hand almost came off as I pulled. She had passed out then, but I wouldn’t let her go. I had slung her over my back, ignoring how we smelled of blood and burning carbon.

  Everything was red and black around me, my vision hazy. The heat was just incredible, and every breath felt like it scoured my lungs, but I pushed myself in the direction of the door. Always moving. One tiny step and then another.

  Consciousness began to slip from me. Pain overwhelmed my mind, and I wanted to vomit, die, and cry all at once, but I couldn’t. I just had to keep going.

  It had seemed so surreal when the door had burst open and suddenly the both of us were being swept up. That was it. We were saved.

  It wasn’t until many weeks later, when I woke up in the hospital, that I had learned they couldn’t make it to our parents in time.

  And so it was just us. Davie and I.

  We were in the hospital for months, and then a special foster home for children with special medical needs. Then a regular foster home. They tried to split us up many times, but I would never let them. I threw hissy fits, took people to family court, and generally manipulated anyone I could to make sure we never left each other’s side, and when I finally aged out, I went right back to court and adopted Davie.

  I was so excited then. Our lives were finally going to turn around and she was going to get the home life she had deserved since that night when everything was taken away.

  But then I had started to get sick.

  It started slowly at first, but the next thing I knew, I was in the hospital yet again. I hated it. I hated it more than anything. I just wanted to be the mother my sister deserved.

  After a while, we had made it work. We fell into a rhythm that was great for the both of us.

  Then those stupid dragons had attacked.

  I was aware that months had passed afterwards, but time was strange to me. It seemed to take forever, and yet I was completely apart from it, so it was nothing at all. But the moment that I was united with my body and my sister, she was ripped away again.

  So many terrible moments in my memories, but I didn’t think I could ever forget the moment I felt Bronn’s strong arm connect with my middle and I was dragged backward. My eyes went to Davie’s face, wide in terror, but the only expression on her face was one of relief.

  How could she be relieved? Didn’t she know what this meant? That we were going to be separated forever! That she was going to die, and I was going to live! That wasn’t how it was supposed to be. I was the older sister, she was the baby. I was the moon, and she was the bright, beaming sun.

  Then I was through the portal and I felt something die inside of me.

  That was when I knew. She was gone, and I was all alone.

  A gruff voice suddenly buzzed over the intercom, surprising me out of my spiraling thoughts. Prince Bronn, we will be landing in one hour.

  “Thank you,” the prince replied.

  My gaze landed on him, and I felt anger bubble up within me. I knew it was irrational, but if the stupid git of a boy hadn’t run into my sister, none of this would have happened and she would be both safe and sound.

  But no, she had to get swept up in some world of dragons and magic and visions and I wasn’t there to protect her.

  “So, what do we do when we get there?” Mallory asked, coming back from the bathroom. I remembered the first moment she had shown up at our door, holding Davie’s hand and smiling brightly. I didn’t think she had stopped talking for a single sentence that first night, and our foster father ended up kicking her out halfway through dinner.

  But she kept coming around, and eventually, I knew that Davie had a best friend. Which was great, because I knew that although I loved her with all of my might, Davie still needed someone her age to confide in. Plus, Mallory was strong, and smart.

  Just not strong or smart enough to keep my sister from dying.

  That wasn’t fair. I could point my finger at everyone in the room if I wanted, but in the end, it was my responsibility to be her older sister and I had failed. Completely and utterly failed.

  “We find the boy,” I answered as flatly as I could, trying not to let my breath hitch or my throat constrict too much. “And we bring him to the castle.”

  “Well, yeah, I know that.” She flopped back into a chair, her face pallid. The girl was sick, and no doubt should have stayed home, but for some reason, we had let her come along. Maybe we were all just too distracted by Davie’s untimely death. I knew my thoughts never strayed far from it.

  We hadn’t even had time to give her a funeral! But what kind of funeral would it be with no body, or ash, or even a memento of hers to
lay in the ground? It was as if my sister had never existed, and it was all my fault.

