Hidden Flame 35

**Avery**
I try to hide my panicked soul as I shield my body from them. Conner stands and I wince. He puts his hands up, “Before we discuss all of this, I have an idea.” I narrowed my eyes as he shook his head. “Avery, we won’t push you into doing
anything. This can be at your pace, but what I am suggesting is a quick shopping trip because you will need something to wear besides that shower curtain,” he said softly.
I looked down. He’s right, but if I take away from my savings I won’t have much to leave my adoptive parents when I go
to college. Growls started emanating from The Trio. I scrambled back, but when I did the shower curtain shifted. Clint and
Cassius both surged forward, but Conner caught them by the collars of their shirts.
“Brothers, restrain yourself. Let’s let her put some clothes on,” Conner said calmly as he pulled them towards my now
doorless doorway. “Avery, this short trip is on us. Consider it part of our penance, please.” He poked his head in, “Knock
on the wall when you are ready.”
I sat on my bed for a few minutes to make sure that they wouldn’t return until I was ready. Still wrapping the shower
curtain around me, I walked into my closet and shut the door. I rummaged through the few things on my rack before I
settled on a black knit dress that Trisha had given me. It was always too big because my body resembled a toothpick. I
can’t wear any of my bras because of my boobs. I now have boobs! I am very pleased about that fact, but everything else
is so confusing. The dress she gave me fits rather snugly but it isn’t baggy on me anymore. It is somewhat low-cut which
allows my cleavage to peek through. After I ran my fingers through my hair, I exited the closet but immediately jumped
backward and closed the door.
I steadied my now rapidly beating heart. Once I wasn’t on the verge of a panic attack, I looked through the keyhole. On
my bed sat an iridescent white and blue dragon with a golden crown of scales around its horn. It looked at me as if it
could see me. “Avery, I know that you are afraid. You know me as I do you even though we haven’t talked since you were
three,” a soft firm yet sweet voice echoed in my head.
What does it mean? I don’t understand. The voice resumes, “Think, Avery. Your nightmares aren’t dreams, they’re memories. There’s a reason that your favorite color is blue too because it used to be purple.” Did I once like purple?
I crack open the closet door, “If you know so much about me, what song did Mom sing?” I have never sung it out loud or
told anyone, not even Tim, who at the time I considered my best friend. Suddenly in my head, the voice began to sing,
“Hidden among the thorns there’s a beauty few can see. She lays in wait, sleeping, dormant until light reveals something
new.” I found myself walking to my bed and sitting beside the dragon who was singing my mother’s song in my head.
Tears began to fall as I began to remember it all. I reached over and started petting the dragon between her horns. To my
surprise, her skin was as soft as a kitten’s fur. I hummed and sang with her, “In a land that time forgot, our hope has
blossomed anew. Rise, rise our warrior queen.”
I looked down at the dragon who was silently sobbing as she rested her head in my lap. I stroked her head above her
eyes as my mother did me when I was upset. She looked up at me with her said glowing blue eyes. I saw the specks of
colors begin to glow as I heard her voice in my head, “Avery, I am so so sorry. I did everything I could to save us all.” I
asked her to clarify and she explained, “I am Regina. I am your dragon. We were born as one. I have longed to speak to
you for so long, but the night that our parents were slaughtered took most of my magic. I was barely able to keep that
swarm from killing us too. Think back to the guards that found us, how they looked and smelled, and their insignias.”
I stop petting her to think. I was only able to remember bits of that night, but more has been revealed when I dream. Will
I remember everything? Regina muzzles me, “In time, we will remember it all. I am stronger now and I will never fail you
again, Avery. I love you. You are my twin flame and I will die before anyone snuffs it out!” She raised my arm up so that I
could wrap it around her neck, hugging her. “Avery, every time you were hurt I used bits of my flame to heal you. It kept me weakened for so long. I wanted to show you who I was and our connection but dragons kept making you afraid. Fear
is one of the most powerful forces, but so is love. Love is what restored my strength and will further strengthen our bond.
Avery, I don’t know our future but we are meant to be where we are now. I think the songs that our mother sang to us were predictions. We need to remember them.”
She might be right. We have so much to learn about everything. There’s a knock on my doorframe. I look over and The
Trio are standing there with their eyes closed. Conner asks, “Avery, is everything okay? We heard crying and singing.”
I leaned down and kissed Regina between her eyes. “Guy