I was stuck in a tornado created by my own energy that gushed around me and rushed out, striking everyone. My hair flew wildly and my vision was clouded. But I could see enough to know that apart from Ryne who stood his ground, everyone else was on their knees. 

The rumbling of thunder had me looking up at the sky. My energy had interfered with Ryne's magic causing the chains around the moon to break. Without the bracelet's power, I was left open and vulnerable to the blood moon's influence. Since I was a royal dragon, the effect it had on me was amplified.

The stone platform I stood on cracked under the sheer force of the wind. I began to glow a flaming red. My gut heated up until fire crackled within.

"Oh, no! This cannot be happening," I began to panic and the fear acted as a fuel to the fire.

Although the amount of energy I had within and around me currently would protect my body, it was illegal for dragons in human forms to breathe fire. Without our thick dragon scales to protect us, the fire could end up charring our organs and killing us. 

After the curse, we only retained a percentage of our true power which left us all vulnerable to our own magic. Even though I was sure of my safety, as the queen, I couldn't break the rule. I tried my best to suppress the urge to just let it all out.

The fire within me raged and burned. My emotions which were all over the place- my guilt, anger and disappointment, helped stoke it. I couldn't even protect the secret of my clan, how could I possibly hope to complete my quest successfully? 

I was a terrible, terrible queen. And the one who made me this way was Ryne. When he chained the moon and helped me, I was honestly moved. I couldn't believe that he had helped me. But he had to go ahead and ruin it.

Without an outlet, the fire merged with the energy flowing from my body. It was probably just for a second, but all my energy gathered above my head and took my dragon form. I gasped, unable to believe it. Is that how I would look as a dragon? It was beautiful. I was beautiful. 

The image showed a ten-foot creature with thick, white scales. Before I could drink in the details it was gone and with it, all my energy. Having spent more than I had, I collapsed.

Just as I was about to hit the floor, Ryne caught me in his arms.

"What have you done?" I whispered before giving in to darkness.

***

"Meredith? Meredith, wake up, my child," I heard the raspy voice of Lord Dragomitus.

I opened my heavy eyes to almost complete darkness. A white cloud hovered in front of me and when it had my attention, it began forming colours. The colours formed images which soon started to move. Then I saw Ryne running and, in his arms, I saw myself.

"Where am I?" I asked, confused.

"Physically, you are still there. Mentally? You are in my head," he replied.

"I... how's that possible?" I asked him, surprised.

"We have very little time. Are you sure that's the question you want me to answer?" he asked, amused.

"No, wait!" I said quickly, in case he had a two-question rule or something, "You are not at Adelmiro Circle, are you? It feels different here. Almost as if it's a completely different world," I said, looking around for any sort of confirmation. I was met with eternal darkness and unusual quiet.

Feeling suffocated, I focused on the images in front of me again. Ryne had brought me to madame principal's chamber and was explaining something to her. All his closest friends were beside him. I glanced at Arlan for just a moment before looking away. I couldn't stand the disappointment and confusion on his face.

"So? Is that the right question?" I asked when I received no answer.

After a second too long, he replied, "Yes."

He took a deep breath and then chuckled. Like always, it sounded like a fit of cough. Inside his head, it reverberated and I had to shudder due to the sudden noise in comparison to the drastic quiet of the place.

"I'm not at Adelmiro Circle," he said.

"Then, why did you send me there? I don't understand," I said, my patience wearing thin. I really couldn't stand him acting like an annoying grandpa.

"I am no grandpa. But I suppose I am old. Quite old, very old," he mused.

I cursed him in my head before stopping. He could hear that too, after all I was in his head.

"Figure it out, Meredith. Find out why I sent you there," he said abruptly and I was tossed out of his head into the darkness.