The Dragon of Life | Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction |

3 | Glowing

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"It's beautiful," Yona muttered beneath her breath as she stared at the light looming between us, mesmerized. "I don't know what it is . . . But it's beautiful."

I heard what she was saying, but the more fearful part of me was deaf to anything aside from my own turbulent thoughts.

This is forbidden. It may not seem like it, but what if you're hurting her? An ominous voice in the back of my head asked me, frightening me. I didn't want to hurt anyone at all, and I especially didn't want to hurt Yona. I wasn't sure how, exactly, but she was important to me. A person that I was supposed to protect without question. Let go of her, you monster! Let go before you regret it forever!

Scared beyond my limit, I swiftly pulled my hand away from Yona's with wavering eyes. The glowing green light dissipated the moment we broke contact. The relief that flooded my chest made me want to fall to my knees and weep, but there was another feeling involved that I couldn't quite decipher . . . It felt like I was almost disappointed to see the light disappear.

I didn't have time to think about it. Yona, Hak, and Shin-Ah were still in the room, watching my every move.

"I'm sorry," Yona said with guilt swimming in her motions. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

My hands trembled slightly as I shook my head at her, dismissing her grievance. I silently hoped that they couldn't see how terrified I still was. Something about the holes in Shin-Ah's mask told me that he could read me like a book, but I tried to ignore it, albeit failing. I wondered why I cared so much. The answer should've been obvious. I hadn't been seen by a person other than Ayame in years. Naturally I'd be disconcerted by what they thought of me. What if they got the wrong idea and presumed I wasn't a threat to their safety?

They should know how dangerous my presence is . . . Although I don't know much about it myself, my curses could harm one of them.

A shiver raked down my spine at the thought. It was a ridiculous idea in the first place. How could I physically prove such a thing to them without something going awry?

"Oi," A confused voice separated me from my thoughts. I realized it belonged to Hak, but it took me a moment to acknowledge he was pointing down at my bare feet. "Doesn't that hurt? You're not wearing anything on your feet, and there's glass all over the place."

I shook my head at him, feeling like an idiot as I did it. Nothing could explain the oddness of the situation. I didn't understand it either, and it wasn't like I could tell them anything in regards to that. My lips were sealed.

Yona looked up at me, concerned. "Are you sure you're okay?"

I nodded. Although Hak's expression seemed skeptical, Yona's appeared to be a bit more understanding.

"I believe you. It probably has something to do with you being one of the Dragons, but we can figure those things out later," she said calmly before looking towards the open door when the sound of people talking became apparent. I followed her gaze and discovered that Hak and Shin-Ah weren't the only ones nearby. The others were just arriving, and they were all bustling about different things as they got closer to us, still unaware of my appearance.

"What's taking them so long? I don't like cooking supper this late in the evening," someone grouchily complained.

"Give it a rest, Yoon. They'll be out soon," another voice said smoothly, and Yoon grumbled.

"Don't complain when I accidentally slip something into your soup, Jae-Ha."