The Phoenix

New Lives

Peyton looked around on the stage of the main city she was tortured on, wondering how this could actually feel worse. She watched the people she loved struggle on stage each getting that pain at once while she was being held down. All she wanted to do was help but she couldn’t, and it felt like the stage was sucking her into it, sinking like quicksand with every one of their struggles. When she catches her footing and pulls herself out the stage Peyton rushes over to her loved ones. With each person, she passed they seemed to lose the pain and she gained their pain it was unbearable, but she couldn’t let them feel it so she pushed on seeing Graham writhe in pain almost rolling on the floor.

By the time, she made it past everyone Peyton fell to the floor painfully reaching out her hand for Graham when something got in her way. The robe lined and covered with jewels made it obvious who and the anger she felt at him hurting everyone she loved gave her the strength to stand on her feet. Seaton stood there like he was winning some battle, but he wasn’t going to. She stood up feeling all the pain she took intensify to point where she caught on fire. It didn’t hurt anymore it just felt hot and she could see the glow making her glow. When she thought, she should burn, instead she got stronger. The fire consumed her and surrounded her until all of the sudden it stopped as she shot her hand out grabbing Seaton’s throat. She felt like a phoenix being reborn stronger than ever.

Peyton found herself in the crowd looking up at herself glowing like fire, seeing the bright embers float around her and from here she could see the eyes of the Peyton on stage were glowing and moving like fire in her eyes. Peyton walked up to the steps of the stage walking around the “Phoenix Peyton” and Seaton until she was face to face with the fire in her own eyes. It felt like she was burning up as looking into her eyes and then looked away seeing her hand turning to ash circling the vision of this beautiful phoenix holding Seaton still with a fury in the fire eyes everything frozen in place but the fire as she burned way. Her hair was blowing around with her ashes and she tried to walk away when she felt a burn at her arms looking down at the glowing hand around her arm, she looked into the eyes of fire feeling that every part of the old Peyton was gone now accept her face locked green eyes of fire eyes seeing this phoenix staring Peyton down now saying. “You have to prepare for war”

Peyton flung out of bed her book flying across the room almost hitting the TV bouncing off the wall landing on Graham’s bag for the trip. Graham leaned up rubbing her arm his hand was warm, but her skin was on fire, so he might have only been warm because he was cooling her off. The 1st night she had this nightmare he was as hot as he is with his whole protector thing which is still very weird. He slid out of bed picking up her book from where it landed on top of his bag flipping it over looking at the cover signing.

“You ever think this recurring dream could be because you keep reading about phoenixes right before going to sleep?” he asked his accent get thicker when he’s worried and graham was clearly worried for her right now. Then again it get thicker when he’s mad maybe he’s angry with her.

“No.” she said snatching it out from his hand flipping it over before putting it down on the nightstand so she wasn’t looking at the cover. “I started to read these books after I had the dream and you know that. You are the one that showed me the sorcerer library that lead me to all these books if you are blaming it the you should blame you.”

“I will blame myself for everything if means you will forget this nightmare.” Graham said rubbing her arm leaning back into bed. “because that all it is love a nightmare not real. It wont happen and those birds have been extinct for a millennia now.”

“Nothing is your fault I always get weird nightmares.” She said laying her head on him with a sigh because her last scary nightmare came true almost. This one is worse than just her dying, it threatens her loved ones. She can’t tell him than and make him more worried about her.

Doyle couldn’t sleep so he spent the night in his office. He won’t be joining Peyton on her world tour like he wants to, but he will join on a few places closer by. The dragons are all going with her now that the cat is out of the bag to the whole world after that show down. Doyle doesn’t like it, Seaton hasn’t shown his face but if she keeps showing hers then he just might try to finish what he started. Now all the dragons and his daughter will be away from his protection for the next 3 months. Not only that but she will be gone with a group of boys not a single girl in the group to join her accept Tamilla and Tribly, but they won’t be in the sleeping areas in each town watching her. Graham is a good respectable boy, but Doyle would like it if they didn’t spend every night together. He knew what he did with Lily when they spent the night together and isn’t ready for Peyton to be grown up enough for that kind of relationship. She will always be the little girl with little pink bows on her itty-bitty braids falling down after her 1st steps. Doyle pulled up the pile of papers from all over the world working what he’s decided to be the future of the war charting his plan. He heard the front door open and he slid everything into his drawer as Peyton walked in. One day he will be able to share this with her but he wants everything perfect before he does.

