Burning Hope

Chapter 5: The Modern Sleeping Beauty, Scarlett Kaida

I woke up to the warm feeling of many fuzzy blankets surrounding my body in an artificial cocoon and early morning rays of sunlight kissing my skin. My eyes slowly opened, and once they adjusted, I realized that I wasn't in my own room like I should be. It was a bit bigger, and I was sleeping on the bottom mattress of a bunk bed. How had I gotten here, where even is here, and why did I have such an awful migraine?

Oh, right...that thing.

I groaned and laid back. Either someone had slipped some sort of hallucinogen into something I ate, or everything I thought about the world had been totally wrong. And since I was in a different room, whatever happened last night had probably been as real as communism. I reached up to rub my eyes only to feel a piece of cloth around the left side. Now any doubt I had was gone. Last night happened. Which also meant...

"You're awake."

I turned my head to see Keighlyn sitting on a chair next to my bedside with Luke standing a foot or two behind her. They were out of their school uniforms and had changed into more comfortable clothing. Keighlyn was donned in a black windbreaker and blue jeans, her hair up in a ponytail. Luke was wearing a green hoodie with a Dewshine (The orig Dew) logo and light grey sweatpants. I looked at the two of them suspiciously.

"How long have I been here if you two had time to change?" I mumbled to myself.

"Oh, don't worry. You've only been out for about a day and a half, and I tended to your wounds and such while you were unconscious." Keighlyn tried to assure me. "Also, be careful not to use all your energy at once like you did last night. It takes a lot on your body, especially when you're half human."

I nodded, pretending I knew what she meant by the last part. "Last night...what the heck was that? The fire, the sword, Cutter, or Mortulus, I guess...Why and how?"

"Let's keep it simple." Luke started, crossing his arms. "Basically, you're a Scale Child—or half-human-half-dragon—and the princess of some country in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean called Sciana that is entirely inhabited by dragons that nobody knows exists."

"Luke..." Keighlyn groaned. "You call that simple?"

"It's the simple truth." Luke argued.

I looked at them. "So that stuff that Mortulus said about my dad...it's all true? My dad's really a four-legged reptile with wings and horns and breaths fire and whatnot?"

Keighlyn nodded. "Yep. My mom is as well. And so is Luke's mom and Talia's dad."

"How does that even work?" I asked. "That defies all laws of biology!"

"Dragons can change forms between their beast form—which is the one you're thinking of right now—and a human form." Luke explained. "Basically, they come to the human world sometimes and fall in love with humans, do whatever it is lovers do, have a kid, and then whatever the heck we are come into existence. But you'll learn more about how that works later."

I nodded. "I...guess that makes sense. I think" I added under my breath.

"Dragons make excellent parents." Keighlyn added. "They're biologically hardwired to care for their children until they know that they're ready to take care of themselves, which is why almost always a Scale Child is raised by their dragon parent. Your dad was a pretty good example of that."

I looked at Keighlyn. "What do you mean by that?"

"King Ignacius absolutely adored you." Keighlyn clarified.

Luke scoffed. "I can hear the old fart now. 'Look at my Scarlett! My eternally flickering flame of justice and beauty! My Scarlett is the miracle of life itself! Lucian, wouldn't you love to marry a girl as beautiful as she? Don't you think whoever marries her will be so lucky? My little red flame dragon will be such an amazing King one day!'"