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VERONICA.
From Greece, the trip to the portal was a lot further than I’d ever flown before, but I pushed myself higher and faster. I knew where it was; I could practically feel it in the distance, like the warmth of the sun, calling me home.
My wings were aching but I couldn’t slow down. I pushed harder, and then I saw it. The portal.
I flapped my wings higher and higher, then I relaxed and let myself soar. The release of pain was almost too good, but I focused my trajectory and passed through the portal. I was back in my own realm, and my welcome wagon was the cold rain the pelted my face.
I twisted and soared toward my family home, the Winter Palace.
The air grew colder and snow began to fall. My chest was hurting from breathing the air I’d known all my life.
This is why people don’t leave the realm. Because it’s a long way and exhausting.
I flew further, struggling to keep flapping my wings. But then the peaks of my father’s castle came into view, stretching high into the sky.
Relief sailed through me. I was almost home. I worked myself higher, using the last of my energy to get above the clouds and to rise above the freezing weather of our home.
Once up there, I could breathe a little easier and I sent a prayer of thanks to my brothers for teaching me this trick when we were younger.
I coasted along, catching my breath until I was closer to the castle, then I let myself soar down, riding the currents and wind blasts and saving my energy for the landing.
My room had a huge balcony and I aimed my landing for the stones just outside the door. I managed to land on my dragon feet, then let go of my shifter body as quickly as I could.
I stumbled, then fell... hard. “Ah...” My hands scraped along the cobblestones and I had no energy left to do anything but sob, right there on the ground.
The door opened and my brother Theo rushed over and wrapped a blanket around me. “Are you okay? I saw you flying and thought I’d bring you clothes.”
I lifted my head, my eyes hot and filled with tears. “It’s good to see you, brother.”
Theo smiled. “Yeah, you too dragon daughter.”
I groaned. “I haven’t even been home five minutes...”
His chuckle was friendly as he hauled me to my feet. “Come on. Let’s get you warm. You hungry?”
My teeth chattered as I shivered. “Always.”
We stepped inside and the heat of the room hit me like a wave. “Whoa.”
Theo shut the glass door behind us and drew me over to the fire, throwing another log into the already blazing grate.
“How’s Dad?” I asked, reaching out my hands to try and warm my shivering body.
He walked to the door without answering my question, his frown when he glanced back telling me too much. “Get dressed and I’ll meet you in the kitchen room, yeah?”
The kitchen room was a little dining hall that us kids had used when growing up.
I nodded, my other question stuck in my throat. Any news about Iain? But I couldn’t say ask because my heart knew he hadn’t been found. Theo would have led the conversation with that, I was certain.
But it was more than that. That part of me that had always been a little obsessed with Iain, my oldest brother Bernie’s best friend, had begun to hurt. I’d shut down any feelings I had for Iain years ago, when he made it clear that I was nothing more than an annoying kid to him. But now that I’d opened the little Pandora-style box in which I’d tamped down my feelings, and looked inside, a rush of feeling was pouring out once more.
I raced over to my old closet, pulling out my warmest clothes. My mom liked me to wear dresses every day of the week, like a princess should. I rolled my eyes at the very thought of the rules my mom used to force upon me.
But my father had supported my desire to wear pants on occasion, and had made sure the tailors sewed me some of those as well as dresses.
I pulled out my favorite warm, black pants and several layers for my top half. A thin wool undertop, and a gray dress-like pullover with long sleeves. Lastly were thick socks and flat-heeled knee-high boots.
“That’s better.” I felt like myself now. And a lot warmer at least.
