P.S, I recommend reading Wings Of Fire book 15 before this or at least reading the epilogue. You don't have too, but it is preferred.
Enjoy!

From the moment Monarch saw how troubled and broken the world was, she knew she wanted to change it. So many things were wrong with it! Like how the Hivewings still think they can control the Silkwings.

But then again, she felt as if something was missing, as if something was always in the wrong place at the wrong time. As if the world was tilting, and it was impossible to put back into place.

After the breath of evil was defeated, most Hivewings went to live back in the Hives with their family's. Each hive voted on a Hivewing to take control of their hive. Like, Bloodworm Hive is now renamed Junebug Hive.

Monarch did not live in a hive. She lived in the most beautiful place in the world. The LeafSilk Kingdom. Filled with trees and fruit and so many kind dragons. All the Silkwings lived in tree houses and webs that they had woven together to create all kinds of different colors.

The Leafwing's lived in tree houses as well, though some, like Belladonna and her group, decided to be grumpy and stay in the Poison Jungle. Monarch, however, had one favorite part of the kingdom.

Well, three. Her first favorite was the Leaf Garden, the Silk Garden, and the LeafSilk garden. Each one was so beautiful, it was only open once every week because it was so crowded.

But Monarch didn't mind all the dragons there. The colors that they brought made it more likable. The Leaf Garden was on the far side of the LeafSilk Kingdom, where most of the Leafwings lived.

It was full of beautiful wood carvings, but the best thing was Bumblebee Tree, or, Talons United. Monarch liked the first name though. It was the biggest tree in the kingdom, and that was saying something because of how many trees now surrounded the savanna. In fact, you couldn't really call it a savanna now. 

The Silk Garden was her favorite. It was filled with amazing tapestries. The best ones where woven by Luna, the famous Silkwing who was one of the dragons in the government. Monarch loved to sit their every day, if she could, but she couldn't, because it was only open for a couple days at a time.

The LeafSilk garden was a delightful place were the phrase, Talons United, really fit. Dragons of all different colors spent their time together, and each Leafwing or Silkwing donated a piece of art or plant to be displayed.

Monarch felt her worry's melting away just thinking about it. She especially liked that Luna, and a couple other famous Silkwings gave lessons on weaving tapestries. Monarch wanted to learn how to weave more than anything.

She had practiced weaving with her parents silk, but they never turned out right. She never managed to capture the right amount of color, and whenever she tried to weave dragons they looked like dragonflies.

"Monarch!" Said a voice. She looked up from the book of history she was reading, called, "History of Pantala." There were so many confusing things to it, and she wasn't sure she really understood all of it.

Her mother walked into her room. "I'm going out for a bit." Marblewing said. Monarch's wing buds twitched. She never liked her mother leaving the house. It was a bit scary out in the forest, even though all the dragon-eating plants were in the Poison Jungle.

Plenty of Leafwings were still a little hostile, and the few Hivewings that lived in the kingdom had, well, moods. Sometimes they would be nice, and sometimes they would be grumpy. Except for Cricket and Bumblebee. They were always nice, and their parents too. 

"Where are you going?" Monarch asked. Marblewing's amber tail twitched. "There's a meeting today. I'll be gone for a few days."

Monarch looked down at her book, putting on her, I'm fine. No feelings her. I am a happy dragon! face. "Okay." She said. Marblewing glanced at her, then walked out of the room.

She turned back to her book. Dusky, the small Silkwing that the savior Luna had friended, had suddenly been kidnapped by humans. They planned to throw him into the abyss, and the succeeded. Luna followed them, and they were both caught by the breath of evil, the only plant in the world that can control dragon's mind.

In the abyss, they met three living things. The breath of evil, Cottonmouth, the human who controlled the plant, and Lizard, the dragon who helped it grow. Cottonmouth was evil and cruel, but his pet, Lizard was misunderstood. From the moment she hatched she had to deal with Cottonmouth. They both had died long ago, but the plant kept their souls alive, and they lived in their own mind space.