  “I mean, what… Are we gonna walk off the plane and he’s going to be there waiting for us? Or is there some sort of blinking red path in your head that will lead us to him?”

  I shook my head, the movement allowing my thoughts to escape from my sister for the briefest of moments. “I’ll know it when the time is right.”

  “Really? Your vision didn’t come with any, uh, clearer directions?”

  “No,” I answered simply, closing my eyes. The vision played over again in my head. A young boy with golden skin and long, dark hair. He had a heavy sort of weight to his shoulders, like he was being pulled into the Earth, and a ruthless glint to his eyes. Then, just behind him, was a shadow I knew all too well.

  Davie.

  Had she sent him to us? Or was this just my vision telling me that he was connected to the magic that ran through us, the descendants of the elves? I didn’t know, but I supposed it didn’t matter. All I knew was that I needed to find him and save these dragons so Davie’s sacrifice wouldn’t be in vain.

  “Like I said, I’ll know what to do when we get there.”

  “You sure you can’t just project yourself into his dreams and torment him for weeks like you did me?” Mal asked, looking over at me with a strangely warm expression given her words. Was…was she tipsy off champagne? That would almost be funny if it weren’t for the current situation.

  “I haven’t been able to do that since I woke up from the crystal.” I confessed, turning my eyes back to the window. I had tried, oh boy, had I tried. I figured that maybe Davie had been scattered into whatever energy stream that connected all of us seer folk. I got the impression from my own wanderings that we never really truly vanished from existence, just kinda…got mixed up and dispersed over all of time and space.

  Which, ya know, had been really confusing when I was first outside of my body, but people would be surprised what you can get used to when you have to.

  “Wow, I guess I was just special then. Lucky me.”

  I raised my eyebrow and looked back at the pink-faced girl. She did not weigh nearly enough to drink that whole bottle. Even though she had put on weight since she had arrived, she still had a long way to go before she stopped looking like a tortured waif from a dystopian world.

  “Are you gonna be sober by the time we get there?”

  “What the heck is a sober?”

  I just looked at her blankly, surprised, but it sort of made sense that in her world, it wouldn’t be a thing. I doubt humans had much access to a luxury like alcohol or bubbly liquids.

  “It means you won’t be drunk or otherwise effected by the drink.”

  “Ah, don’t worry about me! I always pull through. You just worry about this magical boy who’s supposed to shoot shields out of his butt or something.”

  The prince let out the weakest laugh I had ever heard. “I don’t believe that is quite how he will do that.”

  “How do you know? So far, we’ve all only ever met two seers, and no offense, but whatever you can do seems a whole lot different from what your sister can do. Could do. I mean—” She shook her head and then laid back. “Is this one of those times where I’m supposed to be all sensitive and not use language like she’s dead?”

  I heard Mallory draw in a huff of air, but I just waved my hand. “No, don’t pretend. Look, I know that you’ve lost people in really horrific ways and we no doubt seem pathetic to you, but we’re all trying.”

  “…no. Not pathetic. Just…different. I almost wish I could care like y’all do, but it seems like far too much work.”

  “It really is.”

  I let out a sigh and turned back to the window. We had a little longer until we landed, and then I would be one step closer to making something of myself. To making Davie’s sacrifice worth it.

  But how could I ever do enough good to possibly match up to my little sister’s life? Nothing imaginable, but I supposed this was a good way to start. Or at least that’s what I hoped.

  7

  It’s a Hard Knock Life

  Krisjian

  I looked at the looming shadow quickly passing by me. Exactly on cue, Rafjan stepped out in front of the tall man, a blanket draped over his arm as he shouted about his wares.

  That was my cue, and I quickly stepped forward, intending to bump into the man and slide my hand into his well-lined pockets.

  I wouldn’t do that if I were you.

  I jolted, whipping around to the sound of the voice, only to see a woman walking away from me. She disappeared around the corner before I could identify anything about her other than her multicolored hair, and by the time I turned back to my target, he was already getting into a taxi.

  “Krisjian, what happened?” Rafjan asked, jogging up to me. “You just stood there like an idiot!”

