Hidden Wings

Chapter 9

   Vycan strode into the cave behind Maria, glaring around darkly. Maria folded her wings and looked around. One of the stony walls was full of canyons scrapped out of the rock, and these were crammed full of bottles and pots. Pointed cones of rock dotted the edges of the cavern, both growing up from the ground and jabbing down from the ceiling. A dark tunnel near the back of the cave on the right side led out of the main cavern. After grabbing something off the stone floor, Vycan led her toward the opening, stepping over stalagmites as he walked down the tunnel. Maria followed, knowing all too well what would happen if she tried to make a run for it.
   Before long, the hall opening into a smaller cave, completely bare save for a pair of iron shackles attached to two of the largest stalagmites. Vycan led her over to them and fitted them around her rear ankles, carefully avoiding Maria's snakebite. As he locked the chains with the key from the main cave, Maria noticed that the wound Spry had scratched across his wing was almost completely healed. Did he make some kind of healing potion? she wondered.
   Vycan finished locking her up and sat down across from Maria. His golden eyes stared into her's, and she suddenly could see past the coldness he showed to everyone, and she saw fear, anger, doubt, self-loathing, and pain, all hidden deep below the surface of his eyes. This was a broken dragon, she knew.
    She was snapped out of her thoughts when Vycan spread his wings. "Listen," he said. "You want to become human again, don't you?"
   Maria nodded.
   "I can make you human again. I can give what you want. But on one condition." His gaze seemed to soften slightly. "If you will help me, I will make you what you were. It will not take long, and I guarantee your safety."
    Maria looked down at her talons, thinking.
   "I'll give you until morning to decide." Vycan stood and left the cave.
     Maria curled herself into a ball on the floor. What do I do? She wondered. Before long, her thoughts circled back to Spry. Why did he leave me? The Spryvern she knew would have attacked Vycan in an effort to save her. So why didn't he? Does he not care about me? Is he angry at me? Feeling utterly hopeless, Maria closed her eyes and cried herself to sleep.