3. Carol

3

Carol

The storm tore at her hair. Her limbs. Her skin. Rain lashed her until she couldn't tell which way was up.

But she was falling. The plane was gone.

She couldn't breathe. And the ocean, when she hit it, would be like hitting concrete. If the cold and the lack of oxygen didn't kill her first.

And Maggie—

Fear lanced her. The crackle-hiss sear of Maggie's mind clawed at her own, and then the little dragon struggled out of her arms and flew into the raging storm.

"Maggie! Maggie !"

Her voice was lost in the chaos. Something flashed at the edge of her vision, and she twisted. * Maggie—*

"Eee!" A pop that she felt rather than heard, and the tiny dragonling teleported into her arms.

She wrapped herself around her, focusing all her thoughts on the tiny creature. * Maggie, you have to go. Please go back to the plane. Go back to Keeley and Lance. Please go back to them, please be safe—*

Tiny claws pierced her skin, and the terror crashing through her mind wasn't only her own.

She's too scared. Of course she was. She was only a baby. She didn't deserve this. Carol should have been stronger. She should have been able to protect her.

* Shh, shh, baby, * she crooned, pushing back her own fear and trying to calm her mind so that at least the touch of her thoughts wouldn't terrify the tiny girl even more. * It's okay. You're okay. We just need to go back to the plane, okay? Can you do that for me? Back to your hoard?*

Even her shifter senses couldn't hear anything else over the pounding roar of rain and wind all around. But Maggie's heartbeat was a tiny thrum against her chest, and her sharp, shallow breaths cut tears from Carol's eyes. * Ee ee, * she whimpered.

How long did they have before they hit the water? Seconds? Less? Carol concentrated on Keeley and Lance as she'd seen them with the little dragonling. Keeley almost vicious with protectiveness for the hatchling who had changed her life. Lance trying to play it cool but failing to hide his bewilderment at Maggie's instant and complete trust in him, and desire that he act as her human chef, bodyguard, and Person to Climb On.

They loved her so much. If this mission was a success— when this mission succeeded—Maggie would be back with her uncle, who would also love her. But she had begun her life surrounded by people who'd given her their whole hearts.

* You'll be safe with them, little precious baby. Go on. Jump back to Keeley like you jumped to me.*

Maggie nestled her snout into the crook of her shoulder. A ghostly image of a giant Keeley and Lance hovering over her appeared in Carol's mind.

* That's right. Back to them.* Back where it was safe. Even if she couldn't take Carol with her, even if the little dragon could only save herself. Please, please, please…

"SCRAAAAR!"

Lightning glared on green-bronze wings. One of the bird-people dived towards them, claws outstretched. Carol screamed. Her shark rose so fast she could feel it start to take form, breaking through her skin like it was breaching the waves to grab the bird-person in its jaws. "No!" she screamed, at herself, at the monster, at the whole world.

Gleaming bronze claws closed around her chest. A face, half-human, with metal feathers growing like horns from its brow, filled her vision. The storm crowded around her, electric on her skin, as vicious wings flared out, dragging her up through the driving rain.

* Get away from me!* She struck out instinctively, remembering too late the razor-sharp feathers. The bird shifter shrieked and tumbled away into the darkness. Carol gasped for air but couldn't fill her lungs. She was falling. If the bird-person came back—if she hit the water at this speed—

If there'd been any air left in her lungs, it would have bubbled out in desperate laughter. Was this how it was going to end? The same way it had always almost ended for her? Falling, drowning, trapped inside her own body as the world she thought she understood turned against her?

The universe needed to get a better playlist.

Or maybe this time it would stick.

And she wouldn't be the only one it took.

Maggie scrambled under Carol's sweater and clung to her chest, shaking, too afraid even to shriek.

My fault. My fault. Horror echoed in the staccato beat of her heart.

We're both going to die, and it's my fault.

"I'm so sorry, little one," she cried to the tiny golden creature clinging to her as though she still believed Carol could save her life. "I'm so sorry."

The water rushed up to claim her.

But something else got her first.