“Bust you out? BUST YOU OUT?! I gave you a simple job: get alone with the queen and kill her. I did not tell you to get thrown in jail before you could kill her! You are worthless. You will stay here and find a way to leave by yourself. I am done with you!” The devil screamed.

Willow blinked.

What? She thought. Uhhhhh. What was that? That wasn’t her memory. Not in the slightest. Sky! She was a memory dragon! Couldn’t those implant memories?

Willow threw a leather hood over her head and ran through the rain to the stable. She ran into Sky’s stable, panting for breath.

Sky looked quite proud of herself, flying in little circles above Willow’s head. “Sky!” Willow called. Sky glanced down. She swooped in front of Willow. Willow realized how tall she was getting - she was up to her chest! “Sky! Did you implant that memory? Oh, please say yes - that it wasn’t just a dream - oh, please Sky.”

Sky gave a happy little squawk. Tears of relief flooded down her wet cheeks. She hugged Sky, no longer able to pick her up. Sky nestled her beautiful head into Willow’s wet shoulder.

“Thank you, Sky.” Willow said quietly. She suddenly realized how tired she was. She sat on the floor and Sky lay next to her. Willow started to stroke Sky’s scaled head. She rested her head against her back and fell asleep.

When she woke up there was a surprising picture in front of her. There was Grey hiding in a corner. Sky was still there, still resting. Willow gave her one more pat before she stood up and squinted at Grey.

Grey looked like he had a whole speech prepared. Instead, she hugged him to the floor and simply said. “I saw it.” Tears flew down his face, even though he was smiling.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“How?”

“Sky.”

They sat up. “I hoped that dragon would be useful.” He wiped away his tears.

Willow laughed. She didn’t have an answer. She just hugged him.

Of course, there was someone else there and saw Willow and Grey there, hugging.

He gasped loudly and screamed “Willow an-” He got no further. Grey tackled him to the ground and put a hand over his mouth.

“Shh. I am going to take my hand away and you are going to stay silent, okay? If you talk I will put it back.” Grey said to the boy. The boy nodded. Grey slowly took his hand away. It was tense, ready to dart back if needed.

“Okay, before you start screaming again, listen. I am not involved with the devil. He tricked me but gave me up when I failed him. You will tell no one about this.”

Willow watched in silent disbelief. “Wait. Why can’t he tell anyone?”

“Because,” Grey said, not taking his eyes off the boy, “If he tells people it could become muddled and people will believe that I am working with you and will throw you and me into jail.”

“Oh. Right.” Willow said. Sky had by now woken up and bounded over to Willow’s side.

Grey got off the boy and let him go. “You were scary.” Willow said.

Vaguely, Grey replied. “I can be when I want to.”

“Grey… I want to know why. Why did you make a deal with the devil? How did he trick you into doing such a thing?”

Grey sighed. “You might as well hear it.” He told her how he had been on the streets since he could remember, but he could slightly remember a brush of bright red curls, and dark hair like his.

He told her how he had been offered a deal and he was too impulsive and accepted. He should have known better. The devil most definitely looked friendly then, but was not friendly in the slightest.

He explained how he escaped and how he hid in the tree. He explained the red light from his treehouse.

When he finished, Willow stared at him quietly, with a little bit of sympathy in her eyes.

Willow walked out apologizing that she couldn’t stay longer. He didn’t seem bothered.