Chapter 1

It was late June, the sun was beating down on the valleys. Children playing in the street and in the fields. The smell of cow manure and sweaty bodies filled the air. This place was named Evermore.  The reason for the name was lost to the people of Evermore. Busy people raced through town, trying to beat to mid day sun. doors open and close as people entered and exited the building. For Abilene it was a normal day, for Colver, her life would change forever.

Clover, a redheaded short child with hazel eyes, walked around her hometown, a large messenger bag with purple fabric in the shape of a clover hung around her body. Three hours of cleaning one house, with three tiny children and one angry, very tired adult. Four hours at the gym sweating than seven hours to herself to relax and finish a few books. Clover was ready to go straight to her small apartment and go to sleep while her roommate does whatever she wanted to do, weather it be drinking or going out to a party or just sitting on the couch playing on her phone and watching Full House. Again. Maybe Clover didn't want to go home or it was something entirely different, but she changed her course and went toward the bay where the water was clear and people were surfing  and basking in the summer sun. 

Little kids ran passed Clover to play in the water, some of them soaking wet. Clover put her bag down next to the water and took her shoes off then her socks. She walked into the water and passed the little children. The water was warm, it being summer and all, everyone was there. She went under the water and looked around. 

She quickly surfaced the water. Wiping the water off her face she looked around. "Miss, you're a long way out, wanna get on. I can give you a ride back." A deep southern accent said, startling Clover. She looked around and looked at the man on a water jet. He was tan skinned, dark brown hair, soft sweet eyes and was very fit. He held out a hand to her. "How far out am I?" "100 yards out." He said. "At least." Clover grabbed his hand. He kept a tight, firm grip on her arm. Clover sat down behind him and sighed. "Thanks again, i don't remember getting on the beach." He nods. "Hold on tight." He said. Clover hesitated before wrapping her arms around his stomach. He chuckled. "Somethin' wrong?" He asked. She shook her head no. "Nothing.." She mumbled, turning red. He chuckled and nods. "Okay, try not to fall off." He spoke. She nodded again and tightened her grip on him as he started the water jet. "So where are you from?" He asked. "Maine." She replied. "You?" "Texas" He answered. 

Clover remained quiet for the rest of the way. Her hair whipped around her as the wind brushed it. The man got off; put a hand under her arms and under her knees and picking her up, taking her to the sand. "Are you okay?" He asked. Clover shook violently. "Miss…" The man said worriedly. Clover didn't answer. "Miss." He said. He set her down and shook her shoulders. "Someone help!" He yelled. A man with a cane walked over and looked at them. "Can you help. I don't know what's wrong" He said. 

"Put her in the water, let her do what she was doing." He said. "What!" The man asked, completely and utterly shocked. "Put her in the water. She'll be fine." He said, repeating himself. The man picked her up and took her to his car, setting her down in the back. He closed the door to the black car and got in. He drove off. "It's be okay miss." He said. She groaned and wrapped her arms around her stomach. "Miss what's your name?" He asked. "W-water…." She mumbled, whimpering as she curled up. "Please t-take me to the w-water." He sighed and got out of the car, slamming the door. He opened the door and picked her up.  He walked towards the water and set her down when she got sparky again. She walked over to water and looked at him; smirked and got on his water jet. "Woah woah woah!" He said. He grabbed her arm and was about to pull her off. She turned to look at him. "Please, I need this." She begged, giving him a small cute pout. He sighed and got on the jet with her. "Okay, but i drive." He said. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his stomach, holding onto him tightly. He took off. "How far out do you need to go?" He asked.

She shrugged. "I'm no- Here" She said. He stopped and looked at her. She stood up and dived into the water. "Wait, what!" The man yelled. She swam under the water and looked around. She saw a cave. The water seemed to carry her to the cave, where the air was clear and breathable. She gasped and looked around.