Luna and Dusky watched Cottonmouth's memory's, which was basically all you could do in the mind space. His memory's were full of hatred and violence. Luna and Dusky soon realized they would be stuck here if they didn't do something, and so, with the help of knowledge from Lizard, the cut the plant growing through Cottonmouth's and Lizard's body.

But before they left, the gave the dragon that saved them, a new name. Lizard became Freedom, and Luna and Dusky were reunited with their family's.

Monarch put the book down and laid on her silk hammock, her eyes watching the roof of their house. They lived in a fairly large tree house. The view outside was amazing. Monarch's room was full of books. She loved to read them and escape reality.

Her silk hammock connected to one tree branch and another. She liked that about the tree house, that some branches went into the house, and it made for good sitting spots or hammocks. Her room had a large slanting roof, and vines with beautiful flowers covered the walls, corners, and roof.

She turned over on her side, watching the giant window that covered part of the wall. It took her a few years to realize that glass was made with flame silk. She was always interested in them. 

It was midday, she knew from her antennae, but she still felt tired. And hungry. She realized. She got up, walking out of her room. On the other side of the door was a hallway, carved with smooth wooden oak, and two other doors. One that led to her parents room, and the other that led to her brothers.

She suddenly felt bad that she didn't ask Marblewing more about her trip. She wouldn't see her for a couple days. The Silkwing government was getting better at making actual decisions, now that they only had less dragons. At first there were almost two hundred Silkwings, but the ones that didn't want to be on the committee quit.

She walked to the end of the hallway, feeling the sanded wood underneath her talons.  She emerged into the kitchen, they liked to call it. An island with a marble material was in the middle, with wooden counters and wooden cabinets. 

They had a few contraptions, like if you pulled a rope water would shoot out of a long pole to wash fruit. Speaking of fruit, her father was cutting raspberries and strawberries.

Those were the two newest fruits in the jungle that Monarch titled as her favorite. She turned and sat down on the small counter, where ficus stools sat with a weaving of silk over them. 

Behind her was what they called the relaxing room. Two big silk hammocks sat on either side, and they were the most comfy thing in the whole house.

Sulphur put a plate of the fruit in front of her, flicking his yellow, green and orange wings. He turned quickly and Monarch said, "Does my favorite fruit have anything to do with mom leaving?"

Sulphur gave her a guilty face. "I just want you to have a happy few days. Marblewing isn't around lots of times, and I want you to be a father you love."

Monarch smiled. She looked at Sulphur's blue eyes and said, "I do love you, and I know Marblewing only leaves because she needs to. Its how she provides." Sulphur put a wing over her.

"Were very lucky to have a daughter like you." She nodded, watching him walk down the hallway, but she didn't feel at all what she said. Monarch was mad at Marblewing for leaving them almost every day. Her mother wasn't good at being a mother.

She sighed, pushing away her fruit. She looked out the window, seeing a Silkwing and a Leafwing swoop by. The Silkwing was wobbly, like he was just learning how to fly.

Maybe he is. Monarch thought. Maybe he just got his wings. He looked the right age, and the Leafwing flying next to him flapped his wings helpfully and caught him whenever he fell.

Now the she looked closer, she could see that the first Silkwings had four wings, but they were shaped and colored like a Leafwing. A hybrid. She thought. There were plenty of those in the LeafSilk Kingdom.

But the thing Monarch played most attention to was the hybrid's expression. He looked happy, so happy to finaling have his wings. Monarch looked behind her at her orange and gold wing buds. She couldn't wait to get her wings, but she was also scared of her Metamorphosis.

The thought of being in an enclosed space for five days made her want to scream. And it didn't help that she was claustrophobic. Monarch shivered just thinking about it. Her older brother, Bronze, had recently just gotten his golden wings.

They were beautiful, but Monarch awfully missed her brother when he was in the cocoon. She visited him in the largest tree house every day, as close as she could get. In fact, that was the day she had met her hero.

"Monarch!" Sulfur called from the balcony below her. "Come here. It's time to go!" But Monarch didn't move. Bronze's cocoon was just a tail-length ahead. He was so close. 

