Dragon Kin

38

Alicja

I made it across the veil. I was in New Orleans, and after pulling my phone out and checking the date, discovered it was twelve days from the time I left. It felt so much longer. But my count was correct. A dozen days.

I made the trip to my cousin's house with good speed. I didn't have long. Tomorrow at ten Victor would face the challenge and I needed to be there. I set it up, after all. But besides that, he was going into a death fight! And I wasn't sure he would be healed from the battle with Uncle Max.

When I came in their door my cousins cheered a sound of relief and got up from their seats.

"Hey! You're back!" Mal hollered with a whoop.

"You look so different," Sean growled, picking me up in a lung crushing hug.

"I do?" I asked after he released me, looking down, a little self-conscious.

"Yes, your hair, it's so curly and long, and what color is that? Blond? Is that blond? It's too dark, isn't it?"

"It's light brown," Mal told him.

"No, light brown is darker than that. This is ... what is this?"

"You've never seen my hair before," I told him. "It's always up in scarfs, remember?"

"Oh, that's what it is. They don't have scarves over there?"

"Will you stop it, I have very little time. I must get back across before sunrise. I need you two to get everyone over to the meeting hall, as soon as possible. I'm going to start in thirty minutes," I told them.

"Start what?" Mal asked, grabbing up his phone.

"Telling my story of the land of dragons," I said.

"This is going to be bigger than Star Wars, for sure," Sean said and thumbed his speed dial. "Hey, get your asses up and..."

I left them to it, going out the back door and heading for our meeting hall. Which was a pool table hall near the park. We had an arrangement with the owner to use it after he closed up, which was an hour ago.

They came in, my people. My family, and extended family. They came in by ones and twos and small groups of sixes and eights. They came with note pads and cams and recorders. They came with laptops and reference books and I counted them off as they came through the door, making sure they were all safe, and sound.

No one was missing. I breathed a sigh of relief and gratitude.

Aunt Cara and Uncle Conall both gave me tight hugs, making me start to cry. I took the offered scarfs and wove them into my hair, putting it up in our traditional way. Then I began the story, telling them all that had happened, noting where I was guessing, or making leaps of logic, and where I mistook one thing for another. I recited it as I did each night I was gone. Going through all of the details, committing everything to memory.

I talked for almost five hours.

This was going to be important. More important than before. This, these people, were my anchor. I could feel that, as I recited my experience. I could feel the events of the last few days, coalescing into clarity and understanding. I recited facts, and inside this alchemy of family and focus, I received a measure of wisdom. I needed to commit to returning here regularly. Once a month, I felt, to start, was a good measure.

Then I hugged and gave kisses and left my world behind, to seek out the world my lover lived in. Where I was Mistress of the Defender of Woodstone, and the Morrigan of dragons.