by D J DuMont
Anjali stared back at her for a few moments, looking somewhat less than warm for the first time since Willow had met her. Willow squirmed under her gaze, and wished Anjali would hurry up and say whatever it was she had dragged Willow here to say.
“Do you find dragons funny, Willow?”
Willow looked down at her feet. She’d upset Anjali with her laughter, but what did the woman expect? Willow was fourteen years old. That was much too old to be playing at dragons. In truth, though, with every passing second Willow felt more and more like this place was not funny, but spooky. And besides, the more she played along with Anjali, the quicker she would be able to get out of here. So she looked up at the woman with a meek expression and shook her head.
“No. I don’t think they’re funny. I’m sorry. I’ve just had a long day.”
Anjali’s expression softened. “You’re right. You have. I forget how new this all is for you. When I discovered that dragons exist, it took me a while to accept as well.”
Willow coughed, trying to choke back the words of incredulity that were rising in her throat. Was this really happening, or had she been hit on the head harder than she thought?
“I…I’m sorry. I’m not following,” she finally managed to say.
Anjali leaned back in her chair, drumming her fingers together for a few moments as she tried to decide what to say. Anjali looked like she was about thirty-five or forty years old. Whatever her age, she seemed to have an important position at the school, judging from the size of this office. Unless the big office didn’t actually mean much. The school’s campus was huge, after all. It was entirely possible that there were enough giant offices for each staff member.
Anjali continued drumming her fingers together for what felt like an eternity, and Willow found herself squirming once again. But she forced herself to be quiet and wait for Anjali to speak. The woman seemed to be deep in thought, and Willow had been raised too politely to interrupt an adult who seemed to be thinking. After a long wait, Anjali finally leaned forward and smiled.
“You are the first student I’ve had in quite some time who didn’t know about the Dragon Heart Academy already, so you’ll have to forgive me if I’m a little uncertain of how to explain things to you.”
Despite her resolve to remain calm, Willow was losing patience. “Explain what? Could you please stop talking in riddles and spit out whatever it is you have to say so I can call my mom and go home?”
Anjali sighed, then smiled again. “Very well. I’ll spit it out. You see, Willow, this is no ordinary boarding school. Oh, we have an ordinary high school on campus, complete with all your usual classes like math and English and science. And we have a big sports program, too. But the school is all just a cover for a secret CIA training program known as the Dragon Heart Academy of Magic.”
Willow’s eyes widened. This was getting more ridiculous by the moment. Anjali ignored Willow’s doubtful expression, though, and continued.
“This will almost certainly come as a shock to you, but dragons and magic exist. Here at Birch Point Academy, we run a separate, secret school to train promising young Dragon Hearts to use magic and work with dragons. Once training is complete, our Dragon Hearts work with the CIA to protect the United States’ interests both at home and abroad.”
Willow blinked a few times, still not sure of what to say. Anjali was officially crazy. How had Willow ended up tangled up in this mess? And what the heck did Anjali mean when she referred to a “Dragon Heart?” As if Anjali could read Willow’s mind, she answered the question.
“A Dragon Heart is someone who possesses both the physical and emotional capabilities to work with dragons and magic. And you fit that description. We already knew that you have the physical capabilities to be a Dragon Heart, thanks to your father. But now we know you have the emotional capabilities, too. When we were attacked and you went back to save Sylvie, it showed that you have the strength and courage to do what’s right even in the face of mortal danger.”
For a moment, Willow was too surprised to consider the absurdity of the idea that dragons and magic existed. All she could think about was the fact that someone considered her courageous. No one had ever accused her of being brave before. No one except her father, but she figured that he had to tell her she was brave. That was probably part of the parental contract with the universe: you have to tell your daughter she’s brave, pretty, smart, and all those other elusive, desirable qualities. Not that her mother had ever felt any need to fulfill that parental contract. Even her own mother had never told her she was brave. Only her father.
It had almost been a joke among Willow’s friends back in D.C. that her father worked for the CIA while she herself was scared of every little thing. She couldn’t even stand up in front of her class to give a book report without her voice shaking. So where had the courage to run back toward an armed robbery scene come from? Willow had been so angry about finding out that the attack was fake that she hadn’t stopped to consider this question until now. But with Anjali sitting across from her, still drumming those long, slender fingers, Willow suddenly realized that she had risked her own life to save someone else’s. The realization left her more speechless than Anjali’s claim that dragons and magic existed.
Magic. A flood of memories came back to Willow as she rolled that word around in her mind. Her father had looked at her more times than she could count and told her that she had magic inside of her. She could almost see him now if she closed her eyes. His reddish brown hair, so thick and wavy just like hers, and the same deep blue eyes as hers looking back at her. His face would crinkle into a smile, and he’d squeeze her shoulder before saying. “You have magic inside you, Willow, and you can do anything. Don’t ever forget that.”
Willow’s eyes flew open and she gave Anjali a suspicious look. “Wait a minute. Assuming dragons and magic are real—which is a ridiculous assumption, but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt for one moment—what did you mean when you said you know I have the physical capabilities of a Dragon Heart because of my dad? How is my dad involved in all of this?”
