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the glow at her feet. She couldn’t remember ever riding a carousel, but what she was now admiring didn’t appear normal. Lines swirled outward from one center point, swinging around and curling back in on themselves. A pulsing green and orange light traveled the design, working its way from one end to the other and back again.  
    Talia made a funny sound behind them, one of those move-along coughs. Sebastian dropped his hand from Kyra’s back, turned to Talia, and pointed at the marking on the carousel floor. “This your doing?”
    “It is.” She stepped past them and stood on the other side of the mark, appraising her work. “The lines represent all that was, all that is, and all that will be.” She glanced up and studied Kyra. “For you, of course.” Then she tossed Sebastian a quick lift of the brow before pointing to the moving colors. “The amber and emerald running through your lines should heal and clarify your personal memories through your mind, body, and soul.” She looked up and locked her stare on Kyra once again. “Your heart plays a big factor in the success of what we are about to do. You need to be true to your heart. Let it feel what it wants to feel, and don’t fight it.” She took Kyra’s hand in her own. “Don’t fight anything that comes to you, understand? Bad times, sad times, let them in.”
    Kyra nodded and glanced back down at the moving glow at her feet. Muscles in her chest and shoulders tightened. Breathing had become a labored endeavor. She was a dragon. A giant, mythological dragon! What memories awaited her? Am I ready for this?
    Sebastian’s fingers brushed along her hand, fitting hers within the curve of his palm, as if his hand was molded for a perfect fit. When his fingers laced between her own, she stared up into his indigo eyes and found her strength.  
    “All right. Let’s do this.” Pulling Sebastian behind, Kyra began to walk the circle of the carousel, heading straight for the dramatically painted dragon.  
    “Not the dragon,” Talia called from behind them.
    Kyra paused, and both she and Sebastian peered back at Talia. “I thought…” Kyra didn’t finish her statement, but rather stood with puzzlement on her face. Her thoughts swam around the carousel dragon. She was supposed to be a dragon, and Sebastian had a dragon inside of him. The dragon seemed the logical choice.  
    “It has to be the elephant.” Talia pointed past them.  
    Kyra glanced over her shoulder. “I don’t see an elephant.”
    “Keep going. He’s around the curve.”
    “Why the elephant?” Sebastian asked.
    “Memory,” Talia said with a shrug.
    Appearing satisfied, Sebastian took the lead, taking the curve in long, strong strides. Kyra and Talia followed. The elephant was there, waiting for them as soon as they cleared the bend. The animal stood taller and wider than the others, taking up the space of one and a half horses.  
    “I’m supposed to get on top of that big thing?” Kyra pointed and wrinkled her nose.
    “Not just you,” Talia said to Kyra. “Both of you.” She turned her attention to Sebastian. “For this to work, we need to have both elements of Kyra’s life on the elephant.”  
    Sebastian exhaled, then extended his hand to Kyra. She scanned from his hand to the elephant, then back to his hand. “All right.”  
    Once again, a musical voice sang over their heads and throughout the park. “Commencement time is almost upon us. Be sure to grab your party supplies!”
    Kyra took Sebastian’s hand and stepped up to the elephant. “What’s going to happen at commencement time?”  
    “The celebration will begin with a grand fireworks show.” His lips pressed firmly together.  
    “Something’s bothering you,” Kyra said. “What is it?”
    “Probably nothing.”  
    Kyra narrowed her gaze.  
    “I’m uncomfortable having a bunch of unpredictable dragons on site when the park is overfilled for the celebration. That’s all.”
    Kyra smiled.