Page 45 of The Scars Within (Twisted Thorn #1)

What in the elements is fucking happening?

The fire continued to rage around me, but I wasn’t being consumed by it.

The heat was unbearable moments ago, but it’s only as hot as a summer day.

I can still feel the heat radiating, but it’s like an unseen barrier protecting me from its worst. My lungs forced me to inhale, but the flames didn’t sear through my throat.

I opened my eyes cautiously, blinking through the haze of smoke and fire.

I lay there trembling, taking in my surroundings. I could see the scorched grass around me and figures racing towards me within the rising smoke.

The feeling of the skin under my fingertips told me my clothing had been reduced to ash. I knelt on the ground, covering myself as best as possible with my arms.

The red dragon’s towering presence came into view as the smoke cleared. Its deep breaths sent waves of smoke billowing in the air. Its golden eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that felt like they were reaching into my very soul.

Absolutely magnificent.

I blinked repeatedly, trying to shake off the lingering tingling sensation in my eyes. My eyes burned . Even as people approached us, the dragon’s gaze was unyielding. But then it rose, unfolding its wings, and slowly ascended.

“ Found you, ” a deep, resonant voice echoed in my mind. It was not a sound but a sensation, a presence that filled my thoughts much like my own voice in my mind.

A blanket fell around my shoulders as I watched the red dragon vanish into the sky.

The familiar voices around me became a blur of anxious tones, and then Rhodes Wylder’s hands gently cupped my face.

His eyes, usually so controlled, now brewed with an intense storm of emotion.

His jaw was clenched tight, and I could sense his inner turmoil.

Laney pushed Rhodes aside before I could say anything, enveloping me in a tight hug. “Go grab her some water, please!” she shouted at Rhodes.

Laney leaned back and looked at me with wide eyes and a face full of shock. She staggered back, her gaze fixed on me as if she had seen something impossible.

“Scarlet,” her voice trembled as she spoke.

“I’m okay, Laney,” I rasped, trying to reassure her despite my own confusion of what just happened.

Laney shook her head, her eyes fixed on mine with a mixture of awe and fear. “No. Your eyes. Your irises are scarlet red.”