Page 53 of Drakhana's Secret

“I don’t miss much in my life. I love Sapphire like a daughter.”

“And she loves you like a mother.”

“Which is why you know that I always have her best interest at heart.” She eyes me. “You shouldn’t be so worried, Gallant. Everything will turn out the way it should.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being cautious.”

“True. But you have to leave some room to enjoy life.”

“I am enjoying life.” I look in the distance where lighting sparks in the sky.

“Beautiful isn’t it?” she asks. “I always love watching lighting in the sky.”

I shrug. “It’s nothing but a weather phenomenon.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” She gets a wistful look on her face. “When I was a young whelp, my mother would always tell me stories about the great lighting dragons.”

As if the sky can hear our conversation, more lighting bolts flash, closely followed by thunder rolling across the clouds.

“Aren’t they just a myth?” I ask. “It’s been generations since anyone has seen a lightning dragon.”

“There is always a grain of truth to the myths. We don’t know why the lightning dragons disappeared, but I’ve always believed that they are still with us. Making their presence known during a storm.”

“Or it could just be rain coming.”

“Maybe so, but I have to stop and think about it.” She purses her lips. “With all our powers reawakening and the fighting that’s been happening, could it be that it’s what’s attracting the attention of the ancient lightning dragons? My mother used to tell me that they are the fiercest of warriors. Even more so than the fire clan.”

“Great.” I almost roll my eyes. “Another potential enemy that we should worry about. And here you want me to enjoy my life.”

“There are always threats out there, Gallant.” She places a hand on my arm. “But that doesn’t mean that we should stop living because of them. You could slip on a banana peel and die tomorrow if it was truly your time.”

I chuckle. “Please, Mother Earth, don’t call me back in such a comical way.”

“I’m sure you have more years ahead of you.” She smiles at me. “I’ll be going back to the party now. You should too because I’m pretty sure Sapphire is going to start looking for you.”

When Baba leaves, I stay a little longer outside. I breathe in. She might be right. I shouldn’t let all my worrying take all the fun out of life. For if Mother Earth calls, we are just but ashes to ashes and dust to dust.