I couldn't see my father's dragon anymore. My eyes searched wildly but the only thing I could see was gray rock.

I clutched at the sides of my head when the wolves' howls grew even louder. Their shrill voices pierced my ears and shattered my remaining strength.

I fell down onto the rocky ledge, my fingers scratching against the coarse stone. Every single one of my muscles throbbed and ached; all I wanted to do was sleep for eternity.

Zari take a deep breath, Mitalonys growled.

What? Why―I gasped. Pain tore through my mind and I fully collapsed. My face hit stone. The metallic tang of blood filled my mouth and I spat as dirt covered my tongue.

My body contorted and my mind warped. My hands curled into clawed feet, spikes burst from my spine, and my ribcage cracked and grew.

Wait Mita my leg! I shrieked, my eyes watering at the searing pain that stopped my breath dead in my throat.

You do not need your leg to fly. You do not need your leg to live, he replied shortly.

I squeezed my eyes shut, gritting my teeth and pressing my forehead against the rough stone. My mind was completely overwhelmed by the seemingly endless waves of pain.

The shift took what felt like hours. By the time I could breathe properly again, the sun was disappearing behind the mountains.

Mitalonys forced me to my feet, favoring my twisted and broken back leg.

Where are we going? I asked.

Far, he growled.

I shook my head and leapt off the ledge. The wind quickly caught my wings and my breath.

I'd forgotten what it felt like to fly.

My head snapped up at the sharp sound of a whistle. Nearly a dozen silhouetted figures stood atop the cliff, their howls echoing in my mind once again.

Mita we need to―

I screamed at the icy pain ripping through the base of my wing. It took only a moment for my limbs to go completely still with the freezing torment that could only be cold iron.

The shrubs at the bottom of the canyon were suddenly visible but I couldn't move. The wind screeched around me and the ground moved closer with each passing second.

Then everything started to spin as the poison paralyzed the rest of my body. It wasn't a numbing paralysis though, it was absolutely excruciating and I swore there were thousands of tiny needles stabbing every nerve in my body.

The pain grew until my heart throbbed with agony and I didn't even have the strength to cry out.

My eyes fluttered shut as my heart started to slow. I heard my dragon growl my name but he was even weaker than I was. There was nothing he could do. The howling wolves had gotten to him too.

*******

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