Billy gazed into the sky. He could almost see streams of fire blazing again in the twilight extinguishing bolts of darkness. Courageous dragons and knights stormed against myriad forces of evil, no mater what the odds. He nodded at the images in his mind. No doubt about it. Those battles symbolized his own. Sometimes he saw them with his eyes. Sometimes he felt them in his heart. And there came a time when the king had to come and fight the battle for him and end the conflict once and for all. For him . . . and all the dragons . . . that day had finally come, and the king had conquered their enemies.
Billy straightened his body and reverently slid Excalibur into his scabbard, then walked slowly toward his two best friends in the world.
Bonnie curled her arm around Billy’s and walked at his side. “I heard the professor whispering. Can you tell me what he said to you?”
Billy finally found the strength to give a real smile. “Some of it. He said he loved me. I guess that’s all that really matters.” He lifted his head and gazed into her bright blue eyes. “How’s your mom?”
“She’ll be fine. After we cleaned off all the darkness stuff, she seemed as good as new, except for being exhausted. She and Newman had been searching for Edmund, but two Watchers found them and chased them for miles. She also cleaned the darkness from a couple of other dragons. That’s why she was gone for so long.”
Walter bounced along beside them, counting on his fingers as he talked. “Okay, we still have some business to take care of. All the ladies are safe, but your dad wants your mom to check into the hospital. Fiske and Woodrow are going, too. Fiske broke a leg, and Woodrow might have some broken ribs, but the rest of the knights are okay except for a few cuts and bruises. Sir Patrick’s snakebite doesn’t seem to be a problem anymore, thanks to Ashley. We have four wounded dragons, but they all made it to the parking lot, and Thigocia will work on them there, so they should be ready to hit the skies again soon.”
Billy halted. Bonnie and Walter stopped with him, both staring at him curiously.
“The dragons,” Billy said, staring straight ahead.
Walter waved his hand in front of Billy’s eyes. “What about them?”
Billy grabbed Walter’s wrist and held it in place. “Merlin’s song. It said they have to choose.”
“Choose what?”
Billy covered his ears. Merlin’s song played again in his mind, and he wanted to get the words right. “Listen. It says they have to choose whether or not to walk on feet or claws.” He lowered his hands and grasped the pendant. “That means they can become human, and the light from this is supposed to transform them if that’s what they choose.”
Walter passed his hand across the ray of white light flashing from the gem, highlighting a splotch of dirt on his palm. “Who would want to become human? I think it would be cool to be a dragon.”
“That’s for sure,” Billy replied, “but wouldn’t they want a human soul? They wouldn’t want to end up back in Hades again.”
Bonnie’s eyes sparkled. Her halo had faded somewhat, but she still glowed with the countenance of an angel. “Did the song say anything else?” she asked.
“Yeah. It said anthrozils could make the choice too.”
Bonnie laid a finger on her chest. “You mean we could make a choice? What kind of choice?”
Billy covered his ears again, this time closing his eyes as he concentrated on the lyrics. “The song says, ‘To humanize their dragon marks and cast away their scales.’”
Bonnie’s brow lifted. A lump moved up and down in her throat, and her wings shuddered. “But how?”
“Isn’t that what happened to Sir Patrick?” Walter asked. “I mean, he was once Valcor, and now he says there isn’t any dragon in him.”
“And his rubellite turned white.” Billy lifted his hand and showed his ring to Bonnie and Walter. “My dad’s rubellite is red now, but when I was wearing it in the village, it was white.”
“Mine too,” Bonnie said, showing her borrowed red gem. “We didn’t have our dragon traits there.”
Billy slid his hands into his pockets and accelerated. Walter and Bonnie hurried to join him. “Well, there’s only one way to figure out what to do,” Billy said, his gaze fixed on the parking lot near the visitor center.
“The horse’s mouth?” Walter asked.
“Yep. I think Sir Patrick knows a lot more than he’s been telling us.”
