Page 2 of Dragon's Honor

It seemed impossible. Mythological creatures weren’t real, and they definitely weren’t flying over South Beach.

But she couldn’t shake the feeling that the shape wasn’t just some trick of the light, some imagined creature in the power of a storm. Or that there was something more powerful in the world than just humans and the technology they built.

She obsessed over the idea of dragons being real. She fell down a rabbit hole, searching the internet for sightings, stories, and mythology around dragons. Most of it sounded like bullshit, and some of the photos were so obviously doctored she would’ve been able to spot the fake images from a mile away. But there was something in the storm in her picture. She had no proof that dragons existed, no way to verify what her gut told her, but she couldn’t deny the shape, couldn’t deny the evidence she’d taken with her own hand.

Finley was drawn to it. It called to her. Since she’d developed it in the guest bathroom, hunched over basins of chemicals in a deep red light, the image haunted her. She’d gone to that beach so many times looking for proof. Looking for…something. Anything to make her feel less like she was crazy.

It wouldn’t be the first time she’d been accused of being insane. Ever since she’d been caught in a storm in a dark alley with a stranger. A monster. She’d seen his fangs, the evil glint in his dead eyes, and she would never forget his dangerous, deep voice. No one believed her. Especially, not her mother.

Olivia stood by her side, but she knew, even her own sister didn’t believe it.

She learned to keep her secrets.

Now the picture just mocked her with its mysteries and unanswered questions. It was probably just light bouncing off the clouds weird or something. She felt like a fool wanting it to be more. Needing it to be more.

But she wasn’t the only one. There were websites dedicated to trying to uncover the supernatural like it real. Ones that didn’t sound like the bullshit conspiracy theories that bounced around most forums related to dragons. Maybe magic, the supernatural was real, but her small slice of proof was hardly anything.

Shaking off her fixation on the photo, she turned and headed into back to Olivia’s room for the full makeover treatment.

An hour later she was primed, fluffed, shiny, and ready to go.

“Oh, wait, I almost forgot. I found this and thought of you. And it’ll look amazing with the dress.” Olivia opened a black velvet bag. “Hold out your hand.”

The cuff thumped onto Finley’s palm. She eyed the silver band set with a cluster of green stones. A couple in the middle had a purplish hue in the center. The stones were nearly hypnotic as she examined them with awe. “It’s beautiful,” she murmured. She blinked a couple of times. “But did you think I was secretly a WWE wrestler? I’m certainly not dainty or petite, but this thing is enormous.”

Olivia eyed it skeptically. “I seriously don’t remember it being that big. I just thought of you when I saw it. I thought it would go nice with your Smaug collection.”

“I don’t have a Smaug collection,” she grumbled.

“You’re basically a dragon with all the treasures you have in your room. I’m surprised you don’t have jewelry bulging out of your mattress. For someone who hates dressing up and thinks clean Chuck Taylor’s are formal footwear, you love shiny things. Admit it.”

Finley stuck her tongue out at her sister and draped the cuff onto her wrist, still enchanted with it. “Maybe I can make something with it. The stones are completely gorgeous. I think they’re tourmaline.”

Her arm jerked when the metal closed around her wrist on his own volition.

Olivia grabbed her hand. “What happened?”

They both gaped at the cuff as the silver pooled like mercury. The stones bobbed along the liquid metal as it reshaped around her wrist.

Olivia tried to pull it off her. She gasped and yanked her hand back. “The damn thing shocked me.”

Finley didn’t know if she should be horrified or wowed by the jewelry weaving itself into a new decoration. “Is this some sort of trick bracelet?”

Olivia deftly shook her head. “No.” She reached out like she was going to touch it again, but then retracted her hand. “No. I don’t know….” She trailed off.

Finley’s voice was quiet. “Where did you get it?”

“I found it at a little market in Brazil.”

The silver solidified and the cuff was now a dainty feminine bracelet with the stones perfectly arranged in little clusters like tourmaline roses. “I should be freaked out right now, right?” Finley moved her wrist, eyeing the piece carefully. There was no clasp and it was fitted perfectly around her wrist—not too tight, but not so loose that it would slip over her hand.

“I am freaked out. I think you should take it off.”

Finley didn’t reach for the bracelet, her eyes still fixated on the delicate accessory.

“You think it’s going to do it again?”

“I don’t know.” The truth was Finley liked the feel of the bracelet against her skin. It resonated with her. But she didn’t want to worry Olivia either. She wrapped her opposite hand around her wrist and gave the bracelet a tug.

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