264 Emma

Dawn got up and checked his wings by pulling them out with force, because he was reluctant in showing her. There were scars on the inside. Her blood boiled when she saw those scars. 'Why didn't you tell me about these injuries?' she scolded him harshly. 

'Emma is a powerful vampire, Dawn,' he said, ignoring her question. 'However, I have a feeling that she wasn't attacking me on her own volition.' This only meant that things were extremely complicated underneath. There was something he couldn't point, couldn't see…

Dawn stroked the scars of his wings. They were long and streaked towards the periphery. The vampire wanted to shred his wings, but somehow Quetz pulled his wings back to save them from tattering. The skin had healed over the wounds forming visible rough lines. She knew that he would heal soon, and the skin would smoothen out but seeing those scars made her chest filled with fury. Gods, she would take down that vampire.

'She was the wife of Lord of Lorza, an evil vampire of the Lore. He was killed five hundred years back. As his bride, Emma should have withered away, but she remained and no one knows why she remains till now. How is it possible that once her mate is dead, she carries on? I don't know why but when I fought with her, I could feel her suffering.'

'What do you mean?' she asked. 'That woman practically punctured you! Don't you dare side with her.' Dawn walked to the other side and pulled his wing out to see the extent of injury. 

'Did you notice how the scenery changed? The vista, the colors and even the air changed every now and then. It altered in congruence with your fears.' 

Dawn stopped inspecting. 'Yes,' she nodded. 'It was strange. But I guess that's because I was in your mind?' 

'No. That's how even I saw it when I was there.' 

'Woah!' she exclaimed. 'How is that possible?' 

'Trust me Dawn, Amazon jungles are a lot more than you can imagine. It is daunting. Those scenes were nothing but illusions. When I had gone in search of Sedora, I tracked her according to her scent. But with so heavy rains, it was easy to lose her scent all the time. I was wide off the right direction many times. It was when I came close to an altar that was hidden in a copse of trees that I realized that there was a way I could get close to Sedora, and that was the time when I came across Emma. She emerged from behind and assaulted me with her claws. 

'Well, her scent led me there…' he replied. 

Dawn was bewildered. Her mouth blanked for a moment. She remembered how Sedora's hair rose during the conversation and how her body glowed, but this— the fact that Quetz traced her scent to the Amazon jungles—it was scary. What was that woman up to? An altar?

'What was the altar about?'

'It was some kind of a gateway to someplace… I am not sure… but that's what I felt.' He retracted in his thoughts again. 

Dawn walked back to where she was sitting earlier and leaned on him. There was so much information to process. Going back to Emma she said, 'So you mean to say that Emma wasn't working on her own desire? Who was forcing her?'

'That's what I want to know. She is a pureblooded vampire and the pureblooded vampires have red eyes because they drink directly from their victims. However, her eyes flickered black and red when she was fighting with me. It was as if she wasn't in her control,' said Quetz. 'And I feel that the person who was controlling her was the one who also created illusions.' The muscles of his body became stiff with tension. 'I would never want you to go there Dawn. It is so dangerous that the way to survive in a place like that is to kill whoever comes in your way. We don't need to go there.' Because if Dawn was killed he wouldn't be able to live another day. In the beginning he thought he could leave her and go back to the Kingdom of Aztec, but as time moved on, each day for him was difficult to get separated from his rider. Her safety, her wellbeing, her growth as his rider and her vulnerability, gnawed him. And now she was pregnant. There was no way he would put her in harm's way, at least not with the babies. 'Let's just forget about Amazon jungles. Okay?' He would keep her safe and away from there now that he knew what that place was like. 

'I agree. I don't want to go there, Quetz. However, the moment I ever come across that woman, I will personally strangle her to death.'

'Like I said, she was under someone's control…'

'Quetz, there's one thing I want to ask.'

'What?'

'Were you scared of the vampire or the illusion that was created?' 

'I was scared for you. You have to understand Dawn that I am only as strong as you are. And till now I feel that my full potential hasn't been unleashed. If a chance comes to face our enemy or go to the Amazon jungles, I won't deter. But Dawn, you are going to have babies.' It was important that she delivered them peacefully. 

'I am so sorry to have sent you there,' she apologized in a soft and low voice.

'It's fine Dawn. We must focus on developing your magic. Now that you have understood that you can pick my nightmare and make it appear real, you need to control it. It is a powerful magic and you must master it. Imagine what will happen when you will enter the land of illusions. How will you master it?' 

'I will try my best to become proficient in it,' She smiled as she patted him. 'Are you feeling okay now? Because I can stop with the training.' 

'We can practice,' he replied, feeling lighter. 'Let's practice your old magic.' 

'Yes!' she said enthusiastically. 

For the rest of the day, Dawn caught birds one after the other and made them all sit on Quetz' back along with her. Poor ones watched her from the back as they froze on his back while he soared to the air. All they could do was trill and be as cacophonous as possible in protest. They didn't try the water magic. 

She returned home by evening and crashed on bed after taking a bath.

Seeing her condition, Daryn wanted to discuss with her to suspend her magic training. "The lawyer from Lily's office called today."

"And?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. She had sent her the papers through her lawyer. 

"She doesn't want to sign the power of attorney."

"Then I won't go back! Simple!" she said stubbornly.