Chapter 20
ORACLES OF FIRE
When Billy and his friends arrived, the parking lot looked like a triage facility. Carl’s SUV was the only vehicle in sight, and several dragons and knights hobbled from place to place, as if testing their bodies for travel. Ashley wandered among the wounded, speaking to each one, but she looked half dead herself.
Billy hustled ahead in time to help his father and Carl slide Fiske into the SUV. As they propped him up next to Woodrow, the knight stifled a grunt, then smiled and nodded at Billy. “Thank you, young man. It was an honor to battle with you.”
Billy patted him on the shoulder. “Likewise.” He really didn’t know what else to say, so he just nodded and stepped back.
Jared reached into a hatch in the door well. “Look what I found!” he said as he pulled out Fama Regis.
Billy looked over his shoulder as his father opened it near the middle. The familiar old runes covered both pages. “Have you ever thought about translating the whole thing?”
“Many times, but the stories always reminded me of how I lost my dragon life. The pain was just too much to bear.” Jared closed the book and held it against his chest. “But now I think I’ll finally do it.”
Carl held the back car door open. “Anyone else need to go right away?”
Jared laid an arm over Marilyn’s shoulders. “You should get checked out. At least get a tetanus shot.”
She pulled him close. “I’m not leaving you, not for a second.”
As Carl shut the door, Sir Barlow limped to the SUV and laid his hand on the hood. “If I may accompany my comrades, I would be most grateful. Perhaps they will need blood, or maybe even a song to lift their spirits.”
Woodrow rolled his eyes, and Billy barely squelched a laugh.
Carl opened the passenger door. “Ride up front with me. We’ll sing together.”
While Barlow climbed in, Walter and Bonnie joined Billy at the driver’s door. Billy nodded toward the group of dragons and humans assembled under a nearby light post. Ashley stood next to her mother, stretching on tiptoes to speak into her ear, while Shelly, Karen, and Shiloh went from dragon to dragon checking for remnants of the gooey darkness.
“Looks like Thigocia’s got the dragons all patched up,” Billy said.
Walter crossed his arms over his chest. “Yep. And here comes the man we need to talk to.”
Sir Patrick hobbled toward the vehicle, Pebbles gripping his hand firmly.
“Did Alberta work on your leg yet?” she asked in her tiny voice.
Patrick leaned against the rear door. “Alberta? Who is Alberta?”
“That’s Ashley,” Bonnie explained. “Pebbles calls her Alberta.”
Sir Patrick pulled his hand away and patted Pebbles on the head. “Alberta already drained the venom, young lady. I’ll be fine.” Pebbles ran back to the dragons and jumped into Ashley’s arms.
Patrick sighed and extended his hand toward Billy. “Well done, young king.”
Billy grasped Patrick’s hand and shook it firmly. “I appreciate it, Sir Patrick, but, if you don’t mind, I just want people to call me by my name from now on.”
“Very well. Then I shall apply the label my departed friend used and simply call you William.”
“I’d like that.” Billy glanced around. His father was talking to Carl, so it looked like they weren’t quite ready to leave yet. He gestured for Walter and Bonnie to gather close. “Listen, Sir Patrick. We have a question. Merlin’s song said something about the dragons choosing to become human, and the pendant’s gem could make it happen. Can you tell us anything
about that?”
“Yes. I came over here for that very purpose.” Patrick gazed into the dimming sky, his brow shading his eyes. “It’s a long story you haven’t heard yet, but the substance is fairly easy to grasp. When a dragon king dies and passes from a world of dragons to a world of men, the gateway from one existence to the other stays open for a time. The power to transform abides in the gateway’s energy, but only for those who have the faith to completely deny their old lives and allow the energy to wash away the dragon within.”
He pushed away from the SUV and faced Billy. “This happened to me years ago, when another son of Makaidos, an earlier dragon king, sacrificed his life to save me, and I chose to purge my remaining dragon essence. Being the son of Makaidos, he, of course, was my brother, though I didn’t realize it for quite some time. I hope to tell you the whole story someday, but for now, we must focus on the decisions at hand. You and the dragons have the opportunity to become fully human in every aspect of your beings.”
