Page 109 of Dreams and Dragon Wings
And because I have loved her ever since that first moment in the garden, when I was nothing more than a stupid,stupidboy and she was simply the prettiest girl who didn’t smell like a girl I had ever seen.
But she does not look at me. She merely stares at her feet and wraps her arms around herself as Malice takes a step closer and purrs, “And despite my nephew’s poor opinion of me, I was neither intending to consume your soul tonight nor force you to bestow your gift against your will.” He extends his hand toward her—a clear invitation. “It was my hope that you would simply share it with me of your own free will when you become my wife.”
The dragon within me keens a mourning cry as I watch Aurelia back away from us both.
“Leave me alone,” she whispers, her voice breaking.
Something inside me breaks right along with it.
But Malice doesn’t listen. He continues to pursue her, right up until the moment she shouts at the top of her lungs, “Leave me alone!” and blinks out of existence.
The bonds around me dissolve immediately, sending me pitching to the ground. I land hard on my hands and knees, my fingers digging into the dry earth, panted breaths escaping from my lungs.
Aurelia is gone. I didn’t get to say goodbye. I didn’t get to explain myself.
She is…gone.
Somewhere above me, Malice laughs. “I appreciate her spirit. She is a bit dull when she doesn’t fight back, but—”
I don’t hear the rest. I don’t hear anything.
My shift comes over me before I can stop it, my bones contorting, my body changing. My fingers are replaced by claws. My teeth by fangs. I want to crunch my uncle’s limbs within my jaws. I want to make him bleed. I want to make him scream.
I want to make him hurt just as badly asme.
My wings surge, lifting me into the air. Swinging my head from side to side, I hunt for my uncle, for thecowardwho can only bring himself to threatenmyqueen when I am not in a position to protect her with claw and fang. But he is already gone.
“Coward!” I taunt, flying as high as the prison will allow before I meet with another invisible barrier. I snarl, biting at the air that dares to keep me from passing. “Worm! Come and face me like a true dragon!”
Malice’s voice unfurls from nowhere and everywhere all at once. “Why would I bother doing that when I already have what I want?”
Fury sweeps through me—a conflagration that consumes all thought, all sense.
“I will never stop fighting for her!” I roar, flying toward the other side of my prison until I meet with another wall. And then another. Around and around I go, searching for any opening.
I find none.
“Face me, Malice!” I roar again, but this time, he does not answer me. No doubt he has already left so that he can go to Aurelia in the waking world.
And bend her to his will.
“Naei!”
I dive toward the thorns keeping me here. I slash at them with my claws. I snap at them with my fangs. Again and again, I throw myself at the bramble walls keeping me here until a thousand pinpricks dot my scaled body. Until my mouth pools with blood. Until I can stand the pain no longer.
It is no use. I cannot break through the thorns. I cannot escape.
This is truly the end.
Aurelia is lost to me.
A whimper escapes my throat unbidden as I wing back to the apple tree where my aunties still lie, their light almost completely faded. Carefully, I land beside them and curl my much larger form around both of theirs.
My breath rattles from my chest in great heaves, ruffling their hair as I settle my dragon muzzle on my front paws. I no longer have the energy for anything—not even to lick my wounds clean.
Brisa stirs, her eyes cracking open. “Bene?” Her voice is so far away, so weak. “Bene, what’s happening?”
“Nothing,” I lie, inching my face closer until I can give both her and Glorana a gentle nuzzle. “Rest now. Conserve your strength.”