“Do I have to?” She asked slumping down into the chair on the other side of the desk lifting one the books off his table opening it.

“I believe so.” He nodded while he watched her skim over the pages as he tried to see the cover wondering which book it was, she picked up, he has so many piled up on this desk. “At least you don’t have to take over teaching classes, I have Graham’s advance classes, your children classes, and how you manage them I can’t imagine because one day was impossible to get 12 of them to stay in line let alone have time to reach them and I also have to take over Hunter’s technology class which is impossible don’t they have younger technologically savvy kids to teach that? I’m sure it won’t be long once Capitan Ryanns realizes I know nothing of technology.”

“Wow grandpa can you sound any older?” She laughed not looking up from her book just flipping the page over her green eyes scanning over it thoughtfully. “And as for my class I just ask kindly and they tend to listen to me, kids are easy.”

Doyle just nodded thinking of today trying to yell and scream to get them to listen, reminding him of his constant shouting with Hunter when he was young. Tomorrow he will try kindness otherwise he will just lift them off the ground with magic pretend he knows more spells than just that and how to see the future. He’s becoming a pro at the future, he’s already surprised Joshua with that gift but from what he’s read that is not uncommon the 1st born is supposed to be stronger, but Doyle never thought he would surpass him in under a year. He was worried at 1st his presence would have bothered Joshua. Surpassing his ability to see the future and the strength of his spells would create a sibling rivalry, but Joshua always seems so happy even relieved. Joshua spent his life wondering why he wasn’t as powerful as he should have been and now, he knows, it seems to make them closer. Doyle’s always want a little brother he never thought he’d have one only 4 years older than his daughter but Joshua acts so much older than his age.

“Why is it that these books never explain anything in more detail? Just quick facts repeated in different ways. ‘This book is long. The contents of this book are vast. The length of this book is almost never-ending. There’s a rather large quantity of words in this book making it full and heavy. By the time, you finish reading this book you will be 100 years old.’ It’s ridiculous!” She said closing the book placing it on the table, it was funny enough about sorcerers and 1st born sons. She wasn’t exactly wrong about other books but not this one.

“I found that book to be very helpful actually, were you complaining about another book, one about phoenixes and saving Graham for the fate you fear for him?” He said sliding the book off the pile opening it as she did, “You know he never died in your dreams, no one did, so why stress yourself out about it? Did you ever consider maybe that’s why you can’t rid yourself of this dream? You’re letting fear of death, which isn’t present in the dream just pain, cloud your waking mind and I’m sure that why your subconscious revisits the dream ever night. Think hard about the dream and what scares you then tell yourself it can never happen.”

“Why won’t you teach me to see the future more clearly? Maybe then I wouldn’t worry about it so much.”

“Wrong you would always be checking and trying to see but the future can change its not set in stone. You would lose yourself in the future and what might be rather than allowing yourself to enjoy the present. I refuse to let anyone teach you for that reason, just relax your mind and stop worrying of what will be and enjoy what’s going on now.”

“You are starting to sound like Uncle Prophet.”

“Good maybe you’ll actually listen to him if he reminds you of me. Now go to bed you have a big day tomorrow.”

“Aaand there’s my dad.” She said rolling her eyes.

“I was coming in because we are leaving in an hour and I wanted to say goodbye to Amethyst.”

“Not coming to say goodbye to your father?” He smiled looking up at her his arms crossed over his chest faking a frown for her just because it made him laugh.

“No, my father is a brain washed sorcerer now that simultaneously won’t teach me the craft while also shoving it down my throat. I’m not going to miss him.” She smiled getting up with her arms stretched out for him. He stood up hugging his little girl feeling her squeeze like she did a child. Doyle hugged her wishing he didn’t have to let her go because it felt as though he didn’t have much time left with a little girl, soon she will be a God and moments like this will be gone. “Of course, I’m going to miss you too dad. This is the 1st time I’m leaving Fells Falls for longer than a few hours and its not just the next town over. To top it all off you and Amethyst aren’t coming. I’m going to miss you guys so much.”

