Kestrel was brought into the arena, thrashing and snarling at the guards dragging her in. There was a chain looped around her snout so that she couldn't breathe fire, and more chains around her legs and tail to further restrict her movement.

       "It's weird." Clay whispered. "I've always hated Kestrel, but it still makes me mad to see her like that."

       "So, how do you know Kestrel?" Peril asked Clay.

       "She's one of the three dragons who raised us, under the mountain." Clay explained. "They didn't like us much, but they were supposed to keep us alive until the Talons of Peace came back to get us for the prophecy."

       "At least you had someone. I guess even terrible parents are better than no parents" Peril replied.

       "I'd stand to disagree." Glow said, thinking bitterly of Kite's mother, Cinnabar.

       "Why's that?" Clay asked, curiously.

       Glow turned towards him and began explaining. "Kite, the other SkyWing in our group. His mother constantly hurt him everyday since he was born, essentially. He's alright now because he ran away and found us, but he still suffers from panic attacks on a regular basis because of it." Glow paused. "She used to beat him and call him names. Even saying how it would be better if he was dead." She finished grimly, trying to squash her anger and distress at the thought of Cinnabar taking Kite away from them. Not going to happen. I promised him I wouldn't let her take him away.

       Clay shook his head. "That sounds awful. What kind of dragon would do that to her own dragonet?" He asked disbelievingly.

       Glow dipped her head. "Cinnabar." She answered. She flipped her thoughts back to the conversation. "The point is, at least he has us, now. You, on the other hand, had parents like Kestrel, but you also had your friends that you grew up alongside with that you could lean on whenever things got bad." Clay smiled, obviously thinking of his friends. "Without that kind of family, dragons who come out of those situations start don't have any reference to draw from that that isn't okay. As a result, they pick up some really messed-up habits that they just keep for their whole life until they manage to leave it and live without it for longer. Habits like blaming themself for what that dragonet's awful parents did, or for things that aren't that dragonet's fault, or clinging to someone who's just nice to them to an obsessive degree because they had no one else. You know, the kinds of habits that aren't good for that dragonet, that can really mess with them and especially their relationships for their whole life if not dealt with." Glow explained. She noticed Peril's expression of guilt shift even further. Glow was starting to feel guilty herself. I should take her to the tavern again. Maybe we can play that game we missed there. What was it called? "Rock Shooter" or something like that? I'll have to ask her. Glow shook the idealistic fantasy out of her head. No. What she needs is to get out of this. With us.

       "That makes sense." Clay said in agreement.

       "But having no parents isn't really that swell, either." Corona chimed in bitterly. "When they abandon you in the middle of the desert to fend for yourself along with other rejected dragons, it makes you feel like garbage and you can't help but wonder if they ever cared about you in the first place." She grumbled. "Then again, they wouldn't have if they were willing to just leave you alone to hatch and then die somewhere."

       Clay looked like he felt pity for the SandWing, but Glow knew that she appreciated what she had. "You're not garbage, Corona. You're my best friend, and we took you in for a reason." Glow reassured.

       Corona chuckled lightly as Glow wrapped her wing around her barbed friend. "I know, I know. And I'm real grateful for everything you've done. I just..."

       "I know." Glow said simply.

       "I have real parents, though. Somewhere in the Mud Kingdom, there's a pair of dragons who can't wait to get me back. I'm going to find them one day." Clay insisted.

       "I wouldn't count on that if I were you." Corona argued. Clay's expression was struck with injury. "I'm sorry to kill your hopes, but they might not even be still alive. They might be or they might not be." she finished, Clay's face worsening.

       "But there's really only one way to find out." Glow finished, happy to see the cheerful light back in Clay's eyes. She smacked Corona lightly with her tail, earning an annoyed glint in her black eyes.

       "Yeah, you're right." Clay agreed. Peril remained disturbingly quiet. She knew she was thinking of facing Clay in battle and how much she didn't want that.

       Glow saw Vermilion climb onto one of the boulders and spread his blood-red wings. "That's Vermilion. He's Her Majesty's oldest son. He always argues for the prosecution." Peril whispered.

       Glow cocked her head at her. "Really? He's the oldest?" Peril nodded. "No wonder he's her favourite." Then again, he probably always argues for prosecution because Scarlet makes him. She felt her talons shaking in anger.

       "Why does Scarlet bother with a trial at all?" Clay asked.

       "Good question." Corona agreed.

       "Only SkyWings get trials. Her Majesty likes watching the performance of it – and she thinks it makes her seem like a just and fair ruler." Peril said.

       Corona snorted in disbelief while Glow rolled her eyes indignantly.

