Guardian (The Tower Saga, Book 1)

Chapter 4 - Spy kids

The first thing Indy did when he got back to the castle was to find his way to his private rooms. He needed to be cleaned up and changed. A headache was pounding between his eyes and it was starting to affect his mood. He had agreed to meet Jon and Joslyn back in the entertainment room when he was done. As he showered clean, he continued to think about the lion attack and the fact that the cat didn't hurt him. The big cats teeth had wrapped around his face and his clothes were shredded. How could he not have been hurt?  

Indy stepped from the steamy shower to stand in front of the large mirror over the sink. He brushed the steam away from the mirror with a towel and looked at his reflection. Bright green eyes stared back at him under a mess of wavy brown hair. His bare chest glistened with moisture from the shower but he couldn't see the tattoo he had glimpsed earlier.  

He was just about to turn away when the dragon came rippling around his torso and stopped just above his heart. After catching his breath, he looked closer at the dragon. The fine detail of the tattoo amazed him. Tiny scales, teeth, and horns rippled over its skin. Breath even seemed to spill from its slightly opened mouth as he watched. Indy raised his fingers to his chest. The dragon stayed in place as Indy ran his finger along the beast, tracing its form around his chest. 

He thought he could feel a warmth beneath his hand before the dragon darted away again. Indy stared into the mirror a long while before he finally dried off. He dressed in a new pair of jeans and an old Guns and Roses shirt before heading downstairs. He considered the dragon as he found his way back to his friends. That dragon along with the news of his mom's recovery was making this certainly a day to remember. 

Over the next few hours, the kids played video games, ate a pizza, and watched a movie. All thoughts of the lion attack had left Indy's mind as they enjoyed each other's company. Joslyn called her dad to make sure it was okay to visit overnight, she made sure to leave out any details of the dragon tattoo, or lion attack. It took a few minutes of convincing but in the end her dad relented when he found out she was a guest of the Locke's and staying in the guest wing. She was allowed to stay overnight but there was a catch, she had to agree to take her sisters lunch shift at the diner the next day.  

Joslyn and Jon bickered over the movies they wanted to watch. Jon wanted something fast and exciting while Joslyn wished to see an emotional heartthrob movie. They ended up watching a young wizard battling a dragon.  

After the movie had finished they began chatting about their lives. Indy related the horrors of private boarding schools and his father's plea for him to take a year off school to live in the castle with them. Joslyn recounted growing up in Appleton as the daughter of a sheriff in a small town. 

When they turned to look at Jon for some insight into his life, he broke out an iPad and waved it at them. After a few quick finger taps, they were watching the iPad being displayed on the room's big TV screen. Jon told them how much he enjoyed computers and all things techie. They laughed and called him a geek. 

"I've been here since they first started wiring this place," Jon said. "My dad took me around to watch them work after I begged him a few thousand times. A couple of the techs showed me a few little tricks and anyway... check it." 

The big screen lit up with images. There were views of the castle that Indy recognized. There was the grand hall, dad's personal car storage, the garage and the kitchen.