Hunter looked down at his phone as he tossed his bag over Ekko. 3 missed calls and countless text messages from her. He has been talking to Rebecca letting her know he was okay but not a lot and if her parents came in, she would hang up the phone or call him some other name. He didn’t tell her anything about where he was or what he was doing, when she asked, he would change the subject. He has seen her since prom but not as himself, instead as “her roommate” thanks to the sorcerers. He’s heard “Hutch,” her brother, tell him to see everyone as himself, but its just his mind playing tricks on him. Rebecca said its best to hide in case someone in town sees. Hunter is positive its not Hutch because just yesterday he had his father check his brain admitting to his dad and his dad alone that he was hearing Hutch’s voice. After the test came up that his brain was completely normal accept using more of it than most people his father said it was just the voice in his head to help him through life. Hunter didn’t feel like it was completely normal, but the test proved he didn’t have brain damage or a tumor, so hearing Hutch is just Hunters subconscious telling what he doesn’t think he wants to hear but does want or need to hear, it’s strange, but so was Hutch.

“You should go see her we are going to be gone for-”

“I don’t need to see anyone.” Hunter said cutting Averie off, helping him put all of his bags on Tribly. The dragons are so strong and powerful yet here they are as glorified horses carrying bags and the humans later carrying them from place to place. “I don’t even know why I told you anything about her.”

“Because he’s your best friend now you forgot all about me your actual best friend all because I up and died on you.” Hutch’s voice said with a sigh. Hunter tried not to react to him.

“If I had a girl like that wanting to talk to me as much as she tries to see and talk to you, I’d go for it. In our business you never know when you might lose a great girl like that.” Averie said looking down before gathering himself again smiling up at Hunter. His deep brown eyes were comforting. He had longer hair now all the extra training no one on the team has cut their hair but Averie’s curly black hair was full on his head forming what could be a very nice afro if he’d let it grow, Hunter is sure in no time Averie will be baled again. At least Averie’s hair was not falling in his face like Hunter’s, Brad’s and Jack’s were. He looked really sad and Hunter knew why, Jack spilled the beans, it made him feel bad for venting his girl drama after hearing what happened to Averie. “Or she loses you. Trust me you’ll wish you did when you don’t have a chance anymore.”

“When are, you going to tell me about your girl?” Hunter asked hoping he’d hear it from Averie maybe try to help him through it all.

“If or when you need help after she’s gone.” He smiled jumping on the dragon. Averie looked down at Tribly petting her neck as he spoke. “Now come on beautiful lets does test fly, so I can prepare myself for the long journey.”

Tribly nodded and away they went disappearing into the clouds Averie was scared of flying on the dragons, he won’t admit it to anyone but the dragons, hunter just happened to over hear Averi talking to Tribly this morning asking for a “test flight” around fells falls to get him ready. Hunter looked down at his phone sighing. He couldn’t get prom night out of his head and that why he’s been avoiding her as much as he could. The visits were short because he wants to finish that almost kiss. He doesn’t know what that means for their friendship, but he can’t ignore her because of it. Hunter picked up the phone hearing it go straight to voice mail and he was going to hang up, but it beeped already, and he had to speak, he just hates voicemail he never knows what to say.

“Hey, it’s uh Hunter and um I sorry it is really early I’m actually gad that you have your phone off because I just realized its super late or really early depending on when you look at it but yeah um.” He coughed trying to calm himself and stop himself from groaning in annoyance at his stupidity and nervousness its just Rebecca. “I’m sorry I think I started to ramble I should probably stop talking. So, to sum up I’m sorry I called so early and glad I didn’t wake you and I’ll be hanging up now. I was just letting you know I was leaving town for a while and wanted to say bye, but it doesn’t matter really because I haven’t officially seen you in a little while. So, it was dumb to call. Oh, god I need to hang up I hope you don’t listen to this just delete it because I haven’t been talking this week and you should be mad, and I’ve thoroughly embarrassed myself with this obnoxiously long voicemail. I’m sorry I’m terrible at voicemails. Um bye.”