       Another SkyWing climbed onto the other boulder. His scales were a washed-out red, an obvious contrast to Vermilion's bold red. He moved slowly, dragging his limp tail behind him.

       "And that's Osprey." Peril pointed out. "He argues for the defense. Not very well, or he'd lose his head." Already a great start. Glow thought sarcastically. "He's really old and almost blind. He's nice to me, though, because I'll listen to his stories of the old days. He told me he used to have tonnes of treasure, but a scavenger came to steal it and managed to paralyze his tail before Osprey ate him. So now he can't fly, and he gave all his treasure to Her Majesty so she'd let him live here."

       Glow remembered her description of a dragon like that. "Oh yeah, I remember you mentioning him a day or two ago." She said.

       "Tough bargain." Clay said. Peril rustled and Glow felt the heat shift closer to them.

       "Back in the way-old days before the Scorching," she lectured, "before we had queens and armies, he would have just died. Scavengers killed a lot more dragons back then. But now, because of our queens, we rule the whole world, and dragons have help when they need it."

       "Sounds more like some dragons have help when they need it." Corona spat.

       "You sound like Starflight." Clay said, interrupting Corona. "Will there be a test at the end of this lecture?" Glow snickered.

       "He wouldn't talk to me, by the way." Peril said. "Not even when I asked him to tell me the history of the Scorching, like you suggested. He just buried his nose under his wings and ignored me." Glow felt a pang of sympathy for the poor NightWing. I really hope I can find a way to get them out of here soon.

       "Wow." Clay said. "He must be really depressed."

       Peril was quiet and so was Corona. Glow was paying attention to the arena and the trial. She looked over at the other spire at Frigga and Snowstorm comfortably lying side-by-side. Frigga looked more relaxed than ever on this whole trip.

       The trial was about to begin. Queen Scarlet beat her wings and all the dragons turned to pay attention to her. "Loyal subjects," she said, Glow scoffing when she said loyal subjects. "This dragon, Kestrel, once of the SkyWings, stands accused of the highest treason – disobeying me. Vermilion speaks for the prosecution."

       Glow shook her head. "Yeesh, could she get any more vain?" She said earning a snicker even from Peril.

       "Your Majesty," Vermilion said, bowing and crossing his talons. "The facts are clear. You gave an order. Kestrel disobeyed you and fled the kingdom. She has been living under your mountains for the last seven years, aiding and abetting the Talons of Peace, who also refuse to follow Your Majesty's orders."

       Corona wrinkled her snout in discomfort. "By the sun, it's like she thinks all of Pyrrhia belongs to her. Who does she think she is? Blister if she actually won the war?" Glow giggled but the other two remained silent.

       "She deserves a long, painful execution. There is no need to drag this trial out." Vermilion finished.

       The other SkyWings make the hissing sounds they made during the arena matches while Kestrel glared at the queen, smoke curling around her snout.

       "Well said." Scarlet nodded. "Now Osprey may speak for the defense. Or not, if he'd prefer to sleep through this trial, too."

       The crowd laughed, although Glow didn't think it was funny to laugh at the old SkyWing.

       Osprey craned his neck towards the queen and Kestrel, like he was trying to get close enough to actually see them. "Your Majesty," he said, his voice hoarse with age but loud enough for the prisoners to hear. "I do have one or two words to say in this prisoner's defense."

       Queen Scarlet's tail lashed as she glared at him. "Certainly, that's what you're here to do. Go ahead." She said.

       Osprey cleared his throat, coughing out a cloud of black smoke. Glow felt bad for the old fellow. Every dragon was straining to listen and Glow could feel Peril's scales getting uncomfortably close to hers as she tried to shuffle Corona farther away from them.

       "Consider the first charge of disobedience. Kestrel did not do as you ordered – but then, didn't you reverse the order after she was gone?"

       Glow flicked her ears forward in shock. What?

       "Osprey," Scarlet hissed. "Speak plainly, or do not speak at all. And let me point out that one of those options would be much smarter than the other."

       "Typical," Corona noted. "A threat when something doesn't go her way. She's a spoiled brat with way too much power and violent tendencies." Corona hissed.

       "Shh!" Glow said harshly, not wanting them to get caught. I don't disagree with you, but considering what you just said, I'd rather not die, thanks.

       "Forgive me, Your Majesty, I must speak." The old dragon straightened his wings, as if he was proudly standing for the only honour there was left in this kingdom. "Kestrel was one of your most loyal soldiers. She was sent through the breeding program, on your orders, and brought forth one egg."

