The Dragon Queen's Heir [book one]

9

THE FIRST THING I DO IS push myself as far back into the corner as I can, watching both hallways, forcing myself not to hyperventilate. The darkness seems to push in ever closer, creeping towards me, tendrils out, waiting to grab me—

I scrunch my eyes shut. No. I won't be scared of the dark. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, I stand and press my palms to the cold stone wall, inspecting both stone hallways. They're practically identical; I have no clue which one leads to my dragon or how to even figure it out. Think, Ash. Think!

Taking a few steps into the left hallway, I inspect the wall, running my hands over its cracks and examining the paintings, hoping that something the hallway holds will trigger a connection, a clue, something to give me a lead. Nothing does—at least not in my first glances—so I sigh and continue to the right hallway, stopping a few steps in to crouch down and trace a crack running from the floor to the ceiling.

"This is useless," I mutter, standing and taking a few more steps. I wrap my fingers around a random painting on the wall and take it into my hands, examining the stone behind it. Right as I do, my vision starts to swim; I shove the painting back on the wall and back up, massaging my temples, but it does nothing—if anything, it makes the problem worse.

I sink to the floor and stick my head between my knees, taking deep breaths, to no avail. My vision blurs until I can barely make out the straps of my boots, but soon, even that disappears as my vision completely goes black. "This can't be happening," I try to say, but nothing comes out. It's another vision.

A bubble of panic rises in my chest; I can't feel my body anymore. No, no, no, no. Please, not again. But I have no choice but to anxiously wait for something to happen, the darkness suffocating me, sinking into my mind and my thoughts until all I want to do is let out a blood-curdling scream—anything to end the endless night around me.

Finally, the darkness dissipates, and I'm met with a bird's-eye view of a young girl, around my age, examining the same painting I had been looking at before another vision had overtaken me. She turns around, muttering something under her breath, and sinks to the floor, much in the same way I had. The girl's ink-black hair spills over her shoulders, framing a face so pale I can't help but wonder if she's sick.

Instinctively, I try to move towards her, realizing with much with relief that I'm back in control of my body. For some reason, though, my body is in the real world, my vision stuck watching this girl stand and pace the same hallway I'm in. She eventually shakes her head and closes her eyes, murmuring something under her breath.

A fine blue line extends outward from her the same time I feel something tugging on my waist. Frowning, I stand and feel my way along the wall, allowing the sensation to pull me along while I watch the girl do the same. We travel at around the same pace, but without my ability to see where I'm going, I, inevitably, walk right into a wall, falling to the floor in a crumpled heap while the girl keeps walking.

Ignoring the pounding in my head, I try to stand, but the girl and her hallway are already gone, leaving me alone in a barely-lit hallway, with, thankfully, the string sensation still pulling on my waist. Ignoring it, at least for the moment, I lean against the wall to get my bearings. Who was that girl? What does she have to do with me? I wonder, rubbing my fingers on my forehead.

"Worry about it later, Ash," I mutter to myself, struggling to my feet. There are more important things to deal with right now. With only the sensation to guide me, I stumble through hallway after hallway, and I can't help but think of Mikki, how she spent so much time making sure I looked good, only for me to fall around like an idiot, making a fool of myself in front of the entire school.

My face warms right as I walk through a large entryway. The space around me is so starkly different from the part of the castle I just left that I have to stop and take a breath, gaping at the floor-to-ceiling windows, sunlight streaming through and illuminating dozens and dozens of dragon eggs around me. I made it.

But the sensation tugging on my waist doesn't cease, and I keep walking, taking in each multi-colored egg as I walk past it. All the eggs in the chamber seem to be turning inward, towards a single white egg. As I move through each concentric circle, I hold my breath, eager for the imaginary string to steer me towards my egg, my dragon.

Eventually, the white egg sits right before me, an empty hole of straw directly next to it. Glancing around, I wait for the sensation to keep tugging, but it has loosened and disappeared, leaving me standing before the white egg, the center point of the room. Instinctively, I reach forward and brush my fingers against it, jumping back when a single crack runs through the top.

More cracks follow, and soon the egg is in shambles as I meet the steady gaze of a snow-white dragon, its gaze pure and innocent as it unflinchingly stares me down. "Hello," I breathe, extending my arm so my hand rests just under the dragon's maw. It lowers its jaw so its scales barely brush my skin, and suddenly the world explodes.

Electricity jumps up my arm, igniting my nerves, and I gasp, scrunching my eyes shut as the electricity reaches my brain, searing itself into my mind, my soul. Every inch of my skin burns, and it takes everything into me not to scream as fire creates a whirlwind in my mind, scattering my thoughts and emotions and feelings until there's only one thing in the middle: a voice.

Hello, Ashlyn Rehlia.

Fun fact: in the original version, Ash gets her dragon in chapter nine as well. I didn't even plan it! Crazy, right? XD

Anyway, lots of stuff happened this chapter. The plot is finally kicking off, and I'm so excited to share this story with you guys! Let me know you thoughts on this chapter (and everything else :3) in the comments, and please please consider voting if you enjoyed this part of Ash's story!

~ Amber