Page 42 of Drakhana's Secret
All in all, everything could have been worse. We could have lost more dragons, but we didn’t. There could have been more injured, but there isn’t. There’s so much to be grateful for.
Most of all, there are no more ice and fire dragons within the city. They will be too busy licking their wounds to pay us any attention in the near future. I still have some doubts regarding our safety and security, but I don’t entertain those at the moment.
For now, I want to revel in the fact that we are all alive and well and the city is finally ours. Once everyone is seen to, we can start moving our brethren within the houses that we bought and the businesses that we have established in and around San Francisco. For the first time in what seems like a long time, there’s an air of calm all around. Everyone isn’t on edge or preparing for a fight.
Only when Sapphire is sure that everyone is alright does she allow me to take her to my mansion in Pacific Heights. The historic five-story home has rich walnut floors in all the living spaces and marble flecked with gold in the entryway. Every bathroom also has marble flooring with a unique mosaic depicting panoramas of the woodlands.
“This is your house?” Sapphire asks as she walks into the living room and starts looking around.
“We just acquired it, yes,” I say, following her a step behind.
Her bare feet don’t make any sound on the floor paneling. She heads straight to the double doors that lead to the back veranda. She opens them and steps outside.
The house has stunning views of the bay and the bridge. On a clear day, we can see all the way to Alcatraz. We even have a view of the city from here.
“This is gorgeous,” she says, taking a deep breath of the cool air.
The bandages on her arms make my heart ache. I have similar bandages on mine, but if I can take away her pain and make it my own, I would. I know that beneath her clothing, which must be thrown away at this point, there are more bandages. We both smell of the minty salve that’s used to disinfect and heal wounds.
I stand by her side and start pointing at the houses below us. “All of these we have purchased for the earth dragons. In fact, there isn’t a piece of property here in Pacific Heights that isn’t ours.”
“Isn’t that a little excessive?”
“These are good investments in the long run, but at the same time, this place will provide great lives for our clan.” I move my arm so that our shoulders touch. “We will have nice, comfortable lives here.”
She gets a serious look on her face as she scans the houses that I pointed out before I started resting my hands on the banister of the veranda. There are pines and greenery around us. It’s like we’re in the forest of Purple Mountain.
“Believe me when I say that I trust you, Gallant.” She sighs.
“I suspect there’s a ‘but’ that comes with that statement.”
“But . . .” She gives me a sidelong glance. “Being here in the city disconnects us from Mother Earth. That’s the reason why we were beaten so easily the first time around.”
“We’ve already regained our connection with our powers. Winning the battle today shows that.”
“Yes, but staying here in the city for prolonged periods will eventually wear down that connection once again. I think it’s better to live in the settlement. It’s within the earth, which will keep us all safe and connected with Mother Earth.”
“What about the dragons who don’t want to live in the settlement?” I ask, without any heat in my tone. This is not the time for an argument. I’m merely stating facts. “There are dragons who have gotten used to living in the city. There’s no going back for them.”
“Then that is their choice.” But I can’t ignore the fact that her words have a hint of sadness in them. “I cannot force them to live underground with the rest of us.”
“What about our brethren who lived in the villages? We’re they disconnected from mother earth as well?”
She nods. “That’s true. Which is why they also lost their lives. I truly believe that if we hadn’t severed that connection we wouldn’t have sacrificed so much just to get to this point.”
I take her hands in mine and give each of her palms a kiss. “We can’t dwell on the past like that. It’s not productive for us. In order for our clan to prosper, we need to keep moving forward.”
“You’re right.” Her shoulders deflate as the last of the tension within them. “We should be thinking of the future.”
“How about you go take a nap on one of my cozy couches and I go order us some food? Then we can start planning that future we’re both talking about.”
Her stomach grumbles at the mention of food. We share a chuckle before she gives me a wobbly smile.
“A nap and food sound nice. What about you?”
“I’ll go and take a shower while waiting.”
“Then make sure to come to me afterward so that I can wrap your wounds once again. It wouldn’t be good for them to remain damp for long or infection might set in.”
