I did not move after Hasten finished his story. My mother was the dragon I was so intent on killing. How could this happen? How did my mother become a dragon? Hasten did not say anything against my silence. He continued to keep the stagnant air between us flowing to allow me to comprehend the story.

"How did my mother become a dragon? How is it possible?"

"I did not know myself Ada. That is until I visited that Guru I have been telling you about. You know the one who gave you that bracelet."

He pointed at my arm and I looked down to see the metal lacing across my wrist.

"The guru? The one who told you about my curse?"

"Yes. But the curse you know of is only parts of the true one. I cannot begin to even comprehend the truth of the curse so you must allow him to tell you himself."

"So I must go with you to see the Guru?"

"Yes. We must go with hast too because the party you slaughtered was only a small amount. They will come looking for you and the boy."

I only nodded my head. I was still reeling over the thought of my mother being a dragon.

"How did you kill them Ada?"

"Hmm?"

I looked up out of my trance at his words.

"Those men were killed by no sword. And you have no marks on you to show any sign of a fight."

"I am not sure. I mean I really don't know what happened. When Zane was struck I became very angry and my body started tingling. When my sight grew red I became invincible and had claws. I guess now I know they were dragon claws."

"You should be very glad you kept that bracelet all these years."

"Ya. The bracelet. Is it not suppose to stop my "curse" from coming out?"

"No. It is meant to control it for small outburst like the one you had back there. If you had not been wearing it you would have become a dragon in every sense and never returned to your human form."

"Never?"

"No. You would have been stuck. We must get you to him at once. You must learn to control your inner dragon."

"But Zane?"

"Wake him."

"I sort of drug him."

I gave him a sheepish smile as I gestured to the bottle on the ground. Hasten let out a deep chuckle and sheathed his forgotten sword.

"We shall have to wait for him to wake then. Side travel with a sutured wound is not recommended."

"Then we shall leave immediately. Sleep Hasten. I am sure you have been traveling all night searching for me. I can keep an eye on the camp."

He started to protest but I motioned to the bottle I had given Zane. He knew I meant that I would subdue him some way.

"I will wake you when Zane stirs."

"Goodnight Ada."

Hasten closed his eyes and I heard soft breaths immediately. He had been tired. I wonder when the last time he had slept was. I took to the trees again to get a higher vantage point on the land. I needed to spot an animal I can cook for food. After a little while of scouting a spotted two rabbits sitting in the brush a few yards outside of camp. Knocking two arrows I prayed for clean shots and I was not disappointed. While the two boys slept I started a fire and fillet the rabbits for cooking. Just before they were finished Zane began to move in his roll and I dashed to his side.

"Zane? Are you ok? How are you feeling?"

"Ada? I'm fine. Did you drug me?"

He sat up and looked at me expectantly. I gave him the same sheepish grin I gave Hasten.

"Of course you did. This is why I never drink anything you give me."

"Oh hush. Are you hungry?"

"Famished. Wait. Who is the guy?"

Zane was going to sit up when he noticed Hasten's body laying not 5 feet from him.

"Is he a thief? Did you capture him? He's not our dinner is he?"

He gave me a joking speculative look, but I just laughed.

"No. That is a very close family friend. We can trust him. We are changing our course though."

"Don't tell me he was able to talk you into not killing the dragon?"

"Partially yes. There is more to the story than you know. My curse is more than I thought."

"What do you mean? Is that what happened in the forest? Your curse came out? What about the bracelet? I thought it was supposed to subdue it."

"That's what I thought. Hasten told me that it is not meant to keep it dormant, but to manage it. The fact that I was able to break through the enchantment means that I am growing "stronger" to say. Hasten needs to be the one to tell you though. I am still processing it myself."

"But..."

"No buts. Eat. I must wake him. We must be going before the rest of the thieves find us."

I motioned him to the rabbit as I kicked out to Hasten's solid form.

"Up Lazy bones. The sleeping beauty has awoken from his slumber."

Hasten grunted and rolled over.

"Don't make me jump on you."

"Go ahead. I'm not moving."

He mumbled in his sleep as he pulled his coat over his face. I took into a crouching position getting ready to spring. Leaping forward I was not expecting the hand to strike up and grasp my forearm before I touched the ground. Hasten had been faking sleeping and was trying to catch me by surprise. He did to an extent throw me off my balance and force me to land awkwardly next to him. I took my chance as he released my arm to extend my legs and knock him hard in the stomach. We rolled around on the ground until I finally gave in. I may be a great fighter but this was one master I would never be able to beat.

"I submit."

"If I had known it was that easy I would have pinned her years ago."

