The dragon was immense—an ancient being torn from forgotten myths. Its body sparkled with rare gemstones. Each one caught the light, like pieces of a living constellation. Its head was crowned with horns that glowed like a star path ripped from the night sky. Its wings—living crystal—moved with each motion. They were clear and ever-shifting, sending bright light waves that could hurt the eyes.
And its eyes… starborn. Glinting with something older than rage. Its wisdom was more profound than its curiosity—wisdom—terrible and vast.
Its scales weren't armor. They were alive—crystalline, pulsing, adapting. Shielding against flame, water, and even spells. Bending light and space itself. This dragon didn't just exist—it remembered truths that the world wanted to be buried.
Its tail stretched long, lined with blades of jagged crystal. Each sweep sliced the air like a weapon.
When it roared, the sound split the air cleanly in two. I searched its gaze for mercy, for some sign this wasn't the end. But instead… it smiled.
I wasn't ready. I was not even close to being ready.
I ran sideways—but the dragon blocked me. Its tail slammed into the beams above. Stones rained down. I ducked, arms shielding my head—too slow. A jagged strike clipped me.
Pain burst white. My vision spun. The air reeked of charred wood and something more profound—something burning in me.
My hand touched my temple. Blood. However, it wasn't human blood. Not mine. Something older. Something buried.
The dragon's claw gripped my leg—then recoiled, its skin hissing where it touched me. Fire answered flames.
It struck again. The tail slammed too close. I leapt away—only to hit a wall. Trapped. My chest seized. Our eyes locked.
And then—a voice inside me, ancient and resonant: "When you remember who you are… only then will you return to me."
The voice didn't belong to me—but my heart knew it.
Mist spilled from the dragon's nostrils. My body trembled. The tremble came not from pain, but from memory. Truth.
Visions poured in, flooding me—the ballroom. Glittering dancers. A lie. Screams. Jace shifts, bones snapping, fur tearing through skin. A wolf. "Allison!" "Allison!" exclaimed the tiny voice. Then—gone. She vanished into nothing. My chest shattered.
The feeling of helplessness remains constant. The same helplessness recurred repeatedly. Often, it's too late.
And then the dragon vanished, too. Smoke. Ash. Only fear remained.
I was still trembling when footsteps echoed behind me.
Oliver.
He leaned casually in the doorway, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Well. It's good to see you're not dead or unconscious. That's new."
My hands still shook. My skull still bled. But of course,— he laughed.
I shoved him. "Why did you do that?!"
He blinked, like I'd asked something obvious. "Oh, right. I should probably feed you."
I stared. My silence was sharper than any curse.
And then he stabbed me—not with steel, but with words: "I know you're angry because I'm right."
The line stung like déjà vu. "What—did you steal that from Casi Ángeles?"
He stepped closer. Too close. I backed into the wall. His arms braced on either side, trapping me in.
"Let's agree on something," he murmured. "You won't argue. And you won't lie. What did he say to you?"
I ducked under his arm, shoving past. "Why should I tell you?"
"Because I'm your mentor," he snapped. "Everything that happens here is on me."
I laughed bitterly. "Fantastic. Thanks for almost killing me in the name of 'learning.'"
"Exactly," he said, maddeningly calm. "And best of all—you can't replace me."
"Want to bet?"
"You won't. Not with your visions."
"Visions," I shot back. "Plural. I had another one."
His eyes narrowed. "Ask Sierra. And thank her for telling me."
The world froze. Sierra? No. She wouldn't… would she?
I staggered back. Rage. Betrayal. My breath caught in my throat.
I healed my wound with trembling hands, the heat fading under my palm. I gathered my things. I walked. Fast.
If Sierra betrayed me, what do I have left?
She was waiting in the parking lot. Of course, she was. He'd told her.
"I know what you did," I whispered.
Her eyes flickered, then softened. "You want the truth? About your fears?" Her voice wavered. "I did it for you. I just wanted the lessons to work."
I closed my eyes and forced my breath to be steady.
"I understand why. But you worked with someone who hurt me—and called it love."
This was Sierra—the one who raised me. Who held me through nights of visions? Who promised to protect me? And now… she'd sold me out.
She stepped forward. I stepped back.
Because no matter how strong I was, with her, I was still a child. A girl who only wanted someone to believe in her.
And now?
I had lost trust in Oliver; I had lost trust in Sierra.
If even she betrayed me…
What was left of me?
Maybe it's time to stop believing the ones who say they love me. And start listening to the parts of me that still hurt.