"Kurlog said something along those lines. What do you two mean?"
Tessa was relaxing, her drink three quarters gone, and she watched us
silently. I wondered if my easy-going conversation with Rhaelgyr was
lessening her fear of the carnivore.
The dragon quirked one eyebrow, eyes glittering with surprise. He
stared at me for several moments, studying me, and I kept my
impatience at bay. "You truly don't know?"
An exasperated sigh fell from my lips. "Obviously not, or I'd know
what the hell you were talking about. Kurlog called Steven my little
boyfriend, and I don't think he meant it just because we were
travelling together."
Rhaelgyr extended his hand, moving around the table until he was at my
side. His elven form was well-muscled, just taller than me, but his
presence was enormous. It felt like he was looming over me, all scale
and claw and teeth. My heart skipped a beat. Knowing about dragons
hadn't prepared me for being eye-to-eye with one.
"May I try something?" he asked, breaking me from my reverie.
"What?" I slipped my hand into his, and his scent intensified.
His dark blue gaze bored into my head. The market noises slipped
away, the world becoming just him. "I want to check your memories."
Putting my hand in his must have counted as permission, because the
dragon was suddenly rooting around in my head.
The sensation of another being dwelling in my skull made me cringe and
try to pull away. Rhaelgyr's fingers tightened over mine. ~Shhhh,
little one. I won't hurt you.~ His words calmed me, and I relaxed.
Memories danced in front of my eyes as Rhaelgyr searched through them.
Meeting the dragon, sleeping with Kurlog, having Steven heal me.
Then travelling through dimensions with him, and Vara hitting me, and
the little boy Steven had been. Martel helping me, looking up to me,
feeding on me. Stumbling into the dark world of the vampires.
Then nothing. Just a blank wall.
Rhaelgyr growled, and I sighed as the connection broke. "What has
been done to you?"
"I don't know what you mean." A headache was forming, and I clutched
my brow. "I don't know what that wall is."
Tessa touched my side, comforting me through my distress. I touched
her hand, showing that I appreciated it. Rhaelgyr squeezed my
shoulder on the other side, confusing me. Why was the dragon being so
supportive?
"Someone has blocked your memories," he said. Well, that explained
him comforting me.
"No one's blocked my memories. They're just a little screwy from
Vara's attack." Suddenly remembering that moment felt a little
screwy. These were brand new memories that felt like I'd had them the
whole time. It wasn't like having someone jog your memory, nor was it
like when I accessed knowledge from the Gray Lords. "My masters would
let me know if something like that happened."
"Are you certain?"
Rhaelgyr's lowered voice was highly effective. It cut through my
surety, seeking only the doubt. _Was_ I that sure? What did I have,
other than memories, to prove I had done all I thought I'd done in the
name of Balance. The wall we'd encountered went no further back than
when I'd stepped into the night realm. There must be a reason the
block was at that spot
"So what do I do?" came my a soft question. The market suddenly
seemed sinister and oppressive, and I wanted to be gone. But I had
Rhaelgyr at my side, and he genuinely wanted to help.
Or was really good at acting like it.
"We find Steven. I'm sure he knows why you are in this position."
Damn it all.
