Chapter 18: Acasia

I walked faster and climbed into the back of the car refusing to hand the child to Bastian. Twenty minutes later, we boarded a plane and about two hours later, entered another vehicle. Brunya was again our driver and took us to the realm divide. My eyes had rarely left the child's face. His breathing was shallow with fewer breaths than only an hour before. There was now a blue tinge around his small lips.

Brunya opened my door before Bastian walked around. I watched him approach.

"Could crossing the realms kill him?" These were the first words I'd spoken to Bastian since leaving the baby's home.

"It's never happened, but I fear a delay. Turn around and hold him tightly." Bastian removed the tubing and handed the cylinder to Brunya. His arms wrapped around mine and like when we entered this realm, his feet walked me forward. I knew what to expect this time, and it wasn't as bad. The child jerked in my arms before its body stiffened. Dread filled me and then we were through. Jonathan's cries surrounded us. He drew air into his lungs and belted out another round of baby screams.

His trembling lower lip reminded me of his mother. I didn't even know their names. Sadness swamped me again. Then, a heaviness in the air pushed against my skin. As quickly as the crying started, it stopped. Jonathan looked up at me with large brown eyes and didn't make another sound. I looked at Bastian.

"The magic. He will not make another noise."

Noise! The child's cry was not noise. I looked back down. The child gazed around, and despite his small body, I think he was older than I first suspected. I would love to know his age, but that would mean speaking to Bastian, and I decided I would remain quiet.

Bastian pulled a small square box-like object from his pocket and pointed it at the child. He then touched Jonathan's nose and quickly pulled his finger back. Jonathan's lips tilted up in a smile that grew until his gums and two small bottom teeth showed. Bastian pressed a button on the box.

"I will be back in a few minutes. Time works differently here than it does in the earth realm, so don't worry. I just need to give this to Brunya."

I was dying to ask what it was, but refused to speak. The child continued to look around after Bastian disappeared. I did the nose thing with my finger and got the same smiling response. Even without a voice, Jonathan could communicate that he felt good and was happy. He was no longer dying.

It was at least an hour later when Bastian walked back through the realm divide. He nodded to me before picking up the saddle we'd left behind. He pulled the leather straps over his shoulders, moved away, and shifted. Watching it happen didn't give me the usual thrill. I was still upset and confused. After I tightened the straps awkwardly with one hand, I carefully climbed onto Bastian's back holding a now wiggling Jonathan in my arms.

"Hold on. He's hungry, and I shall fly fast so we can give him to his new parents so that they may care properly for him."

Bastian's statement made me angrier. He didn't think I could care for a child, and the ache in my heart intensified. I'd never asked Bastian why he didn't have children and suddenly, more than anything, I wanted a baby.

I held Jonathan in one arm and the pommel tightly with my other hand. The strain to my arm and shoulder turned to a burn by the time we reached the lair, but I was too afraid to change Jonathan to my other arm with us so high in the air.

We landed on the platform outside Bastian's room. I dismounted, and a few seconds later Bastian shifted and put his hands out for the child. I turned and entered the double doors, walking quickly away. An older human waited in the library.

"It is time, Acasia. Maxwell will take the child to his new parents."

My eyes watered, and I fought to hold the tears back. Maxwell nodded at me, and put out his arms as he came closer. Slowly, I released Jonathan. The baby blinked and reached his small hand up to Maxwell's face. His cranky old face softened and he smiled at the child. I could take no more and turned to my room, walking swiftly and closing the door behind me.

The tears fell.

I don't know how much time passed before Bastian entered my room through the closet.

"We are going for a ride. Please dress comfortably."

I didn't say anything, remaining in my tight ball, my knees pulled to my chest. The bed dipped and Bastian grabbed my shoulders and rolled me his direction.

"I will carry you out of here. This is not a request."

If my eyes could spit fire, in this moment I would incinerate Bastian. "No."

He moved quicker than I expected; I was in his naked arms with him striding to his room before I could take another breath. He carried me out the double doors to the edge of the perch and tossed me over. My arms and legs flailed as I screamed.

He scooped me into his large talons within seconds. It was an uncomfortable way to travel, and killing him the next time he slept was a real possibility. I relaxed my body and stopped fighting. Bastian wasn't speaking and neither was I.

He swooped down until I could see the blue water of a large lake. He'd brought me here before. His talons released me when we were about five feet above the water, leaving me no time to even take a breath. I came up sputtering, moving my plastered wet hair from my face. Bastian turned around and headed back. He made a nosedive and at the last possible moment shifted to human form before entering the water. If I wasn't so angry, I would appreciate the show. I dove under and propelled myself away from where he entered.

It didn't matter; he came up from below and captured my waist in his hands, bringing me to the surface.

"Have you cooled down?" he said while nuzzling my ear.

"I hate you."

"I know, but you love me too. I'm sorry." His arms squeezed around me while we tread water.

I was glad I faced away from him. "It hurts, Bastian. Even knowing Jonathan will be well and live a long life, it hurts."

His chin rested on my shoulder and I let him hold me. After a long while, I finally shivered from the cool water, and Bastian began kicking his feet and moving us toward the shore. Water dripped from my clothing making me cold and uncomfortable. Bastian wasted no time removing my garments. He wrung them out, laying them on a large rock a few feet away from the water's edge. He took my hand and pulled me higher up the bank so we could rest in the grass. He gathered me close, his warm body stopping my chills.

I looked into his beautiful dark eyes. It was past time we had this talk. "Why have you never had children?"

He looked off in the distance. "I think it was an unintended gift from the goddess when she cursed us. It takes two dragons to produce dragon offspring. If our brides could have children, they would be human and we would watch them die as we do our brides. It's hard to think of never having children as a gift, but I don't think I could survive it. The human parents are much stronger than I am."

I would never have a child. It hurt deep inside me, but my pain for Bastian was more intense. I held him tightly. "I am sorry. It was very hard to see Jonathan taken from his parents and I wish I hadn't, but I would not want you to go through it alone. Love me, dragon, so we may both forget."