Page 5 of Silent Jay

Saltwater, eucalyptus, and humidity engulfed me. I wasn’t in dry Northern California anymore. A jungle of tropical trees with dark leaves and reddish bark closed in around the edges of an unnaturally symmetrical clearing. Although the sound of an excited crowd came from my right, my attention honed in on a group of about twenty young women loitering in front of me. Dressed exactly like me, they talked animatedly and pointed with wide eyes. Beyond them and across a crisp white line painted on the packed ground, a wide path led further into the dense tropical forest.

The white-swathed woman didn’t step out of the tent, and when I looked back, she jabbed a finger at the pack of rugged Stepford wives before shutting the door. I bit my lips to keep from letting out a string of obscenity, which I’m sure would only come out as squeaks.

You were so wrapped up in yourself you pushed away a potential ally.

I shook my fists.

My magic is gone.

Yeah, I’m freaking too.

One thing at a time, where am I?

I took a deep breath, calming my panic. No magic. Right. I could do this, just like lifting weights at the gym.

With no choice, I stepped into the herd of women in matching camo.

My back itched like someone watched me, and I turned in a slow circle. A massive medieval dragon filled my view. His blood-red scales shone like they’d been buffed and faded into a dark purple underbelly. The dark spikes along his back gradually shrank in size while the smallest ones connected with his head ofcurved horns and molten gold reptilian eyes, which stared right at me.

Despite myself, a shiver of fear ran up my back.

My always helpful memory shuffled through the past, pulling up facts. Dragons went extinct seven hundred years ago, leaving only their cousins, dragon shifters, who’d vanished from the world during the Industrial Revolution. When dragons roamed the world, they were the most feared creatures on Earth. More intelligent than humans, faster, stronger, and able to access the magic of the Ley Lines. If it weren’t for their prickly personalities, they would have ruled the world.

The red dragon growled, smoke curling out of his nose, and I continued my spin to look behind him. Stadium seating seethed with colors. Humans and dragon shifters in their two-legged form laughed and chatted. Scales, tails, and wings glistened in the bright sun, reminding me of a carnival.

Great, a goddam dragon shifter party: exactly where I wanted to be when I couldn’t access my magic.

You used to love dragon parties!

Don’t remind me.

The darkness that fueled my very existence closed in around me. Without magic, I was just another lost human drifting in a sea of pointlessness. I closed my eyes, remembering my shields collapsing in the car accident, so underpowered that they hadn’t done a goddamn thing.

When did I stop taking care of myself?

No, Jaiyana,I pumped myself up.You’re just going through a rough patch. You’re still going to the gym and eating healthy, right?

I swallowed. Even good habits aren’t good if they don’t make you happy.

My little internal voice didn’t argue with that.

I glanced back at the red dragon, who watched me like a science experiment. He flexed his dark red claws, and I hastily turned away.

Why the fuck was I here? I spoke draconic. I’d been Slain the Great’s goddamn godmother. Granted, that was like eight hundred years ago. I let out a frustrated breath and forced myself not to pull on my hair.

“All right, ladies,” A masculine voice boomed from seemingly everywhere.

The gaggle of excited women quieted, though several still bounced. My worry about the danger of this situation vastly decreased.

“Congratulations on completing our rigorous application process!” the voice continued.

Several of the girls cheered. A short, curly-haired redhead hugged herself and cried like this was her dream come true.

“No mortal can match a dragon’s love, and today you begin your journey,” the voice boomed.

I rolled my eyes. I’d gotten caught up in some bizarre dragon mating thing. This was going to be fun. Not. Despite my sarcasm, my heart fluttered with a hit of excitement. The festival atmosphere infected my mood, and the thrill of something unknown made my blood dance.

Seeing the bright blue sky gave me hope. I desperately called on my magic. The empty void thudded in my gut once more. I forced myself to breathe. Panicking now would only make things worse.

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