Anjali stood. “I thought you’d never ask. Come on. I’ll show you.”
Anjali put her hand on her office wall, then again spoke some words Willow couldn’t understand. The bright ruby ring Anjali wore on her right hand started glowing, and then, the wall began to move. A hidden door creaked open, leading to a long, dark tunnel.
“Lux!” Anjali said in a loud voice. Willow jumped, startled as a flashlight beam suddenly shot out from Anjali’s ring. But Willow had no time to question what had happened, since Anjali began walking rapidly through the tunnel, and the secret door started creaking closed behind her. If Willow wanted to know what it was Anjali had to show her, she needed to follow now.
Taking a gulp of air, Willow slid into the tunnel moments before the door closed.
“Alright, Anjali. Let’s see what you’ve got up your sleeves.”
Chapter Four
The tunnel seemed to go on forever, and eventually came up into another building which Anjali said was in the middle of the forest, separate from the main campus of Birch Point Academy. Willow would have to take Anjali’s word for it, because there were no windows in the room they entered. The inside of the building itself looked completely different from the other Birch Point buildings, though. The room they had entered had a modern appearance, with sleek, steel furniture and several computers along three long tables. One of the walls was made up of a giant projector screen, and when Anjali went to one of the computers and fired it up, the projector screen came to life as well.
“Please, have a seat.”
Willow did as she was directed, sliding warily into one of the many seats along the table. The chair turned out to be surprisingly comfortable, and she settled in as Anjali brought up a movie.
“Now, watch and learn.”
Anjali sat down as fast-paced music filled the air, and a movie began playing, narrated by none other than Anjali herself. Wil
low resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Whatever this woman was playing at, she seemed to be the only one who believed in her magical dragons. Still, Willow wondered if there would be any kind of actual explanation for why Anjali had mentioned her father.
“Welcome to the CIA’s Dragon Heart Program. We’re glad you’re here!” Anjali’s voice boomed from the movie. Willow glanced over at the in-person version of Anjali, who was watching the movie version with a broad smile. Shaking her head at the absurdity of it all, Willow turned to look at the projector screen once more.
“Chances are, you have a lot of questions. That’s okay, because we have answers. First of all, you’re probably thinking that there’s no way dragons or magic exist, right?”
Willow bit her lip, waiting to see what came next. The movie cut away to a video of a dragon flying, with Anjali continuing to voice over the scene.
“This is no computer-generated image you’re seeing. This is a real dragon, being ridden by one of our Dragon Heart Agents.”
Willow squinted at the scene, and noticed that it did indeed appear that a man was riding on top of the dragon. He looked miniscule in comparison to the giant beast, but she managed to barely make out the human form. Still, none of this proved anything. Willow had seen all sorts of similar scenes in countless movies. Things like this were easy to fake these days.
The movie cut to a scene showing a man in a black uniform from behind. The man raised his hands and said something in the same strange language which Anjali always used, and then the door in front of him burst open with a loud explosion. That’s when Willow noticed that the man wore a ring similar to the one Anjali wore, and his ring was also glowing.
“You’ve just witnessed one of our Dragon Heart Agents in action,” the movie narration continued. “He flew in to a mission location on his dragon, and then used his magical abilities to decimate the thick, alarmed door in his way. Did you notice his ring? That’s his magic ring. These days, wizards use magic rings instead of wands to cast spells. The ring uses the same general principle as a wand: it focuses the wizard’s magical abilities when he casts a spell, making what would otherwise be a weak magical pulse into a strong current of magical energy.”
Willow glanced over at Anjali, wondering if she was actually expecting Willow to believe all of this. Anjali was still staring straight ahead at the projector screen, so Willow turned her attention back to the movie with a sigh. The movie was cutting away to a new scene now, where several scientists in pristine white lab coats appeared to be working in a laboratory.
“You’re probably questioning right now how anyone could believe that magic actually exists. The answer lies in the most magical subject of all: science. Here, you can see several of our top CIA scientists at work in our Dragon Heart lab. These scientists have isolated a virus that makes humans very sick, but, strangely, leaves some survivors with the ability to perform magical feats. These magical abilities were almost lost to history before our hardworking CIA agents in the field discovered the existence of dragons in deserted areas of Alaska. They also discovered corpses infected with the virus in some of the dragons’ caves. That was fifty years ago, and since then, researchers have learned much about the Dragon Heart Virus, as it has come to be called.”
Willow felt like she was watching some sort of strange science fiction movie, and she was beginning to wonder if this was also some sort of strange hazing procedure, like the fake attack might have been. Was Anjali going to laugh at her at the end of all of this, and tell her she couldn’t believe Willow had sat through a whole presentation on magic and dragons?
But when Willow looked at Anjali again, she didn’t see any hint of joking in her face. Willow shook her head at the strangeness of it all, and then turned her attention to the screen again. Now, a chaotic battle scene with a dragon was playing out. The narration continued.