But yet so far. Monarch knew he wouldn't wake up until tomorrow. His wings would be beautiful, and hopefully, he would finally have a smile on his face. She hadn't seen his face light up since he broke up with his girlfriend, Rove.

She was a Hivewing who lived in Junebug Hive, and when Marblewing, Sulfur, and Rove's parents found out, they forbid them from seeing each other. Monarch wished he would smile again. She wanted him too. She missed her old, carefree, happy brother.

Monarch climbed down the silk archway, walking slowly up to Sulfur. She glanced at him one last time, and suddenly saw another Silkwing had spun a cocoon beside him. His scales were a beautiful purple, and there were two dragons waiting anxiously in front of him.

The first had mint-green scales with hints of yellow and lines of blue on her wings. Monarch recognized her right away. Luna! Monarch turned to Sulfur. "You go home. I want to stay with Bronze longer."

Sulfur stared at her doubtfully. "You can't fly up to the tree house though." He said. Monarch flicked her tail impatiently. "I'll use the ramp." Sulfur gave her a skeptical look, but nodded and spread his wings.

Monarch turned to Luna and stepped forward. The purple dragonet had spun his cocoon, and they stepped back. "I hope he'll be alright." Luna said nervously, her wings twitching anxiously.

The dragon next to her, a light pink and purple, said, "He'll be fine. Dusky is nervous, but he is strong." Monarch stifled a gasp. This was the Dusky who was in the abyss with Luna!

Monarch looked at the older pink and purple dragon. She must be his mom. Monarch thought. She wanted so badly to run up to them and tell them everything she knew, and all the questions she had about the abyss, but another dragon ran by.

His scales were blue with splotches of orange. "Luna! I brought honeydrops." Luna swifted the sand on the ground with her tail, giving the orange and blue dragon a wild, goofy smile. That must be Swordtail. Luna's husband.

"You always know when to get them." She smiled, kissing his cheek. Swordtail smiled back. "Well, as long as you don't sit on them." Swordtail rolled his eyes affectionately.

She squeezed the dirt ground beneath her, feeling sand trickle between her talons. She was glad they weren't in a tree house, or else she probably would have fallen off because she was shaking so much.

Dusky's mother whispered something in Luna's ear, and Luna turned to look at the direction of Monarch. They locked eyes, and Monarch bolted toward the safety of the thick undergrowth, scamping over leaves and tripping on roots.

So, basically, Monarch didn't meet her. She saw her. But it's almost the same thing. Right? 

Sulfur came back into the room, followed by Bronze. Sulfur looked down at Monarch's plate and said, "Eat up. Your mother would kill me if you skipping lunch." Monarch rolled her eyes. Yeah, right. 

Bronze sat next to her, his four wings brushing hers. He did smile after he emerged from his cocoon, and Monarch soon realized that that wasn't the only reason. She realized that he and Roze were secretly meeting up after his Metamorphosis.

She didn't dare tell her parents though. Monarch thought it should be fine if Bronze had a Hivewing girlfriend. All the rivalries were over now, so why should they still be seperate? There were plenty of hybrids in the kingdom. Even in the Hives.

Because most Silkwings are still angry about what the Hivewings did to them. She answered herself. And most Hivewings are angry that the Silkwings aren't under there control. 

It's just our luck that both of the families hate one another. She looked up at Bronze, who was staring at her. 

"Are you okay?" He asked, twitching his antennae nervously. "You looked as if you were about to puke." Monarch stole a glance at Sulphur, but he wasn't paying attention. He was reading the mail that came in yesterday.

"I'm fine." She said. "Just not hungry." She pushed her plate away and stood up, walking through an archway of branches on the side of the room, emerging into green glory.

She stopped for a moment, taking it all in. Plants of all kinds sprouted along trees and branches, casting colorful rays all over the forest. Monarch laid down on one of the three hammocks, letting the sun soak into her scales.

Above her was carved wood, covered in trails of ivy that still let the sun in. She closed her eyes and listened to the noise of the jungle. Monkeys yowling, birds chirping, the sound of a dragonet laughing.

She smiled.

But suddenly, a scream tore through the air.