A Drop of Magic (A Wings of Fire Fanfiction)

Chapter Seventeen

"Hey. Hey, Droplet. Are you awake?" 

Droplet's head shot up. She was in the dungeons, locked inside of a cell so deep, she could see and hear nothing past the dim, flickering light of a single torch. 

"Who's there?" 

A pause, and then a snout shimmered into view, followed by the rest of a body. Her scales were only a shade darker than the tunnel around them, but Droplet gasped. 

"Lilac!" 

"Yep." The RainWing flicked her wings, looking proud of herself. "I came back for you! Because you're brave and I heard something about that awful SandWing needing you, and you saved me, and I think we could totally be friends. So come on. How do I get you out?" 

"Wait." Droplet couldn't believe her own voice. "You can't free me. Because Barb will turn all of her energy to hunting me down. It will only speed up her plans." 

"But-" 

"Lilac, listen to me." Droplet said, leaning forwards. "They took my magic. I don't have the key, I don't have invisibility, I don't have anything." 

"You have your brain." Lilac pointed out. "You were smart enough to get everyone else out, you just got caught yourself." 

"I need you to escape, and find the SeaWings." Droplet said. "Please, Lilac. Use your camouflage. You need to warn my mother about what's happening here. I'll be ok, they can't hurt me. But they can hurt you, and you've been here long enough. Please, go and get help." 

The RainWing stood for a moment, fidgeting with her claws. Her eyes were huge, and Droplet could practically see the cogs turning in her head. 

"Fine, yes, alright." Lilac finally burst. "I'll go get help. But I'm coming back for you as soon as I can. And I'm going to find the other dragons who escaped, and get them to back me up so everyone believes me and gets their armies together to come here and crush these idiot dragons!" 

"Thank you." Droplet said, settling back. "Find Tsunami. She'll either be at Jade Mountain or at the Kingdom of Sea, southwest of here. Tell her where I am, and where this island is, and that they're planning to take over Pyrrhia by gaining the throne to each kingdom. Tell her... tell her that I love her and I'm sorry. I'm depending on you." 

Lilac nodded, straightening. A wave of royal purple washed over her scales. "I'll find her. And I'll be back soon. Stay safe, ok?" 

Droplet nodded, huddling into her wings. Lilac looked at her once, a tortured glance. 

"I'll be back soon." And then the little RainWing disappeared, and the sound of talon steps faded down the tunnel. 

Alone in the dark, Droplet rested her chin on her tallons. It was her fault she was here, it was her fault the kingdom of sea was left vulnerable. But it was also because of her that dozens of dragons were now free, and that the kingdoms would soon know of this huge, secret threat. 

And she found that despite everything, she was ok with that. She could accept that she was trapped here, because it meant everyone else had a chance to be safe. She wondered if the old Droplet would have felt the same way, or if she had gotten braver over the past few days. 

She would survive Barb. The SandWing couldn't hurt her, Droplet still had the invisible necklace around her neck, keeping her safe from harm. If anyone asked why she couldn't be hurt, she would say an animus enchanted her very scales. And she would never break, never help Barb. 

I'll be back soon, Lilac had said. Soon. Droplet could survive until then. She had to. Because she wasn't just a scared little dragonet anymore. She was a SeaWing princess with only a drop of magic to her name, and she was not afraid.