Chapter 11
Michelle
The long days traveling through space became routine. They were spent dodging asteroids fields and learning all that Kelan could teach her about space. Some days there was nothing to see, except blackness. Michelle despised those times. Being the tiny dot in a vast sea of darkness was humbling. How Kelan could navigate with nothing to guide him was astonishing. He grew quieter as they drew closer to Talonia. She constantly asked what he was thinking, but he wouldn't answer. He had completely shut down, and Michelle felt all alone.
Michelle lost track of time. She no longer knew whether it was night or day. She slept when she was tired and ate when she was hungry. There wasn't a regular schedule in space. Often, when she came to sit in the co-pilot's seat, Kelan was already in his. Sometimes she wondered if he had ever left it. Outside the windows, there was now a crimson sky. She dared to ask, "Is it evening? This reminds me of sunset on Earth."
Kelan's reply was terse. "It's morning. The red sun colors the sky."
"The red sun?” Michelle inquired. "Your red sun? Are we getting close to Talonia?"
His face was grim as he nodded. "We land today. The planet will come into view once we pass this cloud mass. I've sent a communication, asking them to drop the shield for our landing."
"You should be happy to be getting home. Why aren't you?"
Kelan should have explained the situation to Michelle long ago. After all, it concerned her, and they had been crammed together alone in this ship for a long time. He had just never found the right words and told himself he didn't want her fear to return. The cloud mass was thinning, and Talonia was ahead. It was too late for sugar-coated words. He was forced to be blunt. "I didn't tell my leaders I was bringing you or ask permission. I'm not sure how they will react. Your government wasn't informed either. It was a form of kidnapping. I'll be punished for this."
Michelle cried out, "Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have put you in this position. I would have taken my chances back home. If they punish you, it will be all my fault!"
"It was my choice, and I can handle whatever my punishment is. Aren't you wondering what this means for you? I am. I feel that you'll be allowed to stay in my home, away from the population until things are settled. However, I can't promise that. I'm sorry. Rest assured, I won't allow you to be harmed,” Kelan stated.
"I don't believe this! You had all these days to warn me, and you waited until the last minute. How could you?” Michelle yelled.
"I wanted to. The words wouldn't come. I was selfish and wanted to be with you always,” he admitted.
"Always may not be very long if the weredragons turn on me. You told me I would be accepted and safe on Talonia. It was a lie. You should have left me behind." Michelle turned her back and refused to engage in more conversation. If there had been a good place to stomp away to, she would have. This was unforgivable. He had taken her from a danger she understood into one that was unimaginable. Worse yet, she was the only human. The one person who could defend her was in jeopardy himself. He had severely shaken her trust. Tears filled her eyes. Her heart had led her astray once again.
Kelan knew she had retreated into herself, shutting him out. He had screwed this whole thing up. He was certain Michelle was comparing him to Jackson. She had called him a liar, and she was right. He had betrayed her along with Talonia. He deserved any punishment that he was given, but wanted Michelle to be safe.
The red sun glowed in the distance. Talonia was swirled with reds and deep blues. Pockets of green were contained to specific areas. Closer, the lights of cities began to shine. The blue became waterfalls spilling off of mountains. They were everywhere. Contrasting their blue, fire spouted from volcanoes outside the cities’ perimeters. Nearer still, the green was exposed as fields of crops and forests. The ship zeroed in on one city. Tall metal structures, spread out at the top, reminding her of gigantic mushrooms. These must be the weredragons dwellings. Kelan had said they preferred to live among the clouds. Michelle gasped. There were dragons in the sky, passing very close to the ship.
Michelle couldn't explain why, but she had expected them all to look like Kelan. Instead, like humans, they were a diverse group. Some were red or blue. Others were orange and yellow. There were even black, silver, and gold ones. A solid white one reflected the other colors as it sat atop a waterfall.
Kelan heard the gasp and followed her gaze. He saw his world through her eyes and rediscovered the awe and magnificence he had lost after childhood. He too caught a glimpse of the white one and said, "White is a very rare color. They are precious to us. Shara is the only one alive at the moment. She is the daughter of our leader. On Earth, her title would be princess. She's a kind soul and extremely intelligent. It adds to the reverence she has for being rare."
Michelle listened intently to the admiration in his voice and wondered if there was something more to his feelings for Shara. She realized that she knew absolutely nothing about the life he had led on Talonia. It was a horrible feeling to know she had fallen in love, left her planet, and put herself in danger over a virtual stranger.
Michelle had begun to think he had told her yet another lie. He had sworn the residents of his planet remained in human form eighty percent of the time and her vision was filled with nothing but dragons. She soon found it was because they were airborne. Below the clouds, there were men, women, and children. The city was a bustling hive of activity.
Kelan landed on a raised platform. Giant clamps locked the ship in place. He ordered, "Stay on board. I need to warn the commander of your presence. It will cause an uproar among the citizens if you step out now."
"Why? I look just like everyone else. Can't I pass for one of you?” Michelle argued.
"Your eyes would give you away. A dragon's soul is centered there. Yours would show a blankness. The eyes also declare what color a weredragon transforms into. Don't be surprised to see red, black, or gold ones. The fact that mine are green was one of the reasons I was chosen for the Earth mission. No contacts can change the color of a weredragon's eyes. Our souls would shine through. Stay here, please,” he commanded.
If she was going to stare possible death in the face, Michelle was determined to appear at her best. She dug through her belongings and chose clothes that were similar to the ones she had spied on the women of Talonia. Tight, leather leggings and a loose tunic that hung below her hips, with soft boots on her feet seemed appropriate. In the mirror was the face she had almost forgotten. The swelling was gone, and the bruises had healed during their journey across space. The women were not wearing cosmetics, so she wouldn't either. She brushed her black hair until it shone. Kelan was correct. Compared to his eyes, her large brown ones were flat. His held an ethereal glow.
Kelan
Kelan's heart was thumping wildly. The commander had brought along their planet's leader to meet the spaceship. It carried the items necessary to protect this world. The cargo was invaluable. Kelan was counting on its importance to save him and protect Michelle from imprisonment.
Kelan saluted his commander and bowed to the planet's leader. He spoke with authority. "The mission was a success. In the cargo hold are the items you seek. I have done as I was ordered. May I place my feet upon Talonia's soil once more?"
The leader replied, "You are welcomed home with honor. Although, I have been told there were some mistakes that could have revealed our existence. Have you covered your tracks well?"
"I believe I did, sir. The humans will not find proof of weredragons. They have only speculation, imagination, and the ravings of a man considered to be crazy,” Kelan answered truthfully.
The commander spoke up, "What of the claw marks and the woman? Will she hold her tongue or betray us?"
