Saving Seraphine [ONC2020]

CHAPTER 7

Rowan follows me to my room, I get a little hot and bothered because last time we were both in here we shared a kiss on my bed. I try to distract myself by heading straight for the drawer where the book is. He shuts the door a little rough making me jump. I slap a hand against my chest and let out a harsh breath.

"Sorry, do you want..."

"Leave it closed," I say all too quickly.

I clear my throat attempting to act normal. Shaking it off I reach out and touch the handle to open the drawer, but stop.

"Can you turn around or..."

Confusion blankets his face. Strange how I can kiss this man like I want him to rip my clothes off, but the thought of him getting a peek inside my underwear drawer makes me nervous.

"Never mind," I say.

A jolt of electricity zaps through me as I take hold of the heavy book. I unwrap it from my underwear and shut the drawer. I find a seat on the bed and place the book down next to me. Awkwardly, Rowan sits down too leaving the book between us. My hands shake as I take hold of the cover. The drumming slowly fades as the cover page is opened. The front cover is just plain black, but inside in black calligraphy is a name. Isle of Dragona.

I lift my head to check Rowan's reaction as a burst of invisible wind swirls around us. I gasp for air as the vortex returns. Rowan holds out his hands and I grab a hold as the two of us are engulfed in a cloud of white. I close my eyes to try to ignore the churning of my stomach. Rowan tightens his grip and tugs me towards him. From the force of the vortex I slam right into his chest, he grunts on impact. I hold tight and wrap my arms around his middle.

The swirling motion suddenly changes and my stomach drops as we plummet to the ground. Inside my head I imagine ways I can save us from crashing down. My eyes open just enough to get a glance at what's happening. Down below is the place in my dreams. Everything feels more real than ever before, including the gut retching nausea from our descent down to the ground.

I close my eyes again and imagine the way this place used to be. It's the place I used to see in my dreams. I try to see the rolling green hills, and clear blue sky. I try to remember what it felt like to fly. I imagine wings spanning outward flapping in the warm breeze. I think about keeping Rowan and I safe, and then I remember mom. I reach up and grab hold of the deep red quartz on my neck. I get a good hold on it and wish, I wish so hard that it hurts my head. A beastly roar comes from my mouth, and for a brief moment we go into free fall, and then suddenly our bodies get dragged upwards. I open my eyes and we're soaring above the battered lands. The flapping of wings is so loud it's almost as if... I look down and below me in the grasp of my talons is Rowan. I've got him tucked under my wing as we glide down towards the ground. He's quiet, I hope he's okay. I stare down to make sure he's breathing, his eyes are open and he's watching the ground closely.

"Over there," he points to a small patch of green amongst the pale dirt below.

In my head I say, okay only out loud it's a loud roar. I startled myself and almost dropped him. Thankfully the ground is getting closer as I swoop in towards that spot.

"Drop me when we are a few inches from the ground," he calls up to me like this whole thing is natural, and that we've done this before. Wait, have we?

I do what he says, as I near the ground I let go and he rolls onto the ground. I skid to a stop as I hit the ground, and roll into a ball. I'm shivering even though my body is hot. I stand and I'm on all four legs. Rowan is crouched on the tiny patch of grass breathing heavily and staring at me. I flap my wings at him and whine. I want to be human again, but how? For a few seconds it's like he's stunned watching me, but not terrified, almost like he's seen this before as well. I whine again, my big dragon head is heavy to move, but as I whine I move it from the left to right.

I want to be human again, I cry out in my head to anyone who will listen.

I think I know how. Rowan's familiar voice is like a wave of music floating into and out of my ear.

I gasp at the feeling as his voice leaves my head. He stands and dusts off his jeans. His eyes close and he takes a few really deep breaths. His hands begin to move at his waist and they lift little by little. As he does, swirls of red, gold, and orange swirl around in beautiful patterns. The colors sparkle like glitter when it hits the sun. He throws the swirls towards me by throwing his hands out flat in front of him. The colors hit me and wrap around me like they're hugging me. For a moment I'm breathless and weightless. My skin is tugged and pulled in different directions, a feeling that you would think would be painful, only it's not. The colors swirl away like they're part of the wind, and I collapse onto the ground. Shocked, I stared up at him as he observed his hands.

"Did you know you could do that?"

My voice, I close a hand around my throat. I'm human again. I stare down at my body, and somehow the color swirls have given me a beautiful dress, the color of an orange and gold sunrise. I stand to get a better look as the skirt flows behind me lifting in the slight breeze.

I put my attention back on Rowan. His face is shadowed in confusion and understanding. It's like he knows exactly how he did it, but he can't explain how he knew. My eyes travel from him to what's around me. I'm in awe by it all, how is this all real? I start to imagine that we're inside the book, or maybe just inside our minds. Am I dreaming?

"I think the book is a portal," he finally says, like he's reading my mind again.

I whip my head around to him. A portal? This can't be real. For someone who just magically changed me back into a human in a gorgeous dress, he's sure acting a little too calm. He takes notice of my state and takes three big strides towards me.

"Maybe we're dreaming."

I spin around attempting to get my bearings, hoping we can find a way home. I stand still for a moment facing what I believe is north. I puff out my chest and close my eyes. I try to think about New York, and going home, hoping it will lead me in the right direction.

"There," I say pointing. "I feel like that's where we need to go."

I open my eyes and see just over the black shadow like mountains is the orange bright light I'd seen in my last dream.

"I think you may be right. Is it weird that I can feel something pulling me towards it, like it's calling to me?" he asks.

I shake my head, "No not at all, it's like the book," I say.

He nods in agreement. It looks like a far walk, so I start heading in that direction. As I take a step a warm hand wraps around my wrist and I'm pulled backwards into Rowan's arms. He tugs and spins me so that I'm facing him. I take a deep breath and feel my heart beat slow and steady from the comfort of his touch.

"Hey," he says, his voice edgy.

"Maybe I'm just dreaming, and you're in my dream. That has to be what this is, right?" I ramble on, my voice breaking at the end. "I'm gonna wake up soon. Maybe we fell asleep reading that book."

I try to rationalize what's going on, but everything in my head just doesn't add up. Rowan grabs my cheek in the palm of his hand and rubs his thumb gently against my skin.

"Whatever this is," he says. "We're in it together. We'll figure it out, although it might require a little breaking and entering," he says.

"The book store," I say, and he nods.

"Okay, so let's find our way out then."

I start to turn to walk away when he pulls me back again.

"And when we do get back, I should take you on a proper date," he says.

Talking about something real makes me smile and feel better. I nod, "I'd like that, a lot," I whisper.

I lean forward and press my lips gently against his, "At least that feels normal," I say into his lips.