Tears gather in my eyes as I look at the now pink scars running across my legs and arms.
"There's no point in cryin' now, Sage. You can't change the past." Wiping the tears from my eyes I slowly sink into the lukewarm bath surrounded by lush green plants and sigh at finally being able to relax and collect my thoughts. My mind has other plans though. Images of Nero crowd my thoughts making it hard to relax.
Nero dripping water off his burly frame as he stands over me. Nero's strong arms encircling me as he tries to help me up. Nero's slate grey eyes ever swirling like thunder clouds, watching every move I make. The shocked but amused look on his face becoming slack as I knocked him unconscious.
I squeeze my eyes closed and begin to meditate as much as I possibly can with the emotional turmoil of the last two days weighing on me. My tense muscles reluctantly softened as I forced myself to move on from my mental and physical scarring. Just as I begin to drift off into a light slumber, something splashes the water at my feet and my eyes pop open at the sudden noise. Staring right back at me perched happily on the foot of my tub, is a lizard?
***
"Which way do you think she went Nero?" Darren asks giving up on looking for footprints. James and Ryan also look to me with question in their eyes. Frustration builds as I think of the many possible ways she could have gone from here.
I turn away from them and imagine where she could have gone. We'd spent the last half of the day searching the river bank for anything. I internally curse myself for the obsession of this woman. She has bewitched me. Every thought of her is not enough to quinch the thirst I have for her. I want her. I NEED her in my life...I shake my head to clear the cacophony of feeling raging through my mind.
Looking farther down the river, my eyes fall on the now wilted flowers. Realization dawns slowly as I put her action from the last two days together. I first saw her in the meadow by the river. Quickly, I make my way towards the boulder that I know is hiding near the waters edge. Darren, James, and Ryan all silently follow me. Looking around for any clues as to which way she went, disappointment began to creep into the fray of my mind. Nothing but deer trails and flowers surrounded the boulder.
"She had to have crossed the river. Sage wouldn't have traveled along it to the nearest town, it's too far." I mumble, more to myself than any of the men with me, but all of them have their ears cocked listening to every word that leaves my mouth. I look at the boulder and remember how her white dress laid across it. How her perfectly round ass was all I saw as I came up behind her. Terrified mint green eyes widening as she realized that she had been caught. A barely contained growl escaped me as the thoughts of her swirled to life again. My eyes kept traveling to the waters edge as if something or someone was beconing me towards it. I slowly made my way past the boulder, holding the flame closer to the waters edge. A game trail stopped abruptly as the shimmering liquid lapped at the shore. Looking farther into the water I noticed what looked like a stepping stone right below the surface. Stepping forward into the water my booted foot sinks to mid-calf. I hold my torch near the water in front of me and see another stone just past it. Smart girl.
"I found the way across!" I yelled at the team of men scowering the meadow for any evidence as to which way she could have gone. Each of their heads popped up and they quickly followed behind me as I made my way through the icy water.
***
I stay completely still as the lizard stares at me with one clawed paw just touching the waters surface. I might have been reaching a bit when i said lizard because I've never seen one quite this big.
This creature was quite similar to the much smaller reptiles that loved to skidder around my home and feast on the juicy insects. This reptile in particular was about the size of my forearm. Its grey scales turned an iridescent blue when the moonlight shone on it, and it had menacing looking dull black claws about an inch long capping each of its toes. Its diamond shaped head held glowing red eyes with slits for pupils. Just then the creature opened its razor sharp jaws in a yawn allowing me to admire a sticky pink tongue that slicked over its two small nostrils on the front of its face.
I suppose the animal wanted a better look at me as well because it chose then to scurry along the rim of the tub, right up to my shoulder. It happened faster than I could comprehend causing me to jerk my face to the side to keep it in my sight. Strangely this creature didn't frighten me, I felt as if it were an old friend. That, however, didn't stop me from being cautious. Close up it was even more intimidating to look at as it tilted its head. I didn't dare speak for fear of spooking or provoking it. Ever so slowly a paw reached out towards me, I lifted my hand out of the water to give it something to perch its searching foot on. As soon as my skin touched the clawed foot a zap of energy ran through me and apparently it as well, a shiver shook its entire body nose to tail exposing that it had wings! My eyes widened at the discovery.
I had heard stories of them when I was a child but had no idea that they might still exist. I was almost certain that this creature in front of me was...a dragon. If I was correct and this lizard was in fact a dragon, I couldn't tell a soul.
"I'm going to get out of the tub now, okay?" I whispered to the intimidating animal not a foot from my face. The sound of my voice hadn't frightened it so I cautiously placed the dragons foot back with the rest on the rim and very carefully stood to get out of the tub. The entire time I did this it never moved, just sat there, staring at me with a cocked head.
Getting dressed in my night dress, I sigh as I realize I probably won't be getting any rest tonight.