«The next morning, Alex stood at her kitchen counter, stirring her coffee. Today was Saturday; she started work later on Saturdays so she could sleep in a bit.

»Mr. Snuggles brushed up against her leg, then jumped up onto the kitchen counter, demanding attention. Alex smoothed down the fur along his spine absently, still a bit foggy with sleep. The smell of coffee and morning Paris air filled her...

Alex’s life was normal. Ordinary. Routine.

Every morning, she woke up as the sun rose over the rooftops of Paris. She got dressed, grabbed a croissant and a cup of coffee for breakfast, then left her apartment to go to work.

Alex owned her own book café: part bookstore, part coffee shop. It had been her dream to open the shop on the streets of Paris since the first time she’d set foot there. It ...

I will not walk this earth without you,

My dearest companion and friend.

You will be with me

Until the very end.

There is nowhere I would want to go,

There is nowhere I’d rather be

Than sitting here enjoying time

Just us: you and me.

Your stories are my only comfort

In this complicated world.

They take me to a different place

Where I can be a new kind of girl.

You are my only true friend,

And y...

She stood facing the battle field, staring down a massive army, her sword in her hand. She was perched on the back of her dragon, scales glowing saffron and crimson and gold and silver. Her black hair blew in the wind, brushing her cheek. At her side, the sword in her hand glowed scarlet red and fiery orange in the light of the rising sun.

She knew this battle would be hard, and that it would co...

Spring

I am new. The world is new. The sky, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the grass: They’re all new. Everything is new. The world has awakened after so long in the dark. And I can’t wait to explore it all.

The spring breeze blows my honey blonde curls across my cheeks. My green eyes roam the world for the first time, taking in this new world. My rose gold wings can unfurl and stretch for ...

There was a moment of silence. It was calm; I couldn’t hear, couldn’t see, couldn’t think. Then my ears started ringing with the aftermath of… what? What had just happened? I wasn’t sure. I looked up. My vision was blurry and there was some kind of liquid flowing into my eyes. It was thick and sticky and blocked my view. I wiped it out of my eyes and looked around. People ran everywhere like chick...