CORRUPTED FILE [Lumina Chronicles Past Drafts]

Level One: In Which I Fly

*Maggie's POV*

As I soared through the air on the back of a dragon— who may or may not have been my boyfriend, I wasn't sure at the moment— my blonde hair whipping out of its carefully styled up-do, and all of the air in my lungs pouring from my mouth in one unending scream, I realized one very important thing: I had, by far, the strangest life ever.

Just a little over a month ago, I was the most boring, average teenager on the planet. I went to school, got decent grades, had a few good friends, and most importantly— in my opinion, anyway— I played video games. My favorite of which was the Shadows of Light series.

And it was the world of that game that just a little over a month ago I was stolen away to.

The Abandoned Order had wanted me for their scheme to overthrow Casimir, the prince of Lumina, and I had had no choice but to comply. Later I found out that my real mission was to kill Casimir's mother, Queen Amaranth, and then be killed myself. But thanks to Kindle, my sort-of-boyfriend and a secret dragon, that didn't happen. He literally crashed the party last minute, and I unwittingly climbed onto his back.

Now, I kind of regretted that choice.

"I've just realized I don't like flying!" I screamed over the rush of wind, clinging tightly to dragon-Kindle's neck.

He rumbled out a throaty sound that I interpreted as a laugh.

"Don't you dare laugh at me," I scowled, "I'm still mad at you."

He roared, and in my mind he spoke. "I know, and you should be. I was stupid."

"Yep," I agreed. Then he dipped slightly and I wrapped my arms around him tighter, screaming again.

"It'll be a miracle if my ears aren't bleeding by the end of this." Kindle mused, emitting another rumbling laugh.

"So how does that work?" I asked in an attempt to distract myself from the fact that I was hurtling through the sky without a parachute. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying instead to focus on the rhythmic beating of Kindle's wings.

Kindle's wings. It was such a strange thought.

"How does what work?" His voice questioned as his dragon form roared.

"Well, all of it, but let's just start with your voice being inside my head." I suggested. My heart was hammering in my chest, and I felt as though at any moment I could lose my hold on Kindle's smooth scales and plummet to the ground. Breathe in, breathe out. Think about the wings instead. Try and slow your heart to match the wings.

"I'm not really sure how to explain it, because no one ever explained it to me," Kindle replied. "Telepathy is the best answer I can come up with. The people I want to hear me can, everyone else hears only roars."

"You're projecting your thoughts into my mind?" I theorized, however the words morphed into a screech as Kindle changed altitude.

"More or less, and relax Blondie." Kindle sighed, "I'm not going to let you fall."

I took a few deep breaths before speaking again. "So, does that mean you can read my mind?"

"I don't think so. And I don't need to anyway," I could hear a smile in his voice, "I'm pretty sure all of your thoughts at the moment consist of mainly panic, with a touch of confusion, and a decent sized portion of hatred towards me. Am I right?"

I shook my head, eyes still closed. "Not about the hatred part. Anger, yes, lots of that. But hatred? Even if I wanted to, I don't think I could ever hate you," I admitted.