“But is the dragon essence evil?” Billy asked. “I mean, we already have human souls. Why would we want to change?”
Sir Patrick laid a hand on Billy’s chest. “There is no good or evil except for what is in your heart and how that is expressed in your actions. Your dragon breath and your danger sensing abilities are mere physical manifestations. Your faith is what made you a new person.”
He pointed at Billy and Bonnie in turn. “You two and Ashley must search your own hearts. Your physical traits are really nothing. It is the purity of your inner selves that makes all the difference in the world. So, in the end, it boils down to whether or not you want to continue to carry the marks of your heritage and possibly pass on dragon traits to any children you might beget. They come with both dangers and benefits.”
“You know,” Billy said, “I didn’t use my fire breathing at all during that battle.” He pulled Excalibur from its scabbard. “After I learned how to use this, I didn’t even need the fire.”
“There is so much more substance to what you said than you realize.” Patrick reached for the pendant and drew the chain over Billy’s head. “If you don’t mind, I will take this and meet with each of you and with each dragon in private. Pray for guidance, and I advise you not to consult with one another. Then, when you meet with me, you can ask any questions you have and make your choice. But you must choose before we leave this place. If the gem’s energy has the same endurance as it did when I was transformed, we have only an hour or so before it loses its power.”
Billy returned the sword to its sheath. “So where do we meet, and who will go first?”
Patrick nodded toward the visitor center. “Behind the remains of the building. I believe privacy is crucial if you want to make your decisions without influencing each other.” He pushed his head through the pendant chain and let it fall around his neck. “I will explain the situation to the dragons together, because they will likely wish to decide what to do as a group. After I am finished with them, I will take Ashley, then you, William, and Bonnie last.”
Bonnie ran a hand through her hair, her voice quivering slightly. “Why me last?”
“Since one of your dragon traits is the most obvious, and perhaps even the most magnificent, your decision could be the most difficult.” Patrick limped toward the dragons. “Walter, if you would, please come with me; I will likely need someone to ferry everyone back and forth.”
Walter shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I’ll see you guys soon.” He trotted after Patrick.
Bonnie peered into the SUV. “Seen my backpack anywhere?”
Billy popped open the rear hatch. “Hey guys, you seen a backpack?”
Woodrow tossed it toward him. “Sorry. I was sitting on it.”
“You three comfortable in there?” Billy asked. “I think it’ll be a while before you get going.”
“Oh, we’re fine,” Barlow said. “Woodrow and Fiske are having some trouble deciding which songs I should sing, but I am able to fill in the gaps.”
Billy winked at Barlow. “Great. Don’t wear out your voice.” He closed the hatch and handed the backpack to Bonnie. “I knew my mom would never leave anything behind.”
Billy helped Bonnie fold her wings into the pack. “So, this could be your last time to have to wear this.”
She pulled a strap tight, her brow tightly furrowed. “I think we should take Patrick’s advice and keep our thoughts private.”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry. I was just thinking . . .”
She touched his arm with her fingertips. “It’s okay. I was wondering the same thing, but I have to think about all the possibilities before I decide.”
Billy kicked a pebble on the pavement. “I know what you mean. If it wasn’t for our dragon traits, we couldn’t have gone in and saved the dragons in the seventh circle. You couldn’t have flown and rescued me when I needed you. And my danger-sensing saved my skin at least a hundred times.”
Bonnie’s lips thinned out, her brow still knit. “True,” she said, nodding. “But now I might have to face billboards and TV ads looking for a dragon girl.”
Billy laid a hand on her backpack. His fingers traced the indentation of one of the wing mainstays that bulged against the material. “Let’s stop talking. I don’t want to influence you one way or the other.”
Bonnie walked to the front of the SUV and leaned back against the hood. She folded her arms and gazed toward the visitor center, her expression as lost and confused as that of a wandering orphan. Suddenly, she stood up straight, her hand over her mouth. Hartanna glided by with Walter riding on her back. She flew toward the center, and the two disappeared behind the building.
