Paper Wings

Chapter 8

Tieyan POV

"We need to find more humans."

Oh no. You can't trust them. They may turn on you, Breeze warns me. Star snorts. Star agrees.

"Well we can't just try to find Sumya without help!" I protest.

Why not?

"Because we won't be able to!" I cry.

"I can help you," I hear a voice behind me.

I whip around. "Who's there?" I shout.

"Hi," says the person as she emerges from the bush where she was hidden. "I'm Abdullah." She holds out her hand.

I cautiously shake it. "Why should I trust you?"

"Because I can help you. The ogres have kidnapped my dragon, Cattivo.

"Cattivo," I echo. "That's an interesting name."

"It means evil in Italian," she smiles.

"That's... nice," I hesitantly say.

"Sooo... your name?" Abdullah asks me.

"Oh um Tieyan," I tell her.

"Tie-yan," She mouths. "Interesting."

I nod. "You told me you can help me find my sister. How?"

Abdullah sighs, and hands me a scroll. "Here. Read this."

Dragon Jewels

Elements of ice, lightning, water, fire, nature and light.
Six mortals will give up their fight.
Power will be instilled to the sky island once more.
But only if the beasts achieve what they are fighting for.
Mortals will bring unwanted chaos,
That only these elemental jewels can stop.

I finish reading. "What does this mean?"

"I've been waiting for three years," Abdullah says. "I've figured it out. You and five other people are the 'mortals'... and the ogres... they want your dragons."

Sumya POV

Darkness surrounds me. There is a patch of light in the middle of the room. I run towards it.

Wait. I'm not shackled. I'm free?

I look around for a door. Harper, Ember, and Jasper are gone. They must've escaped without me.

I spot a door.

Yes!

I open the door and race out. I feel myself falling. I look down. Empty space fills the room. I feel death approaching. I close my eyes, and accept my fate.

•••••••

"Sumya! Sumya wake up!" I hear Jasper.

I groan. I pull at my wrists. Shackles are there once more. It was just a dream.

"Breakfast!" Ember smiles, for what I think is the first time. She must've just been hungry.

I look at the tray in front of me. I realize that my hands are now shackled in front of me. It's a struggle, but I can now eat.

I can barely see what's on the tray. There's a cup of water, a slice of bread, and some dried fruit. I frowned. Well what did you expect Sumya? Some bacon and guava juice?

Struggling, I pick up a strawberry. It's bitter, but better than nothing. I finish what's on my tray, as does everyone else.

"Well that was... disgusting," says Ember, now as bitter as that strawberry.