I was gone before Colin even finished reading the note. My wings grew and my skin hardened the same way it did every single time I transformed. Only this time, I was going without a rider. I took off at full speed.

Colin called my name as loud as he could. Screaming to get back there this instant. I couldn't’ though. I wouldn’t risk his life too.

The garage door at the top of the colony opened wide enough for me to fly through. I could hear Colin pitching a fit that the gate manager opened it for me even though I didn’t have a rider. The downdrafts hit me harder than I expected once I was outside. It took everything I had to stay in the air.

I stayed low to the trees of the forest around the colony. I couldn’t seem to focus on one particular thing. My mind raced, but about nothing in particular. I thought about everything, and nothing, all at the same time.

Her smile. Her beautiful lavender skin. Her big blue eyes. How could she be dead? How could someone take her out of this world?

I blocked out those thoughts. There was no room for error right now. I had to stay focused on the important things. Carmen. Carmen was in Charliegn House and I am going to help her. I was going to help Mia too.

In this moment, I was glad dragons couldn’t cry. It made me want to become a dragon forever so that I could fly away from all the problems being a human brought.

The flight seemed short when left alone with only my thoughts. I spotted what resembled an older, more rundown version of The Charliegn House. The photograph Alalai showed me was of a time when the house must have still been maintained. The house before me was a mess.

Moss and vines took it as a personal challenge that the building was still standing. They snaked their way up the walls and through broken windows. The house was once a pretty tan and oak brown, but had since been covered over by graffiti tags and personal murals. Most were Anti-sup tags.

I landed in the tree’s beyond the house. It was a touch and go with a bit of stumbling. The Charliegn House seemed to reside in the most remote area of the countryside. The house could only be seen from above because it was the only thing the woods couldn’t swallow whole.

As I changed back to my human form, I started to worry. Was leaving Colin and Alalai alone the best thing? I know I shouldn’t have. I knew that it wasn’t safe. But Mia… she died because I got her involved. I can’t have that happen again. What if I brought Colin and Alalai here and they get hurt, or killed? It was best that I came here alone.

I stood behind a tree and peered in at the tall house. The marble pillars were stained yellow from neglect and the stairs were cracked and broken. This is where the Zodiacs used to meet? It didn’t have much in the way of safety precautions like the new council house.

I pulled in invisibility potion out of my pocket and looked at it. The liquid swirled freely in the bottle. I wasn’t sure how to use a potion. Classes back in school always advised strongly against ever drinking a potion. I think that was human propaganda though. The “all witches shouldn’t be trusted” nonsense. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t hesitant to swallow the potion.

Ms. Agnes made this. She could never do anything sinister. So I downed the whole bottle. It occurred to me soon after that perhaps that wasn’t the best idea. What if I was only supposed to drink a little bit of it? How long does it last?

I stared at my hands as they began to fade from the visible spectrum. I was honestly surprised it was really working.

Now entirely invisible, I headed toward the entrance of the house. I walked up the marble stairs and stared wide eyed at the large oak doors that were overgrown with weeds. What was waiting on the other side of those doors?

More warlocks? My mind wandered back to Mia. Mia was killed by warlocks. Just like the warlocks passed this door. My anger broiled just below my skin.

The door creaked open and I couldn’t see my hand as I pushed it inwards. Invisibility even made me invisible to my own eyes. The house was covered in long dusted cobwebs. Bugs skittered out of sight when the light flooded the room.

I looked around as I stepped into the main room. Old couches were covered in white sheets, and the distinct sound of bat’s screeching could be heard throughout the manor. The wood was old and cracked just like the marble flooring I stood on.

Voices came from the room to the left, so I crept over.

“Master… is this such a good idea? Perhaps freeing Algor in this world… would not be in everyone’s best interest.” A small voice squeaked. I pressed my invisible ear against the large oak doors. Another voice chuckled from just beyond the door.

“Never question our leader, Hons. We shall keep the troll until the war between the witches and warlocks begins.” A deep voice rolled over me in waves. I have never felt so much fear in my life. His voice held authority I could only dream of. This wasn’t some warlock putting off that intense feeling.

It was like magic stomping my head into the ground.