       Glow's ears flicked in recognition. Breeding program. I've heard that somewhere. Isn't that how Flashover fathered Prince Cliff? Glow turned to Peril. "You have a breeding program?" She asked curiously.

       Peril shrugged. "Normally, dragons just pick and choose if they want a partner or a family or not. But since there was a shortage of soldiers for a while, Her Majesty ordered the breeding program to be put into practice to make more soldiers for the war." Glow actually kind of respected that. "It worked, so it must have been a good idea." Peril finished. Huh. An actual good decision made by the queen of the SkyWings. Who knew? Sure, it threw probably hundreds of young dragons into war, but as an actual war measure, it was smart. She remembered Frigga telling her that in war, you're always taught what might happen, so it was never a secret. Although, she did say that she never agreed to conscription as a good war measure. It would get more soldiers than the number that would volunteer, but at what cost?

       She turned her attention back to the arena. "Upon hatching, it turned out to hold twin dragonets."

       Glow heard an audible gasp come from Peril. As the pieces of information were slowly spilling out, a possibility was beginning to form in Glow's head. 

       She didn't like that possibility.

       All eyes were on the trial. "We know all this. Skip ahead to the part where we execute her." Scarlet yawned.

       "The dragonets were defective," Osprey went on stubbornly. Glow admired his bravery at standing up against the queen, but she couldn't help but glance over at Peril when he said defective. "One had too much fire. The other did not have enough. As per SkyWing custom, you ordered Kestrel to kill them both and stay out of the breeding program for the rest of her life." Glow was hit with the confirmaionrealization and suddenly wished Peril wasn't here to hear this.

       "That doesn't make sense," Peril whispered behind them. The three of them turned back to look at her. She was visibly shaking, Clay's sympathetic eyes meeting her confused ones. "I'm the only twin SkyWing hatched in the past ten years, but he can't be talking about me. My brother was dead when we hatched. I killed him. Then my mother tried to kill me, and Queen Scarlet stopped her."

       "Or maybe that's just what she told you," Clay whispered back.

       Corona nodded in agreement. "Considering the way she behaves and treats her subjects, it makes sense to me." Corona hissed.

       The queen rose to her full height and showed off the rubies embedded around the edges of her wings. The sunlight caught on them nearly blinded Glow and she was finding it rather difficult to focus. Was she doing it on purpose? Probably not, but it would be something she would do. "Quite reasonable." She said.

       "But Kestrel tried to escape," Osprey pressed on.

       Glow was respecting this old dragon more and more with each passing minute. He must have a death wish to be continuing this long.  She then remembered how easily Horizon have up on surviving after he saw he couldn't beat Peril. He probably does have a death wish. Glow thought, glancing at Osprey's tail sadly. "She took her two dragonets from the hatching cave and tried to flee with them down the mountain."

       "So you agree she disobeyed me," said Queen Scarlet. "Then I think we're done here."

       "You caught her at the Diamond Spray River," Osprey said. "And there you issued a new order. You told her you would forgive her disobedience on one condition. She must choose one of the dragonets to die, and then you would spare the other's life, and Kestrel's own."

       "No." Peril whispered.

       "Then she did obey you, didn't she?" Osprey said. "She killed the dragonet with too little fire, right there at the river. With her own claws."

       "And then I changed my mind again," Scarlet said. "I am the queen. I can do that."

       "You told your guards – I know, for I was one of them – to kill the other dragonet and take Kestrel back for trial. She tried to grab her daughter and fly away, but the heat of the dragonet's scales burned her talons before she was a wing-beat into the sky, and she had to drop her. She fled, leaving her only dragonet at your mercy."

       There was only silence.

       "Sounds guilty to me." Scarlet said cheerfully. "We'll execute her tomorrow. And while we're at it, let's execute him, too, for boring me." She pointed at Osprey.

       "No!" Peril shot off the tower while Clay nearly fell off.

       Glow extended her talon trying to get her back. "Peril, wait!" She called out.

       "Aaaand, she's gone." Corona said, shrinking back nervously.

       Clay flailed his right leg free and Glow glanced at the wire. Peril had accidentally burned through the wire. Glow looked over at Snowstorm who wore the exact same confused expression.

       "It can't be true!" Peril cried, landing beside Osprey. "Tell me it's not true!"

       Kestrel reared up with a muffled roar. She had the look that Frigga had when Glow told her that Snowstorm was alive, only the IceWing's was more subtle. In fact, when she glanced over at the two IceWings, she saw them holding each other rather closely.

