Dragons Within

Featuring stories by Charleigh Brennan, A. R. Coble, Jess Nickerson, D. Gabrielle Jensen, G. Pearl Kilgore, C. M. Lander, Allorianna Matsourani, JT Morse, Amanda Salmon, K. T. Seto, Dorothy Tinker, and E. A. Williams. Introduction by Ynes Malakova. Cover Art by Eben Schumacher. “In a world full of princesses, always be a dragon.” A disillusioned demon hunter runs from her power. A deposed queen must consider the consequences of reclaiming her throne. A special agent faces the flames of injustice in a gut-wrenching trial. A medical mystery turns into a pursuit of dragons—across space and time. Welcome to Dragons Within: a fiery, quick-paced collection of stories featuring twelve women with dragon-like traits who hold untapped magic and power within. Some are full-blooded dragons, while others are simply human—but each carries the spirit of a dragon. Bringing together the fantastical and the mundane, the unique stories in this anthology span a wide range, from trial by magic and first encounters between human and dragon—to facing writer’s block and harnessing the power of language. A little girl navigates bullying, grief, and fair-weather friends while learning to embrace her inner dragon. A fashionista hunts for a one-of-a-kind piece to display in her closet. An encounter with mystical horse-like beings awakens a former rodeo star’s true magic. The spirit of a dragon shines forth during a mother’s grueling battle with cancer. Thoughtfully crafted by twelve new and emerging speculative fiction authors, these stories create a broad, limitless sky where individuals embrace their personal magic and rise. In the face of self-doubt, cunning, and fear, the women in Dragons Within must vanquish both inner and outer foes . . . claim their wings—and fly.