by Unknown
To prove her point, she copied Evelyn's spell and captured her in a force field. Evelyn cried out and tried to break through it with no luck.
Solana chuckled. At her full strength, holding Evelyn was effortless. She did not even have to focus on the spell. It maintained itself. In the meantime, Solana looked down at her hand and opened and closed them, getting used to her full powers.
“Slave!” Evelyn screamed at Kuri. “What are you waiting for?! Attack!”
Kuri roared, but a simple glance from Solana silenced her. She grumbled, but took a seat, knowing from the overwhelming aura that it was not a fight she could win. She chuckled and looked back at Evelyn. “I could get used to that.”
Evelyn looked floored. Solana smirked and decided to enlighten her. “You didn't really believe a dragon would be foolish enough to attack her princess, right? I'm at full strength. Even your magic can't hide my aura. Now, sit tight. I'll deal with you in a second.”
She returned to her hands and opened and closed them once more. “Alright,” she finally said. “I've got it.”
With a flick of a hand, she lifted the broken pieces of the orb into the air. Once she was confident she had all the pieces, she used magic to sort through them and puzzle them together. She spoke to Evelyn as she worked. "I'm sorry," she mumbled absently. "I'm really sorry, Evelyn. I did ruin your life by being the child of prophecy—I took a lot from you just by being born. I'm so sorry about that. I'm sorry it didn't work out with Rexajon. I'm sorry you lost your son. I'm sorry my father ever made that offer and that stupid prophesy was ever written."
Evelyn roared in frustration. She did not want Solana's apology tour—she wanted revenge! Again, she tried to break the magical chains, but her efforts were fruitless. “You just got lucky! I don't need your sympathy!” she screamed. “You're not better than me. You're nothing without your stupid prophecy! Nothing!”
Solana continued her speech as though she did not hear Evelyn at all. "But do you want to know something? I don't care about any attention. I didn't fight to win Rexajon from you or whatever twisted lie you told yourself over the last fourteen years. I don't fight in the name of some prophecy. I am the Hope of Wizteria. I fight for my family. I fight for my kingdom. And that is why you were always doomed to lose. Not because of some prophecy—because of me.”
Solana finally looked in Evelyn's direction. “I felt sorry for you. I did. I know you've been hurt. I know you felt like you lost everything. I know you spent fourteen years stewing in your own hate. But, you've hurt so many people, Evelyn. There's no coming back from that. You hurt Kuri, which is terrible. You hurt Rexajon, which is unforgivable. I don't have to carry the blame for that. You do.
You've ruined countless lives with your magic. That's why I'll be taking it.”
With another flick of her hand, a stream of purple slowly floated away from Evelyn's body. “This is how you bested Kuri, isn't it?” Solana asked. “It took me a while, but it's a modified Miranasian spell meant to drain someone of their magic. It was impressive. It takes a powerful sorceress to modify a Miranasian spell. Well, that or a powerful dragon. I hope you don't mind. I modified it again. You see, I have no
use for your powers. All I know is that you can't be trusted with them."
She looked at the broken orb. Evelyn's magic began to pour inside of it. “And that there's plenty of people here on Earth can.”
Once the orb had enough magic to hold it together, it flashed brightly and return to its normal spherical shape. The forest immediately reacted. The trees regained their color. The noise of the forest returned.
Solana smiled softly as her work. “And now the finishing touch,” she said. She reached out and gave it a small touch.
The orb flashed again and sent a pulse throughout the world. With it, it released Evelyn from her magical prison. She collapsed onto the ground, now weak and powerless.
The pulse broke the spell on Kuri, as well. The purple faded out of her eyes and returned to their normal brown. She transformed back into her human state, let out a groan, and collapsed.
Solana sighed and her body's soft orange glow faded away.
Now that the danger passed, she could focus on her fallen friend. She turned and rushed to Kuri's side. She set her up in her arms. "Kuri," she whispered as she tried to shake her awake. "Kuri, can you hear me? I need you to wake up and tell me you're okay."
Kuri stirred and let out a little groan. Her eyes opened a little. "Sol...ana...?"
Solana felt tears well up in her eyes. Good enough! She sobbed and hugged Kuri tightly, happy to have her wonderful caretaker back at her side. “I missed you so much!”
Kuri found her energy and hugged Solana back. “I missed you too?” Kuri said with a small laugh, trying to figure out what happened. Where were they? She looked around for any clues. When her eyes settled on Evelyn's unconscious form, she put two and two together and immediately understood.
She did not remember much, but she knew enough. She hugged Solana even tighter. She whispered,
“I'm so proud of you.”
Solana smiled warmly, burying her face into Kuri's shirt. “I never could have done it without you,”
she whispered.
Chapter Fourteen
Solana did not know the most satisfying part of that evening. It was a three-way tie between getting her full powers, having dinner with Kuri and Rexajon for the first time in too long, and watching Evelyn get arrested for international terrorism on television. Solana smirked. At least she really had something to blame on Solana now.
Kuri broke Solana's train of thought by placing a plate of spaghetti in front of her. She gave a cordial smile and gave her young charge another hug. “Eat up, little one.”
