Chapter 2 Dark Truth
Fiamara’s POV
I opened my eyes to find the wolf frozen on top of me, whimpering as it looked down at my hand. Shaken, I lowered my gaze only to find my hand buried deep in the beast's chest.
I pulled my hand out, screaming as I pushed off the wolf. It fell to the ground, still, its legs in the air, a sickening hole in its chest.
My breath was heavy, my face distorted in disgust as I looked at my blood coated hands. I still didn’t understand what was happening. I should be dead, but somehow, I was alive and the wolf was dying by my side, with it—
Damn. Its heart was in my hand, beating.
I threw it away, screaming in fear. But the sight of my own hand made me cringe in fear. My eyes widened as I scanned my hand.
It was unrecognizable. From my wrist up was like an animal hand. I had talons as nails. My hands were covered in thick blood, but underneath, I could see red scales in my hands.
I jumped to my feet, my hands shaking as I backed against the wall. I had heard of werewolves but I never thought they were real. One moment ago I was scared of the strange creature that attacked me— it was dead in front of me and I was scared of myself.
I felt a sudden pull in my hands and the talons retracted back into my hands, the scales fading off slowly. At that moment, it looked like I was normal and nothing was wrong with me, but the sickening scent of blood, and the dead werewolf in front of me said otherwise.
Something was wrong with me— and somehow, I always knew. My mind flashed to three years ago, I’d woken up to a rampaged room, claw marks all over the walls, everything was out of place. I told my parents, scared that I was possessed because I felt I did it.
They blamed a stray cat for everything, saying I left my window open and it must have gotten away after causing the mess. But I always wondered how a cat would have such deep claw marks.
My mind was fuzzy as I looked from my bloody hand to the entrance of the alley. I couldn’t afford to be seen like this— like a monster.
I noticed a bottle of beer lying in the trash bin in front. I rushed to it and washed my hand with the liquid in it. The next thing I needed to do was go home and tell my parents that something was wrong with me, and it was never a stray cat.
I reached my house on foot, sweat dripping down my face as I halted in front of the porch. I kicked the door open, rushing inside.
“Mum, Dad—” I paused the moment Mum, Dad and a strange faced woman turned to me. The elderly lady was seated, a few strands of white hair, peaking out of her dramatic, tilted beret. My parents were standing in front of her, worried faces.
I studied the letter in Mum’s hand and then the sudden excited look in the strange woman’s eyes. “There she is,” she said.
I swallowed as her voice sounded very familiar. Is she a distant aunt from my childhood? But why was she so formal? A green skirt, an ankle sleeved cream top, tucked into the skirt, with a green beret, black boots and green stocks bearing a crest on it.
I held my hands out, they were still patches of dry blood around my nails and wrist. “Mum, what is going—” my eyes traveled the room as I stepped forward.
“Fiamara,” Mum cut in. I blinked looking at her as she raised the letter and pointed at the lady standing up. “Head Mistress Veronica came to give you the letter of admission.”
I arched my brow. “Head mistress of what?” I asked. I didn’t apply for school else where, besides I had a good school I attend in class.
“Crimson Spire, an academy for the supernaturals.” Veronica answered instead.
I froze for a moment, lost. “Huh?”
Her gaze drifted to my hands, then she narrowed her eyes. I dropped my hands, hiding them behind my back. “Child, what is wrong with your hands? Are you injured?” she asked, a perfectly arched brow raised, as she studied my face.
I broke out in sweat, shaking my head. My throat became dry as I licked my lips anxiously. I was prepared to face my parents and tell them what happened, but seeing her and all she had been saying had put me off guard.
What academy for the supernatural? Why did it sound like an asylum?
“I want to speak to my parents alone.” My words came out in a whisper. My hands were shaking behind me.
My dad had a pursed expression, he faced Veronica and was about to speak when Veronica said. “Feel free to say whatever you want. Judging by the blood on your hands and the frightened expression on your face, I’m sure your awakening is slowly coming about.”
