The Dragel's Song IV Read online



  The Dragel’s Song

  Neilson Hewitt, Episode Four

  by

  Chera Carmichael

  The Dragel’s Song

  Neilson Hewitt, Episode Four

  Copyright © 2014 Chera Carmichael

  #1 Neilson Hewitt : Episode One

  #2 Neilson Hewitt : Episode Two

  #3 Neilson Hewitt : Episode Three

  #4 Neilson Hewitt : Episode Four

  #5 Neilson Hewitt : Episode Five (Coming soon!)

  Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblances to real life individuals, places or situations are purely coincidental. All images used to create the cover were taken from the public domain under the creative commons license.

  Acknowledgements: Special thanks to my fans, Betas, Proofreaders and everyone who made my dragel story into the success that it is. You made a writer’s dream come true and this is my thanks to you. Enjoy the read!

  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  “I haven’t decided whether he is a threat as yet.”

  Her words echoed in his head, replaying over and over in a twisted song that made his stomach clench uncomfortably. Neil reminded himself to breathe even as he took a shallow breath.

  Something in Calida’s reaction had told him that that no matter what she said, this new woman was not something to be trifled with—and she would be forming her own opinions about him—regardless of whether Calida’s offer of friendship was valid.

  Bevi’s darkening stare held Neil frozen in his seat.

  The uncomfortable sensation of being sized up by a stranger and found lacking, was not something Neil had expected. He was very much aware of the fact that Bevi’s golden eyes had changed color and knew by now, that it was a bad thing.

  Calida bit her lip, looking between them for a few minutes, before she leaned sideways, to see around Bevi. She didn’t bother to hide the worry on her face, because the situation was worrisome.

  “Ty? Can you come here for a minute?” There was no answer. Calida frowned. “Tiberius Ambrose-!” she began.

  “Right here, darling,” Ty appeared in the doorway, a head and shoulders taller than Bevi as he skirted around her. He was followed by Dexter. “Is something the matter—Bevi, stand down.” At once, he inserted himself between Neil and Bevi, breaking the one-sided staring contest. “Calida has extended a hand of friendship to our guest. His name is Neilson Hewitt and he’s unbonded.”

  Bevi twitched. Her hands clenched and unclenched. When she spoke, it was in short, clipped sentences and in yet another dialect that Neil couldn’t place.

  Ty’s brow furrowed into neat lines. He looked over his shoulder at Neil, then back at Bevi, before he finally shook his head. “He doesn’t have magic. He’s not hiding it. There’s nothing to hide. Terius can verify that and so can Dex. Terius accidentally hit him with a full-strength stunning spell. Dexter had to help him spell his wings in, before he could bring him over. He’s just come into his inheritance and he’s one of those unlucky ones assigned to a missing mentor.”

  Bevi growled. Her lips curled back into a snarl, showing angry fangs. A smattering of scales flickered down the sides of her cheeks and neck. She spoke it another harsh blast of words.

  “I didn’t say he didn’t have a presence, I only said that he didn’t mean any harm,” Ty said. “There’s a difference.”

  “Bevi-!” Calida pleaded. “He’s just a-”

  Dexter cleared his throat, drawing their attention. He stood directly behind Bevi with Terius in tow. “He’s safe,” he said, quietly. “I’ve already made sure of it.” He kissed Bevi’s armored shoulder and moved around her.

  “Stand down,” Ty repeated. “Please?”

  A low growl slipped out of Bevi’s throat, but the final plea worked. The scales, claws and fangs remained, but the tension in the room evaporated at once. She turned away from Neil as if he were invisible.

  The friendly atmosphere, though tattered, began to resurface. Dexter and Terius stepped into the kitchen.

