Page 98 of The Baby Dragon Cafe
“What?” His voice was high with panic. “Mount Echo—
why?”
“She said she had to discuss something with Sister Mireya,” Emmeline said, “so I dropped her off on Torch.”
He had a sinking feeling. “Em, I need to borrow Torch,” he said into the phone, walking quickly to his cottage to retrieve his car. “I’ll meet you in the field.”
“Okay, but … Aiden, what’s going on?”
“I think Saphira might be in trouble. I’ll see you in fifteen.”
He hung up, too stressed out to speak further. He started his car, then drove up, making it there a few minutes early because he was speeding. Thankfully, Emmeline was already there, a troubled expression on her face.
“What do you mean Saphira might be in trouble?” Emmeline asked, as Aiden ran up to Torch, where his cousin was waiting.
“I’ll explain later,” Aiden said, climbing onto the saddle in a swift movement. Torch took Sparky into her paw and, with a kick, the dragon was off.
As they flew straight to Mount Echo, Aiden had a sinking feeling as he realized what Saphira had most likely gone to the mountain for.
He had thought the ritual was ridiculous at the time because of course Saphira belonged—but perhaps she hadn’t felt that way.
He had noticed a slight change in her behavior, and when he’d asked her about it, they had talked about how she sometimes felt like she was an imposter to be with him—and Sparky, for that matter—because she wasn’t from a Drakkon family. He had reassured her that of course she belonged with him—but maybe he hadn’t emphasized that enough?
As a surprise, he was going to show her that he had changed Sparky’s custody so that it was joint to the both of them. She would have a golden ID; he knew she felt insecure about that, and he wanted to give her the token to make her feel better.
He wanted her to feel like she had equal ownership over Sparky, that no one could take her place, even if Sparky was trained now and the cafe was doing well and their agreement was coming to a close.
But he should have done more, sooner.
He just hoped it wasn’t too late.
When they arrived on Mount Echo, Aiden dismounted Torch, rushing into the compound to find Mireya. Sparky was close by Aiden’s side, flying next to him.
Aiden found Mireya reading in one of the smaller rooms, and when he burst in, she looked up with surprise.
“Where is Saphira?” he asked, breathless.
“I don’t understand,” Mireya said, setting down her book calmly. “Don’t you know?”
“Sister, please,” Aiden begged.
“She has gone to make herself a rider, even though she is not of rider blood,” Mireya said.
Aiden’s hands clenched into fists, and he resisted the overwhelming urge to hit something. He was losing his mind with worry, his thoughts racing over terrible scenarios.
“It doesn’t matter that she isn’t from a Drakkon family!” he cried, hardly able to speak.
“Apparently to her, it did.”
“What is the ritual?” he spat out. “Where is she?”
Mireya furrowed her brows. “I am sorry, Aiden, but I cannot tell you.”
Aiden was not a violent person, but right then, he wanted to be, if that would mean securing Saphira’s safety.
“Please.” He managed to grind the word out, but just barely.
“We must not interfere, nor can we disturb the sacred ritual,” Mireya simply replied.
