I nodded. And closed my eyes.
It was as though Abernathy’s cave rushed into my mind. I remembered the smell of salt, the way old bones turned to ash so thick you could taste. I remembered the bats, their smell, and the first time I saw Abernathy. The sound of his voice. The way he’d given Silindra a piece of his soul in the shape of an amber teardrop.
The piece of his soul dwelled within me now. It’d become a part of me, as with the six other magical properties. I felt heat rise in my throat, as though I were a dragon, and not Snow White at all.
Cindy began to speak. “Abernathy.” She paused and I guessed I was to repeat her.
“Abernathy,” I said.
“Tua Tua Dragonia,” she uttered.
I repeated.
On the fringes of my mind I sensed a shift in the room. Like someone else came in, but I couldn’t open my eyes.
The spell must be working, I thought.
Cindy continued, “Sithiperia. Groanada. Desperia.”
The words were strange, and I garbled them out.
She finished with, “Abernathy.”
“Abernathy,” I echoed.
Chapter 9
I knew we weren’t in my room. The smell of bat guano and the deep rumbling of the sleeping dragon was all it took to convince me. But I didn’t want to open my eyes until Cindy told me too.
“Where the hell are we?”
That wasn’t Cindy’s voice. My eyes flew open. The room was pitch dark. With my vampire vision I perceived their forms. Cindy reached out and grabbed Gabe’s hand. Dorian remained perfectly still.
Cindy said, “Listeria.” A beam of white light appeared above our heads.
“Gabe? Dorian?” I was stunned. They helped Cindy to her feet.
I quickly stood on my own.
“Did you do this?” Gabe asked Cindy, his voice was filled with a loving wonder.
“Yeah,” she answered. “But I can’t believe it only took one time through on the spell. And for the four of us. It must be Snow.”
They looked at me. “What?” I asked, embarrassed. “I just did what you said.”
“Well, ya did good.”
Dorian came over. “You all right?” he asked, his eyebrows lifted in concern.
“Right as raindrops,” I answered. “But how did you guys get here?”
“We opened your bedroom door while the two of you were inside the star thing. There was a whoosh, and here we are.” He smirked. “Where exactly are we?”
I spun in a slow circle. “This is Abernathy’s cave.”
“As in the dragon?” Gabe asked.
“Me and Snow thought we’d come and see him. We didn’t expect you guys to come along.” Cindy hugged Gabe. “I’m glad you’re here though.”
“What about me? Am I chopped liver?”
I wrapped my arm around Dorian’s. “I’m glad you’re here too.”
He raised his eyebrows in comic flirtation. “Really now?”
I slapped him. “Stop it.”
He huffed, his shoulders sagging. “I thought you and I might be something,” he whispered.
I glanced toward Cindy and Gabe. They were in each other’s arms. Kissing. Sheesh. “I thought there might be something between us too. But I’m in love with Christopher.”
He nodded, looking away. After several silent moments, Dorian asked, “What’s making the noise?”
It was my turn to smirk. “Abernathy is snoring.” I stepped into the entrance of a tunnel. “Dragons are lazy creatures. You want to meet him?”
Gabe stopped kissing Cindy, and the three of us walked over. “Is he going to eat us?” Cindy asked nervously.
“No… at least I don’t think so.”
I ducked, and started walking. From the echoes and Cindy’s white light, I knew they followed.
“Man, it’s hot in here,” Dorian muttered.
I didn’t respond. He would understand why soon enough.
As we got closer to the dragon’s chamber, I noticed Abernathy’s golden body, like heaps of gold coins. He hadn’t changed at all. When I exited the tunnel, I stood, straightening my spine. A sense of déjà vu tingled its way from my chest and spread up and down my arms. Dorian, Cindy, and Gabe flanked me on either side.
Abernathy stopped snoring, and opened his saffron eyes.
Chapter 10
“Greetings little vampire. I’ve been waiting for you for a very long time.” His deep voice reverberated of the rock walls.
Though I sensed this was the same chamber, it changed over the thousands of years since I was here with Silindra. The most noticeable was the giant opening above our heads. It let in the bright sky. Wispy clouds lazily coasted by. Sunbeams filtered in, and while they didn’t reach all the way down, they still bathed the cavern in light.