Bonnie glanced at Billy. Her chin quivered, but she said nothing and rested against the hood again. Billy settled back with her and crossed his arms over his chest. He let out a long sigh. Torture. That’s what it was. He had endured the pain for months, the pain of not knowing who or what his father really was. Now it was Bonnie’s turn. What would Hartanna decide? He slipped his hand into Bonnie’s and gave her a gentle squeeze.
After a tense couple of minutes, Walter reappeared, walking side by side with a woman. Barefoot and wearing a bathrobe, the woman stopped at the edge of the parking lot. Walter laughed and pointed directly at Bonnie. Holding the robe’s sash in place, the woman ran toward Bonnie, her blond hair flowing.
Bonnie’s lips parted as if ready to speak, but she raised her hand and covered her mouth, her chest heaving. Finally, she lowered her hand and let out a pitiful cry. “Mama!” She leaped ahead and bolted across the parking lot, her arms outstretched. “Mama! You’re back!”
Nearly colliding in the middle of the lot, the two embraced, wrapping each other up and kissing each other’s cheeks while they spun in place.
Billy strolled up to the pair, tears welling in his eyes. When they stopped their dance, Bonnie pulled away. With an enormous smile, she looked up at her mother and gestured toward Billy. “Mama, now you can finally shake hands with Billy!”
Bonnie’s mother extended her hand. A radiant smile decorated her beautiful face. “It’s my pleasure,” she said.
Billy shook her hand. “So you’re back to being Irene . . . uh . . . Silver?”
Irene pulled Bonnie close again, her smile unabated. “I am Irene, but I think I’ll keep my husband’s last name. I am the widow of a man who died a hero.”
A peal of laughter drew Billy’s gaze toward the gathering under the light post. Jared, Marilyn, Carl, Catherine, and the girls greeted a new arrival, another dragon in her human form. A third woman emerged from the back of the visitor center, then, a minute or so later, a fourth. One by one, the former dragons paraded toward the group, each wearing clothing from a different time period and arriving to happy handshakes and warm embraces.
Walter ran out from behind the visitor center and laid his hand on Ashley’s elbow. As he led her toward the ruins on one side of the building, another form appeared on the opposite side, out of Ashley’s view. With wings of shimmering
gold, Thigocia, still in dragon form, flew toward the parking lot.
Staying low to the ground, she landed near the SUV, then dipped her head and let out a mournful cry, much like a low note on a trombone. Irene approached her first and laid a hand on her neck as the other humans gathered around. “Thigocia, what happened?”
The dragon let her wings droop on the pavement. “I told Sir Patrick I would honor our group decision to become human, but he could tell that I was torn.”
Irene stroked her scales. “I see. Because of your son.”
Marilyn joined Irene at the dragon’s side. “You have a son?” she asked.
Thigocia lowered her body to the ground. “I do. As I told my dragon friends when we gathered with Sir Patrick, my husband, Timothy, and I had a son named Gabriel almost fifty years before Ashley was born.”
“Fifty years?” Marilyn clasped her hands together. “Seventy years isn’t very old for an anthrozil, so he’s probably still alive, right?”
“Yes—that is, if he kept away from the dragon slayers.” Thigocia’s ears rotated as she gazed into the sky. “But who knows where he might be? You see, Timothy and I moved to the U.S., while Gabriel stayed in Scotland. When it became clear that Devin was stalking me again, I stopped communicating with Gabriel, hoping to keep him safe. But when Ashley was born, I received an odd telegram from Glasgow. It said, ‘Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. May she live in peace and learn the secret behind the Oracles of Fire.’”
“Oracles of Fire?” Irene tapped a finger on her chin. “Did you mention that before? It sounds familiar.”
Billy gave Bonnie a quick look. She raised a shushing finger to her lips.
“It sounded familiar to me, as well,” Thigocia continued, “but I was never able to track Gabriel down to find out.” She let out a long, sparks-laden breath. “Soon after, while Ashley was out with Timothy ’s father, Devin set our house on fire, murdering Timothy and sending my bones to the seventh circle.”