Blazewrath Games
Page 34
My blood runs even colder than when he started speaking.
“Did he just say to kill dragons on national television?” Gabriela asks.
Nobody answers her. I don’t think anyone has the strength to talk.
Martin seems unaffected with Todd’s horrific statement. He’s a stoic, dead-faced professional. Or more likely, he just agrees with Todd. “What would you tell Lana right now?”
Todd looks at the camera again, this time serious. “Open your eyes. Forget the old world you’re clinging to. This is the new world, Lana. This is the time to defend ourselves. You’re scheduled to return to the States soon. Come to the studio so the people can get their answers. If you think dragons are better than us, too, you’re as good as a Dragon Knight.”
It’s a henhouse all of a sudden. Everyone has something to say, an insult to hurl at the boy on-screen, and I’m just sitting there, letting them all vent.
Mom races to turn the TV off.
She’s turned the TV off on her favorite nephew.
“I’m sorry you had to see that.” She fixes her hands into prayer form. “While I was with him at the hideout, he just … became something else. He kept threatening to sue you and the bureau. He said his mentor, Mister Thompson, would help him fix everything. His rage helped me see what I’d become. In clinging to the past, I’d lost my relationship with my daughter.”
“I’m right here, Mom,” I reassure her. “Don’t let Todd get to you.”
“Yeah, Ms. Wells. He sucks big-time.” Samira frowns at me. “I should’ve stood up to him whenever he ranted. Sorry, girl.”
I shake my head. “Nothing to be sorry for.”
“So are you gonna go on The Wright Report and shut that damn kid up?” Manny asks.
“He’s not even talking to me, and I want to shut him up,” says Génesis.
Marisol raises a potato chip like it’s a weapon. “Disrespectful little wimp.”
All these people are waiting for my response. Everyone who’s watched The Wright Report is waiting for it. Todd’s blasted me for more than ratings. He’s desperate to humiliate me. He knows I’ll accept his challenge. Whenever he pushes me, I push back.
There is an old world that should be left behind.
The one where I would’ve rather spent hours among dragons than one second among humans. Where I would’ve cried for months if Blazewrath had been canceled. Where all I wanted was to run from my life. That’s not my world anymore. It’s not who I choose to be.
“No,” I tell Manny. “I’m going to Puerto Rico.”
Mom’s eyes are as big as saucers. “You really want to go back?”
“My heart calls for the island, Mom.” Speaking the words fills my lungs with oxygen. My truth has always been this, but some truths take longer to spread their wings and soar. “I know we can’t stay long, but I’d feel so much better knowing I can help keep my friends and their steeds safe. Even if it’s for a little while, I want to protect them, too.”
Mom’s smile is warm. “If that’s what you really want, then we can go together.”
Wow. I bum-rush her into a hug. “Thanks.”
“We’ll be delighted to have you there,” says Joaquín, smiling. He’s nodding at me like he’s proud. “Now let’s watch something better than Flash News, shall we?”
“Yes,” everyone says.
My cheeks hurt from smiling. Mom is willingly visiting Puerto Rico. She’s allowing me to find a place for myself in this new world, and she doesn’t want to abandon me. She and Papi are not at each other’s throats. They’re okay enough to put the past where it belongs.
It might be a terrible idea. This could be a nightmare greater than facing Todd.
Deep down, I know that’s not the case.
There’s no other place, no other people, I’d rather call home.
THE END
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
THERE ARE SIX DRAGONS ON A BLAZEWRATH TEAM, BUT THE TEAM behind this book consists of way more beings of magic and might. I wish I could repay them with a dragon chocolate fountain. I’ll just thank them here instead.
My agent, Linda Camacho: You emailed me on October 26, 2016, to tell me you’d been thinking about the dragon fantasy book I was too scared to write. You wouldn’t stop believing in this story and my ability to write it. I finally started the first draft two months later. When I had to stop drafting after Hurricane María, you made sure that I was okay as both a creative and a human being. Thank you for being such a kind soul to me and for being the most badass advocate an author could ever have!
My editor, Ashley Hearn: You are unreal. I’ve always wanted an editor who loved my story, but I never expected to have an editor whose love made mine pale in comparison. Long before you became my editor, you kindly agreed to swap manuscripts as beta readers. Then you sent me the most amazing seven-page letter with notes that changed my life. I firmly believe that Lana’s story chose us both to make it better. #TeamBlazewrath for life!
The Page Street team: How did I luck out with such a stellar group of publishing professionals? I may never know, but I sure am grateful. Thank you to everyone at Page Street Publishing/Macmillan who helped my little dragon book find its way to shelves. From the design team to publicity and marketing, you are all superheroes. And Rebecca Behrens, thank you for being the Wonder Woman of copyeditors!
My critique partners, the Iron Keys: Natasha Heck (Commander) and Karuna Riazi (Once and Future Queen), you two deserve to win the Blazewrath World Cup for putting up with my shenanigans. Thank you for helping me become a much stronger writer and for making me feel like I’m part of a family. This Dragon Tamer loves you very much.
My first critique partner and favorite Brit, Lindsay Scott: I’m so freaking lucky to have found you when I did. You never deserved the horrible drafts I sent you, but you’re a trooper for sticking with me this long. Thank you so much for your wonderful friendship, lady.
My Pure Magic gals: Amanda Lang and Sarah Shockley, you freaking rock stars. Amanda, the mock cover you designed for this book remains one of the best things I’ve ever seen. Thank you both for every single conversation, message, and email. The world needs your stories, and so do I.