Hunter sighed when he hung up, he really hates leaving voicemails. He could hear Hutch’s laughter ringing in his head, “You are such a dork I was wrong don’t talk to my sister she can do way better than you!” More laughter.

“Thank you.” Hunter said shaking his head as Hutch’s laughed roared in Hunter’s head.

“For what?” Peyton asked tossing her bag on Tamilla behind him, smiling up at him when he turned. God, she is beautiful seems to get more and more every day. Maybe it’s all the training making her more powerful bringing her closer to God like power. Gods are supposed to be beautiful, right? Hunter froze a moment worried about her knowing. She doesn’t care about who he chats with, but he does because she will push him with Rebecca immediately and even tell her possibly so she can’t know. He wondered why he looked at her now he could see her physical beauty but it didn’t feel the same anymore. It wasn’t a beauty that made him want to kiss her it was juts like a painting he admired it and her for not seeing it.

“Nothing I was talking to myself.” He said placing his last bag over Ekko’s saddle. “Are we taking off now?”

“Indeed.” Graham said walking between them placing his bag on Traqin, at least he isn’t riding with Peyton the whole time. Funny thing is Hunter doesn’t care like he did, ever since prom really, he actually likes Graham and likes Peyton with him, she’s happier.

 Hunter smiled jumping up on the saddle and patted Ekko’s neck letting him know they could go feeling the dragon lift him up off the floor. As Fells Falls disappeared into the night sky it hit Hunter he has ever left. He’s always wanted to leave and travel the world now he gets to for real, he will spend a whole day in towns they land in, this is exactly what he needs. Freedom.

Graham smiled as he watched Peyton and Tamilla taking off grasping Traquin’s reigns as they lifted into the sky and it hit him, this is the 1st long trip he’s been on where he knows he’s coming back afterwards. This place is home and he’s coming back to it. The simple silly idea made him giddy, he’s never had a real place he’s called home. He glanced into the sly still able to see her and smiled knowing she’s the reason why he has something like this. Such a small thing in the scheme of things but he will be eternally grateful to her for giving him a home. More than just a place to come back to a place he wants to a place that feels right. There nowhere in the world like Fells falls and no one like Peyton he knows he’s been everywhere met what feels like everyone at times. She’s unique and perfect.

Peyton started to fall asleep on the trip they are going across the world and coming back slowly. Half a day in almost every camp accept the big ones, those get a full day its exciting. She will be meeting every 1st born line sorcerer and pretty much every sorcerer in the camps. Every single camp in the world showing them her dragons. She won’t be able to explore like everyone else, but she will be able to see parts of the world which will be nice.

She just wrapped the straps around her and let herself fall asleep realizing she didn’t fall asleep at all last night. Either she didn’t sleep long or the cool air from flying helped her clear her mind and dream of nothing instead of the nightmare. She woke up to Graham unwrapping her lifting her off the dragon. 1st stop but she can’t wake herself up yet. she just rested her head on Graham’s shoulder drifting back off smiling at the feel of his strong arms around her, hugging her and keeping her close to him. nothing feels more perfect and comfortable.

“Hunter!” Graham shouted waking Peyton. “You stepped on my hand.”

“I’m sorry we don’t have much space in here Averie was practically sitting on my shoulder all night.”

 “Yeah like it bothers you.” Averie said as Peyton leaned up in bed seeing him wink sarcastically at Hunter from the floor where all the men were laying right next to each other cramped up for sure. “Please tell me the other places will have bigger rooms?”

“We will be in our own bed for the most part from here on out just 2 more nights like this planned out on the trip.” Graham said leaning up in his sleeping bag rubbing his hand scowling at Hunter.

“I can sleep on the floor next time I’m small I take up less space.” Peyton said making the 5 boys look over at her, looking like they wished they whispered, and she wasn’t awake to hear this little fight.

“No, you won’t. “Graham said already put away his sleeping bag and rolling it up he’s fast showing her how many times he’s done it in the past.

