Chapter 6
Chapter Six
A heavy silence pressed around Phoenix as she followed the massive black dragon through the sky. The other dragons formed a protective circle around her, their powerful wings stirring the air in steady, measured beats.
Phoenix’s gaze shifted downward, her breath catching.
Below them sprawled the legendary Isle of the Dragons.
Dense, wild forests blanketed the land, their emerald canopy broken by jagged cliffs that plunged into the restless sea.
Rivers glittered like silver threads, and far above it all, nestled into the cliffs like a jewel, stood a sprawling stone castle crowned with towering spires.
The closer they flew, the more the very air shimmered—alive with ancient power, raw and unyielding. It prickled over her scales, making her shiver.
So this is the Isle of the Dragons, she thought, heart hammering. It feels like stepping into one of the fairytale books mom used to read to us.
Even though these were dragon shifters like her, it felt… different. There was an undeniable magic here, old and untamed.
The massive black dragon angled downward, his voice rumbling through the air like thunder. “Land behind me.”
Phoenix tucked her wings and followed, heart in her throat.
She flared them at the last second, talons scraping against the stone as she landed on a wide platform jutting out over the cliffs.
The sea roared far below, spray misting the air from the crashing waves.
The circle of dragons surrounding her shifted their eyes toward her, silent and watchful.
The black dragon shifted first, shadow and bone folding inward until a tall male stood before her, dressed in dark armor etched with glowing ancient runes.
Midnight-black hair fell past his shoulders, framing a face carved from stone.
But it was his eyes—piercing sapphire with golden flecks—that stole her breath.
Power radiated off him in waves, coiling in the air like smoke.
“I am Drago,” he rumbled. “King of the Isle of the Dragons. Who are you—and where did you come from?”
Phoenix’s dragon huffed in her head, Oh great. Intimidate the poor visitor, why don’t you?
With a flash of searing orange and red, Phoenix shifted, the flames dancing along her skin like playful spirits before dying down. She silently groaned at her dragon’s flamboyant display.
Really? Did you have to show off? What part of blending in did you miss? she growled silently at her dragon, who snickered at her irritation.
Shoving her hands deep into her hoodie pockets, she gave Drago a crooked, uneasy smile. “Hi. I’m—uh—Phoenix. Phoenix Reykill… from… Valdier.” She winced at the squeak in her voice.
Drago’s gaze narrowed, and his sapphire eyes gleamed with amusement. “Phoenix— Something tells me you are not supposed to be here.”
“Y-Yeah. Yes, sir. About that….” she muttered, toeing the ground as her voice faded on a guilty note.
Laughter snickered from the two soldiers flanking Drago. Phoenix’s face burned, but the sound cut off sharply when Drago growled low in warning.
“Come,” he ordered. “This might best be discussed in private.”
With that, he turned and strode toward the massive gates carved directly into the cliff side. The dragons shifted back into human form, falling in behind them.
Phoenix trailed close behind, wide-eyed as they passed through the towering gates. The stone walls loomed around her, every inch carved with intricate runes and reliefs of dragons soaring through the skies, breathing fire, fighting great beasts.
Beyond the gates, the world opened up—and her breath caught.
The marketplace bustled with life. Stone streets wound through a sea of colorful tents and wooden stalls.
Merchants called out, hawking wares—gleaming weapons, bright fabrics, baskets overflowing with fruit that smelled like honey and spice.
The air thrummed with the roar of forges, the hiss of fire, the sound of music, and the laughter of children weaving between towering dragon shifters.
Everywhere, dragons in human and beast form mingled—scales glinting in sunlight, varying shades of colorful eyes glowing. The air shimmered faintly with magic, thick enough Phoenix swore she could taste it—smoky, metallic, and sweet.
Before they could reach the castle steps, three small dragons shot out of the sky like comets, scales flashing in the sun. The two boys landed first, shifting mid-air and tumbling into human form—barefoot, wild-haired, laughing.
“Dad! Did you see the fire dragon?!” the tallest boy—Drago Jr., DJ—blurted, his sapphire eyes wide, nearly the spitting image of his father.
“Yeah!” his younger brother, Stone, added, tugging on Drago’s sleeve. “It was awesome! Its body was on fire! I want to light my wings and tail on fire!”
“Absolutely not!” Drago growled, scowling down at the younger boy. “Don’t even think about it, Stone. Your mother would roast my—never mind. Your wings and tail aren’t made for fire.”
“Aw, Dad. You take the fun out of everything,” Stone grumbled, kicking at a loose stone.
