Chapter 41

It’s dark out and sprinkling when Dr. Radcliffe drops me off in front of my house. I exit the vehicle and step onto the sidewalk with trepidation. My camera swings by the strap slung over my left shoulder. It’s my first time home since the incident. That’s what we’re calling the affair, from the dragons kidnapping us to the various clashes climaxing with me collapsing the portal.

Reporters and cameramen converge on me from the numerous media vans parked up and down the street. Cameras click, and lights glare. I chew on my lower lip and keep moving. I wish I am one of the photojournalists. I’d much rather be snapping the pictures than being the photographic subject.

A reporter from Channel 5 thrusts a microphone in my face. “What happened at Mount Rainier?”

“No comment,” I mutter, brushing past the reporters.

“The public deserves to know.”

“Allison, is it true you’re a shapeshifter?”

The reporters surround me on all sides, blocking my access to my driveway. I clench my hands at my sides. I’m ready to scream at the reporters. I’m ready to transform.

“This is my house,” I say. “Let me by.”

“Does your father, Raymond Lee, know what you are?” demands a reporter.

The temptation to punch the reporter in the face is almost too great to resist when a horn honks. I turn toward the sound. Dr. Radcliffe has parked his car in the middle of the street and jumps out. Calling to the reporters, he bounds over the hood, landing on the sidewalk next to me. His display of inhuman athleticism catches the attention of the journalists.

“I am Dr. Frederick Radcliffe, a dragon from a different universe,” he says in a voice like a carnival barker.

The reporters who didn’t see his feat of athleticism spin toward him at the mention of a dragon, eager to learn anything about the alien visitor and hopeful that they might convince him to reveal his draconic form. I’m happy for him. It turns out he loves giving interviews. I take advantage of the distraction he causes to run for the front door and ring the doorbell.

Of course, Dad doesn’t open the door. Whatever scientific journal he’s reading always takes precedence over something stupid like answering the door. He probably thinks I’m a reporter. This gives the actual reporters in the back of the scrum surrounding Dr. Radcliffe time to get a bead on me and start closing in like sharks that have caught the scent of blood.

“Everyone has gone through this. I can survive it. Dalia survived. Haji survived. Even Leslie and Jason survived,” I mutter to myself.

Is Dad even home? I ring the doorbell again. I hope I fare better than Jason. He had almost been trampled to death by reporters. Only Mauve using the preternatural strength of her brand-new golem saved him. And then there is Devin. He loves the limelight almost as much as Dr. Radcliffe. He started talking to the media before he had even left the hospital. Haji talked too. Honestly, I don’t blame either one of them. I mean, it’s not like people hadn’t been posting videos and photos of dragons and skaags all over the Internet.

I pound on the door. A journalist shoves a mic in my face, and the flare of a flash makes me squint.

“You know,” I growl, “I can bite your head off. All your heads.”

I shouldn’t threaten people, but I do love the reporters’ expressions of shock and indignation as they retreat a handful of steps. They don’t stay frightened for long.

One shouts, “Did you just threaten us?”

Before I have to answer, the door swings open. I spin to face my dad and leap into his open arms. He hugs me to him and kicks the door shut. His embrace is the most wonderful I have ever received.

He releases me and locks the door. “I’m so glad to see you. Oh God. I was so afraid, Allison. Oh God.”

I have rarely seen him so emotional and start to tear up.

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” I say, sniffling. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I didn’t mean for any of it to happen. It just did.”

“It’s okay, Allison,” he says and takes me by the shoulders. He kisses me on the forehead and on the cheek. “It’s okay. You’re home now.”

I throw myself against him and wrap my arms around him. He hugs me back.

“Have you heard what they’re saying about me?”

He squeezes me tighter. “Yes.”

“It’s true. Not all of it, but the gist of it is.”

“I know.”

“I’m a shapeshifting monster, Daddy,” I say. “Do you still love me?”

“Of course, I do, Allison,” he says and kisses my forehead again. “You’re my daughter, no matter what, and I love you.”

“You’re not even mad about the golem?”

“No, why would I be? It disintegrated a couple days ago,” Dad says.

“You weren’t like shocked when that happened?”

“Well, yes. Not as shocked as Dalia’s mom.” Dad shakes his head. “I’m just glad you’re safe. Come on. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

Dad releases me and takes my hand, leading me toward the dining room. I’m a little miffed. He rarely has guests, like once or twice a year. Maybe it’s a bit harsh, but I feel put out, like someone is invading my privacy and purposely disrupting my reunion with my father.

When the interior of the dining room comes into view, I say, “What the hell?”

“Allison,” Dad says, smiling as broadly as a tween who just received the latest video game console for Christmas. “This is your mother.”

“I know who she is.” I glare at Druk. “What are you doing here?”

She sits at the head of the table, looking much the same as last time I saw her in human form, except she’s wearing clothes, a black power suit. I have to admit, she looks striking in a severe, military sort of way.

“Mark Cassidy is dead. The gateway is closed. It might take General Bale years to create or find a new one to Earth,” Druk says. “For now, I am free to live as I choose.”

Dad crosses the room to sit in the chair next to Druk. She places her hands on the table, and he takes hold of her hands. I feel queasy, like ugh.

“You know she is a shapeshifting monster, right?” I ask.

“Allison,” Dad says, looking sheepish. “I hoped…we hoped…if we ever had to have this conversation with you…it would be under… ummm…different circumstances.” He shakes his head and falls silent.

“Allison, your father has always known the truth about you,” Druk says. “I told him everything after you were born.”

I stare at them, mouth agape. It’s just like my mother to barge back into my life after sixteen years and upend everything. I feel like I’m being strapped into a catapult, lit on fire, and flung into the air. I mean, my father knew that I’m half-skaag all this time and never said anything. He knew my mother is a shapeshifting monster and never bothered mentioning it. Holy shit. I should be screaming at them right now, ranting and raving, but I’m not. I also feel good, not quite happy or bubbly or…I don’t know. Alongside the sense of betrayal, I feel more contentment than I have ever experienced.

“So we’re like a…a family?”

“Yes,” they say in unison.

I look at Dad. “You don’t care that I’m a shapeshifting monster?”

“No,” Dad says. “You’re my daughter, period. Just don’t go eating the mailman.”

I don’t crack a smile, and neither does Mother.

“That was supposed to be a joke,” Dad says. “Okay, I’ll just shut up now.”

I meet Mother’s gaze and swallow. “You don’t care that I’m mixed species?”

“I couldn’t care less,” she says. “You’re my daughter.”

Everything isn’t hunky-dory, but knowing two people in the world know exactly what I am and one hundred percent accept me makes life a little more bearable. For now, that’s enough.

I take my camera from my shoulder. “I’ll go get my tripod. We can take a family photo.”

Dad glances at my mother. She nods.

“Sure, Allison,” he says. “Sure.”