Elodia's dragon circled down landing in the yard near the other dragons. The other dragons all had their saddles off and were being brushed down and their skin oiled by their dragon riders. "Where's Addie?" Kaitlyn asked as she strolled over. Elodia turned and saw James sitting apparently in shock.
"James, where is Addie?" Elodia asked.
"She jumped off," James voice broke as he spoke, "she jumped off!"
"When?"
"I...I don't know."
"Kaitlyn if she jumped while we crossed the void she's gone," Elodia whispered.
"No, I saw her land on the ground," Gemma said. "She ran back to my door way."
"What did she say James?" Kaitlyn asked. James told them, barley able to maintain his composure.
"OH! I understand now." Elodia said. "Pip had trouble lifting off. You know how sometimes it takes a bit for them to increase their buoyancy?" The others nodded. "Addie doesn't know that. She must have jumped off so we could escape."
"Let's go back for her now!" James said.
"We'll never find her, the place was crowded with everyone going to see the fire."
Ruby uncloaked just above them and flew to Elodia. "Ruby's back," Elodia said. The little dragon danced around Elodia trying to get her attention.
"Odie, I think Ruby's trying to tell you something," Kaitlyn said. Elodia knelt by the little dragon and opening the purse around her neck removed the two letters.
"James, this one is for you. She's OK. She made it back to the inn and is back in the room you rented."
"She is one resourceful girl!" Theodora said.
"Take me to her, please," James said.
"You can't even walk James!" Kaitlyn said.
"We have time," Elodia said. "Eli you and Walter help James inside." The two men assisted James down and into Elodia's home.
"I need to take care of Pip. Then I'll wash up and change, then we'll meet back here. We'll do a 'laying of hands' for James."
"I'll take Gemma home," Kaitlyn said. "Gemma just follow me, you get to stay with us. We have a room for you. I bet you're tired."
"Is Addie coming back?"
"We'll never just leave a sister behind Gemma," Maryann said. Gemma took Kaitlyn's hand and was led to her room.
"This is your room now."
"I've never had a bed that big! Or even a real room. What kind of work will I be doing?"
"We are all family here Gemma. You're a sister. Your sisters will all want to take you shopping for clothes once Addie's back." Gemma was speechless as she climbed into her bed still dressed in her only dress. The bed smelled of fresh linen and it felt so soft and warm. Slipping out of her dress she climbed into the bed and under the thick blanket. She fell quickly asleep, here she was safe for the first time she could remember.
The dragon riders all gathered around James. "James you have been through a lot. We can easily heal your bruises. We performed a scan, and you have a badly sprained ankle and a dislocated shoulder. Four of your ribs are broken. Your concussion alone should have finished you."
"James has always been unusually stubborn," Kaitlyn said as she smiled at him.
"And you've always said I was a blockhead," James teased her back.
"I want you to drink both of these," Maryann said handing him a dark glass small bottle.
"Tastes awful," James said, "And it goes down like thick syrup."
"They will help you sleep, and restore some of your energy, so drink up. You'll get two more in the morning," Maryann said. "Good now lay down." Eli and Walter joined the healing circle. "Kaitlyn you too, you're an Empath join us." Elodia placed her hands over James's heart as the others closed the circle each touching the shoulder of the person next to them. They started with a prayer to the mother god, then they began. The witches taking into their body James's injuries, while the healers visualized the injured tissue healing.
James saw and felt a warm white light surround him and those standing in the circle around him. He felt warm and comforted by the light he felt other sensations too. Love, he wondered? He felt his injuries diminish and finally he slept. When he awoke in the morning he was pain free. He stood and walked freely. He was given two more bottles of the thick foul tasting syrup then allowed to go home with Kaitlyn.
"You look almost human James," Kaitlyn teased as they sat eating the breakfast she and Gemma had prepared.
"Thank you Aunt Kaitlyn."
"You can have a hot shower once we have more hot water. Gemma used it all," Kaitlyn said.
"I'm so sorry," Gemma said looking very contrite.
"It's OK, that's why we have hot water," Kaitlyn said.
"I've never had a shower," Gemma said.
"This house is huge," James said.
"We picked out a room that will eventually be a library," Kaitlyn said.
"And I got my own bed room!" Gemma said.
"Odie's going to fly me to Dexter in about an hour," James said.
"That will be just enough time for you to shower, shave and get dressed," Kaitlyn said. "Who did your haircut?"
"Addie."
"She did a good job. How long will you be staying, James?"
