My Name is Rapunzel(68)

John saw the dragon at the same time I did. He gasped and pointed to the sky. “It's a dragon! A real, live dragon!”

The dragon swooped toward us. His roar shook the ground.

“You need to go!” I pushed John toward his car. “Go! Now!”

John couldn’t seem to peel his gaze from the erratic flight of the angry dragon. Didn’t he understand what he was looking at?

I pushed on his body and tried to jolt him out of his shock. I suppose I would act the same way if I was John, but he was going to be ashes if he didn't leave.

Why was the dragon so angry?

“I thought you were making it up,” John whispered, his eyes searching the sky.

“You didn't believe me?” I stumbled backward. “I thought you believed me! I thought we had something, but you didn't trust me.” To think I actually thought I could trust him with my story. That he wanted to help me. Looked like I'd fallen for it again.

Maybe I should feed him to the dragon.

“Well, it was a little far fetched, but Luke’s letters said…I mean, besides, who would ever believe a dragon actually existed? And what about the witch? I've never met her.”

What did he know of Luke? Luke had been gone for a hundred years.

“Not once did you provide concrete proof that your story was true. Was I supposed to take you by your word? I'm a reporter. I need to have the facts. But now that I've seen a real dragon.” John paused and ran his hand through his hair. “Now that I've seen your dragon, I believe you, but I don't think anyone would believe me. And I told my boss I didn't need a camera! I was so stupid.”

“What? A camera? Is that all you can think about? No! You can't take any pictures. I have to keep the dragon safe. I have to keep it safe from people like you who want to expose him. If it ever got out that a dragon lived here on my land, he would be hunted and killed. I won't let that happen.”

“You said yourself, the dragon was the reason you never left Paradise Valley.” He was right. I did say that, but I didn't mean it. Not really. The curse was what kept me here, but this was my home.

The dragon circled around the castle. He wanted me to go home. He wanted me safe in the tower. He circled again, then let out a roar of anger. I'd better hurry!

“I need to go! Goodbye, John,” I strode toward home.

“Will I see you tomorrow?”

“I need time to think.” Why hadn't I just said no and let it be the end?

I knew why. My mind was on the dragon. He needed me.





CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO




My walk turned into a jog and I was home in no time. I entered the kitchen with a newfound hope. The dragon not only protected me, but he cared about me.

“I warned you, Rapunzel.” Gretta stopped me in my tracks. I didn't see her sitting in the corner. “You've been with that boy again, and the dragon is angry. What are you up to?”

“I'm not up to anything,” I said, but the words came out shaky. Gretta knew I was hiding something. My voice gave it away. It always did.

“Perhaps you should go to your room for a while,” Gretta suggested. But it felt more like an order. I didn't care. I was going to my room anyway.

I needed to light a candle and set it on the windowsill. I needed to let the dragon know I was safe in my tower. It didn't take long after that for the dragon to calm down. He patrolled the sky surrounding the tower for quite a while, but then he finally settled down and disappeared for the night to—wherever he spent his evenings. I respected his privacy and never dared search for his lair.

I never paid much attention to where he had gone before, but now I was curious. I sat near the window most of the night, watching for my dragon.

He finally appeared again. He didn't get close enough for me to see the shimmery scales of his body, but I had seen them up close the night I moved my belongings up to the tower and they were beautiful. If only I could touch them.

“Rapunzel. Rapunzel.”

Who was calling my name? Where was it coming from? I leaned out the window and listened.

“Rapunzel!” It was coming from outside. I parted the curtain and scanned the gardens below. Nothing. Nobody was there. Was I losing my mind? “Rapunzel! Down here!”

I looked down, but still didn't see anyone on the ground.

“Here. Down here.”

I leaned out a bit farther and scanned the wall of the tower. There, hanging from vines midway between the earth and my window was John.

“What are you doing there?” I asked. “You could get yourself killed!”

“Help. Please.” John was barely holding on. The vines this high weren't strong enough to hold anyone. Even I wouldn't try something that crazy.

“What am I supposed to do?” I asked. Did he actually think I would climb out my window and rescue him? It wasn't possible.