Wings of Fire: A New Regime (Book 3)

Epilogue

Gila sat behind the bars, watching the crazy dragon that was once her daughter.

She still is, she told herself. I believe she's still down there.

She and her husband Barracuda, had come with the group of dragons to fight for their freedom. She knew their daughter, Bermuda, had ran off with her friends to chase Stratus, the not-murderer, and then their plan changed to put a stop to Aconi, one of the dragons that had left to them. It all seemed surreal.

"Hello, love," Barracuda said, coming up behind her. Gila turn, and brushed her wing against his.

"Why is this all happening?" Gila whispered, because if she spoke any louder than that, she'd surely cry.

"Well, it all started with when Jackpine-" Barracuda started.

Gila gave him a look, and her gave her a sad smile. He'd only been trying to cheer her up.

"I know," Gila said, grabbing his talon. "It's going to be okay."

"How are you guys holding up?" Jellyfish- one of Bermuda's friends- asked them, walking up.

She had been the one to knock their daughter unconscious- with a swing from her powerful tail. She was grateful for her bravery, and that the young dragons just outright kill her daughter in self defense.

"We're... alright, I suppose. How are you?" Gila said.

"I'm okay. Luckily no one sustained any serious injuries from Bermuda's attack, other than Iodine's broken arm. Seriously, Aconi must have a knack for breaking bones, giving the scene of Dart's jaw."

"How many have died?" Barracuda asked.

"There are eight casualties across all three groups," Jellyfish asnwered, shifting uncomfortably. "We got off easy."

Gila twisted a piece of grass in her talon. "What's happening to her?"

Jellyfish looked at Bermuda with a sober look in her eyes. "We think she's falling into Aconi's curse."

"How do we stop it? Or at least delay it?" Gila asked.

"I don't know," Jellyfish said. "I don't think there is a way."

"Do you know if it'll stop if we kill Aconi?" Barracuda asked.

Jellyfish shook her head. "I don't. If you guys are interested, there's a trauma group meeting at the main clearing today at noon. I'll be there, and the topic is the events of three days ago. The erm, attack."

Gila nodded, and watched as Jellyfish walked away. A respectful young girl, Gila thought. Not many of those anymore.

"Hey," a new voice said, and GIla, with a tiny prick of annoyance, turned and saw Cloudy, Bermuda's friend.

If she remembered right, this was one of the dragons that Bermuda had been locked up with in Aconi's palace.

"We just spoke to Jellyfish." Gila said.

Cloudy nodded, and sat down beside them, watching Bermuda. "Did you ever hear of her bravery in Aconi's walls?"

"What?" Gila asked.

"Bermuda," Cloudy said, their eyes watering. "You would've been so proud."

"What happened?" Barracuda asked.

"She was the one who stood up to Aconi the best she could, and was the one who made us make an escape plan. She went last, making sure everyone was safe before herself. Even in the end, when Aconi was finally unconscious, she went back to finish the job. So she'd never hurt us again.

But they caught her, and she gave up her body just so we'd have a shot at making it. She put herself in the way of death for us."

Cloudy was crying now, and Gila felt her own tears, and her husband's tear drip onto her talon.

"You've done an amazing job, raising her. She put herself through literal hell for us, for everyone. Moons above, I- we all owe her our lives. Had Aconi not made the mistake of sending her in, Jeweldreamer wouldn't have heard her thought, wouldn't have sounded the alarms. By simply being here, she saved lives."

Gila rreached out and grabbed Cloudy's talon with her own and squeezed it. "Thank you,"

Cloudy squeezed her talon back.

"Do you have family, Cloudy?" Gila asked.

"I don't know, ma'am."

"You can stay with us. Thank you for being there for our Bermuda." Gila pulled Cloudy under her wing, ignoring the shocking chill.

Gila looked up at her daughter. She was in a dark cell, with bars on one side, like a zoo. Her legs, tail, wings, and head were chained to the wall, clinking as she paced madly.

It'll be okay, my little scarab.

I'm here, it'll be okay.

Bermuda kept pacing, her eyes purple and rolled back, foam bubbling at her lips, blood seeping from the cracks in her dry, chapped mouth.

The scariest and most unnatural part was at the tips of her tail and wingtips, where she her scales and under were clear, and reportedly, hard to the touch.

Like it was made of glass.

--Wings Of Fire: A Ruined Dream, arrives with the New Year, Monday, January 1st, 2024!--