“Yes, this is my L’eesha,” I said proudly. “She hatched from the smallest golden egg.”
“I know, for my F’reya laid that egg.”
Elleena smiled at me as she spoke, and I felt a shock of recognition coming from L’eesha.
“MOTHER!” She exclaimed, rushing over to F’reya, who nosed her affectionately.
“I didn’t know they were related,” I said to Elleena.
“It is because they are that I am able to come to you,” she said. Her grey eyes were suddenly serious. “I am speaking to you by the power of our dragons’ ancestral bloodlines—through the sacred memories of the Golden Queens.”
I stared at her in awe.
“I didn’t know that was possible.”
“There is much you do not know—much I wish I had time to teach you. But alas, there is no time,” she told me. “My child, the Madlings are coming. Tomorrow’s battle will be fierce.”
“I know.” I suddenly wanted to cry but I pushed back the tears that threatened. “I’m afraid…afraid we’re not ready.”
“You’re not,” Elleena said bluntly. “But you can still turn the tide. The Madlings have a weakness—something that the people in your time have forgotten.”
“What? What is it?” I asked anxiously.
“They are blinded by the sunlight,” she told me.
I frowned.
“That’s their weakness? But they fly by night and day —we’re expecting them tomorrow morning.”
“That’s because they don’t hunt by sight,” Elleena told me. “They hunt by fear—they can feel the negative emotions of others—the same way you can feel the emotions of dragons, my child. And they can send emotions too—the way your L’eesha can send feelings and emotions.”
I shook my head.
“But…how does that help us? I’m sure everyone will be afraid tomorrow.”
“They will—fear in battle is natural and the Madlings will make it worse. But let me tell you what you must do to defeat them.”
She leaned close to me and spoke in my ear…
69
AURORA
“And then I woke up,” I told Ryse as he strapped on his flight leathers. “And now I can’t remember what she said!”
He frowned.
“It sounds like you just had an anxiety dream, little one. You’re so worried your mind is making things up as you sleep.”
“No, I’m sure it was real!” I said stubbornly. “I remember seeing Elleena and I remember her saying that L’eesha is F’reya’s daughter and that the battle with the Madlings would be fierce and then…nothing.” I shook my head in despair. “Just…nothing.”
“If it’s important, it will come to you.” He stooped to kiss my forehead. Then he pulled back and held my eyes with his own golden gaze. “If you remember something, tell L’eesha to tell M’alex.”
But I could tell he didn’t think that would happen. How could I explain to him how real the dream had been? That I could smell the burnt cinnamon scent of the dragons and the way L’eesha’s rainbow eyes had lit up when she got to meet her mother…
Why couldn’t I remember what Elleena had told me? She had reached through time by the power of our dragons’ bloodlines to warn me about the Madlings, but I couldn’t remember her words! It was so frustrating.
“All right,” I said to Ryse, since I couldn’t bring the dream back.
