My hands grip the porcelain sink to steady myself. The water streams from the faucet rapidly, my hands unable to move from the sides to turn the water off. The room is spinning while the water drowns out the blistering tinnitus threatening to overcome my head. I keep my head down, every inch of my body refusing to listen to me or hold itself up. Water droplets continue to stream down my face from ...

"It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission." I say vaguely with a shrug of my shoulders, a playful smile tugs on my lips as I slip off my own hood. I pull the satchel back to myself. My hands quickly and carefully take the item out of the satchel and place it on the table in front of us.

There on the table, next to the empty satchel, rests a pearlescent dragon egg.

His gaze meets m...