Solana looked at her, then Rexajon, who was already halfway through his plate. She smiled softly.
"It feels good to have dinner as a family again."
“And I'm excited for many more,” Kuri said happily as she took her seat and twisted her fork around in her pasta.
Solana's smile slowly faded. She and Rexajon exchanged looks, an action not missed by Kuri. She was always so good at picking up on things. She looked between the two of them. "Or not...?" she asked, hoping for an explanation from one of them.
“Actually,” Solana started solemnly. “It's time for me to get back to Wizteria. My people have been oppressed for fourteen years. They've waited long enough.”
Kuri looked at her with so many emotions on her face. Disbelief. Happiness. Amazement. Pride.
Most of all, she was astonished by how much Solana matured in the few days she was gone. “You've grown up right before my eyes, haven't you?”
Solana chuckled and shrugged. She half-joked, “Well, I was in a time bubble for two years.”
Kuri nodded, processing the new information. “Alright,” she said. “I'm ready. We'll just have dinner in Wizteria. The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
"Actually," Rexajon said with a sheepish smile because he knew he was throwing a monkey wrench
into Kuri's plans again. "I could use some help with the school here on Earth."
Kuri frowned. “School?”
“A lot of humans received magical abilities when we cultivated the magical poles,” he explained. “I want to help them get used to their new powers by opening a school where they can hone their abilities. Their first mission will be to repair all the damage Evelyn caused.”
“We were thinking this house would be a great location,” Solana added. “Since it doesn't have to be a safe house anymore.”
It took Kuri a second to process all the news. She placed her elbows on the table and rested her head in her hands. She looked at both of them with sad eyes. “So this is it? This is our last dinner together?”
Solana offered a small smile. “For now,” she admitted. “But we'll have a feast together once the war is won in Wizteria. I promise.”
Kuri gave a bittersweet smile. “I'm holding you to that, little one
.” “I wouldn't have it any other way.”
And so, they ate together in silence, relishing this time together and etching every moment into their memory.
* * *
By the next day, it was time. “Solana!” Kuri called from the foyer. “You have one minute or I'm closing this portal up and throwing away the key!”
“Coming!” Solana called back to her. She hurriedly tossed the last of her things into her suitcase and zipped it up. She grunted as she threw it over her shoulder.
She paused and looked around the room she called home for the last fourteen years. She would miss this place.
She did not remember much about her life in Wizteria, but she distinctly remembered the feeling of leaving it that day. She remembered how badly she wanted to stay. She remembered crying as Kuri
carried her through the portal to Earth.
She remembered because she felt the same way now about the planet she made home. She sniffled.
She would miss Earth. She would miss her room. She would miss her school. She would miss Kuri and Rexajon terribly.
“I know this must be done. For Wizteria.”
She nodded. What she told Kuri at age two still rang true now. This must be done. For Wizteria.
“Thirty seconds!” Kuri called.
Solana rubbed away a lone tear that managed to escape, then yelled back, “Coming!” for the second time.
She left her room and rushed downstairs to see a wide portal waiting for her in the foyer. Rexajon used his magic to maintain its size. She pushed her suitcase through it, then turned to look at Kuri.
Kuri smiled at her warmly. “I am so proud of you, Princess Solana of Wizteria.”
Solana hugged her tightly. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For everything. I love you, Kuri.”
“I love you, too, sweet girl,” Kuri whispered back. Kuri pulled away from her and wiped away a tear that decided to form. “Never forget who you are.”
“The Wizertian Sun Rose of Grace. The Hope of Wizteria.” Kuri shook her head. “My sweet, spirited, smart little Solana.” Solana smiled again. “I'll never forget,” she promised.
She turned her head and looked at Rexajon. She walked to him and her smile turned bittersweet.
“You still owe me a race.”
He chuckled. “I bet you're still slow.”
Solana smirked. “I bet you'll eat my dust.”
“I bet you'll eat those words.”
They gave small, forced laughs, trying not to get too sentimental. It did not work. Rexajon's smile faded first. “Just say the word, and I'll come running, Princess,” he said seriously.
“I know,” Solana replied. “But your place isn't with me. It's here, writing your own prophecy. And I
know you'll do a wonderful job.”
Rexajon sighed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Don't forget to visit every so often. The Spring Fling is coming up.”
“It's a date,” she agreed. “Hawaii, too. You promised. Don't forget.”
“And you don't forget your spells.”
“I won't,” she promised.
“And don't forget your hand motions. Those are important for ancient Wizterian spells.”
“I know.”
“And don't forget Wizterian winters are harsh. Bundle up.”
Solana deadpanned. “And we're done here.”
“And don't teleport unless you've been somewhere before! Miranasian spells are too hard on the body!”
Solana rolled her eyes. “Goodbye, fun killer,” she said with a wave. She hurriedly stepped through the portal to escape Rexajon's lectures.
There was a flash.
When Solana opened her eyes again, she knew she was not in her house anymore. She was outside.
She looked around. The portal landed her exactly where she left fourteen years ago.