Huge crystal like rocks hung down for the ceiling like chandeliers. All different colors of red and blues, light pinks, purples, greens and yellow colors. The water pulsed again knocking Clover backwards into the wall. She groaned and put a hand on her head. She huffed and moved back to the center of the cave, looking around. She looked up above her and saw a redish, black egg with blood shot red spots. Clover groaned and went to the edge where the land was. She got out and shivered. She looked at the egg and bit her lip. "Clover" A voice said. Clover looked around and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep herself warm. She turned around and jumped backwards, almost falling back into the water. "Did i startle you?" He asked. She looked at him and tilted her head. "How did- how did you get here?" She asked, curious. The old man was hunched over, leaning on a cape. He was completely dry and looked as if he were on the verge of death. She walked over and sat him down. "You must be cold" he said. He handed her his jacket. "No sir, here you must take it." She said, holding it out to him. Only then did she notice he was blind. "Sir you must take it." She said, wrapping it around him. He smiled. "Thank you miss." He said. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you blind?" She asked. He sighed and tilted his head towards her. "A story for another time Miss…" "Clover. Clover Parks." She said. "Well Miss Parks… if you could help me out of here that would be nice." She nods before standing up, looking up at the egg. It was shaking. "If that thing falls. The roof falls." Clover said to herself. 

What happens when i can't get him out. She thought. "Miss Parks.." The old man said. "I must tell you this before you get me out." He said. She looked back at him and furrowed her brows. She knelt down in front of him and put a hand on his hand, letting him know she was there. "The egg is what i protect, stay here and you and it will parish. Take it and you'll save me and yourself." He riddled.

Clover looked at him confused before looking at the stoned. "That's an egg?" She asked, tilting her head, curiously. The egg pulsed, shaking the crystal walls and the rocky floor. Clover lost her footing and fell over. She bumped her hip and her arm on a rock. She got up and looked around. Her eyes fell on the old man. She sighed. She looked around and saw that there was a crystal low enough for her jump up and climb on it but at the same time cut her up and sharp enough to do some serious damage to her stomach.

She looked at the rock then at the old man. "Sir." She said. "You wouldn't mind if I borrowed your coat would you?" She asked. He looked up at her. "No i wouldn't, here.." He said, holding the coat out to her. She took it and tied to her stomach. SHe looked at the jump. "Three feet at the least." She muttered. "Good thing i was a long jumper in high school." She said. She backed away, getting ready to jump when the man cried out. A deathly yell. At that moment the walls shook furiously. Once again Clover fell over. She got up and ran towards the crystal. She jumped at the edge of the water and grabbed ahold on the crystal. She bit her lip, holding back a scream from the puncture wounds on her arms. She started slipping, losing her footing on the crystal. She let go after a moment. 

She fell into the water with a hard thud, knocking her out. The walls shook harder and more violently than ever. The egg cracked and opened. The man smiled and closed his eyes. A blackish red mist covered him. He disappeared in the mist. The mist spiraled and dove towards Clover. It surrounded her, healing her wounds. The mist quickly pulled Clover out of the water leaving her on the  hard floor, completely dry and completely healed. Though the scars would be there for a while, she was in no physical pain or mental pain.

"Miss wake up… Miss?" A man said shaking her. Clover coughed up water and looked at the man in front of her. She sputtered slightly and looked around. A two foot white wall surrounded her and "Where am I?" She asked, sitting up quickly. "Woah there, be careful. You've been underwater for a while. You're on a boat, were taking you back to the mainland." Clover sighed and remember the old man "The man. You got the old man?" She asked. The man raised a brow in confusion and helped her to her feet. "Only you and this rock thing.. Caught ya in our nets." He said. She nodded. "Where is it?" She asked. "Where is what?" He asked. His brown eyes looked down at her blue ones. "The stone, i had it while i was in the water. Where is it?" "Downstairs." He said. She nodded and went downstairs, stopping when she saw a man down there with nothing on but a towel. She sputtered and quickly went back up stairs. "Can you please tell your friend to get some clothes on?" She asked, biting her lip.

