Dragons of Arilla (Book 1 - Draft 2)

Chapter 8: Burned

Discomfort is what ultimately woke him in the morning. Usually, the sounds of his siblings getting up would rouse him, but either they weren't up yet, or he'd been too deeply asleep to notice.

Raising his head from the desk, Pierce felt the aching of muscles and joints, abused from sleeping in an improper position, against hard surfaces. He couldn't remember falling asleep, but given the fact it happened at the desk, and not in bed, he'd undoubtedly pushed himself to stay up too late and passed out.

The festival may be going on, but he still had an essay due on Auxda, and he wasn't quite finished with it yet.

It was then that he realized something was off. The desk was clear. No books. No papers. He searched around on the floor, but found nothing.

Maybe Poison put his things away for him?

Their room was vacant. He went to his bed and searched underneath all of the fur and fluff, but none of the things he was using that night were there. Taking measured breaths, he tried to remain calm.

As he left their bedroom and followed the hall back to the main room, it felt like the whole den was abandoned. If he had to guess, Violet and her family were at the festival, their parents were working at the palace, Gem and Smoke were out looking for trouble, and Creator knew what Poison was up to. No one was around who he could ask about his things. He was still trying not to assume the worst.

Pierce searched the den a little, then decided to head out and see if he could find Poison. As he stepped out, he picked up on a scent. Smoke.

He located the ashes and dying embers, still smoking slightly. The books held their shape, but he knew that if he tried to pick one up, the pages would crumble into dust, leaving him with nothing but the charred leather cover.

The purple glow of a dying ember caught his attention, glaring at him like his brother's eyes.

Pierce stood still for a long time, staring at the pile of ash. Some of those books were borrowed, and there was no way he could get the essay finished on time, starting over from scratch.

It wasn't the first time his homework had been sabotaged, but he usually protected the books better. Even if he might return them a little more battered than when he'd gotten them, he'd always been able to return the books whole enough to avoid a ban from the library. Pierce usually tried to avoid taking books home, when possible, but with the festival going on, he'd known it wasn't going to be open much.

Not that the homework wasn't also problematic. Getting told, again, that he was smart, but needed to apply himself more, and put in more effort, wasn't going to be fun. Having to listen to his mother's desperate confusion over all of his missed assignments, in spite of the fact that he seemed to enjoy the subject, wasn't going to be fun. It didn't matter what he did or didn't do, he was always a disappointment.

The sound of wings drew his attention away from the burn pile, and while he'd half expected to see Smoke and Gem, coming to torment him some more, he was surprised to realize that it was Red, of all dragons. Why was he back?

When he landed, Red started heading over, and Pierce could barely contain his irritation. Couldn't he just go away?

"Hey, is mom ho- oh, what..." He'd spotted the burn, and Pierce wished that he were big enough to block it from sight just by standing in front of it.

"She's not here, she probably went to the palace," Pierce said.

"What happened here?" Red asked.

"Nothing."

He had the gall to look concerned. "Pierce-"

"Why do you care?" Pierce turned his face away, hoping that if it betrayed any hurt, Red wouldn't be able to see it. "It's none of your business."

"You're my brother, of course I-"

"Oh please," Pierce rolled his eyes and glared up at the bigger dragon.

Red dropped his gaze, as if hurt, or ashamed. Not that his gaze had much further to drop, he already had to look down at Pierce. "I know we haven't spoken in a long time."

"And whose fault is that?"

The look of guilt in Red's face was more infuriating than satisfying. "You're right, that's my fault, but it's not that I don't care, I just-"

"Spare me the excuses, it doesn't matter."

"Look, I'm here right now. I can help you with... whatever this is. We can both go-"

"I'm not going anywhere, or doing anything, with you," Pierce spat. Even if he wanted Red's help, there was nothing anyone could do. "Why are you even here? I know you didn't come to bother me, so why don't you just go back to whatever it is you do, and act like I don't exist, as always!"

"That's not-" Guilt, shame, shock, concern, Pierce hated all of it. How dare he try so hard now, as if he still had any right to get involved. As if Red hadn't abandoned him once already. "I never meant to- Smoke did this, right? He's still picking on you?"

A laugh escaped him unbidden, but there wasn't a shred of amusement, it carried only incredulity, anger, and hurt. Pierce felt like something within him was about to snap completely. "Is that a question? Is that a fucking question?"

Red looked, perhaps, a little alarmed. "No, you're right, that- Look, I'm sorry, I should have been there more, I just- I'm here now, okay?"

"Okay? Does this look okay?" Pierce tilted his head towards the burn pile. "We both know you're not going to do anything, not when you can run away and forget about it instead, so just leave me alone!"

When he showed no immediate sign of leaving, Pierce turned and ran, before Red could try to apologize again, or make some stupid excuse for why he'd done absolutely nothing for the last eight years. At the very first opportunity, Red had run, he pulled himself out of the water and left the rest of them to drown.

He heard Red call his name, but there was no sign of the warrior giving chase. If he changed his mind about that, Pierce would take him to the last place he would ever want to go.

Pierce ran until it felt like his heart and lungs couldn't take any more, then he cut the rest of the path to Phol at a brisk, gasping walk. He'd mostly regained his breath when he reached the river, and paused when he realized that he was not the first to come there.

Poison was sitting at a spot on the bank, where there was less vegetation in the way, and watching the water pass below.

"I was wondering where you got to," Pierce said.

Her ears drooped, and she said, "I'm sorry about your stuff. I should have done something, but I had no idea until it was too late."

"It's not your fault."

"They think I'm too weak to protect you, and maybe they are stronger, and better fighters than me, but that doesn't make me weak."

It shouldn't be her responsibility to look after him, he was the one who was weak. He was glad though, that she was too focused on her own concerns to notice how barely put-back-together he was. He didn't want to have to explain what happened with Red, least of all the Poison, who still idolized him.

She lashed her tail. "I'm sick of it. I'm sick of being underestimated, mocked, and ignored. I need to prove how strong I really am."

"Prove it how?"

She turned her head and met his gaze over her shoulder, purple eyes burning with anger and determination. "Just wait and see. It might take a few days, but I have the perfect plan, so don't worry."

That was only making him worry more. "Poison, what plan?"

She stood and stretched her wings. "I won't be home for a little while. I know mom will freak, but when I get back, everyone will see what I'm really capable of."

"What? Poison!"

Pierce hesitated as she took to the air, too stunned to move. Whatever she was planning, it was probably a really bad idea. He couldn't just stand there, and let her get herself into trouble.