Phoenix bit her lip with amusement, and Drago knelt in front of the boy and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You can do a lot of things, son, but lighting your wings and tail on fire are not one of them.”
“Yeah, Stone. We already tried that, remember? All it did was catch the curtains on fire and mom got mad at us,” the other boy said.
“When did that happen?” Drago demanded, glaring at his oldest son.
Phoenix grinned despite herself. Her heart clenched at the boys’ exuberance. The boys reminded her so much of Zohar, Roam, Balint, and Jabir—rambunctious, brave, and fearless.
Before Drago could reply, a third dragon landed with a soft thud.
A little girl, no older than five, with long dark hair streaked in copper and gold and wide golden eyes that glowed with curiosity, hurried over to Phoenix.
She skipped over, ignoring everyone else, and cupped her small hands around her mouth as she leaned forward and whispered in a loud voice, “Are you the fire dragon?”
Phoenix crouched, giving her a crooked grin. “I might be. My name’s Phoenix.”
The girl’s eyes rounded with delight. “Like the bird that goes poof? I think Auntie Nali has some of those. They aren’t like the Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds just make our hair stand up.”
“Sort of, only I don’t go completely poof.” Phoenix winked.
“Roo, come here,” Drago growled, but the little girl ignored him.
“She’s my bestest new friend, Daddy!” Roo declared, spinning and wrapping her arms around Phoenix’s waist. “She’s like Auntie Nali’s poofy birds, only better.”
Drago sighed, running a hand over his face. The mighty King of Dragons, undone by a daughter’s pleading eyes. “Roo…”
“Please, Daddy. She’s mine ‘cause I touched her first.” Roo stuck out her tongue at her brothers when they grumbled that it wasn’t fair that Roo got to keep the fire dragon.
“We landed first, didn’t we, DJ?” Stone argued.
“Yeah, just cause we didn’t touch her doesn’t mean you get to keep her,” DJ growled.
“I could share— for the low price of a gold coin,” Roo added, a sly grin appearing on her rosy lips.
Stone’s jaw dropped. “That’s not fair!”
“That’s robbery! Dad—” DJ growled, glaring at his little sister.
“Fair’s got nothing to do with it. It’s business. Isn’t that right, Daddy?” Roo huffed, lifting her chin.
Theron, Drago’s second-in-command, snorted with laughter. “Careful, Drago. At this rate, Roo’s hoard will rival yours.”
Drago shot him a dry look. “Don’t remind me.”
Phoenix giggled at the little girl’s calculating expression. Amber and Jade would totally love Roo. The memory of where she was, what she had done, and her fear for her friends turned her giggle to a choked cry of distress.
She looked up at Drago, a silent plea in her eyes for help. He returned her gaze before he looked down at his three children who were bickering with each other about the price of spending time with their newest ‘discovery’.
“Let’s take this somewhere less public,” he suggested.
Phoenix nodded and bit her lip. Roo slipped her hand into hers and gripped it tightly as they moved through the main plaza, climbing wide cobbled streets carved with golden veins. Phoenix frantically tried to keep up with the rapid-fire questions the kids were asking her.
“Does it hurt when your wings catch fire?” Stone asked.
“Can you really turn into a bird and burst into flames?” DJ inquired.
“How did you get your wings and tail to change like that?” Stone asked, pushing against his older brother to walk beside her.
“No, it doesn’t hurt when my wings and tail are on fire. I don’t burst into flames—well, not like the bird phoenix does. I was born this way. I don’t know why I’m different. Spring, my twin sister, and my friends who are dragon shifters have wings like yours,” Phoenix explained.
“You mean there are more of you? Here? Where are they? Can we meet them? If we do, I claim them too,” Roo asked in an excited voice.
Phoenix hesitated, staying silent when Drago looked over his shoulder. She wasn’t sure how much she should share—yet.
Roo and her brothers began arguing again about whether Roo could claim the other dragonlings if they showed up. Phoenix fingered the hem of her shirt. She missed them.
With a sigh, she focused on where she was going. The streets climbed higher, offering glimpses of the ocean far below. Stone bridges arched over waterfalls, market stalls gave way to lush gardens blooming with impossible flowers—ruby red, sapphire blue, petals glittering like gemstones.
The castle loomed ahead, carved into the very mountain. Spires reached for the sky, windows glowing with warm golden light.
It really does look like a fairytale castle from the picture books mom read to us, she thought with more than a touch of awe.
“Welcome to the Isle of the Dragons,” Drago said softly, as if sensing her wonder. “Let’s see what fate has in store for you… Phoenix Reykill.”