New Flames

Chapter 21

Flame burst into Treen's office with enough force to make the RainWing jump back, blue and green appearing temporarily on her scales as she reeled back.

"Flame!" She called, rushing to his side as she saw him half and curl to the floor, shaking. She stopped before touching him. Flame guessed she knew that wouldn't end well.

"Would I hurt her like I hurt Ardor?" He wondered as he clenched his claws. "I don't think so. But my talons have a mind of their own right now, and I don't think I'd have the strength to argue with them."

"What happened? Can you tell me?" She asked, lowering herself to move closer to him.

Flame felt his head rush through everything. He felt just like he did when he got scarred, and when Viper died. He guessed the word for that feeling was "on edge", as Rail had suggested when they had talked on their flight back.

But somehow, he felt more than that right now. Someone was still trying to get him incriminated. Rail and the others (he didn't dare think of them as potential friends anymore) seemed to have become like everyone else who believed he was a vicious backstabber and murderer.

He felt just like he did at Jade Mountain Academy, as the dreamvisitor was being ripped from his satchel, his claws still covered in Stonemover's blood as dragons stared at him with the bewilderment of someone who had just been betrayed.

But he hadn't been in control.

Or had he been?

Was Darkstalker right?

Was he really... the "darkness of dragons"?

—/—

Treen stayed next to Flame for what felt like centuries before he unfolded from his wings again.

He was still shaken, his eyes wet with the tears he'd tried to fight back but later accepted. And judging from the RainWing analyst's expression, he must have looked as wrecked as he felt.

"Hello, Flame," she said softly, so as to not startle him. He looked back at her but felt no desire to answer back.

"Flame... can I do anything for you? Anything at all?" She offered after a few moments, tilting her head as swirls of blue appeared on her wings.

"Sadness. Is she feeling bad for me? Still?" He realized as he read her scales, fury overtaking him for a second at the thought of the RainWing feeling pity for him.

"No." He growled, ripping his glance away from hers and standing up slowly, his talons feeling heavier than usual.

"Well, whatever brought you here, we can talk about it," Treen offered again, without moving. "I do have a meeting in a few minutes, but I can move it, or ask someone to help you out-"

"I don't need your help!" Flame snarled at once, twisting to face her, pain raging through his mind and body.

If Treen was taken aback, she didn't let it show. Her body was anchored in position, her scales the usual muted brown and purple.

Her eyes were like deep pools, unreadable and placid. But Flame knew that his eyes were probably as blazing with rage as the rest of his body felt.

"What happened to you, Flame?" She asked again tilting her head.

So many things had happened. He didn't have time to think about any of them. He couldn't feel any of them at this moment.