Girl Talk Gone Wrong

MADDIE

I strolled onto the terrace at the rooftop bar five minutes after our planned meeting time. Zayda was already there.

~Classic goody two-shoes.~

I scolded myself for my bratty attitude. I knew Zayda was hurting right now and just wanted a friend.

When she texted me this morning to meet up, I’d immediately agreed.

But the more I thought about the last time we had talked, at laser tag, I got frustrated.

How could I help her if she couldn’t help herself?

She’d suggested that she was still working for Xander. If that was true, I didn’t want anything to do with her.

Since my disturbing vision, my hatred for Xander had only grown. I was thinking about him a lot, and I knew I would have to speak to him sooner or later.

I wanted answers. And he was the only one who had them.

And once I had what I wanted, I would cut my father out of my life for good.

“Hey, Zayda,” I called as I slid into the seat beside her.

“Hey,” she smiled. But I could tell she was nervous. “Thanks for meeting.”

“Of course. I’m looking forward to catching up.”

That much was true. I was excited to hear what was really going on with Zayda.

When a waiter appeared at the table, I ordered a martini without looking at the menu. Zayda ordered a lemonade.

“My stomach has been feeling a little strange today,” she explained.

I shrugged. It never bothered me to be the only one drinking.

We watched the waitress walk away and then return with our drinks. Mine was strong and briny, like seawater.

“So, what’s up?” I asked.

She took a deep breath.

~Sheesh! Why is this girl so nervous?~

“I wanted to catch up in general, of course. And I wanted to hear about the meeting with Storm that you mentioned.”

Zayda gave me a little smile.

“Oh, that,” I said, waving my hand. “Of course. And I want to hear about what you mentioned, too. About Xander.”

“Totally,” she said too quickly. “You want to go first?”

I took a long drink. “Definitely.”

I reflected back on what Storm had said. Just the memory made my vodka-tipsy mind go red with anger.

“First of all, ~fuck~ Storm!” I cried.

Zayda leaned her elbows onto the table, ready for the gossip.

“So you know how Loch was in a murderous rage? When he was Lochness or whatever?” I asked, rolling my eyes.

Zayda nodded intently.

“Well, it turns out that was all ~Storm’s fault!~ He placed a rage charm on Loch!”

Zayda gasped. “~No.~”

“Yes!” I snapped. “He did it to test me. How fucked is ~that?~ Apparently, I’m really powerful or something.”

I flipped my hair over my shoulder and finished off my martini. “And he wanted to see if I could save Loch.”

“Well, you did,” Zayda said with a smirk.

“Yeah, I did.”

I smiled. I didn’t mean to brag, but it felt good.

Of course, I also remembered what Storm had said about Zayda. That my friend was powerful too. But could she really be stronger than ~me?~

If she was, I certainly didn’t want her knowing it.

“Storm said that to find out just what I’m capable of, I need to learn more about my birth parents. My mom in particular,” I said with a sigh.

Zayda nodded understandingly.

“I don’t want to,” I continued, “but apparently it’s important…”

I met her gaze before I delivered the final blow.

“Because Storm thinks I’m the second coming of Freesia.”

ZAYDA

My mouth hung open. I couldn’t help it.

“But…Xander says that ~I~ might be the second coming of Freesia!”

“What?!” Maddie practically shouted. If she hadn’t finished her martini, she would have spat it out.

“I mean, fuck Xander too. I can’t even get started on that,” I went on. “But it kinda makes sense since now I’m apparently a dragon ~and~ a blood mage.”

I broke into an exasperated smile.

All of this was ~so crazy.~

But when I looked back at Maddie, she wasn’t smiling.

In fact, she looked pissed.

“Xander’s just manipulating you,” Maddie scoffed. “He wants you to think you’re powerful to make you feel better about killing Xythor.”

My jaw dropped all over again.

I always knew Maddie had a big mouth, but this was next level.

“~Excuse me?~ ” I demanded.

Maddie just stared at me with that stupid smirk on her face.

“Look,” I hissed. “I ~am~ powerful, Maddie, whether I like it or not. And being the second coming of that ~killer~ would not make me feel better about losing Xythor.”

