Wings Of Fire: Fallen Kingdoms (Book 1)

Chapter 15

     Jellyfish couldn't shake her mind of the dream from last night.

   Even though she knew it was only a figment of her imagination, it still stuck with her in her head.

    The group decided to take turns flying since it was starting to hurt their wings. Right now, Bermuda was flying above them, keeping her eyes on Stratus.

     "So," Jeweldreamer said. "I can read your mind, but please use words to tell me how you feel,"

    Jellyfish glanced at Jeweldreamer, a little startled. Jasmine shrugged.

    "I've been projecting my thoughts at him pretty much nonstop since we left. Helps me clear my mind." She said.

     "Clutters up my mind," Jeweldreamer grumped.

      "You don't have to listen if you don't want to," Cloudy said. "Nobody's making you,"

    "I'm making me," Jeweldreamer said heroically. "I want to make sure my friends are mentally stable in a time like this,"

     "By making yourself unstable." Aconi interjected. Jeweldreamer huffed.

    "About saying it out loud though," Jasmine said, picking up a stick on the ground and peering at it before tossing it away. "My emotions feel weird."

    "How so?" Aconi asked.

    "I can't tell how I feel about Stratus." She replied.

     Aconi furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

    "I don't know whether I still have a crush on him or not, I guess," Jasmine said.

    "Seriously? He killed your dad, butterfly brain." Aconi said.

    "I'm aware," Jasmine said coldly. "I don't think one could forget that."

     "Yes," Aconi said, stopping in her tracks and staring at her. "But you apparently still have feelings for him."

     "I don't know if I do," she said, snapping her tail like a whip. 

      "That's a sorry excuse," Aconi said, her ears turning red. "Maybe you had a part in it and this is your tragic love story?"

     "Shut up!" Jasmine snarled, flexing her talons. "You have no idea what it's like to lose a parent."

    "I've lost my father, too," Aconi challenged. 

    "When?" Jasmine shot back.

    "Before I was born," Aconi said dramatically. 

     "See!?" Jasmine said, flinging an accusing talon at her. "That doesn't even count!"

    "At least you got to know your dad!" Aconi fired back.

     "But I actually lost mine," Jasmine growled.

     "My family is more complex than you'll ever know, LeafWing," Aconi threatened.

     "I don't care to know about it." Jasmine said darkly.

     Aconi hissed, coiling like a viper. "I think you helped that roach dispose of your beloved father."

     "How dare you?" Jasmine said. "I would have never, ever done that to my dad. I cared about a relationship with Stratus, but no, not more than my father's life!"

    "How do we know? As far as anyone is aware, Stratus killed your father to be with you." Aconi said.

    "He might have done that, yes. But I didn't. I don't see how you can't get that through your thick skull."