“We need that Reeve. And once we get it, there will be no stopping us.” The deep voice said again.

I could hear sniffing from the other side of the door. I backed away slowly. I was invisible. They couldn’t see me no matter how good their sense of smell was. But that didn’t change the fact that his voice alone was enough to send shivers down my spine.

“It appears we have company, Hons.” The voice rumbled loudly. It mocked welcoming and kind tones. I backed away faster. The impulse to change was rising as my heart started to beat faster.

“Yes, Master. I smell him too. A dragon, I’d say.” The other voice slithered. The voice seemed to creep up the back of my neck like a snake.

I could feel my instincts kicking in. The flight or fight mode switching on. Every bone in my body was screaming flight, but my brain was kicking to a different tune. I felt myself begin to change. First my wings, then my claws. Then my ears grew long and my teeth sharpened.

I might have been invisible but that didn’t stop me from becoming a dragon.

“What guest has graced us with their presence?” The deep voice slithered out. It inched closer and closer to the door. How did they know I was there? I took a deep breath in. I can’t smell them!

I kept silent, even as I retreated in my dragon form. I knew that I should be able to smell everyone in the vicinity but I was too nervous. The only thing I could clearly smell was my nervous sweating. Gross.

“I like the silent type.” The creature opened the door.

I stared at it. It was a dragon. He had long black scales and horns jutted out from behind his ears. His eyes were red and the scruff under his chin was a deep purple. I gasped out a breath. I didn’t know there were black dragons… I didn’t even know that some dragons had horns like that.

“My dear friend… It is not kind to play coy.” The dragon slithered out with its snake tongue. Color me horrified.

He was headed right in my direction. It was as if the invisibility did nothing to stop them from sensing me. His sense of smell was so spot on that it would be impossible to trick. I dodged left when he suddenly charged at me.

“I may not be able to see you, little dragon, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know where you are.” The dragon’s head whipped around in my direction.

I was a Zodiac. I wasn’t supposed to be cowering in my boots at the sight of a slightly older dragon. He was just like any other dragon; I would be fine.

I steeled myself for his next charge. He glided over the couch toward me and I slugged him hard in the nose. His long snout bounced against my fist and he staggered back. Instead of cursing, or a clap of angry words, my punch is followed by laughter. The unsettling kind.

“You fight like a human,” He growled. I threw the next punch but he caught it mid-air. He saw it coming. He knew exactly what I would do, and when. I tried to pull away but his grip was iron. I threw another punch at him but he caught that one too.

I fight like a human? What was that supposed to mean? I opened my jaws and tried to exhale fire like I did against the warlocks.

Within seconds, My head was crushed into the ground and the fire I exhaled only barely touched the hard marble floors before pittering out.

Was this all I had? How was I supposed to protect anyone with this? Mia needed a Zodiac, and instead, all I could offer was some half-rate human who happened to take the shape of a dragon. I wasn’t a dragon and I wasn’t a Zodiac. I couldn’t be. Because my people deserved to depend on someone who knew what to do in dire situations. Someone like Colin.

The dragon laughed coldly.

“Poor little invisible dragon… what a fight you’ve started. Too bad you couldn’t finish it.” The dragon whispered in my ear. I struggled underneath him. It was hopeless. And degrading.

“Get off me!” I yelled. My voice sounded more whiny than demanding or scary. I wiggled and fidgeted until I got tired. The dragon didn’t seem to be in a hurry so he let me struggle as much as I liked. He knew I wasn’t strong enough to do anything to him. That thought alone made me feel so embarrassed.

What was I thinking coming here alone? Colin was going to just come chasing after me and get himself in trouble anyway. Leaving them behind was stupid.

I felt energy building up in me. All the anger, embarrassment, and sadness. It started in my toes and ricochet throughout my body. Numbness started in my toes as I started to lose control of myself. The energy was becoming too much to contain within me.

It released. A shockwave shook the ground below me, and pulsed from somewhere within me.

“Get! Off! Of! Me!” I screamed as the final pulse shoved the dragon off of me and across the room.

He hit the ground with a thump. But I was too out of it to even consider escaping. My limbs feel heavy and my eyes don’t seem to want to stay open.

I let the false feeling of safety cover me like a blanket as I pass out.