DRAGONQUEEN: RISE OF THE SILVER PHOENIX

Chapter 1 - Dragon Attack

A cushion goes flying through the air as Rebecca wakes up with a start heaving for breath. Her heart pounding with fear. She throws the bedsheets off her, checking her abdomen for any sign of damage. She places her hand over her throat swallowing hard before breathing a heavy sigh of relief.

Her nightmare seemed so real. The sky churning with black clouds and the black griffon tearing her apart and a landscape in the grip of war. Dragons fighting dragons, griffon fighting griffon, men clashing swords.

She shivers trying to shake the nightmare both mentally and emotionally. How on earth could dragons be caught in combat if their numbers are so few? Griffons, unicorns, ogres, and other magical creatures, are just wild animals. In fact, the team she is supposed to head out with, within a few days will be documenting ogres in their natural habitat in the Canadian northern swamps known only as the Ogre Hinter bogs.

The alluring smell of bacon and eggs wafts through her apartment and Rebecca stands up from her bed and goes to investigate. Her lifelong best friend Lisa Greenwood is in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

"Morning, princess." it has always been Lisa's nickname for her, for as long as she can remember. She did try to settle the matter, to no avail at the age of twelve. The harder she tried to correct Lisa the more she insisted on calling her princess. So Rebecca countered with her nickname for Lisa.

"Morning, your majesty," Rebecca replies as she sets her eyes on the simple yet modern-designed kitchen of her apartment. The apartment is not large, but it has everything she needs. A modern kitchen and lounge in one with a marble countertop and built-in stove that separates the kitchen from the lounge.

The small lounge consists of an elegant and modern beige longe set with a matching coffee table and a home-theatre system. The TV is on and its volume plays softly in the background with a local morning program that Lisa likes to watch.

"I am not your mother!" Lisa replies her eyes pulling into a mock angry look as a smile tugs at the corner of her mouth.

"Stop, calling me princess. We live in the twenty-first century and I was adopted. There is no way in this world that I am a princess." Lisa just rolls her eyes in exasperation.

If you look at her, you would think she escaped from a fairy tale. She has stunning green eyes, golden blond locks, pink lips with a petite nose with a soft pink blush on her cheeks.

"Go and get dressed, breakfast is almost ready."

"Yes, mom. Don't forget to switch on the coffee machine." Rebecca mocks her friend. A smirk is tugging at the corner of her mouth. She only receives a venomous glare from Lisa. Rebecca catches a glimpse of the TV and raises the volume using magic as a news report catches her sudden interest.

-"The New York museum is continuing the dragon skeleton exhibit today under heavy speculation from TIS agents that it is a time cocoon spell that could be activated by a person or a specific object's proximity. The director of the TIS agency could not be reached to verify these findings and on a lighter note the royal fairy prince..."-

"Rebecca, I know how badly you want to visit the exhibition, but I must ask you to consider the news report and exercise some caution," her friend replies with concern in her voice.

"Lisa, I am not going to stay away because of a magical threat. I am very adept as a light sorceress. What could go wrong?" Rebecca says nonchalantly.

"What could go wrong!? Everything! That question is the worst movie cliche ever, but with a ring of truth. Don't tempt fate. I have a bad feeling about this."

"You know what your problem is? You worry too much. I am going to take a shower and have breakfast with you and I don't want to hear another word about a possible magical threat to my life. It is not as if I am going to be whisked away through some portal or something."