by Lucia Ashta
I nodded, ignoring the tingling feeling that was beginning to build in my extremities. I crouched back down so I could face her. Luma and Rane’s arms followed me down, where their hands touched.
I pulled in a deep breath and stared into the deep, black eyes of a dragonling I realized I’d learned to love as much as any family member. I put a hand to either side of her scrunched snout, and pushed the thought from my mind to hers. Hi girl, I said.
She smiled a stunted-snout smile that illuminated the depths of her black eyes and made my heart sing.
Oh hi Rosie girl. Tears were coming and I couldn’t stop them. It was all so... amazing. So much of what I’d barely dared to hope could become my life. I love you, I said before realizing I would.
The emotions bubbled through me, making the tingling spread from my extremities to the rest of me. If I kept going like this, I wouldn’t even be able to stay on a dragon.
Hi Anira, Rosie said in the voice of a little girl. Unlike Granelle, Rosie’s voice was free of seductive, smoky tones. Her voice was pure and sweet. I’ve been waiting for you to talk to me, she said, almost shyly.
I laughed, I cried, I was a mess. Oh girl, now that I know I can talk to you, we’ll talk all the time. We’ll be best friends.
I thought we already were. Rosie thought in the simple terms of a child, as yet unburdened by the weights of adulthood. Somehow, Rosie had survived all she had with purity of heart.
Of course we are, I said.
Luma cleared her throat behind me, and said through her mind, What do you girls say? Shall we take to the skies and figure the rest out later?
My heart skipped a beat. Was I really ready? Who knew, but I wanted to be.
What do you say, Rosie? I asked.
She smiled, looking perfectly ridiculous with her already-sharp teeth, stunted snout, and floppy ears. Let’s do it!
I nodded, not sure what to say anymore. Everything tingled and felt warm and fuzzy. I stood and asked Luma, I’m not going to ride Rosie, right?
No, not yet. She’s strong, stronger than you think, and she could already hold your weight, even with her unique body, but she needs to learn a lot before she’s ready for that.
Unique. That was right. Rosie was unique, just as I was. Just as my twin was. We weren’t freaks, we were special, and we were now on the path to discovering just how special we were.
First she needs to learn to be a dragon, Luma continued. Her kind of dragon. Rosie? Do you think you could fly next to Granelle? She’ll help you as you go.
I’d love that! Rosie said, as if dragons, invisible forbidden twins, and shadow people had conversations every day. It seemed that in the new life I was opening up to, they did.
Great. Then let’s do it.
Luma took three swift, sure strides toward Granelle, gaining speed, hooked an arm onto her leg, and shimmied up it. In seconds, Luma sat atop the magnificent iridescent beast, whose scales flashed a shiny green in the dark sunlight.
Granelle looked meaningfully at Rosie, and then Rosie started to flap her stunted wings. She rose to hover next to Luma, and I realized that Granelle had said something to Rosie I hadn’t heard.
Rosie wasn’t just my responsibility anymore. In this tribe the shadow people and Alpha Team were forming, we helped each other.
Rane kissed my cheek, whooped, and took off at a run. His ascent onto Granelle wasn’t as graceful as Luma’s, but for a first attempt, it was strong and graceful.
I can do this, I thought, just to myself. No one else was there to hear me, though I felt the eyes of warriors all around me. I have to do this. My feet and hands felt numb. I had to move before I no longer could.
I’d be damned if I’d be left behind.
I breathed in, hoping to pull in some courage. I failed, feeling myself start to shake.
Just move, I thought. Just freaking move.
And I did.
I trained my sight on the gigantic, clawed, scaly leg and ran, letting my body do what I knew it could do if I just allowed it.
I didn’t think. I just moved.
I reached the leg, hooked my arm, and bound upward. I wrapped my second arm around the leg, and moved as fast as I could, gaining purchase with my bare feet so I wouldn’t slide.
I scaled upward until Rane reached a strong arm and pulled me toward him.
I slid into place behind him.
He released my arm and hooked it around his waist. I circled my other arm, and latched onto him.
He brought both arms around Luma’s waist.
