My life had taken an unimaginable turn. For a month now, I’d been running, the memory of my mother's urgent shove out the door still vivid, her last words echoing: 'Run, Ty, don't look back.' Everything had been… well, not normal, but stable for my family. My parents and I, rare dragon shifters, had always been on the move. We were gemstone dragons; my father, a black sapphire, my mother, an opal. They had some powers, but nothing special. No, I was the one those assholes were after. I got my dragon, a powerful black opal, at six years old—far earlier than the usual sixteen.

"(We are almost there, Ty)" Gemma, my dragon, whispered in my mind.

"(I know, finally, we can rest)" I replied, exhaustion heavy in my bones.

"(What about your mother and father’s friend?)" Gemma prodded.

"(We can’t trust anyone)" I thought back, the sting of loss a fresh wound. Mom had sent a letter, planning for me to go to her and Dad's best friends, but then the hunters, those mutant creatures, attacked. I had no idea where I was, or where they lived. Just before we were attacked, Mom was about to tell me. Now, the bond I shared with her felt… severed. My heart skipped a beat, a cold certainty settling in my chest. She was gone. I slowed as I neared a small town, my body screaming for rest. Spotting a cafe, I pushed open the door, desperate for a moment of peace.