The Rise of The Dragon Queen

Chapter 5

Later that night, all of us were sent to the bedrooms. The boys and the girls were separated into different rooms, but I shared with several other kids no matter which room I ended up in. I climbed on top of my bunk at the back of the room by a row of tall windows and was about to get under the covers when Ms. Emery walked into the room. We all stopped what we were doing and watched as the new girl followed closely behind her. They headed to the end of the room and stopped beside my bunk bed.

"Ketsuna, this is Vixia," Ms. Emery explained. "She'll be taking the bottom bunk for the time being."

"Okay," I replied quietly, still thinking about the book she had taken from me.

"Why don't you come down and say hello?" I hesitated for a moment, but then I climbed down and held my hand out to the girl. This was the first time that I noticed her yellow eyes.

"Hi, my name is Ketsuna."

She took my hand and shook it. "I'm Vixia," she chimed. "Glad to meet—"

"Good," Ms. Emery interjected. "Ketsuna, be on your best behavior. Everyone, it's time for lights out! I don't want to hear so much as a peep from you."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Vixia wriggled her way underneath the covers of the lower bunk as I climbed back onto the top one. Ms. Emery left the room, flicking off the light on her way out and closing the door behind her. I peered over the edge of the railing as soon as she was gone and Vixia must have had the same idea as me because I was met with the sight of her glowing eyes.

"I thought she said that this place was full."

"She did, but that doesn't make it true. She just doesn't want any more kids here." Vixia nodded in understanding and smiled.

"Sorry if my eyes are creepy," she whispered. They make it to where I can see in the dark."

I beamed back at her.

"That's so cool."

That was the moment when our friendship began.

About a month passed, along with the pouring rain and winter weather that kept us confined to the inside of the orphanage. When spring rolled around, we were allowed to play outside in the courtyard. Some kids would garden with the other caretakers or run around playing tag, but not Vixia and me. On that first day of spring, we sat under a tree at the far end of the courtyard, taking in the sunlight as we skimmed through my book.

"Isn't that the book Ms. Emery took from you?" she asked. I nodded, flipping to the next page.

"Yeah, she usually does that. I sneak it back when she's not looking, though. Plus, she's too old to remember the title, so she never realizes it's the same one." I continued to flip through the pages as Vixia looked down at her lap, weaving some wildflowers together. After a moment, she spoke again.

"Did you have a family?" she asked. I stopped skimming and stared at one of my favorite illustrations in the book: an enormous red dragon.

"Did you?"

"Yeah. They left me in the forest."

"I've never had a family."

"Really? Then have you been here your whole life?"

"No."

"Then what happened before—"

"Look at this!" I interrupted, holding up my book. "Isn't this picture cool?" I showed her the illustration that I was staring at before. However, my moment of excitement was short-lived.