Chapter 29

David

When David woke up the next morning, the bed still smelled of Stormy and their lovemaking. He reached for her despite himself. Although she was gone, the bed was not empty. She had magically filled it with rose petals and a handwritten love letter.

David opened it carefully and read her words over and over again, before slipping the letter into his shirt pocket near his heart. Her message and the gift of her love was more than he could have ever dreamed of. What they felt for each other was so much deeper than physical chemistry or intellectual attraction. He was truly, head over heels, burn castles down, go to war, in love with her. And she had made it abundantly clear that she felt the same. Even if she hadn’t already expressed it in words, or the garden, he felt it in her touch during their mating.

He has never experienced anything like what he felt when their bodies came together. It was like having planets collide and stars being born inside of them. Loving her was like holding a mighty thunderstorm in the palm of his hands. She took him to places he didn’t even know existed and heights he couldn’t reach, even with the largest of wings.

He was still basking in the afterglow of being with Stormy, when he heard a tiny knock at his chamber door. It cracked open and he heard Daniel’s voice.

“Mate?” Daniel said softly. He slowly opened the door and looked around the room. “I can smell you.”

“She was called away and isn’t here Daniel.” David said as Daniel approached the bed. He was carrying a small tray with a bowl of fruit and flowers in a vase. “She promised she would be back soon.”

Daniel’s shoulders slumped. He looked sad for a moment. However David could see the exact moment Daniel caught scent of Stormy’s nocturnal activities because Daniel’s posture changed. He became defensive and glared at David.

“Did you hurt her or make her angry?” Daniel screeched with his hands balled into fists.

“Of course not!” David said in defensive astonishment. “I would never hurt Stormy. You should know that.” David said defensively.

“Could you bring yourself to hurt her? What I feel for her is even stronger because I have been around her more. So if you can't, you know I definitely can't either.” David watched as realization sank into Daniel’s face. “I don’t just love Stormy as a mate, I’m in love with her.”

Daniel sat down hard on the end of the bed still holding the tray. “Then why does she keep leaving. Why is this mission so important? What Angie said didn’t make any sense.” Daniel asked as his face crumpled.

David scooted down the bed and placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “She leaves because she has too. I know you don’t understand but what she is doing is life and death stuff.”

“Does that mean the fireballs are real than?” Daniel said looking visibly distressed.

“What are you talking about?” David asked speculatively.

“The ones she is always dodging in my dreams. Sometimes the hooded figure breathes blue flames. Stormy is always trying to defend herself. And that Angie girl that I don’t like always seems to be yelling at her. I hate seeing her fighting like that so bad that sometimes I don’t want to sleep.” Daniel said with a tired and worried sigh. “Remember I told you about them at the coronation.”

“I remember you telling us about the dragon battle and our mother. Is that the only dream like that you have had of Stormy?” David asked.

“Yes, mostly I see the fireballs except for the dreams when I see her sleeping. Sometime she is alone, and sometimes she is curled up with you.” Daniel said as she stared at him with big eyes. “What’s going on!” Daniel demanded.

“I can't tell you until Stormy does. But, I promise she wouldn’t leave if she didn’t have to.” David swore sincerely. He knew he couldn’t say much because Daniel still didn’t know about the magic.

Since Daniel didn’t also have the dream about the Queen, it made David suspect that, for whatever reason, that particular dream or memory has been reserved especially for him. Just as he thought maybe the dream about the battle would eventually be useful to Daniel. He was beginning to believe that the battle was also a memory. He wondered if the dreams were part of the help that the Queen had cryptically mentioned.

David was slightly grateful that his brother was spared the vision of the Queen. He has been wrestling with it for days and it was enough to make him go mad. There were just so many unanswered questions. Yet, as much as he tried to ignore them, the answer always seemed to be there clawing at the back of his mind just out of reach.

Daniel interrupted his thoughts. “Hey, is that for me?” He asked as he pointed to the dresser.

David looked up and noticed a piece of paper folded into a tiny tent with Daniel’s name written on it in handwriting he instantly recognized as Stormy’s

David smiled as he appreciated Stormy thoughtfulness. “It has your name on it.”

Daniel hopped from the bed and deposited the breakfast tray to the side. He scampered across the floor like a puppy again and snatched the letter from the desk. He opened it and began to read it.

“It's a letter from Stormy!” Daniel announced happily. “She says she misses me too and that sometimes she dreams about me. Her favorite color is light blue. Someday she wants to set next to me in the grass and watch the fireflies with me.”

Daniel danced around the room like he had just won first prize at a jousting tournament. “How did she know I like to watch the fireflies?” Daniel asked with a dumbstruck expression.

“Maybe it came to her in a dream,” David suggested as he put his hand over the letter in his pocket. He clutched it to his heart knowing full well he would never reveal the words of passion that it contained.