       "Oh, yes," the SkyWing queen said maliciously to Kestrel. "Didn't I mention she's still alive? And working for me?" Glow's talons began to tremble with rage as she started flexing her iron talons. She turned her malevolent yellow eyes towards Peril. "You're not supposed to be here."

       "You lied to me!" Peril shrieked. "You said she was dead!"

       Queen Scarlet sighed. "Look at the trouble you've caused." She sneered at Osprey. "Peril, dear. Would you have wanted to know your mother was alive somewhere, raising other dragonets and wishing she'd killed you instead of your brother?"

       Peril hesitated. Glow was ready to strike the insolent queen down right then and there. "Glow, calm down." Corona tried to say, noticing how violently Glow was shaking at this point.

       "No." She said sternly. "This isn't something I should be calm about." Corona turned her attention back to the trial.

       "She could have escaped with your brother," Scarlet pointed out. "You're the one who burned her when she tried to save you. She thought she chose wrong. That's why she didn't come back to save you."

       Kestrel roared unintelligibly through the chains. Glow was now watching first-claw the manipulation and emotional abuse that Scarlet had done to Peril her whole life. She was fed up with watching Scarlet twist the truth when the only dragon who could say otherwise was chained up and under her control. Glow was feeling a new breed of hatred. She had never seen for herself the horrors of Cinnabar, or Tarantula, or Scarlet until now. This was the first time she was seeing it play out right in front of her. 

       And this time, she could actually do something about it. 

       "Haven't I kept you alive all these years?" Scarlet went on. "Finding you the black rocks, feeding you, making you my champion? Don't you appreciate all the things I've done for you? Aren't I a better mother than her anyway?"

       "HOW DARE YOU?" Glow shouted at her from up above.

       Corona's black eyes were filled with panic. "Glow, stop! Before it's too late!" She pleaded.

       "NO!" Glow interrupted. "I'm tired of sitting and watching." She flexed her iron talons and prepared to take off. "This ends now."

       "Glow, wait!" Corona and Clay shouted in unison. She shot off the tower towards the trial, ignoring the screams for her to return from Frigga and her friends.

       She landed with a loud thud and stood level with the SkyWing queen, thrusting herself in front of Peril protectively. She had her chest puffed and her wings flared, her amber eyes blazing with fury and passion. She stood proud and tall to defend the dragon she called her friend for all this time.

       "You," she began, seething contempt oozing through her voice like the poison that killed Fjord in the arena. "You have the audacity to call yourself a better mother when all you've ever done is lie to and manipulate Peril her whole life?" She snarled, not caring what sort of consequences would befall her. "You lied to her about her own mother! You made her think that killing other dragons for your amusement is somehow okay! You never treated her like a daughter, or even a dragon! All she is to you is a toy. An attraction. Something to play with! And you cut her off from any dragon who would ever tell her any different!" She paused, absolutely furious. "All to make sure she does whatever you say and never has to leave you. All to make sure that she has no choice but to depend on you."

       She flexed her iron talons and took a step back to stand by her, and she saw the steam pouring from Peril's vibrant blue eyes. "I care about her. I got to know her, and I would proudly stand by her no, matter what. I love her! Did you ever?!" She paused, looking around at the other SkyWings, including Osprey who looked particularly proud of her and Vermilion who looked shocked, but still proud. Even Kestrel looked impressed with her. She saw the conflicted expressions on each of the dragons in the arena. 

      That was good.

       Someone stand up for her! Glow desperately thought, looking around for anyone that would speak up. Someone back me up! Someone prove that I have a point! 

       Everything remained quiet for a long while. The queen was looking around smugly at the audience. "Well, that was quite sweet and so inspiring. If only it wasn't so stupid of you." She sneered. "If only someone actually believed inyou." Glow felt shame wash over her entire being. It took all her might not to collapse or fly away. 

       Until she felt something warm land next to her.

       "I do." She heard the voice and turned to see Corona, with her face determined and her tail unsheathed. Glow turned to glance up at Snowstorm and noticed that the white blob was significantly smaller. She must have gone back to check on Evenstar and Kite. "I believe in her." Corona said, snapping Glow back to the current moment. "Glow doesn't trust just anyone. So if she believes in Peril, so do I." Corona said. Glow's heart lifted high at the devotion of her best friend. The SandWing she could always count on was by her side when no one else could or would is coming through for her again.

       She twined her tail briefly with Corona's and stared Scarlet in the face.Scarlet looked disgusted. "Well, isn't that just adorable. I think I'm going to throw up." She jeered.

       Glow looked over at Peril who had her head bowed down. "Come on, Peril. Say something! You can't let her do this to you. You have to stand up for yourself!" She pleaded.