  I looked to my fellow street rat and hustler, feeling more than a bit guilty. “I… I do not know. There was a woman, and she made us, but then she ran off.”

  “A woman, you say?” The older boy rubbed his chin. “Think she could be secret police? Or rival gang?”

  I shook my head, recalling what I could of her as she walked away. “She was too well fed to be on the streets, and a little too soft to be secret police.”

  “Huh.” Suddenly, his arm was around my shoulders and he was leaning in conspiratorially. “You sure this is not just you imagining a lady friend that you might like? You are coming of that age, my good friend.”

  I hastily chucked his arm off me, more than a little irritated. I was looking forward to whatever we would lift off the man, so I could buy an actual meal. “I am sixteen, Rafjan, I am not just coming of age. And I didn’t imagine her.”

  “If you say so. But come, I will find a new mark.”

  I shifted nervously from foot to foot. “Rafjan, you know we shouldn’t try hustling after the sun goes down. That’s when the real gangs take over and they don’t like us in their territory.”

  “What are you talking about? We are a real gang?”

  “We are a group of twenty orphans that spreads themselves across the city to steal what supplies we can and find safe houses. We are no real gang.”

  “That’s not what they said when they arrested Martja. She wasn’t shown any mercy in court for being in ‘not a real gang’.”

  “That’s because they’ll do anything to get urchins like us off the street. You know that.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Did anyone ever tell you that you’re far too serious, Krisjian?”

  “Side effect of starving, I’m afraid.”

  “Ah, there is the humor I know and love.”

  “That wasn’t a joke.”

  “Of course it wasn’t, you funny man. Well, I’m gonna go out. You can join me or play it safe and go home with an empty belly.”

  “It’s not worth the risk, Rafjan. Please don’t go out, it’s too risky.”

  “And that is where you’re wrong. Nothing is too risky when it comes to a full belly.”

  “You are wrong, my friend.”

  “I think you mean full.” He ruffled my hair then jogged off. How he had the energy for that, I wasn’t sure, but I guessed that he had been moonlighting enough to eat far more than I had. The last time I’d had meat and bread together was well over two weeks.

  But it was better to be safe, so I turned around and headed back to where I was staying.

  Other than the whole starving thing, I had been incredibly lucky of late. I’d found an abandoned utility shed within an old, condemned factory and had been able to stay there without incident for nearly two months now. There was a set of dirty windows, so I could get air when I needed, but insulated enough so I didn’t freeze in the cold night. And I had managed to find thick, woolen blankets for both Rafjan and I, which were practically invaluable.

  Now, if only the food thing could fall in line.

  I walked the streets back to my home, sticking to the main roads as best I coul
d and only ducking into alleys in areas where I knew gung-ho police officers liked to patrol. As much as the others were prone to cutting between the backroads as a way to get around faster, it was too dangerous for my taste. There was Varjana, who was snatched up by traffickers and never heard from again, Celio, who got forcibly recruited by one of the gangs as a runner, and countless others who I hadn’t heard about, no doubt.

  The world was a dangerous place for the rejects of society, and I was going to do my best to blend in. I just wanted to live my life until I was old enough to work legally, and then I would save up enough to get out of my godawful country.

  I reached my home without incident, crawling under fallen rafters and scuttling over dirty floors. I knew that if one of those real gangs found the factory I was in, they would be all over it in minutes and I’d have to head out. Granted, I was pretty sure the reason it had remained empty was because the prison wasn’t very far from the location.

  Thankfully, I never had much of a problem with the police. Apparently, I was just innocuous enough to slip by their notice. Maybe it was because I had only been an orphan for two years. Maybe it was because I was lucky. Either way, I slid into bed, ready to have a healthy serving of sleep for dinner.

  But as I drifted off, I couldn’t help of think of the life I’d had before. Sure, my parents had been struggling to make ends meet, but I would take that a million times over rather than my current situation.

  More than anything, I just wanted to get out of the situation I was in. I felt like there was so much more for me out there, but I was stuck in this place where no one cared because caring was too difficult, and everyone was always exhausted by just trying to survive.