Page 14 of Goody Magic Academy: Year Three

Transform at will, take dragon’s stand.

Break the chains of human form,

Let shifter’s nature be reborn.

By ancient power, by witch’s call,

Control the change, both big and small.

From human skin to dragon’s might,

Shift with ease, by day or night.”

As Rose finished the incantation, the air in the room began to ripple and pulse. A warm, tingling sensation washed over me, starting in my core and spreading to my fingertips. I gasped as I felt something powerful stirring within me, like a long-dormant part of myself was waking.

I looked at Finn and Kamaron, seeing the same mix of surprise and wonderment on their faces.

“Do you feel that?” I asked, my voice hushed but filled with sudden confidence.

They both nodded, eyes fixed on me, waiting for guidance.

The heavy footsteps outside were practically at our door now.

Jaxon’s voice cut through the moment. “Well, fearless leader, now’s your chance to test out the new wings. What’s the plan?”

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of their expectant gazes. The dragon within me reared up, ready for action.

“Okay,” I said, surprised by the steadiness in my voice. “Finn, Kamaron, follow my lead. Twyla, you open the patio door. We’re going to shift and get out of here. Everyone, be ready to move.”

Twyla did as I requested even as the door to the hallway splintered, wood cracking under the force of heavy boots. My heart leapt into my throat and adrenaline surged through my veins.

“Now, Peyton!” Jaxon’s voice cut through the chaos, urgent and sharp.

I gritted my teeth, focusing on the newfound energy pulsing within me. My skin first prickled and then burned as scaleserupted all over my body. Bones shifted and cracked painfully as my muscles stretched and contorted, doubling, tripling in size.

The room spun around me, my perspective shifting wildly as I grew taller and larger. My face elongated, jaw extending into a powerful snout. A searing pain hit between my shoulder blades followed by a rush of relief as my wings burst forth, unfurling in the cramped space.

The patio door beckoned, a rectangle of dark sky beyond. I lunged forward, scales scraping against the frame as I squeezed through. The cool night air rushed over my new form, carrying on it a thousand scents I’d never been able to detect before.

Without hesitation, I leapt from the balcony. For a heart-stopping moment I plummeted, the ground rushing up to meet me. Then instinct kicked in: my wings snapped open, catching the air, and I soared upward.

The city spread out beneath me, a tapestry of lights and shadows. I banked, circling back toward the faculty apartments, my keen eyes searching for any signs of Finn and Kamaron. I blinked in surprise. My sight and hearing were ten thousand times better than before. The distant sound of sirens easily reached my ears, and I clearly saw red and blue lights glowing on the highway, chasing a speeding car. It made me think of the danger we’d narrowly escaped.

As I hovered high in the air, the reality of what had just happened began to sink in. I was flying. I was a dragon again. And yet exhilaration at the transformation was mixed with fear and uncertainty about what this new reality meant for me. For all of us.

A red dragon appeared on the balcony, its scales glinting in the moonlight. It spread its wings, the membrane stretching taut, before lunging into the air. The creature’s movements were jerky and uncertain, its wings flapping erratically as it tried to gain altitude. My heart clenched, recognizing poor Kamaron inhis first shift, struggling with his new form. I looped around him, the air from my wingbeats buffeting his scales. My eyes locked with his, willing him to follow my lead, to connect with his innate rhythm of flight.

A second red dragon burst onto the balcony. Wood splintered beneath its weight, raining down on the street below. This new arrival let out a deafening roar, followed by a burst of fire that illuminated the whole of the night sky. The ferocity in its eyes, the authoritative way it announced its presence—this was undoubtedly Finn, his dragon asserting dominance over its new territory.

Shouts erupted from the apartment, a cacophony of voices, some panicked, others aggressive. My superior dragon vision caught a glimpse of Twyla as she raced onto the balcony, her face a mask of terror. Without hesitation, I tucked my wings and dove toward her, the wind whistling past my scales. As I neared, I stretched out my talons, letting them close around her shoulders. Her scream pierced the night as I lifted her off the balcony, her feet kicking at the air.

Three shapes burst from the patio door, small and fast—bats darting into the night sky. Hot on their heels came a group of robed figures, their hoods whipping back in the wind as they rushed onto the balcony.

Finn reacted in an instant. He swirled in the air, his massive form surprisingly agile, and unleashed another massive stream of fire. The orange flames lit up the night, finding their mark on one of the robed men. The figure’s garments ignited, and an agonized scream split the air as he flailed and rolled on the ground, battling to extinguish the flames.

The night air was now filled with the scent of smoke and fear, the sounds of beating wings and human cries creating a chaotic symphony. As I climbed higher, Twyla secure in my grasp, I glanced down to the courtyard, my dragon vision piercingthrough the darkness. The high priestess stood there, face upturned, gaze locked on me. Her eyes blazed with an intensity that made my scales crawl.

The force of her hatred slammed into me like Thor’s hammer. I could almost feel it trying to pierce my hide, to pin me down like some rare specimen in her dragon collection.

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