“Scientists are now able to determine from blood samples whether someone is a carrier of what we call ‘the Dragon Heart gene.’ This rare gene, which occurs in less than one percent of the entire population, is what causes the Dragon Heart Virus to turn survivors of the virus into modern day wizards. In addition to being capable of magic, these wizards are accepted by the dragons. Dragons listen to and work with Dragon Hearts, and some of our most powerful secret weapons in the United States today are Dragon Heart Agents teamed up with dragons.”
The movie cut back to Anjali, who was now standing somewhere on the grounds of Birch Point Academy. The main school campus was in the background, and the film had clearly been made in winter, since snow was everywhere.
“The fact that you’re seeing this film means the CIA has determined that you, yes you, possess the Dragon Heart gene. Birch Point Academy is one of only two training facilities where Dragon Heart Agents are trained. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to voluntarily undergo infection with the Dragon Heart Virus. Once you have recovered from the virus, you will begin an intensive training program which will last four years and will teach you how to use your amazing new magical abilities. You will be issued a magic ring, and you will receive a salary for the time you spend in training. The best perk of the job, however, comes near the end of your first year of training. At that point, you will be paired with a dragon, and will learn to work with that dragon to complete missions of great importance to the United States Government.”
Willow stifled a laugh. How long was this movie going to keep the joke going? Anjali couldn’t possibly expect Willow to believe this fantastical crap, could she? But before Willow could once again turn to Anjali, the movie cut to a new scene—one that made Willow’s jaw drop and her heart twist up in her chest.
There on the giant projector screen, appearing so much larger than life, was her father. He was wearing the black Dragon Heart Agent uniform like the one Willow had seen on the film a few moments earlier, and she could see a dark ruby ring on his hand.
“What the…?” she whispered, not sure what else to say. The sight of him was almost too much for her to bear. She felt tears springing to her eyes. Despite her best efforts to hold them back, they spilled over like hot rivers on her cheeks when her father started speaking. It had been so long since she’d heard his voice. She still had voicemails from him on her phone, but she couldn’t bear to listen to them.
“Hello, I’m Sigmund Ember. For the last thirty years, it has been my honor to work as a Dragon Heart Agent for the CIA. I have traveled the world, often on a dragon’s back, and used my magical abilities to save thousands of lives, including the lives of many of our top government officials. The path of a Dragon Heart Agent is not an easy one, but it is a rewarding one. You are about to embark on a grand adventure, one that will change your life forever. I am sure you must have questions, and the agent who showed you this video will be able to answer them. In the meantime, just know that joining our forces is the best decision you will ever make. There is no life as fulfilling as that of a Dragon Heart Agent. Always remember, you have magic inside of you, and you can do anything.”
The movie ended abruptly, but Willow did not move. She sat, frozen, staring at the now black screen and trying to stop the rivers of tears that still trickled down her face. Her whole body felt numb and cold. The shock of seeing her father smiling down at her from such a large screen as though it were just any other day—as though he hadn’t been missing for a year and a half—was too much. She tried to hold back the sobs, but they overcame her. She wasn’t sure how long she cried, but by the time she managed to stop, her eyes were so puffy that they had nearly swollen shut.
Anjali had not moved or spoken, and Willow looked at her in anger now.
“How could you do this? I don’t know what kind of sick joke you think you’re playing, but it isn’t funny that my father is missing and probably dead. I don’t know how you got footage of him saying all those ridiculous things, but I’m not buying your lies. I want to call my mother and go home, now!”
Anjali stood and walked to the front of the room, where
she fiddled around in a shiny steel cabinet for a moment. When she came back, she was holding a small leather messenger bag, which she placed on the table in front of Willow.
“You can’t call your mom. Not yet.”
“But you promised—”
“I know. Hear me out for just a moment, though. Before I let you leave this building, you either have to agree to become a Dragon Heart Agent, or I have to wipe your memory.”
Willow felt her cheeks growing hot. “Wipe my memory? You can’t do that! What kind of place is this? I want to call my mom right now!”
“Listen, Willow. This is a CIA program. I know you don’t exactly believe me right now, but the Dragon Heart Virus is a real thing. We have actual agents defending our nation with dragons and magic. It is a top secret program, though. Once I present it to someone, I am authorized to wipe their memory if they don’t agree to participate in the program. That’s not a threat, okay? It’s just a reality.”
Willow looked up at Anjali, still fuming. “You’re making all of this up. There’s no way my dad would have participated in this without telling me!”
Anjali sighed. “We are not allowed to speak with anyone outside of the program about what we do. It has the highest possible security classifications. But if you stop and think about it, your dad did tell you about the program. Didn’t he ever tell you that you have magic inside of you?”
Willow’s heart started pounding in her chest. Again, memories of her father’s words came back to her. But…no…it couldn’t be. This was all too absurd. Her father as a wizard, riding around on dragons? She looked up at Anjali, unsure of what to say. Anjali smiled calmly at her, then set the leather messenger bag in front of her.
