Just a Rock

It's just a stupid rock.

That's what I keep telling myself as I turn the smooth, scaly stone over in my hand. Mom swears it's a dragon's egg, claims it's been passed down through our family for generations. Yeah, right. As if dragons were ever real.

I toss it onto my nightstand and flop onto my bed, staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars stuck to my ceiling. They used to make me feel like I was floating in space, but now they just look childish. Everything in this room does. The stuffed animals, the fantasy books, the drawings of mythical creatures taped to the walls. God, I can't wait to get out of here.

My phone buzzes. It's Jake.

"You coming to the party tonight?"

I type back: "Can't. Mom won't let me."

"Lame. Your mom's such a dragon lady."

I snort. If only he knew. Mom's obsessed with all things dragon. Says our ancestors were dragon riders or some crap. It's embarrassing.

My eyes drift back to the stone. In the dim light, its iridescent surface seems to shimmer, like fish scales catching the sun. For a second, I almost believe...

No. It's just a rock. A weirdly pretty rock, but still just a rock.

I grab my headphones and crank up the music, drowning out my thoughts. I've got more important things to worry about than some family heirloom. Like how I'm gonna survive another two years in this town before I can finally escape to college.

***

The talisman feels heavier in my hand now. Warmer, too. Must be from all the nervous fidgeting I've been doing.

I'm sitting in my dorm room, surrounded by half-unpacked boxes. The stone is the only thing from home I've bothered to unpack so far. Funny how it's the one thing I used to hate most about that place.

My roommate's out partying. Again. The silence makes my skin crawl.

I curl my fingers around the stone, tracing its ridges and grooves. The familiar texture is... comforting, I guess. Like a piece of home I can hold onto.

God, what am I doing here? Everyone else seems to have it all figured out. They're making friends, joining clubs, acing their classes. Me? I'm hiding in my room on a Friday night, clutching a rock like it's a security blanket.

Maybe Mom was right. Maybe I wasn't ready for this.

The thought makes my chest tighten. No. I can't go back. I won't. I've dreamed of this for too long.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, focusing on the weight of the stone in my palm. It's solid. Real. Unlike everything else in my life right now.

When I open my eyes, I swear the stone looks different. The colors seem more vibrant, swirling beneath the surface like liquid fire. For a moment, I imagine I can feel a heartbeat pulsing within it.

I shake my head. Great. Now I'm hallucinating. Maybe I really am losing it.

But as I set the stone back on my desk, I feel... calmer, somehow. Like I can face whatever comes next.

It's still just a rock. But maybe... maybe it's not so stupid after all.

***

The talisman burns against my skin as I clutch it to my chest, gasping for air. Smoke fills my lungs, making me cough and choke.

This can't be happening. It's not real. It's not-

Another explosion rocks the building. Screams echo from somewhere down the hall.

I scramble to my feet, eyes stinging. The dorm room door is blocked by fallen debris. The window—

My gaze locks onto the pulsing stone in my hand. It's definitely glowing now, a soft amber light that seems to push back the smoke and shadows.

A voice echoes in my head. My mother's voice.

"The blood of dragons flows through your veins. When the time comes, you'll know what to do."

I always thought she was crazy. Now I'm not so sure.

My hand tightens around the stone. It's scorching hot, but it doesn't burn me. Instead, I feel... power. Raw, ancient power surging through my body.

The window shatters in a burst of golden light.

As I leap from the fourth-floor window, I don't feel afraid. I feel... alive. More alive than I've ever felt before.

Wings unfurl from my back, scales rippling across my skin. The talisman melds into my chest, becoming part of me.

I soar into the night sky, leaving the burning building behind. Ahead, I see other winged shapes silhouetted against the moon. My kin. My clan.

The dragon's egg was never just a rock. It was a key. A key to unlocking who I truly am.

And now, at last, I'm free.

***

The cave walls glitter with veins of gold and gems, a hoard fit for the mightiest of wyrms. But I barely notice the treasure anymore. My eyes are fixed on the small, iridescent stone nestled in my claws.

How long has it been since I first held this talisman? Decades? Centuries? Time moves differently for dragons.

I remember being so small, so fragile. A human child who thought she knew everything. Now I am ancient and powerful beyond imagining, and I know how little I truly understand.

The egg-stone pulses with life, a new generation waiting to be born. Soon, I will pass it on to my own hatchling. They, too, will think it's just a rock at first. They'll rebel against their heritage, yearn for a life among the humans.

But when the time comes, they'll answer the call of their blood. Just as I did.

I curl my massive body around the clutch of eggs, my scales scraping against the cave floor. The familiar weight of the talisman is comforting. It has been my constant companion through all the ages of my life. A bridge between what I was and what I've become.

As I drift off to sleep, I wonder what the stone will mean to my children. Will they see it as a burden? A gift? A key to their destiny?

In the end, I suppose, it's all of those things. And none of them.

It's just a rock, after all. Until it isn't.