Wings of Fire: Tangled in Darkness

Chapter 5

Monarch looked around her room for the last time. She stared at the two tree branches growing into the roof while her silk hammock draped across it. Her bookshelf that covered half the wall was littered with empty spots. She had taken most of her books with her.

This was the part Monarch didn't want to do. Saying goodbye to her family and the only place she had ever known. 

Her heart felt heavy with sadness, but she turned away, trying to think of all the happy moments that she had here as if she could bring them with her. Monarch shook her head. It's not like I'm leaving forever. I get to visit every season and see my family again. It's not the end of the world leaving my childhood home. Right?

She was going to her dream, her dream that was coming true. So why did she feel like this was the wrong thing to do?

Monarch shook it off, lifting the two ivy-wrapped bags off the ground and swinging them over her shoulder. They stretched with a weird shudder, but the interlapped vines stayed together.

Outside, on the balcony, her family was waiting for her. Sulphur hugged her tightly, and Marblewing gave her a nervous smile. Bronze stood, surprisingly, with Rove. His girlfriend went up to Monarch and said, "You better come and visit once we get married."

Monarch stared up at Rove and then hugged her firmly. She was so grateful for Rove, for making her brother happy. "Thank you." She whispered. She slit her eyes to see Marblewing and saw her making a disapproving face.

Monarch let go of Rove and went up to her mother. "I'm sorry, Marblewing. But you can't control my life anymore, and you can't control theirs." She pointed at Bronze and Rove.  "I'm done following you. This is my life, not yours." 

Her fury at her mother blazed like a fire in a forest. She was tired of Marblewing leaving them for meetings and being a horrible mother. 

Marblewing read the look on her face and said, "You're right. I'm sorry." Monarch turned away, taking a deep breath, but Sulphur and Bronze stopped her. She wondered if they were going to say something about Marblewing.

But instead, they said, "Be very careful okay?" You're only five years old, almost six, and you'll get your wings soon too. Once you've started your metamorphosis, we'll rush right over."

Monarch smiled kindly at her father. He was always so worried about her. "Don't worry, father. I'll be fine." He hugged her again.

Bronze looked shaken. "I forgot that you're almost six." Monarch winced at that thought. She wanted her family to be right next to her. She had never studied a Silkwing's metamorphosis before. She didn't know what it was supposed to be like.

Monarch looked around at her wing buds. Is this a good idea? It's going to take me so long to get there. The academy was quite a flight away. It was in one of the Hives, the old Cicada Hive, renamed Silkwing Academy. It's where all the popular Silkwing schools were.

Monarch's family lived near the old Bloodworm hive, renamed Junebug hive. It was almost on the other side of the continent! 

Monarch shook her tail. "I know, but it will all be okay. I'm living my dream." She heard flapping wings in the distance and saw a burly female Silkwing with a kind face, and surprisingly, Ivy.

And even more surprisingly, Ivy had a small dragonet wrapped in silk, connected to her stomach.  Monarch had to work hard to not gawp at her.

Ivy sneered, having to stand up awkwardly to avoid the dragonet from hitting the ground. She looked down at him, "When you have your wings, I'm going to make you carry me around!"

The dragonet let out a giggle.

Sulfur dipped his head to the burly Silkwing. "Good morning. Thank you so much for coming to pick up Monarch."

She didn't respond, instead, she made a weird combination of talon signals. Rove stepped forward, doing the same. She turned to Monarch and Sulphur. "Lacewing was born mute, so she uses sign language."

Monarch's scales jumped. She had studied this in one of her books! Monarch thought for a moment, then said in sign language, "Can you still hear us?"

Lacewing nodded. Monarch's eyes buzzed with excitement. Lacewing asked if they were ready to go, and Monarch said yes. She sent a final farewell to her family, trying to ignore Marblewing's sorrowful face.

Sulphur, Rove, and Bronze shouted goodbye as Lacewing wrapped her in silk and lifted her in the air, while Monarch's bags bumped against her side.

Goodbye, everyone. I'll be back soon.