I hesitate, looking from face to face, wondering why everyone is now staring at the side of my head that was most painful earlier. “What about my hair? Skye?”
Skye’s eyes widen. “Umm… it’s not… that bad?”
Jet grins. “Not that bad? He looks like a hedgehog that got half run over.”
I shoot to my feet ready to rush to the bathroom, but I immediately get dizzy and sway. Cal grabs me before I can pass out, supporting me until the dizziness passes, before helping me to the bathroom mirror.
My eyes widen in horror at my reflection. The hair on the right-hand side of my head is completely gone. There’s new skin that will hopefully be able to grow hair again, but on the left? All the hair on that side is absolutely fine, except that it’ssticking up like some sort of cartoon of someone who’s been electrocuted.
“My hair,” I whisper, reaching up but not touching the injured side of my head.
Cal’s lips twitch, the absolute traitor. “It’ll grow back.”
“That’ll take months!” I love my hair. It’s one of my best features.
Jet appears in the bathroom doorway. “Want me to go get some clippers?”
I turn and stalk unsteadily after him. “This is your fault.”
He backs up, hands raised. “Why? I’m the kind person who told you!”
“I’d have been happily ignorant if it weren’t for you!” I’m aware I’m being irrational. I blame the head injury.
“Isn’t it better to know?” He steps behind Ayo and uses him as a shield. Except Ayo’s significantly shorter than Jet, so I can still see my target.
I narrow my eyes, but before I can come up with a response that doesn’t make me sound crazy, Doc P knocks and enters.
“Raj? If you wouldn’t mind, I’d appreciate your help calming Bryn down. Milo and Harley aren’t having much luck.”
I rush for the door as fast as my wobbly legs can carry me. “What’s wrong? Is he okay?”
“He’s not in any danger, but the foreign magic in his system has caused a soul disconnect,” Doc P says.
“What does that mean?” I ask. The team gather round as well.
Doc P sighs. “It means the dragon side of his personality is in charge and instincts are ruling his every action. Right now, there’s a real danger he’ll destroy the entire pocket realm.”
That’s not a problem; I can handle a confused dragon. Except… “Wait, what pocket realm?”
Chapter Seven
BRYN
I can’t get to my tiger. No matter which direction I fly in, I end up back at the same old oak tree, its green leafy branches outstretched even though it’s supposed to be winter. Underneath the bark, the core of the tree glows white with life-giving magic. There are wildflowers in a meadow that stretches as far as the eye can see, their stupid, colourful petals mocking me. I set fire to them an hour ago. They’re back, because wherever the hell I am, everything is made of magic.
I need to get to my tiger.
The tiny doctor man keeps appearing from behind the tree, but when I tried to tear it down I couldn’t touch it. Breathing fire on it had no effect. I’m convinced that tree is the way out of my new prison so I use my talons to tear up the ground, searching for the roots.
My brother tries to muscle me out of the way but I shove back, sending him tail over wing towards a wolf, who ducks just in time to avoid being flattened. My biped side insists the wolfis a friend, but I don’t recognise the creature with black fur. His scent is familiar, I admit, but they’re just in my way. If they won’t show me the way out, I’ll find it myself.
Where’s my tiger? I have to get to him. He must be protected. He’s hurt, and the shimmery doctor man separated us.
The tree roots don’t like me attacking them. They send stinging magical bursts into my scales, but I don’t care. Pain is irrelevant. I’ll do whatever it takes to find him.
Movement behind the tree catches my attention and I step back a few paces, ready to pounce on the doctor and squeeze him until he lets me out. Except he’s not alone this time.
My entire body tingles at the sight of my tiger. He’s missing the hair on one side of his head and the rest is sticking up at odd angles. He’s unsteady on his feet and is wearing a strange garment that he strips off when he sees me.
