Chapter 31

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Clearwing looked around the cavern in awe.

Hiveloads of GreyWings were milling around the huge cavern, and most of them were in armor. Some of the dragons were nearly the size of Queen Cobalt, and looked at the four dragonets with rugged, emotionless faces. Eight dragons were pulling what looked like a giant crossbow to a higher level; another one was loaded and aiming up, but to where she couldn't figure out. Clearwing, Coal, Cricket and Bumblebee were being towed along in a large cage that was made of metal and bones. Clearwing remembered how quickly they had been captured, and she felt anger bubbling up inside her.

Then she realized that Coal was looking up with a fearful gleam in his eyes. So was Cricket. Bumblebee was snuffling around, mostly oblivious to the goings-on around her. Clearwing looked up herself and instantly regretted it.

Dragons were held in cages fitted between the stalactites. Countless dragon bones stood decoratively around the roof of the cavern, positioned like they were holding it up or hanging from it. When Clearwing looked more closely at the dragons in the cages, she saw three GreyWings, five LeafWings, a pair of WebWings, eight FormWings, a HiveWing...

And a SilkWing. He had the same color scales as Clearwing did — white and grey and blue and gold, swirling around his scales in a marble-like pattern. His eyes were striking blue, and... and there were tiny spots of black in his wings.

But... but that's impossible.

Nothing is impossible, Clearwing.

They locked eyes and the other SilkWing seemed to notice something. He probably saw that they were similar. Clearwing looked in his mind and found curiosity.

Her scales... is she-? His mind stopped. He reached for his face and Clearwing realized that he had identical black teardrop scales on the corners of his eyes. Can you hear me? Can you hear my thoughts right now? Are you my... sister?

Before she could answer, Clearwing's view was cut off as the group went under one of the levels. But those last two words lingered in her mind. And a question. If he thinks I'm his sister, is he my brother? Marble. The sibling Clearwing was meant to have, but was kidnapped as an egg and smashed on a rock. But now, he was alive.

The GreyWings took him for his powers. They must know we had them. But how?

Now wasn't the time to think of that, however. They had come upon what looked like a fortress. Towers reached to the domed roof miles above everyone's heads, with more of the huge crossbows on the wall between the towers. Dragons flew around the huge structure, taking food and water to the many different levels.

The escort that was leading them flew up towards one of the higher levels. The group followed, Coal shrinking to the back. When they landed, it was clear this was a throne room. A large, white dragoness sat on the throne with a crown curled around her horns; the GreyWing queen.

Despite him being last, the queen focused on Coal the most. "You," she said, and Cricket shied away, clutching Bumblebee to her chest. Clearwing didn't budge — in fact, she took a step towards the massive white dragoness.

"Me?" Coal said. He was shrinking back.

"You're the spawn of those traitors, aren't you?" the queen said. "I must say you look like your mother."

"You know my parents?" Coal asked. There was hope in his eyes; so much that it infuriated Clearwing to hear Queen Crystal's response.

"Knew," she said, looking at her talons with bored eyes. "They're dead. Because of you. They put you out in the savanna, and left you to a 'free' life." Crystal's eyes lightened as she remembered something. "Oh, their death was glorious. Long and ear-piercing, but glorious nonetheless. I only wish they were alive now to see that you were captured."

Clearwing felt a rage burning in her bones. These dragons had kidnapped her brother. Killed her best friend's — killed Coal's parents. They were as bad as Queen Wasp.

Coal looked down with tears welling up in his eyes, but whether Crystal noticed or not, she continued. "You're weak. Puny. A disappointment to the tribe."

Clearwing stepped forward and twined her tail around Coal's. Coal looked at her, his eyes full of tears. Crystal looked at them with disgust, but didn't interfere, for some reason.

"Take them to the prisons. Put the SilkWing with her brother, and leave this one with me for now," Crystal said, flicking her tail at Coal.

"No. I'm not leaving him," Clearwing snarled. She felt razor-sharp claws dig into her shoulders as she was dragged out of the throne room, but she fought against them at every step.

"Such a shame. A SilkWing is more of a GreyWing than an actual member of the tribe," Crystal mused. Something hit Clearwing over the head.

And then there was darkness.

Again.

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