"It only works if you can actually pin me Zane."

I snapped back at him with a smile. He just laughed and went back to eating the rabbit in his hands.

"Are you hungry Hasten? I caught a few rabbits for food."

He offered me a hand and helped me off the ground.

"Food sounds very appetizing but we must be getting on the road."
"That reminds me. Ada said there was a path and to ask you why."

He put another piece of meat in his mouth looking at Hasten expectantly. Hasten looked at me for confirmation and I nodded continuing packing my stuff onto Destiny. Hasten sat down and picked up the other rabbit and began to tell Zane the story he told me. He embellished with a few stories from when I was younger, and finished with the attack in the forest. Zane had not touched his rabbit through the whole story and sat there speechless when Hasten finished.

"Are you two women quite done with the gabbing?"

I was trying to break the awkward silence enough to get a move on. We had been here far too long and I knew it.

"Adalaina is quite right. We must get a move on. Are you well enough to travel Zane?"

"I'll be fine."

He looked over at me with a look of we are going to talk about this. Climbing on to my horse I nodded at him. Hasten whistled for his horse to trot into the clearing. Had she been there this whole time. Good horse not to have moved. Both boys finished gathering their items and climbed on horses. We were off at a break neck speed with Hasten in the lead. I watched as we moved away from the stream we had been following for some time now. We were moving away from Pirus. We were moving away from my mother. I still was having a hard time wrapping my mind over the idea of it being my mother. She was alive…well sort of. I wonder if she would remember me. I'm sure she would. Everyone says I am her spitting image. But maybe 18 years of dragon life warped her mind. We rode hard into the night and into the bright light of the sun.

"We need to stop Hasten. Destiny is not as use to the hard riding as yours is."

"Yes. I guess you are right. We need to ride one more hour. We must reach the elves before sunset or they may catch up to us."

"Elves? Who are they?"

"Yes. Elves. They will help. They are the thieves who have been following us for the night. Have you not noticed my haste?"

"I figured it was you wanted to get to our destination."

"That can wait. Death will not."

"We will continue to ride. Destiny will make it. I have faith."

"Zane?"

"Keep going. Shadow has ridden longer."

The pace was sped up now that we knew the danger. Truthfully Ada had felt the dread looming but she figured it was her mind over thinking things. It was near dark again before Hasten slowed.

"Why are we stopping?"

"We are here."
I looked around and saw nothing but dense forest.

"Where?"

"The elf kingdom."

Looking around again I made a decision and took off my bracelet. Closing my eyes to allow them to adjust back to their "natural" power. When I opened my eyes I was taken off guard. The trees were glittering in the dimming sunlight. Everything looked so clear. This was the first time I had ever looked with the bracelet off. Normally I took it off to listen because I figured I would not see clearly through the brush. I was wrong. It was like I could see a mile away. I looked over to hasten and Zane. Their features were extenuated tenfold. Hasten looked older and more brute than I had ever seen him. It was not a bad look on him, but he just always looked like my soft protector before. Not my tough defender. I looked at Zane and my knees almost gave way underneath me. His eyes shone brighter than they ever had and they almost glittered with the trees. They were emerald pools I wanted to fall deep into and never climb out. I had noticed before that he had gain some muscle, but with my new sight I saw every line of his muscles protruding from his skin. I was thanking him in my head for not having time to put back on a shirt after I took his off earlier.

"Replace the bracelet or we cannot give you safe haven Dragon Daughter."

I turned to see a beautiful woman standing in front of me. Her beauty hurt my eyes and I obliged after taking one last look at Zane. I closed my eyes to allow for readjustment before looking for the woman again. When I saw her standing in the brush she was beautiful but not as I had seen. Her dress and green tinted body blended her in so well that if I had not seen her before I would have never seen her.

"I have replaced the bracelet. Please make yourself known."

She stepped out of the woods and was joined by a few other elves that appeared from nowhere. I had not even seen them with my bracelet off.

"Why did I not see them before?"

"You have many questions young one. Please come to safety before I answer them."

"Where is safety?"

"Follow me."

The woman stepped back through the hole she had made in the trees and they stretched to accommodate our horses. Hasten and Zane followed me wordlessly and I followed her. We stepped into a world unknown to us. It was a hidden city in the middle of the forest.

"How?"

Zane had finally spoken when we came to a halt near the edge of the city.

"We have our ways young ones. Now please. We must get you rested and fed. There is much to do and share."

The woman led us through a city of moss cover marble and stone. It looked like it had not been touched in a hundred years, but there were inhabitants living there now. Stone looking ready to crumble was the most stable steps I had ever stood on in my life.

