29 Chapter 29

Taylor dropped to her knees beside the mountain dragon and looked back over her shoulder at the forest once more. The helions hissed and spat at her from their lofty perches in the trees and their red eyes blinked like hundreds of tiny vehicle taillights. She leaned forward, hanging her head over the water. The small waves sighed softly against the shore as she stared down into the lake. As she crouched there, the wind eased and the surface of the lake calmed. As the ripples died down, Taylor could clearly see her own reflection looking back at her. The image of the Taylor in the lake was wearing the sweatshirt she had been wearing before she left her bedroom. Her braid was gone and her hair hung loosely down around her face. Behind her reflection in the lake, she could see the ordinary and familiar surrounds of her room. "Oh," she breathed. "I look like myself again."