EPISODE ONE HUNDRED AND ONE: SONG OF REMEMBRANCE

“Lord Felix, can the shop access the leylines directly?” asked Lord Bennit. “We hoped to give a song, with Indigo, to the great tree.”

The Cat slowly nodded and glanced at me before looking away. “Only if they agree.” He jumped to the floor from the armrest, and padded toward the fire.

As far as I knew, now, the Cat didn’t do much active magic. Sometimes he did magic over artifacts, when he created something, but around the shop in general, he rarely used magic. Now, the fireplace twisted and the smell of leaves filled the air. It opened up, and the dragons on the couch stood. I followed suit, clutching Indigo to my chest as an archway appeared. Bright white light filled the space, like a river trickling over rocks through the archway. It vanished into the floor two feet in front of the archway.

Indigo gasped.

I blinked several times before I could really see the flow of light.

“Indigo, will you join us?” asked Lady Twilight. She held out her arms.

Indigo nudged me and then jumped to the elder dragon. Then they stepped forward, while everything in me warned me to stay back. The Cat stood suddenly by my feet, though I didn’t know how he had moved without me seeing him. His paw rested on my foot, almost like a warning.

The two dragons twisted as they stepped forward, as space itself distorted. Instead of two humans with magic around them, they were dragons in full glory.

One was bright blue, the other was a midnight purple. Indigo sat on Lady Twilight’s nose, like she belonged there.

They moved with such grace as they touched the leyline. Music rose into the air, like a physical force, as it danced along my arms. My hair floated upward as it continued. Warmth, love, and hope dug into me, like I sank into the hot tub on the roof.

Time no longer had meaning, running forever and also not moving at all, until the music ended.

Within seconds of the last note fading, the dragons were gone, along with the archway. Lord Bennit and Lady Twilight stood there with Indigo in their arms. The fireplace with the warm glow was back in place, and my mouth felt dry.

“It is done. We sang her goodbye, until we meet again at the great tree,” said Lord Bennit.

Indigo stayed quiet, looking thoughtful.

“We should get going,” added Lady Twilight. “That was powerful magic for one so young.”

Indigo chirped and jumped out of the elder’s arms, heading for me again, though this time she landed on my shoulder like a bird perch.

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It took longer for my mind to work again than I could have hoped, but eventually I got the words out. “When will you be back for lessons?” I asked. I knew Indigo had hoped to have one today, once the Cat mentioned the dragons were coming, but whatever that had been was different.

Lady Twilight glanced at Lord Bennit before answering. “Soon. I will be back soon.”

He smiled at me, though it didn’t touch his eyes. “Thank you for standing witness.”

I couldn’t stop myself, and I moved forward, giving him a quick hug. To my surprise, he wrapped his arms around me and returned it.

Indigo chirped near my ear, and I’m pretty sure she nudged him.

I pulled away after a few moments, to see a surprised look on Lady Twilight’s face that quickly vanished. “You are welcome to visit anytime. Well, anytime that we aren’t working.”

“I appreciate the invitation. I know you do important work here.” He nodded at me and then at the Cat, before heading toward the door.

Lady Twilight quickly followed. “I’ll see you soon, Indigo. Remember to keep up on your stories.”

‘Of course.’

Then they were gone, leaving the three of us in the shop alone.

“He’s going to come around even more now,” mumbled the Cat.

I shrugged. “We work most of the time, and he is family.” Not that the job was time-consuming. Usually, it was half days, sometimes longer if I wanted to get more done. Today, I was not going to suggest we see what was next on the to-do list.

“How about we do something fun, like watch a movie?” I asked. “Something heartwarming. I can make popcorn.”

‘Popcorn is amazing!’ Then the little dragon took off from my shoulder toward the kitchen. ‘I make popcorn!’

As she flew down the hall, I glanced at the Cat. “Do you think she remembers her mom?”

“I don’t know. Dragons are resilient creatures.”

I let out a sigh.

“She will be fine, Sable.”

“I know. She has us after all, but still I worry about her. Maybe I’ll start that school program sooner rather than later. It will distract her either way.”

“Do what you think is best.” The Cat jumped up onto the counter, heading toward the kitchen. “Are movies more of the magic from your world?”

“They are like tv shows, but longer and usually self-contained with one story line, though sometimes you get a series like with the shows.” My mind raced at what would be a good choice watch with Indigo. I kept going to a happy dragon cartoon series with dragon riders and one of the best black dragons ever, but I wasn’t sure.

I found myself glancing back at the fireplace. That warm feeling from seeing the light and hearing the song rested inside me. I felt strange, almost unanchored to the ground beneath me.

“Sable, you coming?” asked the Cat. He stared at me from the other side of the counter.

“Yeah… that light was strange,” I mumbled.

“You saw light?” he asked, waiting for me to catch up.

“A stream of light, almost like it trickled over rocks before vanishing into the floor.”

The Cat huffed.

The smell of something burning caused me to dash forward into the kitchen, leaving the cat behind.

****

My paw hovered in the air as my thoughts fought to catch up. Sable saw the leylines, like one of the dragons or fey. My assumption was she’d see a doorway, or maybe the image of a tree. Usually that was what people saw, if they caught a glimpse between the worlds. That, or utter darkness that shook their souls. I knew she wouldn’t be one of those. But to actually see the ley lines… most Travelers didn’t even have that ability anymore. It was another part of the mystery of her, and I had to get to solving that, or I wouldn’t be able to protect her. And I had to protect her.