Victor and Solomon followed us. Tynan was the last to jump off the roof just as the building ignited in flames. Thefigures of the monsters still ambled on the roof, and helped spread the flames further.
“You can spit fire?” I shouted, feeling the cold air numbing the skin on my cheeks.
“Yeah,” Frid responded.
I watched the group of dragons travel above the uneven terrain then my eyes closed. I could not believe that I survived to live another day. Only hours ago I thought it was over. I wanted it to be over, I wished it to be over.
The crisp night air pricked my skin and I felt the hot burn of tears stinging my eyes. I was not alone, not anymore. At least for a while I was able to experience a moment of freedom. Almost against my will, my mind returned me back to my home, and a lonely tear rolled down my cheek. I had been so incredibly unhappy for so long that I forgot to appreciate what I had. My brother, my friends, the people who surrounded me and always tried to help. I recognized their love, but my heart could never respond. I considered myself a broken person, almost a shell, who only went through the motions, and only looked normal. I was so ungrateful and weak. My destiny was in the hands of strangers, and the new, unfamiliar world around me was more terrifying than my darkest nightmares. I would give anything to return to my endless green fields and the rivers, to the stone castle my family had ruled for many centuries, to my brother, to my friends.
I shook my head, concentrating on the bleak light of the sun. The dragons flew close to each other, and withoutcommunicating in any way, they followed Tynan as one. It was an incredible sight to see.
“Where are we going?” I shouted, unsure if Frid could still hear me.
She turned her head and I saw the bony brow and a sky blue eye as she examined me.
“We have an order to bring you to the capital.”
“What for?” I asked.
Frid did not respond. I straightened. They were following orders. They were taking me to another prison, and I did not know what would happen to me at the end of this journey. Blood rushed to my face. If there ever was a time when I needed to be strong, it was now. I did not know how or when, but I had to escape.
My eyes focused on the scales as black as the blackest night. I had to be ready to make my move at the very first opportunity. And I would not hesitate, I would not stop until I got back to my brother. He would be able to protect me against anything. A new determination ignited a fire in my chest and I exhaled.
The sky changed its color from cobalt blue to indigo, and the stars sparkled as if someone had spilled diamond dust above us. Tynan made a wide curve, slowly descending. In thedistance, an unknown dragon lowered down onto the roof of a building.
“What’s going on?” I shouted.
“We need to rest,” Frid responded.
I leaned forward, gripping the dragon’s neck, trying to flatten my body.
Below, Victor was already turning to his human form. To my astonishment, he was fully clothed when the change was completed. It was the same for all the others, too.
My mouth dropped open. Every time I transformed, my dress would be torn to pieces and I had to take a change of clothes with me every time I went flying. But I was the only dragon in Gora as well as in Rottestadt. I had never seen any of my kind. My mother was the only dragon shifter I knew of, but she had passed long before I could remember her.
When Frid landed, I slid down to my feet and immediately felt the stiffness in my muscles from the hours of sitting in one position.
“Holy dragon bones!” An unfamiliar young man with curly, blond hair approached me, and I immediately took a step back.
Tynan crossed his arms on his chest, watching the young man.
“Don’t pay attention to Erin. He’s harmless,” Frid said as she stepped beside me, stretching her arms.
“Alfrida, darling. I missed you.” Erin grinned at the girl.
“Not now, I’m too tired.” Frid walked past him.
“What do we have here?” Erin turned, scrutinizing me.
He looked approximately the same age as the others, but his clothes were more polished and looked more brown than Frid’s but less dark than Tynan’s. It made me think that the suits they all wore matched the colors of their dragons.
“Are you sure you took the right person?” Erin changed his light tone, and gave Tynan a surprised look.
“She was in the high-security cell facing the drop,” Tynan responded.
“Is that right?” Erin touched his chin, looking at me. “So, what did you do?” he asked, tilting his head.
I could sense that the attention of everyone on the roof was on me.
