Dark and Light (A Kindred Tales Duet)

“Don’t worry.” The Drake regarded her with glowing golden eyes as it spoke to her through the link she shared with him and Raze. I did not consume him—that would not have been appropriate. I incinerated him. There is nothing left but ash, which has already blown away in the wind.”

“Oh, uh, thank you,” Luci sent. The thought of Tony being burned to ashes was kind of disconcerting, but it was still better than him being eaten.

“Madre de Dios!” Her mother’s voice cut through Luci’s thoughts and she realized her mom was trembling.

“It’s okay, Mami,” she said quickly, squeezing her mom’s shoulder. “That’s just Raze’s Drake—he’s here to help.”

“Help? How can such a creature help” her mother demanded in a shaky voice.

“He’s going to help because he’s my dragon!” Frannie jumped off the couch and went directly to the Drake. She threw her good arm around his neck, the same way she would have hugged Lady, and pressed her face to his long, scaly neck.

The Drake nuzzled her back gently, putting one forearm around her carefully to return the hug.

“Dios!” Luci’s mother exclaimed. “Get her away! That thing is going to hurt her!”

“No, he’s not, Mami,” Luci said patiently. “The Drake is the other half of Raze and you know Raze would never hurt Frannie or the twins.”

Speaking of the twins, they were standing beside the couch watching the Drake with wide, curious eyes, but neither one of them seemed frightened. Even Lady only gave one weak, inquiring bark. It was clear to Luci that her mom was the only one who was scared and they would have to offer her a demonstration to prove that the Drake meant no harm.

“Can you heal Lady first?” she sent through the link. “It might make my mom feel better.”

“Of course.” Stretching his long, snaky neck until his scaly snout was pointed at the injured dog, the Drake opened his jaws and breathed out. A warm gust that smelled like a campfire at twilight filled the room. The rush of air ruffled Lady’s fur and she whined restlessly.

At first Luci thought nothing was happening. But then Lady lifted her head and gave a little shake. Then she jumped up and gave a big, all-over shake—the kind dogs do when they come in out of the rain and they’re trying to dry off. She gave a short, sharp, joyful bark and lifted her head to sniff noses with the Drake.

“Here, Lady—here girl!” Luci called. Lady turned her head and trotted to her at once. Luci felt her all over, glad when she found the dog was whole and sound. “Good girl,” she told Lady. “I heard what a brave girl you were, trying to save Frannie! I’m so glad you’re well again!”

“Now me! Now me!” Frannie exclaimed. Looking at the Drake, she held out her arm. “It still hurts where Daddy grabbed it,” she explained sadly. “Please, dragon—can you help it?”

The Drake nodded its head in an exaggerated gesture of agreement and Luci realized that she was the only one who could hear its voice. But that didn’t seem to matter to Frannie—she held perfectly still while the Drake breathed on her arm.

Before their eyes, the swelling in her hurt wrist went down and the red marks from Tony’s cruel grip first faded, and then vanished.

Frannie wiggled her fingers and grinned at Luci. Then she threw both arms around the Drake’s neck and hugged him tight.

“Thank you!” she said. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.” She ran over to Luci and her mom. “See, Abuela?” she said, extending her arm to her grandmother. “The dragon fixed it! He healed me and Lady and now it’s your turn!”

Luci’s mom was still apprehensive, but after the two displays of healing she’d already seen, she was no longer frightened. Well, not much. Luci did hear her praying under her breath in rapid Spanish to the Blessed Virgin to protect her as the Drake extended its snaky neck and breathed gently on her broken arm.

After he was done, Luci’s mom looked down at herself in amazement.

“Madre de Dios,” she whispered. “He really did it!”

“He sure did.” Luci smiled at the Drake gratefully. “Thank you so much,” she sent to him. “Thank you for healing my family!”

“My family too, now,” the Drake reminded her. “Mine and Raze’s. We will always protect you and heal you and love you, Lucia. You are ours and we are yours. Forever.”

Luci felt a swell of love for the Drake. Getting off the couch, she ran to throw her arms around his scaly neck. She was surprised to feel that the emerald green scales which looked so hard and metallic were actually as soft as feathers.

“Oh!” she exclaimed. “You’re so soft!”

“When I want to be.” The Drake nuzzled her lovingly. “Love you, Lucia. Always.”

“I love you, too,” Luci told him. “I—”