Theodora's Dragon

Chapter 19 Novi

Theodora sat alone in a hard wood chair and waited. She could see the dragons just outside her window laying in the sun sleeping. Pip was rolling in the grass trying to bite Davida's (Elodia's dragons) tail. Every so often the little dragon would seize the tail only to be rolled or flipped by the tails lazy motion. The little dragon made a growling sound as it pursued the moving tail. Theodora could swear Davida was laughing, but she was not really sure dragons could laugh. She was in the waiting room and the coven was meeting in their chambers. She was pretty confident they would not change their minds and burn her but her hands and legs were trembling slightly. The door opened quietly and Susan spoke, "Teddie come in please."

Walking into the room she saw a circle of women. All were well dressed. Elodia, Maryann and Susan still dressed in their flight suits. "Welcome sister-daughter Teddie, I'm Mother Ruth. Let me introduce you to the coven. The dragon riders you already know." As the introductions were made each of the witches clasped hands with her. "Now, Elody the necklace." Elodia was smiling when she and her two dragon riders approached and put a silver necklace around her neck. The necklace immediately glowed blue as did the ones on the members of the coven all of whom had been dragon riders. Theodora was surprised to see Mathilda also in the circle. "Elody will explain the necklace's power to you later. As for now I'm so happy to have you with us." Theodora was looking absently at her necklace. It was a small silver oval. In the center was a dragon hatching from an egg surrounded by flame.

"Why did you feel the need to kill me?" Theodora asked, then immediately regretting the question.

"You have the right to know, and it's a question I need to answer," Mother Ruth replied. "We have a covenant with the dragons. We have pledged than men and dragons shall never join in battle against each other. There have been multiple worlds destroyed when this has happened. The results are always the same. The Imperial Government seeks to raise an army of dragon riders. We cannot permit even a single dragon to fall into their hands. We are willing to sacrifice even our own lives to prevent this. The covenant is all that lies between our homes and total destruction of our world."

"What will I do as a dragon rider Mother Ruth?"

"Elody and Maryann will mentor you. Susan thank you for you service. I believe you have a lonely little girl waiting for her mom."

"Yes Mother Ruth, I've been gone too long from my little Aliyah. Odie, Maryann, come visit me soon. Teddie, you too." Susan left and mounting her dragon and flew off.

"Teddie come with us," Elodia said softly.

Elodia set a fast pace as they crossed the harbor of Grande Isle. Several dock workers whistled loudly at the three of them and one shouted something and Theodora froze in her tracks then had to run to catch up with her companions. "You'll get used to the cat calls Teddie," Maryann said.

"No I won't!"

"They think it's funny," Elodia said.

"I don't like it...it scares me." Elodia put an arm around her shoulder.

"I don't like it either Teddie."

They reached the long boat and boarded it for Novi. Several people greeting the dragon riders and nodding to Theodora. The crossing took less than an hour and they walked into Old Novi. "We live in Old Novi Teddie. Our homes are next to each other and we expect you to stay with each of us," Elodia said.

"Odie is serious too Teddie, she let me live with her too."

"And Old Walter too," Elodia laughed.

"Who's Old Walter?"

"My husband, and he's not old. Eli calls him that."

"Eli is my husband, you'll meet everyone soon." They walked into Elodia's home and waited for Walter and Eli to return from work. Maryann went to her home saying she would be right back. "I'm going to change my clothes Teddie, could you make a pot of tea. By the way feel free to call me Odie, all my friends do. When is your birthday? Your sister mentioned I just passed."