"Now. Leave your horses here and my stable hands shall care for them properly. They look just as weary as you."

I looked to Destiny worried. No one had ever cared for her other than me. It wasn't that I feared for her being treated from. I worried for her being unmanageable. The only person I had ever seen her let near her other than me to clean her was Zane.

"She will become use to it. No one shall harm her and she will learn to trust. Allow her the chance Adalaina."

Can she read minds? She answered everything I needed. I just nodded my head and handed the lead to an elf towering to my left.

"Be good."

I whispered to Destiny as he led her off. Zane and Hasten's horse were already gone into the stable. But then again both were use to another taking care of their horse every once in a while.

"Please. Come join me in your room. We were expecting you hours ago. Food has been prepared if you are hungry."

We followed her into a large building and down a few hallways to a pair of double doors. When I stepped into the room I was surprised at how clean it looked. Compared to the outside of the building I expected a more rustic look to it. But everything was new and well polished. Three doors led to the left which I guessed was the bedrooms. To our right was a roaring fire and a large table ladled with food.

"Please help yourself to anything. Baths can be drawn if you wish. We shall converse in the morning after you have time to rest."

Grateful for time to relax I smiled at the woman as she left the room.

"I know I want a bath. If you two wish to eat be my guest."

I left them in the room to enter the room on the far left. Inside was a decent size bed and a bath sat steaming in the corner. Pulling the privacy shade I climbed in to soak my sore ridden body. My mind traveled to Destiny and I was hoping she was doing ok. Maybe I will check on her later. No soon than I thought that I drifted into a deep sleep. About an hour later the water turned cold and I drug myself to the bed and slipped on a night gown that had been laid out before falling back into sleep.

The ground before me was white with snow and my feet were bare and cold against it. I looked around the barren field for the dragon I knew would arrive. I became impatient and took a step forward. Each step I took melted the snow beneath my feet and flowers grew in my wake. I heard the roar I waited for and spun on my heel. There came Zane running towards me.

"ZANE! GO! GET AWAY!"

He couldn't hear me but he kept running towards me. Finally he reached me but did not stop. I braced myself for the fall but it did not come. He ran right through me and my body tingled. Was I dead? I saw the Dragon come through the air and recognized something. The dragon wore my bracelet. Well a very stretched out version. I saw it's eyes and it froze in the air looking at me. So the dragon could see me but Zane could not. The moment our eyes locked my vision changed and I was looking down at the ground. I was the dragon?! Against my will the body sprung forward and chased the desperate Zane across the clearing. The whole time he was yelling for me to stop. Listen. It was him. The only thing that came out was a roar. My dragon form pinned his body to the ground and I couldn't take it anymore. I was going to kill him! I began to scream inside my own head hoping to deter my form. I guess it was working because I began to shake.

It took me a second to realize it wasn't my dream that was shaking but me.

"Adalaina! Wake up Adalaina! It's just a dream. Wake up!"

My eyes shot open and my body upward as I panted. It was just a dream. I had not killed Zane. It was just a dream. I felt my tears on my cheek and I wiped them away embarrassed.

"What happened Ada? Are you ok?"

"Yes. Just a bad dream."

"Do you have those often?"

"Increasingly recently."
"What are they about?"
"It varies. But one thing is always constant. It has a dragon."

"Well what happened in this one? It seemed pretty bad. You were screaming at the top of your lungs."

"I...I was the dragon."

"Ok?"

"And I killed you. Or I was going to kill you before you shook me awake."

"I see. Should I hide your sword?"

"Zane..."

I looked at him eyes still red and teary. He took the hint and brought me into a hug.

"I'm sorry Ada. I was just trying to make you feel better."

I just nodded and wrapped him tighter in my arms.

"Should I go so you can sleep?"

I just shook my head and sniffled again. I was playing a card but I didn't want to be alone especially with Zane just in the other room.

"Would you like to get up?"

I shook my head again.

"Lie down?"

I shook my head yes this time and he chuckled. He released me enough to allow me to scoot back onto one side of the bed. I patted the spot next to him and he looked surprised. Yesterday I barely ever talked to him and now I was asking for cuddling. He laid now next to me with his arms on his chest trying to be a gentlemanly as he possibly could. I would have none of that though and rolled over to snuggle up against him. His body tensed for a second before one arm slipped under my body and around his waist. My chest laid on his chest and I took a deep breath inhaling his scent. One hand played with the ends of my hair while the other rubbed circles into my skin. Before sleep retook me I whispered to him in a drowsy voice.

"don't...*yawn*...leave tonight please."

Just before my consciousness left me I heard his answer.

"Never."