"One of the dragon riders will pick us up late at night by the fountain, their all drawing straws to see who it will be."
"Bring towels James."
"Whatever for."
"You'll figure that out yourself," Kaitlyn said as Gemma laughed.
***************************
Waking up was the last thing that Adrianna wanted, but the gently wrapping went on and on. With a sign she rolled out of the bed and took the blanket off the bed to wrap herself in then went to the door and unlocked the bolt. "Yes!"
"Sorry Mrs. Greene, I know you wanted to sleep in but he's here to see you."
"Mrs. Greene is not here."
"It's you he wants, not the other Mrs. Greene. Everyone was so excited when he announced you were married."
"My cousin, James."
"Yes," the maid smiled indulgently at her. "It's quite alright, he is your third cousins after all."
"Third cousins," Adrianna repeated trying to make sense of what was happening.
"I'll move your things to the Ambassador's Suit as soon as you're out."
"Why?" Adrianna asked even more confused.
"Mr. Greene's orders, he asked me to tell you to make yourself pretty and meet him in the private dining room for lunch." The maid scurried off leaving Adrianna standing at the door half awake and confused.
"James!" she said to herself. She wanted to simply rush to him clad only in her blanket, but her had said make yourself beautiful. Taking one of the inn's long thick terry cloth robes she took herself to the inn's baths and soaked until she felt squeaky clean and in full control of her faculties. She returned to her room and brushed her hair out leaving it down, then borrowing Kaitlyn's makeup kit applied eye shadow as Kaitlyn had taught her. She admired her handy work in the mirror and used the under-liner pencil. She spent several minutes searching for her shoes before recalling she had left them in the jail. Then taking a breath to steady her nerves she calmly walked down the stairs like a royal lady.
James was watching her decent as were at least a dozen of the inns patrons and staff. "You look beautiful James," she said smiling.
"Men aren't usually referred to as beautiful," James laughed. He took her hand and escorted her to the private dining room as the staff smiled at her wishing her well. "No shoes?" James teased her. She laughed and the sound of her voice, the sight of her, and touch of her had made James heart beat double time.
"Thank you James for coming."
"Nothing could keep me away."
"So were third cousins?" James smiled brightly and shrugged his shoulders. "I love you cousin," she said just loud enough to be heard by everyone.
"And I love you too cousin. Come have lunch with me." They sat at the little table as they were served. "I chose the wine...if that's OK."
"I'll defer to you on the wine choice cousin," Adrianna said smiling. "So you're moving Aunt Kaitlyn and me to the Ambassador's Suit."
"No, Sweetheart, I'm moving you and me to the ambassador's Suit."
"I can't go with you James, I forgot to pack my nightgown," she said smiling coyly almost causing the server to drop the wine bottle.
"You won't need your nightgown for what I have planned, madam," James said with a straight face.
"You plan on lending you one of your shirts?" she said pretending confusion. James smiled mischievously at her.
"No,"
"Then what am I to wear?"
"Absolutely nothing."
"That's hardly fair husband, you'll have you night shirt on."
"I forgot to pack my night shirt too."
"Then what are we to do. Nothing decent to wear!"
"I'm having a bowl of strawberries delivered to the room, and a large feather."
"James I'm not at all tired, you don't expect me to sleep." Several of the servers having overheard their conversations were finding difficult to keep a straight face and suppress their laughter.
"Sleeping is the last thing on my mind woman."
Later they were alone together and James secured the bolt on the door. "I want to make love to you Addie."
"I thought we already did that!" Adrianna continued to tease.
"That was a coupling of two desperate lovers. This time I want to saver it. I want to rock your senses." They climbed into the bed together and he held her pressing her tight and kissing her neck. "Got this beautiful letter last night. It moved me to tears."
"Really, who would write to you?"
"It was from the woman I love. The most beautiful, brave lady I have ever met."
"So it was a lady who wrote you."
"Yes, a real lady, a lady of quality."
"I wasn't sure I would ever see you again," Adrianna said looking with tear filled eyes into his.
"Neither was I. I'm never going to let you get away from me again."
"Well you stuck with me then, I feel the same way... When are we going to eat the strawberries?"
"Soon enough, my appetite craves other delights." He kissed her softly and reached for the feather.
"James, what's the feather for?"
They made their way to the fountain late that night and stood holding hands watching and listening to the sound of the falling water. "We have about an hour before our ride home arrives," James said smiling at her.
"What can we do for an entire hour?"
"I brought towels," he said softly biting her ear. Adrianna laughed.