“Then please join her you take up a lot of floor here big guy.” Averie laughed punching Graham shoulder still sitting in his noisy sleeping bag. “Make sure you two keep your clothes on though because I don’t want to see that.”

Averie’s laughter was followed by silence and awkwardness because she isn’t ready, Graham is old fashioned, and she isn’t sure if Hunter is still partly crushing on her or not. He must not know about all of that he just laughed at his own joke a little and rolled up his bag while Hunter changed the subject to their plans for the day. Before Graham could answer a heard of women came rushing in, how they fit Peyton will never know but they all surrounded her and pulled her off the bed and out of the room. They were clearly sorcerer wives she met enough to know what they look like now. all white like their husbands very happy because they have a source of pure light as their mate. They also all don’t ask her what to do or if they can, they all just undress Peyton and start their work on her hair and face. Thus begins her life for the next few months.

Graham looked up at the broken bridges of the San Francisco bay as they approached what feels like the thousandth city in their trip so far. He looked up at the broken rusted remains of both bay bridges. One that was clean cut piece they were taking it apart slowly and the other blasted like bombs went off in different places thanks to Seaton. Seaton blasted what was the new bridge at the time, so no one could ever live here again, not knowing that sorcerers and people were hiding in the train or subway tunnels below ground. Graham loves this town a lot. Its where his parents met and its where they came more often than anywhere else his whole life. He asked Traquin to fly slowly below just gliding along the water and thought of his 1st trip. He was 5 years old pretending to sleep as his dad rowed their boat talking about something Graham didn’t hear or doesn’t remember so many years later because he was watching the sky. The broken edged of the bridge had more things growing on them now but it was beautiful still. Mermaids jumped up and flipped over him this time he’d never seen a mermaid up close it took him out of his daydream. Graham looked down and saw the tails swirling around just under the surface like a hypnotizing wheel of color, he had to stop Traquin from trying to touch them with his claws. It seems his dragon hasn’t seen a mermaid before either obviously he’s not even a year old yet.

When they landed, Graham got off on Montgomery street entrance to the underground tunnels that was train system back before Seaton, yanking the vines out of his way telling Traquin to go stay with Peyton. She looked like she was going to talk to the mermaids and Graham wasn’t sure he trusted them yet, but he had to go see this, he hasn’t been here since his mother died.

His flashlight was going in and out, but he was never scared of the dark, so he went on he just had to get to the platform. The escalators that used to be here were ripped out sometime ago he will never really know if it was before or after neither made sense, but the stairs were in perfect condition just a little slippery from the moss and dirt. His father neglected to tell him about that when he was 1st coming down here Graham almost slid all the way down to the 1st landing but his mother stopped him halfway. He could hear her voice telling him to be careful almost 20 years later. Then he heard a slip behind him, and he turned quickly feeling the familiar burn in his blood as he caught Peyton feeling her hair whip around him hitting his back, he had to lift his chin to stop from getting chin checked by her forehead. She laughed, and he could hear it echo into the empty area here looks like a set of ticket booths. He hopped over them helping Peyton over it as well looking down the 2nd flight of stairs leading to the platform.

“So, is there any reason that you want to come down into this dirty old dark cave? What if there are dragons down here?” She asked looking down at the dark area below.

“It’s where my parents met, and dragons can’t come down here its too small any dragons that fit down here are newborns.” He smiled at her watching her face light up he wasn’t sure if it was about his parents or the possibility of more dragons either way it made him smile. “Now I wish I could light up this place properly.”

Just as she said that Graham felt a pulse push out of her and he almost fell with her in his arms he had to catch himself of the railing with one hand and hold her with the other one looking up at the light glow the hovered over the whole place showing exactly how dirty it is and all the plants growing everywhere. They were leaving shoe prints in the grime and he could see the smears of when they fell it was only a tad gross, he’s been in worse really. He looked down at her shocked face smiling at her, she is incredible, and it looks like it shocks her as well.

“What are you guys doing coming down this dirty old-” Hunter started to say before Peyton jumped out of Graham’s arms to shout at Hunter, but it was too late Hunter slipped.