Maddie stood up. “Don’t talk about Freesia like that,” she shouted.

~What the fuck?~

Was my friend brainwashed?

“You wouldn’t be able to handle it anyway,” Maddie added.

“Handle ~what?~” I asked, exasperated.

“~The pressure~,” she hissed.

“I don’t ~want~ it, Maddie,” I yelled.

With that, Maddie stormed out of the bar.

It was only then that I realized: Maddie ~did~ want it. Even if she wouldn’t admit it.

Maddie felt threatened that I might be the second coming of Freesia instead of her.

The whole thing was so crazy it made my head spin.

Our get-together had been a total disaster, and I hadn’t even gotten to tell her that I was pregnant. Or that I was bringing Xythor back from the dead.

I sighed, dropping my head into my hands.

Would we ~ever~ have a normal friendship?

LOCH

“Nicely done,” I congratulated Zak, clapping him heartily on the back.

Hael met my eye and winked.

Zak smiled down at the game board before him. His little opponent sulked with his arms crossed over his chest.

The other boys in the library crowded around, excitedly discussing Zak’s victory.

Hael

You know what this means, brother.

Hael

He passed the test.

Loch

Let’s congratulate our newest recruit.

I smiled at my brother.

It was true—Zak had passed the test with flying colors.

The game of dragon’s chess worked on two levels.

Like the simplified, human version of the game, it required strategy and intuition. And Zak had outwitted his opponent.

The other boy had shown promise as well, but now it was clear that Zak was superior.

And while the players reacted to the game, the game responded to the players.

I watched the gold pieces that Zak touched glow a soft red.

That would be the color of his dragon.

When he’d been trained enough to shift.

Of course, the glow could only be seen by other dragons. That was why Hael and I used it in our little recruiting endeavor.

“Mind if my brother and I borrow you for a minute?” Hael asked the boy.

Zak nodded, and we all stood up.

I felt the eyes of the other children on our backs. Their jealousy was obvious.

And if they knew what we were really up to, their jealousy would go through the roof.

When we were out in the garden, I began my speech.

“Great job in there, Zak,” I said with a fraternal smile. “It’s not often that we see young people with so much promise.”

He shrugged. “It’s a fun game.”

Hael grinned. “It sure is. And it gets even better. That’s what my brother and I want to talk to you about.”

“I wanted to talk with you, too,” Zak replied. “I appreciate all you guys have done for me, but I’ve decided I’m going to leave the orphanage.”

“What?!” I demanded.

Hael’s eyes burned.

“You ungrateful piece of—” my brother hissed under his breath before I shot him a warning glare.

But Zak ignored our rage.

“Yeah, you know, I’m almost eighteen,” he began, “and I heard about this sick commune up in the Dusk Mountains.”

I smacked my forehead.

A ~commune?~

“I don’t think you understand,” Hael said. “We’re going to help you discover who you ~really are~.”

Zak smiled. “That’s why I’m going to the commune, man!”

“Who runs this commune?” I asked. Something about it smelled fishy to me…

“These two dudes who are real ~rogues~, ya know? They’re like ‘fuck the system’! They got a real tight group of independents…”

I bit my lip.

Loch

Are you thinking what I’m thinking, brother?

Hael

Those motherfucking wannabes. Dane and Aneurin.

Loch

We’ll make them wish they were never born.

Hael

You read my mind.

“Fine, then,” I said to Zak. “Pack your bags by tonight.”

“Wait, but—”

The little runt protested, but I had already moved on.

Hael and I left the garden and followed our favorite path into the forest. We walked briskly until we were under the cover of the trees.

And then we shifted.

I huffed smoke through my massive snout before launching into the air.

The sun was warm on my black, leathery scales. I felt the wind beneath my wings as we soared over the forest toward the Dusk Mountains.

As we reached mountain foothills, Hael and I began to circle, looking for this alleged commune. We didn’t have to search long before we laid eyes on a black flame rising above the treetops…

Loch

The brothers are here.

Loch

And they have taken what’s ours…

Hael

Showing mercy now would undoubtedly lead to problems down the road.

Loch

I agree.

Hael

Then there’s only one thing to do.

Loch

We’ll make them pay.

Hael

Together, we fight.