The three of us sat in a row, and before I could even look to check on Rosie, Granelle flapped her giant wings.
Once, twice, and we rose above the tree tops.
My heart fluttered. My breath stuttered before it settled into its normal rhythm. I was free of my limitations at last.
Free of all constraints, we flew. The wind rushed past my face, everything about me tingled, and tears of freedom and purpose streamed into my smile.
I thought I might never again wonder who or what I was. In moments like this, those things didn’t matter, not even a little.
I was pure magic. I was already everything I was ever meant to become.
Granelle flapped her wings and pinned them to her sides. We climbed so high that the ground faded from view.
Clouds flickered by, the sun grew larger, and I whooped and hollered until Rane joined me. The sounds of Luma’s laughter filtered through the breeze to warm me.
Thanks for Reading
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I write these books for you.
Other Books by Lucía Ashta
~ FANTASY BOOKS ~
WITCHING WORLD UNIVERSE
Witches of Gales Haven
Perfect Pending
Magical Mayhem
Charmed Caper
Magical Creatures Academy
Night Shifter
Lion Shifter
Mage Shifter
Power Streak
Power Pendant
Power Shifter
Sirangel
Siren Magic
Angel Magic
Fusion Magic
Magical Arts Academy
First Spell
Winged Pursuit
Unexpected Agents
Improbable Ally
Questionable Rescue
Sorcerers’ Web
Ghostly Return
Transformations
Castle’s Curse
Spirited Escape
Dragon’s Fury
Magic Ignites
Powers Unleashed
Magical Arts Academy Omnibus, Books 1-4
Magical Arts Academy Omnibus, Books 5-8
Magical Arts Academy Omnibus, Books 9-13
Witching World
Magic Awakens
The Five-Petal Knot
The Merqueen
The Ginger Cat
The Scarlet Dragon
Spirit of the Spell
Mermagic
The Witching World Omnibus, Books 1-3
The Witching World Omnibus, Books 4-6
Light Warriors
Beyond Sedona
Beyond Prophecy
Bey
ond Amber
Beyond Arnaka
Light Warriors: The Complete Series, Books 1-4
PLANET ORIGINS UNIVERSE
Dragon Force
Invisible Born
Invisible Bound
Invisible Rider
Planet Origins
Planet Origins
Original Elements
Holographic Princess
Purple Worlds
Mowab Rider
Planet Sand
Holographic Convergence
Planet Origins Omnibus, Books 1-3
OTHER WORLDS
Supernatural Bounty Hunter
(co-authored with Leia Stone)
Magic Bite
Magic Sight
Magic Touch
Pocket Portals
The Orphan Son
STANDALONES
Huntress of the Unseen
A Betrayal of Time
Whispers of Pachamama
Daughter of the Wind
The Unkillable Killer
Immortalium
~ ROMANCE BOOKS ~
Remembering Him
A Betrayal of Time
Acknowledgments
I’d write no matter what, because telling stories is a passion, but the following people make creating worlds (and life) a joy. I’m eternally grateful for the support of my beloved, James, my mother, Elsa, and my three daughters, Catia, Sonia, and Nadia. They’ve always believed in me, even before I published a single word. They help me see the magic in the world around me, and more importantly, within.
I’m thankful for every single one of you who’ve reached out to tell me that one of my stories touched you in one way or another, made you laugh or cry, or kept you up long past your bedtime. You’ve given me reason to keep writing.
About the Author
Lucía Ashta is the Amazon top 100 bestselling author of young adult, new adult, and adult paranormal and urban fantasy books, including the series Witches of Gales Haven, Magical Creatures Academy, Sirangel, Magical Arts Academy, Witching World, Dragon Force, and Supernatural Bounty Hunter.
She is also the author of contemporary romance books.
When Lucía isn't writing, she's reading, painting, or adventuring. Magical fantasy is her favorite, but the romance and quirky characters are what keep her hooked on books.
A former attorney and architect, she’s an Argentinian-American author who lives in North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains with her beloved and three daughters. She published her first story (about an unusual Cockatoo) at the age of eight, and she’s been at it ever since.
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