       "I want to stand for her." Peril said.

       Glow reeled back in surprise. "What?"

       Smoke sizzled from Scarlet's nose. "Yes, Peril. What was it you just said?" She said threateningly.

       "I call upon the tradition of the Champion's Shield." Peril said. "It says the queen's champion may stand forth for any dragon sentenced to execution. If I can defeat the next dragon you set me to fight, you must let her go free." She looked into Kestrel's eyes for the first time. "I want to stand for my mother."

       Queen Scarlet's yellow eyes were small slits, and suddenly she seemed far more intimidating than the vain immature queen they saw before. "Now where did you hear about that particular law?" She hissed.

       Peril shifted her talons. "I read about it."

       "I bet you did, with claws that burn right through paper when you touch it." Scarlet pried.

       "Um, I hate to be a killjoy, but," Corona piped up. Scarlet turned her searching gaze towards her unflinching eyes. "You do realize that stone tablets still exist, right?" Corona said matter-of-factly. Scarlet leaned down menacingly. Corona responded with a flick of her tail towards her. "You don't scare me. I can, and will kill you if you make a wrong move, so I'd be careful," Corona warned. "Your Highness." She spat those last words out threateningly.

       "Be that as it may," Scarlet scowled hard at Corona, and turned back towards Peril. "Someone's been telling you things too big for little dragon ears."

       "No!" Peril said too quickly. "Nobody –"

       Glow and Corona quickly slithered in front of Peril, shielding her from Scarlet. "You take another step, AND I'LL SLICE YOU OPEN!" Glow roared, showing off her iron talons.

       Scarlet wordlessly snatched Glow up and flew up towards the wire net. "No! Don't hurt her!" Peril screamed. Glow wasn't going to be snatched up and thrown away by this excuse for a queen. Her talons were restrained from reaching the queen's face, but she was able to reach her exposed belly. She kicked her abdomen and lashed out with her iron talons.

       Glow left a nasty gash up her flank. It was oozing red blood from a zigzag claw wound not showing signs of stopping.The SkyWing queen screeched and shot a bolt of flame at Glow. She twisted and turned toward the flame, breaking it and swirling it around her in a vortex. She quickly smashed her tail into Scarlet's face as she flapped around disoriented. She was tightly clutching her newly inflicted wound and staring after her wildly.

       Glow turned to fly after Corona, but she saw her heading toward them. Corona writhed around Scarlet's head and positioned her tail underneath Scarlet's chin. "One wrong move, and you're dead, Your Highness." Corona snarled. "You've got a perfectly good heir lined up for the throne who will make a far better queen than you've ever been."

       Scarlet grabbed her by the tail and an audible cracking sound could be heard before she was thrown down to the arena. "Corona!" Glow shrieked. She kicked the queen in the chest and dove down to catch Corona before she hit the ground. No no no no no no, not you! Not you! I can't lose you! She grabbed Corona by the tail and lifted up before they could collide with the sand below. She cradled the SandWing in her own wings and turned her back towards the sand, shielding Corona from the impact. Glow felt pain all over her being, but felt leagues better when she saw Corona's eyes flutter open.

       "Stop!" She heard Peril yell. "It's not his fault!" Glow looked up to see that Scarlet had taken Osprey and flown up with him and Peril was chasing after them. Glow watched her climb higher and higher, Osprey's tail hanging heavily below him. Scarlet had reached the height of the wire net when she opened her talons and dropped him. He plummeted like a stone.

       Osprey's wings were slow to extend, but when they did, he was dragged down by his useless tail. Glow gently placed Corona down on the sand and shot up to catch him. Peril was reaching out, but she was helpless. If she burned him, it would kill him just as much as the fall would. Osprey twisted and struggled in the air, trying to catch flight. Peril looked relieved when Glow was about to catch Osprey, when suddenly.

       BAM!

       Glow was tackled out of the sky by a large red SkyWing attached to a pair of silver wings. She could hear Peril scream in dismay as Glow was pressed into the ground by sharp menacing claws. Her wings were twisting uncomfortably and her vision was limited. She saw across from her that Corona was being held down by a couple guards she didn't recognize.

       She heard the audible crunch of Osprey's bones as he hit the ground just before she heard the chilling voice in her ear. "I knew you were trouble." She heard Cinnabar hiss venomously in her ear.

       Glow felt an overwhelming wave of guilt wash over her. Corona was injured, Osprey was dead, and Peril was doomed – all because of Glow. 

       All because Glow acted on her impulses the one time she shouldn't have. 

       I'm so sorry. She thought defeatedly. I wasn't quick enough.