Josh dreams of dragons.
He thinks it's just a welcome escape from everyday life. Until one morning, he wakes up with scales, wings, and a tail.
Josh faces a harsh new reality: he has become something that shouldn't exist outside the pages of his fan...
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I woke at first light from a fitful sleep. My awareness was hazy at first, but the sight of dark ash trickling from the peak of the mountain focused my attention like a splash of cold water. I shifted and dislodged my sister, who had been nestled against my side for warmth.
"Hey," she objected sleepily.
I ignored her and got to my feet quickly to nudge Tenaya awake. "We have to move," I said. "It's already started."
She was up in seconds, leaving Scott huddled on the ground where he had been sleeping under her wing. "Oh no," she breathed.
Our previous night's flight had been mercifully uneventful. Both Tenaya and I had carried our human riders with some magical assistance and flown the return trip to the mountain with ease. We had not rejoined the main group and instead made our own camp maybe a mile away, not wanting to thrust the humans in the midst of dozens of strange and battle-ready dragons.
Scott and Alex soon grasped the urgency of the situation and willed themselves to stand; both glanced uneasily at the dark plume drifting from the summit.
"How do we find them?" the lilac dragon asked. We had switched entirely to English for the benefit of our companions.
"I have no idea," I replied, my wings drooping slightly. The Vrost dragons had universally concealed their athkan, purposefully making it hard to pinpoint their location. The mountain was much too massive to search blindly. I tried to think. "Maybe—"
"Maybe I can be of assistance," came a deep voice behind us.
I whirled to find Eysri padding briskly toward us from the depths of the trees, with Ferenor close beside her. She wore her usual reserved expression; her piercings and jewelry sparkled in the orange light.
"Eysri?" Tenaya blurted in disbelief. We stared dumbfounded at the shaman. Scott and Alex edged closer to me.
The black dragon halted in front of us, spiked tail darting impatiently. "This one came and found me this morning," she said, flicking her muzzle at Ferenor. "He told me that you were missing, and we had to find you. I thought it was worth investigating."
"Does anyone—?" I began.
"—else know about this?" Eysri finished. "No. And let us have no more idle talk—we do not have much time. Here is what I know: I know you mean to try and make peace with the Khovn Vrost since their magic is so advanced. I see you have managed to bring humans to help make your case. The last piece is to find Ares."
I couldn't stop myself from blurting out another question. "How did you—?"
The shaman interrupted again, letting out a brusque sound through her nose. "Ayreth, you forget my role. A brief examination of your athkan reveals much; I am rather adept at this, after all. But back to my final point, we must locate the Vrost at once. I think this is where you might help us."
