Ashes and Smoke ☆☆☆ Chapter 5

Instructions

Rosefinch cleared away the dead bushes and grass surrounding her fire pit. With plants this dry and wind this strong, she had to be extra careful when she was making a fire. She would not have another banquet incident, even if that one hadn't really been her fault. How was she supposed to know that those eagle meat strips had pepper on them? And how was she supposed to stop herself from sneezing? And it was really more the decorator's fault that those tablecloths were so flammable. She didn't mean to set those pastries ablaze, especially when they were the seawing princess's favorite. Ugh, that bratty princess. Her complaining sent Queen Scarlet over the edge. Rosefinch had been on Scarlet's bad side already (We do not talk about squid incident), but this was the final straw. Exiled in shame, she had been island-hopping for some time now. This was the biggest one she had come across. She could even see some strange towers in the distance. Had she flown so far that she reached the other side of Pyrrhia? But no, she would be seeing the desert right now. So where was she? Rosefinch squinted curiously. If she looked closely, she could see the tiny shapes of dragons buzzing around the towers. Okay, this was getting creepy. She looked briefly at the sky. The sun was starting to set, and it was quickly turning dark. She would go investigate the odd towers in the morning. After a quick check to make sure there were no stray grasses nearby, she breathed the fire to life. Watching the smoke drift up to the quickly darkening sky, Rosefinch felt the restlessness inside her settle for the first time in months. Maybe she could start a new life here, one away from all the drama of Pyrrhia. She was about to doze off, tired from her journey, when she heard the soft sound of talonsteps on dirt behind her. Whipping her head around, she caught a glimpse of dark blue scales before someone tied a blindfold around her eyes. She opened her mouth to yell, only to taste the dryness of cotton as a gag was shoved into it. Rosefinch felt the presence of many dragons around her, restraining her limbs and wings. She tried to struggle, but there were too many of them. She was lifted in the air, held aloft by many talons. Was this a dragonnapping?! She had just gotten here, she hadn't even talked to anyone yet! Of course I have enemies an hour after landing on this island, she thought. Just my luck. Suddenly, she was being dragged through stone tunnels, her scales scraping painfully against the rough surface. One of the dragons holding her spoke up, his voice barely loud enough for Rosefinch to hear. She couldn't catch the rest of this sentence, but she still heard four words that made her blood chill. "Take her to Octavia."