She could see everything. The large palace she used to call home in the very center of the kingdom, to the little village outskirts where her sister, Lunaria, use to sneak to when she wanted to play with children that lived too far from the castle to realize her lineage.
The kingdom was duller than she remembered. The sky was dreary. The buildings looked run down and dirty. A flag she did not recognize decorated the sides of the palace.
All at the same time, it was everything she remembered and completely unrecognizable.
It was her job to fix that.
She was Princess Solana. The youngest daughter of King Rulland the First, the Dragon King and
Queen Stellaria, the Sun Goddess. The Sun Dragon of the Dragon Union. The Wizterian Sun Rose of Grace. The Hope of Wizteria.
And she was back.
She transformed into her dragon form and radiated with power. She flew into the air where she knew all could see her and let out the loudest roar she could produce.
The roar resounded throughout the entire kingdom, letting every dragon and every enemy know: the war was about to begin.
*END*
Enjoy next book the Dragon Chronicles Series:
The Dragon Chroncles: Lunaria
A kingdom of dragons overrun by tyrants that seek to enslave them. Only the fated Champion can save
her people from certain destruction.
After the hostile takeover of her kingdom, Princess
Lunaria simply wanted to lay low and stay alive. Even
after she rescued a poor stranger from a group of rowdy
Titans, she planned to return to a life of hiding. But when her enemies identify her as the former princess and
demand she surrenders herself in exchange for the lives of
20 innocent dragons, she can stay hidden no longer.
Now exposed and thrust into her predestined role as
Champion of Wizteria, Lunaria only has on goal: getting her people to the point of peace and prosperity. The Titans won't let that happen without a war. Will Lunaria win freedom for her people, or will the dragons descend into oppression and slavery for all eternity?
Please enjoy this exclusive preview.
Prologue
“Princess Lunaria,” the cry for help seemed so distant, yet so close. “Please...!”
She could hear ringing in her right ear. She could felt blood trickling down her face. She could feel the pain that shot up her leg. She could see everything—the kingdom her father worked so hard to build—up in flames. Still, it all seemed surreal.
Was this real life? Was this what shock felt like?
It was a weird feeling. Lunaria wanted to cry, but could not bring herself to produce tears. She wanted to mourn the loss of her parents, but were they really gone? Sure, they turned to stone. They could not breathe or move or anything that anyone alive could do, but there was still a chance to save them from their untimely demise. They just needed to wait. The prophecy stated that in the end, the Dragons of Wizteria would win.
She narrowed her eyes. The prophecy. The prophecy. That prophecy was the reason Wizteria just accepted their defeat instead of fighting it like warriors. Relying on that prophecy got her parents turned to stone, her siblings scattered in the wind, and the pounding pain in her head that made it hard to concentrate on much of anything.
She hated that prophecy. She hated her parents for believing in that prophecy. Most of all, she hated herself for allowing them and that prophecy to lull her and the rest of the kingdom into a sense of complacency.
She groaned and looked back towards the palace. She should have been there. She should have put up more of a fight when her mother asked her to go to the outer ring and check on the people there.
Maybe if she were there instead of here, she could have done something. Anything.
She could see smoke billowing from Acion's wing. Enemy banners draped one by one on the windows of her former home. She could only hope her only brother was still alive. She could not return home to find out.
As for her other siblings, they were lucky. Despite Lunaria not knowing their exact location, she knew they were not her
e. Posimas was not even in the realm, serving her own mission for the sake of the kingdom. Baby Solana was evacuated the day before.
The ringing in her ear from the enemy's surprise bomb attacks soon wore off, leaving Lunaria with the deafening sounds of screams and wails instead.
She could do nothing to help them. She was too weak, too hurt. More importantly, she was a high profile target. If the enemy caught wind of her, they would kill her in an instant. She had to keep moving. She gripped her arms as though she was cold, barely holding herself together while she tried to find cover.
She heard marching from afar, and she knew that the enemy's army was patrolling the streets to strengthen their claim to her kingdom. Her heart raced. Suddenly, adrenaline kicked in, and she found the strength to run.
She ran to the closest houses, desperate for shelter but finding all doors locked. Just as quick as the adrenaline started, she could feel fatigue setting in. She felt dizzy from her head injury but kept moving.
She tried every door. “Please, please!” she hissed as she unsuccessful tried one knob after another.
She turned to see the army rolling down the corner. No! She could not die like this! She ran to the next door and tried to open it. Like the ones before it, it was locked. Unlike the ones before it, Lunaria was out of time.
She sobbed and banged on the door. “Please!” she cried. “Please let me in!” To her surprise, she jiggled the knob again, and it was loose. She swung the door open and rushed inside so quickly that she tripped and fell with a grunt.
She breathed heavily. Out of immediate danger, weariness and pain caught up with her, sending her into a new round of dizziness. She barely lifted her head to see the homeowner gently close the door again and lock it.
She could not make out any of her savior's features in her haze. She could only mumble a slurred thank you, then her head collapsed on the ground. Her eyes fluttered closed.
