The prompt this week was Travel.

Nothing like making it last minute. This is hot off the press as I took the weekend off from writing. Ask me no questions, I’ll tell you no lies…some days I have no idea where this stuff comes from.

Remember, this is a meme with many contributing authors, so make sure to click the link at the bottom of the image to take you to see more!

Anyhow, as always this is un-edited mostly, so forgive any errors. :

I dropped onto the parapet easily. Rather than mess with trying to brush out my hair from my travels, I let the fire course along it and smooth it out. When my father dropped down beside me, his own blue fire crept along his silver scales until he stood tall and regal in human form again.

“There are a few curious questions being thrown my direction.” A sly smile teased the corner of my father’s mouth.  “They are wondering how my phoenix grew so large in just a short time.”

My laughter bounced off the stone walls as we began our descent down the stairwell. A screech followed my laughter and the very bird most any dragon that had seen me thought I’d been landed on my father’s shoulder. “Hello, Pyre.”

Pyre bowed his head in my direction and offered another shriek of hello. I wouldn’t swear to it, but I thought the phoenix got sick pleasure from making my human eardrums tingle in distress at his calls.

No one knew the reason Pyre was so close to my father. No one, of course, but myself. It was an unknown fact to the wyvern world that my mother hadn’t been as human as she seemed. Somewhere along the line her family had dabbled in magic enough to acquire phoenix blood. The rare genetic quirk that had spent unknown generations hidden until the added touch of my father’s dragon and gryphon blood brought it to life.

That meant I was related to the nasty bugger on his shoulder, not that we held any great love for each other. It probably didn’t help that as a youngling I’d attempted to see how many ways you could accelerate a phoenix’s combustion to ash.

Surprisingly, there were quite a few.

A smile I should have hidden tugged at my lips.

“I know that look. What wicked deeds are you up to child?” Diane, my human stepmother (the fiftieth one my father had taken) wagged her finger. “I heard talk of your father’s phoenix growing exponentially, but based on your appearance I’d say rumors are false. Hello, dear.”

Jdyne bent to kiss his wife and chuckled. “Apparently Jyoti has decided the time for lies and secrets has passed. I wasn’t aware she’d become so skilled at spreading her fire-wings. You should see her, Diane.”

Rumored descendant of the Goddess Diana herself, Diane had been one of the first humans my father had become enamored with to take his true self in stride. Unlike all others but my mother, she’d insisted on coming to his home. It endeared me to the woman that reminded me much of my own mother. “I can see her now. That’s quite a gown, Jy. I’d be envious if it wouldn’t leave me with ugly scars.  Our greetings can wait until you’ve returned from the Assembly and put on human clothes again.”

“The fire would never touch you, D.” I laughed and reached out to squeeze her hand.

“I fear there isn’t much time. It’s unclear how long Alatus will be in the Other World, and Jyoti should report to the Assembly.” Jdyne lifted Pyre from his shoulder and sent the bird into the rafters with the other phoenix gathered above.

All of them eyed me, until the lone female gracefully hopped from her perch and floated down onto my shoulder. Unlike Pyre, Sparkle didn’t shriek, but cooed akin to a dove.  I could sense her flames merging with those in my dress.

“Thank you, Sparkle. I’d appreciate the company.” I glanced at my father. His brief nod answered my unasked question. He expected me to help us travel to the next plane to meet with the Assembly. “Shall we, Father?”

“We shall. Diane, we will return for supper. Jyoti will join us.” His tone broached no argument, but Diane cackled.

“Shouldn’t you ask her that?” Diane shook her head. “Jy, my dear. Would you join us for supper? I’ll have Nash make your favorites.”

“I will. Father has assured me my human family won’t notice my absence, so I’d be happy to spend some time before my return.” I set my hand on father’s arm and closed my eyes.

It was time to travel on the power of the phoenix.

The Assembly would certainly be shocked to hell by our entrance.

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