Wings of Fire: A New Regime (Book 3)

Chapter 4

Bermuda quirked an eyebrow, skeptical. "Really? Stratus never said anything about a sister- ow!"

Jasmine stamped on her foot, shooting her a look. "If we knew a Stratus; who is this this Stratus you speak of?"

Iodine rolled her eyes. "Either I come to the camp with you two, or I come into the camp without you two, perhaps a few casualties. Make your choice, but I won't be patient."

Jasmine lifted her wing to cover their mouths as she and Bermuda whispered at each other.

"Do we trust her?" Jasmine hissed.

"Why would we?" Bermuda whispered back. "There's no way to know if she's telling the truth."

"Hmm. Oh, I know." Jasmine said. She peeked over her wing at Iodine, who was leaning against a tree impatiently. "Do you know your mother's name?"

"Tilt. Nicknamed Tilly." Iodine said without moving.

"Does that check out?" Bermuda asked.

"Yeah, sure does." Jasmine said.

"She does look a lot like Stratus." Bermuda said. "She's redder and has smaller eyes, but the snout and cheekbones are identical."

"Should we risk it?" Jasmine asked.

"Worst case scenario they attack and kill her." Bermuda said. "Or... could one of us go give the village a heads up while the other escorts her?"

Jasmine gave her a thorough shake of the head. "No way. She's like, jacked. She hinted that she's dangerous, too. She could easily kill the dragon with her and then come after the second."

"True." Bermuda said. "But the village doesn't like us too much already..."

"Still waiting," Iodine called. "Clock's a- ticking,"

"We'll be fine. We hold details about our favorite purple powerhouse and Shiver is super fond of Jeweldreamer. We're protected from whatever they might do to us." Jasmine said.

"Are we bringing her back then?" Bermuda asked. Jasmine nodded and lowered her wing.

"Alright, you have a deal, Iodine." Jasmine said. "No shenanigans,"

"Don't threaten me with a good time," Iodine said with a scoff. But, despite her spunkiness, she obeyed, walking between Jasmine and Bermuda, a pace infront of them.

"Why hasn't Stratus mentioned you?" Bermuda asked.

"Well," Iodine said, "Our mom had a marriage before she married Stratus's dad. I was the product. My dad left after he found out my mom was cheating on him with Stratus's dad. Tilt thought my egg was a dud and left it with my dad, who raised me way north, in one of the abandoned towers of the SkyWing palace. I had no idea who my mother was until I stopped in a abandoned village to loot it. I went into a house, only to find a photo in a locked drawer of my dad, Tilt, and my egg. My dad had always talked about how I had a weird little speckled egg, and, well, there it was. My dad had the same photo at home, but Tilt had been torn out. I kept poking around the house and found Stratus's bedroom. Figured out who he was and started searching."

"How did you know where to find him?" Jasmine asked.

Iodine chuckle. "One could say I have an excellent nose. But no, really, I've grown up tracking animals."

"Speaking of growing up, when did you? Were you alive for the Last Day?" Bermuda asked.

"Yes," Iodine said. "I hatched about six months before it all went down."

"Our friend Jellyfish was born about a year before." Jasmine said. Her talonsteps slowed as they entered he outskirts of the village.

"Who is this?" A voice immediately demanded. Saline appeared out of nowhere, and was already in the dragons' faces.