Dragon's Fire

Nineteen

Theodora. 

    Kayden has been in a mood since he and Taryn came home. I can’t really say I blame him after all, I did put his wife and child into a magic coma to keep them safe. I have been keeping a close eye on him, he has lost so much in such a short time. 

    I sit with Taryn each day until Kayden comes. He sleeps beside her, sometimes I can hear him crying next to her. I can sense all her emotions and the emotions she can sense. It is quite taxing on me, having the emotions of three people rushing through my body. I try to block it out, to keep their privacy to them but it is hard. 

“How is she?” Maggie comes into the room, her eyes fixated on Taryn. She looks at her stomach and an expression of almost unease ease comes across her face. 

“She should be waking soon, she’s getting stronger by the hour.. Only a few more days to go” I say as I step in front of her and block her off from Taryn. There is something about her that I just don’t trust. Ever since I met her twenty-six years ago I had this feeling of distrust. I won’t leave her alone with Taryn, not when she is defenseless.  

    When Maggie came to the castle she had so much rage and anger at her father for arranging the marriage. She despised George for years, even after Kayden was born. It wasn’t until he was four that she finally came around and started acting like a real mother to him. I never did figure out why she felt such hatred towards her family. 

    Kayden comes by to check on us before he has his dinner brought in. He does this every meal, sitting beside her and eats, talking to her and the baby. He is dreadfully depressed, making everyone in the castle walk on eggshells around him. 

“It should only be a few more days Kayden.. She is getting stronger” 

“Can’t we just wake her up now?” His voice sounds so pained 

“Well… I’d prefer to keep her under a little longer, however I can see the pain you’ve been in over the past few weeks..” I begin 

“So is that a yes?” He looks so hopeful, his eyes are tired but bright. 

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt… she will be confused, she won’t know she has missed three weeks. You have to be patient until she gets used to what is going on” I tell him. I place my hands on Taryn, murmuring a spell to break the coma and the protective shield I set around her. 

“She will wake in about an hour, I’ll come by later to check on her” 

    I let them have some privacy as I close the door behind me, walking down to the library to do a bit of reading on Taryn’s powers. I have still not pinpointed why she cannot control them yet, I have a theory that her unborn child is making her powers go berserk. It makes sense, the child would have powers of their own, it may already be showing signs of his or her powers. 

    I hear someone enter the library, I look over to see Maggie going to the corner of the library, I watch as she pulls on a book, a passage I’ve never seen before opens up and she enters it. The secret door closes quickly behind her. I put my book down and follow, waiting a few minutes before I pull on the same book, opening it back up. I slowly walk down a dark dusty corridor, I feel the air shift, getting colder. I have walked quite some ways now, I know I’m underground but I think I am outside the castle at this point. I can see the end of the corridor, I find myself in the middle of the forest, the castle long behind me. 

“What are you doing here? It’s too dangerous” I hear a male voice. I keep perfectly still and don’t make a sound, listening closely. 

“She’s pregnant. This changes everything” Maggie says 

“You know what you need to do” 

“I know.. I just wish he was here to witness it. He will pay for what he’s done” Maggie snarls 

“He would have been proud of how far you’ve come.. You should head back before they realize you're gone. Mourn for your dear husband dear sister” 

    I hear footsteps coming back, I quickly go back inside the secret door, running back up the corridor, trying to not get caught. I go straight to Kayden’s room. 

“Kayden. I need to speak to you. It’s urgent..” I say breathlessly. I look to see Taryn still asleep. He stands up and walks towards me. 

“Keep your voice down, she’s still asleep.. What is it?” He seems annoyed, but curious. 

“I just saw your mother, she went through a hidden passage, it came out in the forest, she was talking to a man. They said that he would pay for what he’s done… I don’t know who they were referring to.. But she mentioned Taryn’s pregnancy, I fear she is in grave danger” I say after catching my breath. 

“Are you sure about this?” He eyes me closely. I nod. 

“I was afraid this would happen eventually” He mutters, running his hand through his hair. 

“What are you talking about?” I ask confused. 

“My father told me once that when he married my mother she hated him. He said that she had another lover, who was killed in war, a war my father spearheaded. She held him responsible for his death. I never really put much thought into it. When father died she showed no emotion, she almost seemed glad about it” 

“I’m sorry Kayden… I don’t think we can trust her. Ever since she married your father she has had this burning rage and now it makes sense as to why. I think we need to keep her away from Taryn, at least until the baby is born..” I say sadly

“I know.. It’s just so hard, she’s my mother after all..” He sighs. 

    Taryn starts to toss and turn in the bed, he makes his way over to her, smoothing her hair down. She slowly opens her eyes, I can feel her confusion radiating off her. 

“Kai? What’s going on?” She whispers as she goes to sit up, her belly now twice the size she remembers sticks out at her like a sore thumb. She stares down at it in horror. 

“I had to put you to sleep.. Your body was not strong enough and you ran a high risk of losing your baby. I had you in a magic coma, everything is fine now. The baby is fine.. You were asleep for three weeks” I explain, she holds her stomach and listens carefully. 

“I’m so big!” She smiles down at her hands on her belly. 

“I’ve missed you so much” Kayden places his own hands on top of hers and leans down to kiss her stomach. 

I make for the door, wanting to give them some privacy and time to reunite.

“Thank you Theo… really.. If I were to lose my baby I don’t know what I’d do” Taryn says to me 

“Of course… I’ll come back later to finish our conversation” I say looking at Kayden, he nods stiffly. 

A few hours later Kayden finds me, 

“What do you propose we do?” He asks as he sits down across from me in the dining room. 

“For now, just keep a close eye on her, we need more proof before we can do anything” I tell him. 

“I can’t believe she would even think about doing something to hurt Taryn” He says sadly, I feel bad for him. 

“Well we don’t know anything for sure yet Kayden”