The voice was familiar but it wasn’t of this world, this world full of shadows and fear and pain.
“Jaax!”
Louder this time, yet not loud enough or strong enough to pull him from the darkness. Someone or something else wanted him to stay put, to stay trapped in this misery.
“Jaax, wake up!”
This time the voice was accompanied by a light touch. So this was the key; the contact with the other world, because suddenly a great light seared the black clouds and sorrow, shoving it back into the furthest corners of his mind, the corners where he no longer ventured in the waking world.
Jaax jerked his head up, nearly taking Jahrra’s arm with it before she had a chance to tear her hand away from his face. He blinked several times, trying to remember the dream and forget it at the same time. He caught a tiny glimpse of its
remnants and realized with a shudder that he wished to disregard it.
“Jaax?”
Jahrra’s worried tone drew his attention away from the nightmare. He blinked down at her, still in her school clothes, her bag hanging over her shoulder. Neira stood in the tall door frame of his office looking terrified, but his ward appeared to be more concerned than afraid. And she would be, Jaax thought as his heart rate slowed. She’s had plenty of experience with bad dreams.
“Nightmare,” Jaax grumbled.
Jahrra nodded. “You were making smoke.”
Jaax tilted his head, eyeing the film of gray haze clinging to the ceiling above.
“I just got home. Decided to skip practice with my friends so I could get some homework done. It’s a good thing I did. Neira was afraid to approach you.”
Jahrra glanced back at their housekeeper and smiled. She looked a little less afraid but still troubled. She gave Jaax one more tentative look then turned to leave.
“I’ll just see about supper then,” she said as she disappeared down the hallway.
“Thank you for waking me,” Jaax said softly. “I could have caused a good deal of damage had you decided to stay in town.”
Jahrra grinned and hiked her bag higher up on her shoulder. “Luckily there’s not much to burn in a stone house.”
Jaax smiled. “I didn’t even realize I’d fallen asleep,” he admitted as he glanced down at the desktop.
The papers were still there but they looked wrinkled from where his forearm and head had rested.
“Perhaps you should go get some sleep,” Jahrra suggested as she leaned against the door frame.
“I can’t,” he said, the memories of earlier that day flooding to the front of his mind like the onslaught of nausea, “I’ve had to call a special Coalition meeting tonight.”
Jahrra solidified where she stood. “Special meeting?” she finally said.
Jaax stood up and tried to work the stiffness out of his neck as he considered how to tell her of his meeting with Shiroxx and his offer to Kehllor. The news about the Crimson King’s soldiers could wait. For now. Jaax grimaced.
“Yes,” he finally said, apprehension weighing heavily in his tone. “Something suddenly came up. You’re not required to be there,” he added as an afterthought, trying to keep the grimness out of his voice. “In fact, it’s probably best that you stay home tonight.”
Jahrra gazed up at Jaax with a question in her eyes. “And why’s that?” she asked.
Something about the way he avoided eye contact worried her.
Jaax took a breath, the vestiges of his nightmare still clinging to the edge of his mind.
“Because,” he began rather slowly, “I visited Shiroxx this morning and asked her, no,” he closed his eyes and shook his head, “informed her that she will no longer be recognized as a member of the Coalition.”
The soft sound of a heavy bag meeting up with the floor permeated the otherwise quiet room.
“What?” The question was drawn out and barely audible.
“Her business with you was the final straw, Jahrra,” Jaax breathed in irritation. “This isn’t the first time she has shown her hostility, although it was the first time she was so bold about it, to threaten you while I was away.”
He wouldn’t tell her about the attempted spying; he didn’t need to. Besides, he didn’t want her to think less of Kehllor and Jaax was sure the other Tanaan dragon would take it hard if he lost Jahrra’s good opinion.
Jaax took a breath, gritted his teeth and said, “She is a danger to you; a danger to us.”
“Jaax,” Jahrra began to say.
“No, Jahrra,” his voice was sharp and full of the authority he was so good at inflicting. “Shiroxx has brought this upon herself and I will not have you making excuses for her. Don’t pretend to care about her feelings in this.”
Jahrra shot him a scathing look, all delicate manners in regards to the female dragon gone. “Don’t presume to tell me how I should feel. Yes, I have no love for Shiroxx, I never have, but her actions towards me are petty and juvenile, that’s all. I don’t think she could do much harm since the harm she wishes to cast is at me. I can handle her jealous attacks, Jaax.”
Jaax cast his ward a hard and slightly surprised look.
“Don’t look at me that way! That is the reason why she is so awful to me. And don’t pretend you have no clue about it. You’re much smarter than that.”
Jahrra snatched up her fallen bag and charged down the hallway like a pouting child. But she wasn’t pouting, not this time. She was angry and annoyed that Jaax had dealt so harshly with Shiroxx. She wasn’t sorry about her guardian’s decision but it would have been better for all of them if he’d just followed Jahrra’s lead and pretended the female dragon’s visit had never occurred. Now her ire and vengeance would be that much greater.
“Jahrra,” Jaax called from behind her, the tone of authority staying just below the surface, “Shiroxx has allowed her emotions to rule her actions. She is a threat.”
“We all let our emotions rule us Jaax!” Jahrra cried out from the end of the hall. “How could you use that as an excuse? You know the members of the Coalition who favor her will bring up this argument and what will you say when they do?”
Jaax emerged completely from his office and closed the distance between them. As he moved closer, Jahrra got a good look at his face. His mouth showed the beginnings of a snarl and his eyes betrayed a brewing fire within.
“I will tell them exactly what I will tell you now,” he whispered, his head lowered to her level. “The difference between us and Shiroxx, Jahrra, is that Shiroxx acts upon those emotions in order to get what she wants. You and I, on the other hand, suffer ours and set them aside.”
His last words were a snarl and Jahrra felt the heat of his anger before he turned to retire to his own room.
It was when Jahrra released a breath that she realized she had been holding it. She blinked and tried to calm herself. She was angry, as she always was when Jaax tried to intimidate her into submission. Although he was right in what he’d said, Jahrra still thought it would have come to less trouble for everyone if they had just let Shiroxx go on thinking she was getting under her skin.
In fact, to her utter disgust, Shiroxx had gained exactly what she’d wished: Jahrra was fighting with her guardian again.
“Stupid dragon!” she shouted as she stomped up the stairs to her own room.
“Which one, Jahrra? Your guardian or the red female?”
Jahrra scowled down at Neira’s form in the archway to the kitchen. “Both of them,” she snapped. “This is exactly what Shiroxx wants, for Jaax and me to be angry with one another.”
Jahrra sighed and slouched against the wall halfway up the staircase, burying her face in her hands. “But why would she want this to happen? Isn’t it hard enough convincing everyone that I’m here and willing to try and return the world to the way it was? And convincing them that I actually believe I can do it?”