My glorious beta readers: Maritza “Mari” Cardona, you were the very first reader to send me feedback, and I still can’t believe how much you liked this book. You were also the first person to demand more scenes with Andrew, which I wasn’t mad at. Autumn Krause and Bethany “Beth” Neal, you read one of my earliest drafts, which means, like the heroines you are, you sacrificed your eyeballs to read something super messy. Mia García, your feedback on a revised draft made me realize that I had to dig deeper. I owe you all the baked goods in the universe. Camryn Garrett, Nina Moreno, Alice Fanchiang, and Kelly Andrews, you were kind enough to share your enthusiasm for this book before it was worthy of being read! Your support means everything.
Sensitivity Reader Extraordinaire, Mara Delgado: When I reached out to you, I expected thoughtful notes that would help me write authentically about what it means to be Puerto Rican. I never expected the mind-blowing amount of love and good vibes you continuously give me. It’s a coincidence that Team Puerto Rico’s manager shares your surname, but meeting you was fate. Gracias por todo, Mara.
My Books with Bite Workshop crew: Micol Ostow and Nova Ren Suma, you will forever remain the writing mentors of my dreams. Thank you for reading my work and helping me shape my incoherent thoughts into something readable! I hope to finish that demon story someday. Thanks also to my workshop mates and brilliant people: Robyn Ford, Melissa Gould, Elena Pérez, Stephanie Feldstein, Kate Pentecost, Amanda Lang, Sarah Shockley, Alexis Karas, Aimee Payne, and Beth Neal. A cabin in the woods will never be scary with all of you around.
The Latinx book and blogging/vlogging community: I still can’t believe I get to be read and reviewed by others, let alone readers who crave Latinx stories as much as I do. The hard work that goes into your craft doesn’t go unnoticed, and it should never be un
derappreciated. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and talk about Lana’s story. Special shout-outs to Adriana Martínez (@boricuareads), Marianne Robles (@bookishboricua), Cande (@iamrainbou), Carmen (@tomestextiles), Melanie Pacheco (@ashymareads), Adriana De Persia (@adrii_deper), Itzamar Peña (@lovelybookreads), Josie Meléndez (@TheJosieMarie), and Gabriela Burgos (@gaby_burgos27) for being so enthusiastic about this book long before it hit shelves! Mil gracias, mis amores.
The Bookmark crew: Paola “Lola” Nigaglioni and Melanie Barbosa, my favorite booksellers on the planet. Thank you for the countless book and music recommendations and for your friendship. You make each visit to the bookstore a total party. Melanie, extra thanks for the author photo! Keep sharing your talents with the world, queens. #IPurpleYou
Las Musas: I never imagined I’d have the chance to join such a fantastic group of Latinx authors! Thank you to Mia García for the invite and the newsletter help! Special thanks to NoNieqa Ramos, Yamile Saied Méndez, Laura Pohl, Ann Dávila Cardinal, and Nina Moreno for always being so kind to me. Also, thank you to my fellow 2020 Musas. We did it!!!
The #POCdebuts group: June Tan and Julie Abe, thank you for letting me be a part of this wonderful collection of debut authors! My bookshelves will be filled with even more incredible stories from #ownvoices authors, including yours. And, June, it’s always a treat to support other ARMYs! #IPurpleYou
My fellow #Roaring20sDebuts: We did it, everyone! Congratulations! Rebecca “Becks” Coffindaffer, thank you for being such a great cheerleader and friend!
My friends: Apologies for ignoring you at some point, lol! Jorge, Mitchlery, Isa, and Zoeli, you are all part of my beloved Psych gang and the best weirdos I’ve ever met. Zoeli, you read two of the worst books I’ve ever written, so thank you, and I’m sorry for the torture. Jean-Carlo and Verónica, thank you for being a constant source of inspiration and support, for scolding me whenever I doubt my work, and for your shared love of all things geek. Alayra and Brenda, for putting up with said geeks and making me laugh with your mutual trolling. Amarilys and Dixie, for always telling me to keep writing despite our many tasks as college professors. To my English department lady crew and a few members of #SPNFamily: Keila “Keeks,” Raisha, Mari, Kitty, Valerie, Christabel, Catilia, and Frances Z. Shakespeare would be proud of our wit, my loves. Alejandra “Aya” Zapata, cofounder of We Love Satos and animal rescuer queen, thank you for being a light in this world.
My family: The journey to publication wouldn’t be half as meaningful without sharing it with you. Thank you to my parents, Wilfredo and Carmen, for raising me on a steady diet of fantasy films and TV shows, and for feeding my wildest dreams. Thanks also to Renis, my little brother and best friend, for believing in me long before I believed in myself. Los amo.
And you, for giving Lana’s story a chance.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AMPARO ORTIZ WAS BORN IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO, BUT SHE currently lives on the country’s northeastern coast. Her short-story comic, “What Remains in the Dark,” appears in the Eisner Award–winning anthology Puerto Rico Strong (Lion Forge, 2018) and Saving Chupie, her middle grade graphic novel, is forthcoming from HarperCollins. When she’s not teaching ESL to her college students, she’s teaching herself Korean, devouring as much pizza and as many Twizzlers as she can, and writing about Latinx characters in worlds both contemporary and fantastical.
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Copyright
Copyright © 2020 Amparo Ortiz
First published in 2020 by
Page Street Publishing Co.
27 Congress Street, Suite 105
Salem, MA 01970
www.pagestreetpublishing.com
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.
eISBN 978-1-64567-071-1
Our eBooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension. 5442, or by e-mail at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2019957081
Cover design by Molly Gillespie for Page Street Publishing Co.
Cover illustration by Carolina Rodriguez Fuenmayor