Graham lifted her up sitting her on the wall that was part of the old escalator out of the way as her grabbed Hunter’s shirt catching him lifting him up to his feet like he was a toy, it made Graham laugh. Once he got Hunter to his feet Graham shouted up at Averie who appeared at the top of the stirs telling him to stop before Graham had to catch the rest of his travel mates as well. Averie grabbed the handrails stepping down slowly followed by brad and Jack, allowing Graham turn to take Peyton down from her safe, but also unsafe, place on the wall helping her down. What started to be a nice trip down to where his parents met with his girlfriend turned into a field trip with his team. He wasn’t sure his dad wanted anyone to know but he can’t tell Peyton and not everyone else, this place echoes.

They all walked down to the platform, Hunter and the rest of the guys went away from where Graham was heading, and Peyton followed him holding his hand whispering to him to tell her all about it. Graham smiled jumping onto the railway helping her join him as they walked partly not the tunnel and he shined his bad blinking flashlight at the initials on the wall. “RR + AW”, they wrote that before they were married. Before Capitan Reed Ryanns made his name in the world, Williams was the name to follow in this rebellion.

“There was a warning that Seaton was coming here, he doesn’t do it often but when he does most of the people here hide in the tunnels some, like my father, run from here to the town across the bay with this very tunnel just to make sure they aren’t caught,”

“Your dad ran?” Peyton asked looking up at him then over the dark tunnel “This sounds fake already.”

“Women make us stronger I suppose because he was not the Capitan he is now until he met her. He won’t admit it now but he told me the story my 1st trip here.” Graham smiled shining the light down the tunnel lighting up to the next platform before the long run across the bay. “He started to run when he heard Seaton was just above that platform and he was worried he would be heard and blow the secret that people still lived here so he decided to run that way near where he lived.” Graham said shining the light over toward Hunter and Averie who were tugging on vines looking like they were trying to swing on them back on the platform.

“So why did they mark this spot on this tunnel?”

“Well he was halfway through this tunnel running back and my mum was jumping onto the tracks to go toward Seaton instead she landed on my father.” Graham could see it now his parents described it so perfectly. The platforms are so close together that when Seaton lit the other platform, Embarcadero if Graham’s memory is correct, was lit as dimly as Peyton lit Montgomery now.

His father was a teenager only as strong as Hunter which isn’t bad but it’s not who he is now, and he had longer hair that fell in his face with dark grey cargo pants and a black shirt his mother hair was curly as always but from how the picture show it was only just above her shoulders. Brown curly hair like a poodle falling over her face as she looked down at his father. That look of attraction that stopped Graham in his tracks when he 1st saw Peyton was not what his parents had not even close. Graham mum rolled her eyes pushing off his father’s face running down the tunnel cutting his face as her sword hit his face before she ran. His father being who he is rolled over pulling out his gun shooting blindly if he was an a mature but he’s not he has always been Capitan Reed Ryanns without his mother’s influence. He shot at her with is expertise it hit her sheath and the sound of the sword hitting the rails echoed back to him letting him know that he hit it right. In that moment, he forgot that they were hiding but she sure did remind him rushing back to the very spot where she punched his face covering his face before he could say anything about the pain and whispered aggressively in the very accept Graham has “Are you stupid? Don’t answer that you are one now come one we have to go before we get killed or let him know where people hide.”

They both  started to run when they heard Seaton on the platform on the other tunnel, so they jumped up on the platform here and he grabbed the slightly open elevator door pulling it open yanking her into it squeezing it closed pushing her again set the wall of it peeking through the small crack as Seaton’s magic light up the platform shining into the elevator. Graham remembered breathing heavily worried or them even though he knew they were going to live through it. Graham had his father lift him up like he did his mum that day to get on top of the elevator sliding the cover back. His father held his mum still lying flat on top of the elevator covering her mouth. His dad used to slam his hands together and shouting a loud crash like noise to describe the sound of Seaton flinging the doors of the elevator open. It was the jump his mum did after being so strong and calm until then that made his father who he is now and fall in love with her. She still wasn’t as swayed as he was, once Seaton was gone for sure she told Graham how she pushed off him sliding into the elevator calling all sorts of mean names. All his father did was ask her for her name ignoring all the put downs and shouts. What stopped her was her father calling her the most beautiful thing the world. As a kid, Graham cringed at that especially because they always kissed at that part of the story but now as he told the story to Peyton he stopped thinking of his parents looking at her eagerly looking at him with a smile, he knew how his father felt that day and he realized that’s exactly how he feels about Peyton. One day he’s going to tell this story to their children and gross them out like his parents did by adding this new part about the story into it. It will be amazing one day hopefully by then they will have changed the world and can add that to the story.

