Chapter 2

I wake up and screech, my back hurting so much I fall back on my bed. My mother comes running into my room. She covers her mouth and points at something behind my back. I try not to hyperventilate as I turn around and shriek. Where empty space should have been were huge butterfly wings, silver streaked with gold at the tips. My mother steps forward tentatively. "I always knew it would happen..." she whispers. "What would happen? Why did this happen? What am I? Tell me now!" I yell. I feel pain as the wings grow ever larger, until the wingspan is about 20 feet across. I feel my body becoming longer and slimmer, my ears pointing at the tips, my eyes going from pale green to gold. "Mom!" I demand, beginning to sob. "My poor daughter... you're one of the Aranai." she says, her face morose.