Page 43 of Whispers of the Dragon
In a fervent haze, she thought she could get used to days like this with Ryu when their kiss came to a sudden halt as they heard …
The screams that only a mother could make in sheer terror.
24
Did I Kill Jun?
“What happened?” Ryu asked the screaming mother holding Jun. The beautiful, sweet girl lay limp in her arms, as if she had turned into a ragdoll.
“I-I don’t know!” she cried out, trying to think under duress. “She was showing me her flower, and then … and then … she just dropped!”
Eira’s heart sank at her words then fell to the pits of hell when her eyes caught the fallen bloodred flower she had given her. What does she mean?! DidIkill Jun?
But the old man, Ryu, and herself had all touched the flower, and they were fine.
When she went to pick it up to prove that couldn’t possibly be it, Ryu stopped her.
“No! Don’t touch it,” he commanded as he quickly ripped a piece of cloth from his training robe.
“But it’s just a flowe—”
“Could be, but I don’t want to take any chances.” He carefully used the cloth to grab it, then placed it in his pocket before taking Jun from her mother.
“Please help her!” the mother cried, knowing the king's son and her future king was her best hope.
“I will,” he solemnly promised with a nod.
“She needs a doctor,” Eira announced the obvious, and then was shocked when Ryu shook his head.
“No, she needs Itako,” was all she heard as he took off running at a sprint.
Both Eira and the mother tried their bests to keep up with Ryu but lost him early on, as they heavily panted, out of breath. That was when Eira asked, confused, “Do you know who Itako is?”
The sobbing mother managed to speak. “She is a seeress.”
She remembered the name now; it finally clicked in Eira’s head that was who Ryu had sought to keep her from having nightmares. The vial he gave her to keep her asleep and dreamless had come from Itako.
But why would Ryu go to her?Eira knew better than to dare to voice her frustrations and doubt out loud to the mother, but she couldn’t help her thoughts.And that’s going to save Jun how?
As she followed the mother to the small house, she didn’t know why, but she took the mother’s hand in hers. “Maybe it’s best if we wait out here.” Inside couldn’t be big enough for all of them, and it would be hard for Itako to think clearly with the child’s mother crying and staring over their shoulder. “I know Ryu will do anything he can to save her.”
Finally, the mother agreed with a whimpered sob.
Ryu entered the tiny home with a battle-ready Itako.
“Lay the child here.”
Doing as ordered, he lay the small limp body down on the table in a rush, screaming, “How did you know? You could have fucking stopped thi—”
“I can only see what I am allowed to see, Ryu. I knew a child would be hurt, but I didn’t know who or what did it,” she said steadfast, trying to calm him and get to business while not the least bit offended. “Now, quickly, tell me what you know.”
Instantly, Ryu calmed, knowing not only had he come to the right place, but that Itako hadn’t just done nothing to intervene and save Jun’s life. There was a healer on the island, a great one, but Ryu’s gut had been telling him to see Itako, letting him know he needed to seek a different kind of help.
Carefully pulling out the thing in his pocket, he delicately unwrapped it for Itako, revealing the flower, only to see it was changing. “That’s strange.”
“What?” she asked.
“It was bloodred before, and full of life,” Ryu explained the difference as best as he could. “Now, it’s black and quickly dying.”
