When the Ocean Calls

Chapter Sixteen | Possibility in the Panic

White foam swirled over my limbs as I sat in the foreshore. Water submerged me waist down, a feeble attempt to bury my transformation with the ocean. Every time I looked down, I glimpsed my red scales through the swishing waves.

A gust of wind expelled from my lungs. I couldn't process what had happened. Dragons shouldn't even be real. How could I have become one?

A realization crashed onto me, like the whole island compressed my shoulders.

Now I'll never get home.

I'd never see Lani again. I'd never grow up and become the journalist my parents wanted me to be. Because I was a dragon, a mythical beast that shouldn't exist. I flopped backward into the sand. A wave surged over my face. My lungs inhaled on impulse, and air filled them up.

I gasped. Wait...

Though submerged underwater, oxygen continued to flood my lungs. A spark of excitement jolted through me. Imagine all the swimming I could do, without a care as to my skin pruning up and my muscles aching, without worrying about what food I'd eat.

But was that what I wanted?

Tears formed at the corners of my eyes. I loved the ocean, but I didn't want to leave my family for the rest of my life.

"Oh dear."

Terror shot through me. I'd forgotten about Virgo's imposter, my captor on this island. A part of my brain begged to fly away, but fear paralyzed my limbs.

The sea swished. The woman waded toward me, worry engraved in her brow. Slowly, I moved my feet backward, but my balance shifted to the side, and I plopped into the water. A dainty face loomed over me, brown eyes looking me up and down.

This is ridiculous! a voice in my head screamed. You're larger than she is!

That didn't stop me from shaking. Every nerve, every muscle vibrated. She was alarmingly close. In one motion, she could stab me.

"You're Kiara, I presume," the woman said.

My throat constricted, any words strangled. My eyes refused to blink, to stop watching her for a fraction of a second.

The woman sighed. "The dragon brain must be pretty bad." She cleared her throat, her back straightening. "Hello, friend. I am Virgo, a Star Guardian. You have nothing to worry about. I will take care of you. Can you please try to tell me your name or anything you remember about yourself?"

With all my strength, I threw myself backward into the water. My feet grappled for leverage in the wet sand, pushing against the shifting surface.

"I will not hurt you, I promise," Virgo soothed. "I want to help you, if you'll let me."

I flipped onto all four limbs. My arm shot forward, but my feet didn't move fast enough, and I face-planted in the sand. I shoved myself up, and my legs propelled me into the ground again.

I stumbled a few frenzied paces at a time, balance swaying so that I kept falling forward, until dry ground crunched under me. I swiped the back of my paw across my sand-caked face, glancing over my shoulders. Virgo stood in the waves, white dress plastered to her skin. My limbs locked in place as my chest heaved, breath stabilizing. She made no movement forward, no attempt to chase or attack me. Pity alone glittered in her eyes.

It was a trap. My elbows unbuckled, feet racing forward, but I collapsed.

"I don't recommend you return to the forest," the woman's voice called.