Spring adjusted the straps of her backpack, her fingers tightening around the frayed fabric as she and Phoenix climbed the last few rungs of the treehouse ladder. They had slipped out of their bedroom unnoticed, shifting into their dragons and gliding down from the balcony outside their bedroom. Once they were on the ground, they had traversed the gardens without their dad seeing them carrying their bags. The last thing they wanted was for their dad to ask why they were packing so much for a ‘sleepover’.
The treehouse was alive with activity when they stepped inside. A colorful assortment of backpacks were half-unzipped. Extra clothes, a wide assortment of food—most next to Jabir—and a few questionable gadgets were spilled out onto the floor.
Zohar and Bálint were adding to the pile of snacks and rations in the center of the room. The air buzzed with uncontained excitement as their friends chattered, planned, and debated their next move.
Spring inhaled deeply, taking in the moment—the air crackled with the familiar warm energy that seemed to happen when they were all together. This was their space—one they had built together over the years, a place filled with souvenirs from their different childhood adventures.
But tonight, it felt different.
Tonight it hit her that they were all growing up—and changing.
She smiled when Alice called out a greeting before moving toward the window. She needed a moment to collect herself. Below, the gardens stretched in glowing hues, illuminated by the twin moons. Behind her, laughter and excitement pulsed through the room like electricity before a storm.
Spring knew she should have been just as thrilled as the others, but her thoughts felt like a knot she couldn’t untangle. She hated the emotions swirling through her. Mostly because she didn’t understand them.
Her gaze flickered toward the far side of the treehouse, where Roam stood with Adaline. They were standing close, their heads tilted toward each other as they talked in quiet tones. Adaline laughed at something Roam said, her silver eyes gleaming in the dim light. Roam reached up and tugged on Adaline’s hair like he had done earlier to hers, his blue eyes warm with amusement.
Spring’s stomach twisted. It meant nothing. It was just because Adaline was new, still figuring out where she fit. That’s all it was. Just like Phoenix had said. There was no reason for her to feel jealous—or envious of the other girl.
He knows, doesn’t he? That we are destined to be together? That my dragon and symbiot recognize that we?—
She looked away and blinked at the tears burning in her eyes. She wouldn’t think about the fleeting kiss he had given her in the garden below a few months before. Her eyes strayed back to where Roam was standing. Her gaze followed the way he leaned in slightly, the way Adaline’s eyes shone when she looked at him.
Spring clenched her fists. Roam still hadn’t looked at her. Not once. She exhaled through her nose, telling herself it didn’t matter. Then—his gaze flickered toward her. For just a second, before he bowed his head and looked away.
Pain twisted in her gut. She shouldn’t care. She wouldn’t care. He was just a stupid boy who didn’t know what he wanted.
“Okay,” Phoenix’s voice cut through the noise, drawing everyone’s attention. “Before we do this, we need to agree on a few things.”
Spring exhaled, pushing aside her emotions, focusing on her sister instead. Phoenix stood at the center of the room, her black hair gleaming like liquid midnight, her eyes sharp and serious. The usual warmth in them was replaced with something firmer—a quiet authority that hadn’t been there before.
“We are not to interfere,” Phoenix continued. “We observe. That means no changing anything, no drawing attention to ourselves, and please, don’t do anything crazy. Remember what our instructors have told us about what could happen?”
“Aw, man, you sound just like our history teacher,” Zohar groaned.
“At least you were listening,” she retorted before looking around the room.
Her gaze paused on Amber and Jade for a second. The twins immediately flashed identical grins of feigned innocence.
“What?” Amber asked, widening her eyes. “Us? Crazy?”
Jade placed a hand over her heart. “Phoenix, I am offended. I’ll have you know I got an A in history,” she added, looking pointedly at Zohar with a knowing smirk.
Phoenix grinned when Zohar groaned. “That’s exactly why I’m saying this. I know you two know better, but it is applying what we’ve learned.”
Spring snorted out a laugh at the twins. It was true—if anyone was going to cause chaos; it was going to be Amber and Jade. Her gaze moved back to Roam, who was laughing. She shook her head. There was one thing about him and the other boys: they didn’t create chaos. Chaos was attracted to them.
“Where are we going first? The pirates?” Jabir asked eagerly.
“Yeah,” Zohar added, arms crossed. “If we’re doing this, we should go somewhere cool. I don’t want to see any stupid mermaids.”
Alice and Adaline stuck their tongues out at Zohar. Bálint grimaced, shooting Alice an apologetic grin before he quietly agreed. Alice wiggled her fingers in response, causing Bálint to wince when a slight electric charge made his hair stand up.
“Definitely pirates,” Roam declared, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “We have to go to the Isle of the Pirates first.”
“Agreed,” Zohar said, nodding. “Pirates are awesome.”
Jabir sighed, but nodded in agreement. “They probably have a ton of treasure.”