  Calida huffed, her arms crossed over her chest. “You know, you lot are starting to wear on my nerves. I’m only going to say this once,” she began. “Just because I’m pregnant, doesn’t mean I’m made of glass. It does mean that I’m not as inclined to overlook your shortcomings as often as I normally would. It means I have more magic to burn as well. Smother me and I will make sure you regret every single instance where-”

  “Shush, we know,” Ty said. He pulled her up from her chair and into a gentle hug. A comforting kiss was pressed to her forehead. He rubbed her back, gently. “Bevi’s just worried about you and she’s been away for a while. You don’t have to get your hackles up. It’s over now. Leave it be and I won’t remind you about that little panicked burst you sent out yesterday when you were wandering about on your own.”

  Calida sniffed. “I wasn’t wandering. I was on my way to-”

  “To the MedBay, alone,” Terius said. He shook his head. “Believe me, I know and I asked you not go anywhere by yourself, didn’t I?”

  “Er, well,” Calida couldn’t look him in the eye. “It was boring in that office and I was all alone. It was safer to be with more people—a-and I found Neil. Isn’t that a good thing?”

  “Very good,” Ty praised. “And very bad. When we all ‘ported in, our fixed points where nowhere near you. That extra step in an emergency situation is the difference between life and death. You know this.”

  Her shoulders drooped. “I know,” Calida said, in a small voice. “And I already said I was sorry.”

  “But only now are you truly repentant for it,” Ty said. He kissed the top of her head. “As long as you understand, I won’t bring it up again. You worried all of us. Bevi probably felt the feedback from that whole fiasco. You cannot blame her for being on guard as a byproduct of your own choices.”

  “I know,” Calida said.

  “You left her alone?” Bevi turned on Terius, her eyes still dark. “You actually left her alone when she ‘ported in? Terius!”

  “She ‘ported in to the Headmaster’s office and they sent a message through a passing student. By the time it reached me, that one,” Terius pointed to Neil. “Had no magic to block a simple stunning spell and I could only alter it not to hurt as much as it could have. I had to get someone to take him to the Medbay, then I had to dismiss class and then it took some time to-”

  “We know, you didn’t stop talking about it all afternoon,” said Renee. She was yet another new face in the kitchen and easily identifiable. A curvy woman a few shades darker than Calida, with rich, honey-blonde ringlets pulled back with a kerchief. “Are we done with the show of strength or do I need to wait for the-”

  “If you could finish the meal, that would be helpful, Renee,” Ty said. He retreated to the end of the table, choosing a chair beside Neil. He sat down and immediately pulled Calida into his lap. “The rest of you can have a seat and after we’ve eaten, perhaps we can converse civilly. We are all under a great deal of stress and snapping at each other’s throats for what is past or yet to come, helps no one.”

  Neil swallowed. The weight of those words made him quiver for a moment. Maybe he’d imagined it, but then again, it seemed like everyone else had taken the words to heart.

  Calida directed a faint smile at him, gesturing out of sight to ask if he was alright.

  He shrugged, slightly. There was no simple answer to that.

  ~*~*~*~*~*~

  For all of his muted presence, Ty’s word was absolute.

  Neil was surprised at the lack of protest. He guessed that the odd, weighted feeling was something more than what he could tell on the surface. From what had been a tense, charged situation moments before, Ty’s simple state
ment had been acknowledged and accepted.

  In turn, no one complained. Not even the slightest hint of a protest. They did exactly as he’d suggested.

  Before the meal even began, the four-place table magically expanded to double its size, now seating eight. The issue of a ninth—Neil—was solved by the fact that Calida was perched on Ty’s lap for the foreseeable meal.

  Ty was seated somewhat at the head and to the right, with Neil to his right. Dexter sat on Neil’s other side and the remaining dragels arranged themselves around Bevi and the other Gheyos.

  To Neil’s surprise, they all joined hands, Calida and Dexter taking his own, before all heads were bowed.

  “Shoksaneh” the blessing was murmured in unison.

  A faint tingle of energy rippled through the air. Neil’s hands were gently squeezed, then released. Everyone straightened up as the meal appeared on the table. Serving platters and spoons appeared. Dishes were passed around with no specific order.

  Neil found his plate filled by Calida. Any protests he would have had were pointless, because she served him a little bit of everything—and then refilled the portions that he’d enjoyed the most.

