Wings of Fire: Rogue Power

Chapter 13

After taking me back to the party, he discusses with Harpy about my art project. She was a bit hesitant until he offered to pay for it. Jackal on the other hand stays silent the whole time, glaring daggers at Thysan relentlessly. 

Once we start flying away towards home, Jackal flys in above me.

"What about our plan? You told me we would leave soon!" I'm startled by the intense anger in his voice. 

"Don't worry, the plan hasn't changed. It won't take me too long to paint it. I promised you something before didn't I? An outlet for your anger?" His eyes light up, glittering like gems. 

"Really? Wait, your changing the subject on purpose aren't you"

"Mayyyyybe. But you want to hear about it don't you?"

He now looks extremely suspicious of me, but nods. 

"Your going to join Burn's army"

When we arrive at home and I tell the Harpy, she isn't very happy.

"No" 

"Please Harpy, he needs this. You don't understand how trapped he feels right now" I argue back. I sent Jackal to my room to get something for me so he wouldn't hear us. It's not really a big deal if he did, but I don't want him to resent Harpy for trying to stop him.

"He'll die, or, even worse, become a heartless monster like the others. I won't risk it" 

"Harpy, I know it seems like a horrible idea, but I promise this will make him happier. It's hard to see now, but trust me; if he doesn't get it out of his system now, it will destroy him in the future" I plead with my eyes for her to hear the truth in my words. 

Her ruby colored eyes flick back and forth as she thinks it over. When she sighs deeply, her wings drooping in defeat, I know I avoided another bad future. A small victory now, but a very large impact later.

"Fine. But, he needs to send a letter to us every day till he comes back. That's his requirement"

I almost jump for joy, but instead my wings just lift up momentarily. 

"Thank you! I promise you won't regret it!" At the moment I say those words, Jackal returns with a quizzical expression, handing me the paper and pencils I asked for.

"Thanks Jackal! Alright, before I start designing, let's go get you signed up" 

Seeing the bright expression on his face beside Harpy's downcast worried one fills me with a torn feeling. This is the best path though. I trust the future I see. 

After helping Jackal at the stronghold, he leaves inside, and I give him a small wave goodbye as he follows them excitedly, not glancing back once. It hurt a bit. In order for him to go, I told him he had to listen to his commanders orders. If he had left without me saying that, it would have been a disaster. He'll be fine now.

I started drawing out my designs for the room, an excellent vision filling my head. It wouldn't be easy, but it was possible. 

Things continue like this for a while. I start going over and painting every day for an entire month. Sometimes Thysan will talk with me when I take breaks, and it's become easier to talk to him without panicking. Still, I hate how much lying I'm actually doing. I'm still nervous too about the enchanted earring he wears all the time. I wonder if he knows it's magic, or if it has some significance to him. I ask him finally one day as we walk through the gardens, this time in the light of day.

"Um, Thysan, can I ask about something odd?" 

He nods absentmindedly, pruning a few roses with his claws skillfully. I sit beside him in the sunshine, trying to keep my wing from accidentally brushing his. It's harder than it sounds.

"Why do you wear that earring? The silver one? It looks a little out of place is all" he tenses a second, a strange expression flashing over him for a split second.

"I found it. In the desert. It was my first possession" his words are clipped and too the point, as though there's more to it, but he won't tell me. 

"Ah, ok. I understand. Once, before me and my brother found Harpy, I had a bracelet. Much to big for me of course, but it belonged to my father" 

Truth hides in my lie. I did have a bracelet from him. It's the one that now protects my soul.

"I lost it on the flight to the scorpion den though. It slipped off when I was flying and I never found it. Even with Jackals help. I wish I hadn't been so clumsy" even though I'm making most of it up, the thought of my father brings tears to my eyes. 

I feel a talon over my shoulder, and Thysan is right beside me now with a kind expression. 

"It's ok, it wasn't your fault. The desert likes to take things all the time. But it always comes back eventually"

I lean into him for a while, just feeling at peace with him for a bit. Even though I can't see our future when I touch him, I can imagine it easily. 

After doing this project, we end up actually dating. We get married, and Harpy walks me down the isle, meanwhile Jackal is my best man. I know I'm supposed to have a best lady, but I don't have anybody but him.

After, I continue painting, selling art all over the scorpion den and beyond, with help from Thysan's inter-tribal trade over the continent. 

We have dragonets after the war ends, and send them to that school from my earlier visions at the jade mountain. 

It would be beautiful. Peaceful. A full life. 

But.

I pull away from Thysan a bit shaken, giving him a reassuring smile though.

"I better get back to painting. It will only take another day or two" 

I hurry off up to the room, knowing he won't follow me in. I told him it would be a surprise. 

As I stand in the room, all the windows covered and no one else around, I slowly pull off my bracelet.

The familiar feeling, one I hadn't felt in two years, of my scales shifting over. Under the light of the several golden lamps all around the room, my black-purple scales shine, my spots lighting up slowly and in several different patterns. I spread my now slightly unfamiliar wings gently, looking at all the swirls and spots beneath them in pain.

I can't stay here. I can't have a normal life here. There's so much still in my futures. More than what we could have.

I slip it back on reluctantly, and go back to my project with a heavy heart.