The man laughed and went to the stairs. "Arlo.. get some damn clothes on the girls awake!" He yelled. "Yeah I know. Give me a minute the stone is cracking." He called back. Clover looked at him and went down stairs, not caring that all he had was a towel wrapped around his waist. She ran over and looked at the egg. "Out…" She ordered. "Excuse me?" He asked. "Yo' Chris. She thinks she owns the place." "Just get some shorts on and get up here!" Chris said. "Fine." Arlo disappeared into a room. Clover sighed and looked at the egg. The egg was cracked and almost completely broken

"You're a dragon rider." Arlo said. He was directly behind here, breathing down her neck. She jumped slightly, but kept quiet. "Me and my brother don't like Dragon riders." He whispered, putting a forceful hand on her shoulder. She gulped. "Dragons aren't real… I'm an archaeologist. I was looking for rocks and fossils under the water." She lied. She bit her lip. "Arlo.. Let the girl go." Chris said. "There is no Dragon riding mark on her." He said. "She hasn't touched the egg mentally yet." Arlo argued. Clover whimpered and tried to move away. Arlo let her go. Clover glanced at the egg quickly before quickly heading to the stairs. 

Chris stood in the way. "My brother is right though. We don't like Dragon riders." He said. Arlo walked over to her and smirked. "But we do keep the pretty ones." He added, grabbing her arm. Clover bit her lip and looked at the two of them, backing away. Arlo chuckled and let her go. "Destroy the egg and you can be one of us." Chris said. "Don't listen to them Clover Parks! Run. And don't trust anyone" A voice ran throughout the room. Chris and Arlo covered their ears and fell to the ground. Clover grabbed the egg and ran to the top deck.

She looked around. There were closer to the island than they said. She went to the helm and grabbed an empty bag. She put the egg in it, slinging it around her shoulders. She looked at the helm and bit her lip. "Get her!" Chris snapped from the bottom deck. Clover jumped and ran to the side of the boat, going to jump. She went to jump when Arlo grabbed her, pulling her down. Clover screamed and kicked, trying to get away. Chris walked over and grabbed her wrist, looking at the palm of her hand intensely. 

Her hand started burning. She cried and tried to get her hand away. "She has the mark." Chris hissed. Arlo took her down stairs and into a room with no windows. The room was dark. It only had one light, but it was broken. "Dragon Hunters. Be gone!" Arlo dropped Clover on the ground and covered his ears. Clover quickly jumped into the water and got dragged down by something. She looked down and saw Chris. She tried to kick him off. Chris held her under until she passed out. He brought her up and onto the boat. He laid her on the deck and took the egg. "She has the mark, what are we going to do brother?" "Take her to the queen. Like the other, kill the egg." He said. 

The egg rolled around like mad and crackled. Chris and arlo's attention was on the dragon egg. It shook for a bit before Arlo tried to pick it up. He cried out and pulled his hand away from the dragon egg. His hands with bright red. "Damn dragon egg, there's always something." He mumbled. "That's because your stupid enough to pick it up." Chris said. Clover sputtered and coughed up water. She sat up and looked at them scared. Her hair stuck to her face and neck. Arlo and Chris kept there gaze on the egg. Clover looked at it and backed away. "What the hell?!" She said. Arlo looked at her and smirked. He walked over to her and pulled her up on her feet. She whined and tried to get away. "Pick it up and throw it off the boat." He ordered. Chris walked into another room and grabbed a gun, making sure it was loaded. He came out and pointed the gun at her. "Do what he said." Chris said, pointing to the egg. 

Clover bit her lip and picked up the egg. She glanced at Arlo and Chris. "Now" Chris said. She went to the edge of the boat and looked back at them. The egg stopped and opened. A little Red, with black spots dragon jumped out and growled at the two. They laughed and looked at it. Clover took this chance and grabbed the dragon before jumping in the water. She swam to land and set the dragon in her bag carefully. Mrs Parks, you must hurry! The dragon said. The dragon whined a bit as Clover took off running. She ran to a village and collapsed to the ground.