Once his father said that his mum turned with a smile, she was fighting to hide from him and asked once more for a name. His mother always laughed as she told the next part saying that she touched his bloody face gently then slapped it saying she would only give her initials running her finger on the wall walking off into the dark tunnel grabbing her sword and walking back to the platform past him like he meant nothing but really, she hoped he would work to find out wo she was.

“And he did!” Peyton said so excited.

“No, he didn’t” Graham laughed. “He wrote his initials above hers with the plus sign and ran off after her telling her it might not be safe still to go on top, suggested they stay below for a little while longer.”

“And they must have, or you wouldn’t be here.”

“They never told me how they started or what happened next that’s where it officially started.”

Graham love that story because it was the only one, he knew about where his dad didn’t sound like a crazy army jar head, he had a heart with his mum and she took it with her for the most part. The lovely moment he and Peyton were sharing was interrupted with Averie swinging on a vine and crashing onto the floor when it broke, and everyone broke into laughter.

Peyton finished meeting everyone she had to meet and walked up to the bridge, it looked like if a bird’s feather landed on it the whole thing would fall off edge, but it didn’t. Ekko even laid on top of it looking over the water. When he took off the broke bridge shook a little, but it looked fun up there. Graham was finishing up with the sorcerers and she decided to walk up the railing of the bridge. She didn’t get up far at all before she felt Graham’s arms wrap around her stomach telling to stop while he pulled her back. She slid his arm down looking up at the top saying something made her want to get to the top of it. there was something about the danger maybe or the air in the sky that she got to by herself without dragons or magic that made her want to get to the top. He just nodded at her saying he was going to join her stay closer than she thought he would the whole way up. This was scary and wobbly but having him behind her made her feel safer. Up at the top of the rusted old bridge the wind made it feel like it was moving more than it was or maybe she didn’t notice until now how wobbly it was, but she loved it anyway.

The dragons were circling the bridge making sure she was okay most likely, but it gave her an idea. Peyton called out for Tamilla and Graham Grabbed her waist so tight she thought it might bruise her and she turned around squeezing him as she fell back feeling the wind in her hair as she fell. Suddenly Tamilla caught them both and Peyton’s hair felt and dragging in the water for a moment whipping around splashing her and Graham’s arms. Graham mumbled something about how stupid that was because Tamilla could have missed them. Peyton knew she wouldn’t let them fall dragons are the fastest things on earth she could have missed 10 times and still caught them before they hit the water.

Tamilla dropped them off on an island in the middle of the bay with a creepy building then Tamilla landed on the roof laying across it like it was a bed telling Graham he was stupid thinking Peyton was in danger with all the dragons flying around. Graham let Peyton’s hand go before Tamilla finished, Peyton just smiled and told him what Tamilla said after “stupid.”

Graham was about to respond from the look on his face he was going to lecture about being a protector but a blonde woman with bright blue eyes popped her head out of the water. Peyton jumped into Graham arms backing away from her. The woman pulled herself up onto the land showing a sparkly pink fin that made it looks like she was naked almost. The pink was only slightly darker than her pink skin and of course the fin sparkled like someone threw glitter all over her lower half. If that was beautiful enough her face was breathtaking. Peyton wondered why anyone thought she could be the Goddess, she’s not nearly as pretty as this woman or any of the other mermaids she saw swimming around the bay.

“You’re more powerful than you know.” She said pulling her fin in tucking it under herself. “I ca*n feel it from the bottom of the bay.”

Peyton looked at her completely confused at the phrase, “What do you mean feel?”

