Wings of Fire: Rogue Power

Chapter 31

It hasn't changed much. It wasn't very full to begin with, and most of my possessions I cared about I kept in my spare room in the castle. But my blanket that I enchanted was still here, though it had a few holes now, and was a bit moth eaten. 

I pick it up anyway, laying it over the surprised shoulders of Rogue who just entered.

"HEy-" 

I watch her instantly relax, eyes wide.

"It's enchanted. It just keeps the wearer warm. One of my other first enchantments I showed to Clearsight. You can have it"

Even though I say that, I fight the urge to rip it away from her again. Her expression is too similar.

But it's best not to hold on to every little thing I have enchanted. 

"Oh, thank you..." I hear her whisper. I ignore her as I feel around the back of my desk, pulling out a small paper scrap. I hide it quickly while she looks away, slipping it under the silver ring on my talon. 

Sadly, nothing else lies in the shelf. I was sure I left a quill here that had infinite ink. Must have left it at my other home damnitt.

"Darkstalker? What are you looking for?" Times up.

"I used to keep my scroll here"

"Scroll?"

"Yes. It's very important to me. But I guess Clearsight wouldn't have left it here anyways"

I can see the questions popping up in her mind, each one a bit more specific. But she waits for me to explain.

"Siiiigh. Im sure you know that I found a safe way to use my magic right?"

Small head tilt.

"Yes, well, I had the grand idea to put all my magic..." I hold my talons out in front of me about ten inches apart "...in a single scroll"

I watch the gears turn in her head as she processes what I've just told her. 

"But-" I hold up a single talon.

"Yes, other dragons can use it. But I made it so whenever it's used I would know, just in case"

"Yes, but-"

"-and I know, it could run out of space on it. I planed to fix that eventually"

"Darksta-"

"I also made it so if it got destroyed, I'd get my magic back. Obviously it's still around somewhere or I'd have had my powers still after you released me"

Instead of speaking, she sighs, and gives me a glare.

"What?" I snap.

Still giving me that deadpan expression, she says "...there's a letter on your bed"

Feeling a bit bad, and embarrassed I kept interrupting her before, I turn to this supposed letter.

And low and behold, she's right.

An old, very delicate, folded piece of parchment lies on my bed, probably left under the blanket. 

I reach for it, but the edge I touch palls apart. 

Before I can ask, my mouth partially opened, Rogue steps in front of me and taps the remaining half of the paper with her scroll holder.

She pulls out the new and restored copy, placing it in one of my open talons, pressing into the palm.

"There, now, read it" she looks up with a sparkle in her eye, and a almost imperceptible smirk. I'm surprised by this change in attitude.

I comply, and unfold it, revealing a decent sized page of very familiar handwriting.

Clearsight.

I grip the paper almost too tightly as I hungrily scan over the words.

My Dearest Darkstalker,

If your reading this, it means your free. Hopefully no one else found this first

I know your probably mad at me. But you and I both knew the consequences of your actions. You were about to choose the wrong path, even if you don't believe so

At this point, I'm probably already passed. But I left something for you. In the art room at school is that picture you drew of me, remember?

Go to it

~Clearsight

Tears prick at my pale eyes as I read the last message. I'm not sure what I expected, but I'm still yearning for more. 

"Are you ok?"

I wordlessly nod, carefully refolding the slightly crinkled letter.

I feel a wing on my back as she leads me out of the room. I want to run, to fly to that art room, feeling as though if I don't I'll perish. But at the same time, I'm scared to.

What if it's a trap she left behind? Or something about how she hates me. How she knew I'd turn on her. Regret sits heavily on my shoulders. I never should have cast that spell on her.

Throughout my troubled thinking, Rogue silently leads me out onto the ledge leading outside, letting me process slowly. She makes no move to take the letter from me either.

Truthfully, this whole time I wasn't quite sure what to think of her.

She released me yes, only to put me completely at her mercy. She wants to know how my life turned out so wrong, but is impatient to get to the point it happened without understanding the whole story. And here she is now, giving me the breathing room I need to process whatever I've learned without even knowing what's wrong.

I miss Clearsight. Her dark violet eyes, and worried looks. Her trust in me at the begining. Her unwavering love, and both of us knowing we were meant to be. 

But I made a mistake. And she never let me restart, or explain, or try again. She gave up on us on that mountain peak.

But Rogue.... She's doing that now.

It very  confusing to say the least. 

But looking at her now, bright magenta eyes full of caring and patience, I know.

She's my last chance.