My eyes watered as I shook my head. “What do you mean by my awakening? I’m confused.”
“Baby, calm down and tell us what happened,” Mum dove into the conversation.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “I might sound crazy, but I just killed a wolf.”
Everyone fell silent and they shared gazes, but they didn’t seem as caught off guard as I expected. They acted like I said I just killed a fly. Veronica sighed softly and nodded, “Go on.”
“The thing was that I was being stalked and then this man turned to a wolf and— I thought I would die, but my hand grew talons, pierced into his chest and ripped out his heart,” I narrated with shaky lips and threw my hands together, fear pulsing through my skin. “I promise, I don’t know how it happened.”
Veronica faced Mum. “I told you I feel her energy growing stronger.” she turned to me. “I think it’s time you were told the truth about who you really are.”
“Mum say something,” I whispered and walked to her, taking her hand. She turned away.
Everything was weird, just everything, but it seemed normal to them. How?
“You belong to a royal dragon bloodline and you are the last of your kind.”
I turned to Veronica who was speaking, my eyes wide opened. “What?”
“There is something inside you coveted by a lot of evil people— that wolf that attacked you was a minion of a very bad man. He is responsible for the extinction of your lineage, and he wants you now, because of your gift.”
Everything slowed for a second. “What gift do I carry?”
“I don’t know that specifically, but it is something he was willing to wipe out an entire dragon clan to get.”
I scoffed. “This is comedic, I’m not buying this story. Please make it realistic.” I faced my Dad. “You guys are dragons? What is she saying?”
“Fiamara,” Mum’s voice was gentle, too gentle, it irked me. “We should have told you this when you were young but we thought if we kept you from the truth, you would be safe.”
“What are you saying?” I asked.
“Ama, we are humans, we are not dragons. But—” he swallowed and his eyes broke. “We are not your biological parents.”
My knees shook as I staggered back. “Wh— what?”
He cleared his throat. “As a hunter I stumbled upon Crimson Spire Academy, I met Raya there,” he said pointing to my Mum. “She was a scientist and we served in the Academy together. Then the first phase of the war began, we found you in the woods, lying in the ground close to your wounded mother. Her dying wish was for us to take you far away.”
I faced Mum, hoping she would tell me it’s all a prank. She parted her lips with a sigh and continued, “We took you and came back to the human world, then we started a family with you as our child. Veronica reached out to us back then and we decided that it was safer for you to be here in the human world. They provided everything you needed.”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Remember when you felt a presence always watching you, even in school?” Veronica continued. I didn’t reply, but I actually did. “Those were scouts watching after you, sent from Crimson Spire. You were safe in the human world until now.”
“Who are you?” Those were the only words I could muster.
“I am Veronica Limestone, Headmistress of Crimson Spire.” She heaved a sigh. “I was best friends with your late biological grandmother. I took over the Academy after Maximo, a dark soccerer lord, massacred your entire family.” Anger etched in her face just for a moment, then she continued. “I came with a report that Maximo has unleashed his minions into the human world, we are suspicious that he is after you.”
I looked at my dark haired parents and touched my red hair. It was beginning to make sense. I had asked about the contrast in physical traits and they said I took after my late paternal grandmother, whom I never got to see her photograph.
“You’re no longer safe here. It is time for you to return to the Academy and train. Maximo is generating more power and soon not even the human world would be safe from his attacks, and threats of domination. You are the only key to stop him.”
Everything I knew as truth broke in a moment. Damn. I only wanted to start work as a babysitter this morning. How did things take such a drastic turn? My parents are not my parents. It turned out I had no blood relatives in the world because some dark soccerer killed them all and is now after me.
“Ama, I know this is hard, we should never have kept it all from you. But you must go with her. It’s the only way to keep you safe.”
I shook my head. “No, I am not going anywhere.”
