Wings of Fire #1: Sahara's Destiny

Prologue

The SandWing queen figured everything would be normal after Sinai was gone and Nightshade was locked away, but things were becoming more out of the norm. Queen Camel walked down several halls to get to the center of the stronghold. Making her way down a thin staircase, she bumped into her daughter, Pebble.

"Sorry." the princess apologized. "I didn't see you."

Queen Camel gazed down at her daughter and smiled. "No, it's my fault. I was in such a rush to get to the throne room, I didn't see you." she told her.

Pebble smiled back at her and straightened up. She grinned and folded her wings in close. "Well, can I come too? I have nothing better to do." Pebble asked. Camel nodded and slid past.

Her daughter followed her down another hall, then they finally reached the throne room. Making her way through the crowd of SandWings, she climbed onto her throne and and waited for everyone to stop talking.

"Your Majesty." one of the SandWings in the front bowed. "There's something you should know." Camel figured it was Scarab. The yellow SandWing had black shadings on his horns, around his left eye, and a few black dots on his snout. His amber eyes glowed as he lifted his head into the light.

"What is it?" Queen Camel asked.

"Um," Scarab stammered. "One of the dragonets, she's an animus."

Camel arched her neck in surprise and her eyes widened. They'd never had another animus SandWing in two thousand years. If there really was one, Camel needed to know who the dragonet's parents were. I don't think we have any animus SandWings here or in the Scorpion Den. Camel thought. Then how was the dragonet a animus?

Could her subjects just be making things up just to bother her? "Who are the dragonet's parents?" Camel demanded.

Scarab thought for a moment and said, "Marigold and Cactus."

Queen Camel growled softly, and sighed. "Take me to them." she said. Scarab nodded and walked toward the door. "Pebble, stay here til I get back. I don't want my subjects to worry." the queen ordered. Pebble frowned, but she nodded and sat on the smaller throne next to her mother's. The SandWing queen followed Twig out of the throne room and turned right. They went down a long hallway with torches that lit up the way with tapestry and paintings hung next to them. Soon, they reached a big, wooden door and Scarab knocked. "Scarab!" a female voice shouted. "If that's you, we're kinda busy right now so stop knocking every five minutes!"

"Marigold." Scarab muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Marigold, we need to talk." Queen Camel called.

"Your Majesty." Marigold gasped. "I'm so sorry." The door opened and Camel walked in. The room was made from gray stone and each wall had either a painting or a tapestry on it. The floor had carpet made from camel fur and curtains hung from the tops of the two beds.One was made for two full-grown dragons and the other was a smaller bed made for a dragonet. Cactus was sitting near the far corner on the right and he glanced behind him. He yelped and scrambled to his feet. "We weren't expecting you to come." he blurted. Queen Camel nodded and stood next to Marigold.

"Neither was I." Camel agreed. She eyed the corner where Cactus was standing and narrowed her eyes.

"Didn't you two have a dragonet three years ago?" Camel asked suspiciously.

Marigold and Cactus exchanged glances and nodded. "But he died about a year later, before we had another one." Marigold sighed.

Camel studied them, seeing the sadness in their eyes and she exhaled. "How old is the one now?" she wondered, trying to sound a little sympathetic.

"This one is only a year old." Cactus informed.

"And what's the name?" Camel quizzed.

"Sahara." Marigold answered. Queen Camel saw a small head peek from behind Cactus and the dragonet walked up to her. This dragonet had pure white horns, gold yellow eyes, and a cinnamon-colored crest. Sahara smiled up at Camel and sat beside Marigold.

"Is this dragonet a animus?" Scarab suddenly hissed, making Marigold and Cactus jump.

"What, no! Of course not!" Marigold snapped. "Neither of us have animus magic."

Camel frowned at her and studied Sahara. If her parents weren't animus, then how did she have magic? Well, even if she was, it would have been very slight. All she knew was, this dragonet was special in every way. She could see it in Sahara's eyes.