  There was plenty of variety and after a discreet look at the others’ plates, Neil ate in peace. Calida’s cooking was much better than anything that he’d ever tasted in the cafeteria. Everyone was also eating quite heartily, with seconds and even thirds. It eased the guilt he felt at helping himself when he’d finally worked up the nerve.

  They ate and conversed about general topics—civilly. Not a word was mentioned about Neil, about work, about missing mentors or anything dragel. There were mentions about the Hunt, the safety of the shopping centers within range of the Academy and the differences between the various students at Noir.

  “…I’ll still need to take a look at it,” Bevi said, blotting her mouth with a napkin. She had mellowed out considerably after her first plate, but her sharp-eyed gaze methodically roved over Neil, before continuing on. “I can sense the dimensions and the protection parameters are decent, but I’d feel much more comfortable if I took a look at it myself.”

  Lucci scowled, the expression twisting up his pale face even more. His choppy black hair fell just over his eyes, allowing his glare to have maximum effect. “Your idea of taking a look involves dragging the rest of us along with you.” He grumbled. “Why can’t we do it tomorrow morning? That ‘portal was draining enough to revive the-”

  “Because no one will sleep easy tonight if we wait that long,” Audrey shook her head. “Get over it already, love.” She popped up from the table, her plate in hand. She snagged Bevi’s own as well and scraped them both off in the garbage disposal, before setting them in the sink and turning on the tap.

  Neil watched them both, filing away their interactions for later thought. They were the remaining two Gheyos belonging to Calida and they were quite different from what he’d expected.

  Audrey was the only redhead amidst the mix of brunettes and Dexter’s blond hair. She was cheerful and freckled in every way that none of her other Bonded were. Lucci wore a youthful face, while his well-formed body betrayed his true age. Dressed in an armless muscle shirt, scars littered his arms and chest, where a single silver charm hung from a thick black cord. He was definitely far older than he looked.

  “Do we have dessert?” Audrey asked, hopefully.

  “Check the freezer.” Renee rose from the table, gathering up the empty plates as they were all passed her way. “There should be some kind of ice cream in there—fruit sorbet, at least.”

  “You always have something in the freezer and it’s rarely iced anything.” Audrey hummed as she accepted the handful of plates and began to wash the dishes by hand.

  “That’s because if I put it anywhere else, you lot will eat it early and ruin your appetites.” Renee said, tartly. She opened the freezer and dug out a covered bowl with colorful chunks of fruit visible through the frosted sides. “You don’t have any allergies—do you, little one?” She looked straight at Neil.

  His ears warmed. He really wasn’t that little. “Not that I know of.”

  Renee smiled. “Good to know.” She set the frozen bowl on the counter and bustled about, producing dessert bowls and spoons to accompany them. She returned to the table, arms full. Audrey slid into her seat as the bowls and spoons were passed around.

  “Renee makes the best fruit custards,” Calida explained. “I don’t know how she manages it, but I’m glad she does.” She leaned back against Ty, smiling when his hands moved to rest on her hips. “You’re going to love this.”

  A heaping bowl of frozen fruit was deposited in front of Neil, followed by a generous helping of chilled cream. A quick glance showed that no one was eating yet.

  Please don’t let them be waiting for me to take the first bite. He thought, frantically.

  Renee seated herself and banished the empty serving bowl to the kitchen counter. “Right then,” she said, clapping her hands twice. Her eyes closed and her head bowed. A sharp flash of light flared in every bowl.

  Neil winced, turning away from the light. The clink of spoons against dishes drew his attention back and when he could see again, the bowl of raw fruit had become a rich, creamy dessert. His jaw dropped. Someone kicked him under the table and he hastily picked up his spoon, taking a huge, icy mouthful.

  It slid down his throat and prompted an embarrassing purr to escape.

  All heads turned to him.

  Studiously focused on his bowl, Neil did not look up. Any lingering tension had vanished in that moment. He could practically feel their amusement and it made him wish he could turn invisible. He couldn’t help that his body had decided to be so vocal over such small pleasures.

  Calida chuckled. “I told you it was good, didn’t I?”

