“What the hell do you need a peacock feather for in the first place?”
“To win you back, of course. I am performing the Final Tasks.”
Zara’s eyebrows drew together. “I’m still confused.”
“Hektor,” Roberto interrupted. “You explained the Final Tasks to me and Pam, but you haven’t told Zara yet.”
“Oh. Right.” He turned to her. “Zara, I told you, I came here to ask your forgiveness and to win you back. But, as your mother had said, words mean very little and I must take action. So, I am going to perform the Final Tasks for you. These are the things a Drakkon must do for his mate to prove himself worthy of her.”
Tentatively, he drew closer to her. While he was tempted to reach out and touch her, he restrained himself. Instead, he offered her the feather.
“The first task is to go into the enchanted forest and find a phoenix, right before it burns and turns to ash. This process could take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. When itrises up again, you must pick out one of its feathers before it flies away. This feather symbolizes a new beginning, a new future where you are no longer just an ‘I’ but ‘we.’ Two souls becoming one.” He twirled the feather. “Since I could not find a phoenix here in the Upperworld, I chose your most beautiful bird.”
Silence, loaded and heavy, stretched between them as her gaze remained on the feather.
“I have never performed these tasks for any other woman, Zara,” he said. “Only you. And should I fail, believe me, I will never attempt them again.”
He waited with baited breath for her response. Unfortunately, before she could say anything, a booming voice echoed from behind.
“What the hell do you think this is? A social club?” It was the police officer who had released them. “I said you were free to go. Now get the hell outta here.”
“Of course, Officer,” Roberto said as he dragged them toward the door and out of the precinct. “Well, I’m glad to be out of there.”
“Um, yeah,” Zara mumbled. “I should go pick up mom at the zoo. We only took one car.” Without another word, she spun around and sprinted across the parking lot.
Roberto clucked his tongue. “I’m sorry, Hektor.”
“Sorry? Why so?”
He nodded at the peacock feather. “She didn’t take the feather.”
“This? Oh no, the female doesn’t need to take the feather.”
“She doesn’t? Then why take it in the first place?” He cocked his head to the side. “Did you mean what you said, about the two souls becoming one?”
“Of course I do, but the phoenix feather serves as a reminder forthe Drakkon.” Carefully, he tucked the feather into his jacket, laying it right over his heart. “I am reborn, not just as Hektor,but as the mate of Zara Chura and the father of our future offspring. From now on, they will be the most important people in the world, above my own life and my hoard.”
His eyes continued to track Zara as she hopped into her car and drove off, never taking his gaze off the vehicle until it disappeared in the distance.
For the first time in a long while, hope sparked in him.
But, the road ahead remained uncertain.
“I must prepare for the next task,” he announced. “I will need your assistance once again, Roberto.”
“What is it? Nothing criminal I hope?”
He winced inwardly at the reminder of his folly, but he continued. “Seeing as you take the protection of wild animals in the Upperworld seriously, the second task may prove to be an even bigger challenge.”
“Why don’t you tell me, in detail this time, what it is and then maybe we can figure something out.”
“Alright. The second task is a test of strength. I must find a wild beast to wrestle.”
Roberto scratched at his head. “Oh, that is a challenge. Hmm…Oh, I know!” He snapped his fingers. “I know where you can wrestle a beast.”
“There is such a place here in the Upperworld?”
“Yes.”