“Mermaids like other creatures can feel power most are drawn to it, I’m surprised with all the trees around Fells Falls that we don’t have more nymphs around.” Graham said. Peyton looked at him wondering what he meant, and the beautiful mermaid laughed at his joke.

 “You of all people should be happy they aren’t.” she laughed making Peyton feel left out of their inside little joke.

“Why would you say that?” Peyton asked.

“No reason.” Graham said looking slightly embarrassed. “Don’t we have to be meeting the sorcerers soon?”

“That is why I’m here to tell you they are waiting on the other side of the bay but also to meet the famous Prophet Girl true or not you are powerful, and I would love to get to know you more, if I haven’t already put my fin in my mouth that is because you look slightly mad.”

“Not mad just confused about- “

“Come on you too let’s get across the bay you can talk after become best friends.” Graham said lifting Peyton up onto Tamilla’s back she didn’t even hear Tamilla jump off the roof. “Can’t keep all those big guys waiting to see a dragon and a dream.”

He smiled that crooked smile like nothing was weird at all she would have to learn to do that one day he’s the king of subject change he even makes her forget it eventually it’s amazing.

Hunter sat on the beach watching the wave crash into the sand and pull back. The bridge looks like crap even the parts not burnt from Seaton; the rest was like 100 different colors it looks terrible.

“I was here when they built that thing you know?” a woman said making Hunter jump and fling sand up in the air as he stood up to see who had joined him. A mermaid with a skin ink tale that looked almost naked, even her top was just a clump of pearl strings that one moves could show her off. “Don’t look so bashful I’m not naked.”

“I can see your not don’t worry I’m not bashful, just grumpy.”

“Why? Also hand me your coat.”

“Bossy.” He said shaking it off taking a seat. “I am on this mission following them around the world but can’t join in the meetings, so I just wonder around the cities.”

“Lies.” She said pulling her hair out from under the jacket splashing his face a little before zipping it up. “I can see you have more than that of your mind and in you. I can’t put my finger on it, but I think you should be able to join them.”

“I die, you hit on my sister and now you are getting hit on by a mermaid. Geeze your life is more interesting than I could have imagined.”

“Gisselle.” She said reaching out her hand. Hunter reached his out his hand feeling her grasp it yanking him towards her looking him in the eyes like she was trying to see something more than his eyes. “I just put my finger on it thank you.”

“Put your finger on what?” He asked yanking his hand away.

“I think you know.” She smiled standing up making him look at her like she was crazy. “Bit chilly out here, you must be used to the cold if your able to walk around without a coat.”

“How are you walking?” He shouted chasing after her.

“Well it’s a very long story that I don’t have time to get into right now. I’m naked just need to get dressed, so we can crash that meeting.”

“Wait what do you mean crash that meeting?”

“Kid I was here when they built that bridge, I was 5 years old and wondered why my mom was always running until I had to as well. When you stop aging without knowing why it’s terrifying. You don’t realize your power but both of us have right to join a meeting like that.” She walked into a building just on the edge of the beach and he was following listening to every word in awe until she shoved him out. “I don’t care what you might have heard or thought from what just happened on the beach I’m not into you and you can’t see me change wait out here.”

“What?” He said not even remembering what she said before about being naked he wanted to know what she was talking about before.

“Boys are stupid no wonder we don’t have any in the ocean with us.”

“Wow. She said ‘hear’, do you think she’s a mind reader when she looks into your eyes and knows I’m here. Or maybe she can hear me too, you’re not so special anymore if that’s true. Maybe she’s-”

“Shut up.” Hunter said turning his back from the room. “You think she can? No of course not you’re not here.”

“Ouch. I may be dead from a deathly blow to the chest from a dragon that crushed my ribs but that really hurt. Anyway, I’m not here for all of that. Did you forget it’s my birthday? The 1st since I died, and you left Becca alone.”

Hunter took deep breath realizing what was really nagging him all day and in that second, he ran whistling to the dragons, he had to get home now. With the dragon, he’d back before they even noticed, he left.

Graham sat in the back of the room watching Peyton look like she was already running the world making it better. Peyton was smiling shaking hand as they were about to go and had a look on her face like something big just happened. All at once she apologized to all of them, grabbing his arm telling him they had to go.