  He could only nod.

  “Thank you, Renee. It’s delicious as always,” Calida dug a large spoonful out of the shared dessert bowl and offered it to Ty. He accepted it with an affectionate bump to her cheek. Her smile lit up the kitchen.

  ~*~*~*~*~*~

  “Do you need any help with your wings?” Calida led him back to the sitting area.

  Neil trailed after her, feeling full and settled after a meal for the first time in the past few days. “How to keep them from popping out all the time? I feel like a puppet on strings.”

  Calida chuckled. “It’s not that bad, Neil.”

  “Right. It’s worse. They came out in the shower last night.” Neil grimaced, rubbing his shoulder at the remembered pain. “Dexter did something to make them go back in—before I came over. I don’t know what it was.”

  “Binding spell, probably,” Calida said, thoughtfully.

  “Binding?” Neil said, alarmed. He took a seat when Calida flapped a hand at him. “Can you take it off?”

  “It’s not permanent, I’m sure,” Calida soothed. “Dexter’s an Air type, if you couldn’t tell. His spells are very soft, compared to mine. He probably just wrapped it for the day, so you could travel here and back to your room, without worrying over it.” She took a seat beside him. “But I can check if you want, there’s no need to worry over it.”

  “Thanks, I’d appreciate it.” Neil relaxed.

  “Sit on the floor,” Calida nudged him. “So I don’t have to stretch too much.”

  Neil obligingly slid off to sit cross-legged on the floor. “Better?”

  “Lean forward a bit. Yes, that’s good.” Calida reached down, placing her hands on his shoulders, one on each side of his spine, palms flat against his school uniform. “It’s definitely a binding spell,” she reported, a moment later. “And it’ll wear off in about six hours. Is that alright or do you want me to take it off?”

  “Six hours?” Neil quickly did the calculations in his head. He reasoned it was around midday and six hours without having to worry about his wings sounded rather heavenly. “No, that’s fine.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “
Yeah. It means I can go to work today,” Neil said.

  The door chime sounded through the apartment. Calida visibly stiffened, her dark eyes lightening as the chime repeated itself. All of her Bonded were present and accounted for. They had no friends on Veridae at the moment.

  “Are you expecting anyone?” She called out.

  There was no answer from any of her Bonded.

  Neil shifted, nervously as the chime sounded again. It almost seemed ominous in the cozy room.

  “Not that I know of, but do you need me to get that, love?” Renee called from the kitchen.

  Calida pushed herself up from her seat. From the sounds coming from the kitchen, she could guess that Renee was up to her elbows in dinner preparation. “No. I’ll get it.” She patted Neil’s head as she moved around him and headed down the hall to the front door.

  Bevi stuck her head through the entryway to the sitting room, a slight furrow on her brow. She looked at Neil sitting on the floor and then down the hallway that Calida had disappeared. She pulled a face and reached up to tug on her ear, as if in self-reprimand. “Call me, if she seems to need me,” she told him, before retreating.

  Neil didn’t have a chance to agree before she disappeared from view. He had no idea how to call her—or where she’d be. His stomach churned. He perked up as he heard Calida’s voice and approaching footsteps.

  “…please excuse the mess, Headmaster Grond, I haven’t had a chance to really unpack anything as yet.”

  Her voice was polite and calm, but lacking any of the warmth that Neil had heard in it earlier. He caught her hint a bit too late as she rounded the furniture with the Noir Headmaster trailing behind her.

  “Won’t you please sit down? I’ll bring some refreshments.”

  “Ah, that really isn’t necessary Mrs. Baronsworth,” the Headmaster said, smoothly. “I’m only here on a matter of business about—ah, I see you’ve met one of our scholarship students.” Sharp, black eyes zeroed in on Neil. “Good evening, Mr. Hewitt.”

  Neil made himself smile, even as an uneasy feeling washed over him. “Good evening, Headmaster Grond.” He quickly rose to his feet, clasping his hands behind his back.

  “What a surprise to see you here—I hear that your inheritance results were disrupted by the magical-”