Dragon Emperor 6

by Eric Vall

  I smiled. “Okay, then. If you’re both sure.”

  Alyona and Ravi both nodded once more.

  “Then, shall we?” I gave my attention back to Laika and pressed against the crack of the door.

  Instead of opening out or in, though, the door slid into the wall. Then Laika stepped inside the doorway with me and looked around. A spiral staircase carved from stone led up to her room, and we quickly began to ascend the steps.

  “Are you ready to finally see your new bedroom?” I asked as we climbed up.

  “I am,” Laika answered cooly, but her ears twitched atop her head. Then her tail started to wag quickly behind her as we climbed, and I realized she wanted to keep her anticipation in check.

  I smiled to myself and continued up the stairs.

  After a few minutes, we reached the top, and I pressed the top corner of the door, which then swung out into the room. Instead of being hidden behind a tapestry, this door was made to look like part of the wall. When closed, it fit seamlessly back into place, and even I couldn’t even see where the wall stopped and the door began. To open the door, I just had to press on the top left corner, so Laika would have to remember where it was.

  Speaking of the Demi-Human, Laika stepped into her room silently, and her tail froze mid-movement as she let out a small breath.

  “Evan,” she whispered as her gray eyes found mine over her shoulder, and then a beautiful grin spread across her face, “it’s perfect.”

  “I think so, too.” I smiled. “Just like you.”

  Laika’s room was designed to not only be fit for a warrior, but for a leader as well. Along each of the four walls, hooks were hung so she could display her weapons and have them all easily accessible. Several training dummies had also been set up along the floor so she could keep up with her rigorous training, and there was a basket on the floor, next to a small stool, which was full of whetstones so she could sharpen her blades.

  Her bed was tucked away in one of the corners of the room, and blue sheets embroidered with her guild’s sigil covered the fluffy mattress and pillows. Her windows were large as they covered the top half of the walls and stretched to the ceilings, and stained glass, decorated with blue trees, sat in the center of each wall.

  There were several chairs along the stone floor and a large couch she could use to relax in, and a small alcove with an oak desk was set up along the left side of her bed that she could use for any guild business.

  Laika walked around the room and carefully examined everything she could see. Then she pulled her broadsword from her storage space and hung it on the wall with a grin.

  “Thank you,” she murmured as she turned to me, and her voice echoed softly off the stones. “I never expected anything like this, but this is incredible. I can’t believe you went through all the trouble.”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” I chuckled and stepped closer to her. “Now that your entire guild lives here, I figured you might as well have a room you are comfortable in. I also always want you to be close to me, but I know you are more than capable of handling yourself, which is why your room is the first room. You are like a first line of defense in case I can’t get here in time. Alyona’s room is next to you, so you can be close to her as well.”

  Laika gave me an impressed look. “You really thought of everything, didn’t you?”

  “I know how important Alyona’s safety is to you,” I reached out and grabbed her hand, “so I figured you wouldn’t feel comfortable unless she was close by.”

  “Thank you,” she said again, and a soft and genuine smile split her usually stoic face. “This really means a lot to me. I don’t know how to repay you, my lord.”

  “I’m sure we can think of something.” I smirked and gave her a wink.

  Laika laughed and shook her head. “Maybe later, right now you have other ladies who wish to see their rooms as well.”

  “I guess you’re right.” I nodded and dropped her hand. “I know Alyona has been anxious to see her room. I shouldn’t make her wait any longer than she has to.”

  “You should never keep a princess waiting,” Laika agreed with a laugh.

  “I’ll come by later to see how you’re settling in, okay?” I pressed a kiss to her lips, and she smiled.

  “Okay.”

  I turned and walked back to the door hidden in the wall. Then I pressed the corner, and the door popped open silently. I slipped back into the stairwell and quickly returned to my room.

  “Alright, I’m back,” I announced as I emerged downstairs with a grin. “Laika loves her room.”

  “That’s wonderful!” Raisa squealed as she latched onto Azra’s arm and squeezed tightly.

  “It is good news that she approves.” Azra slipped his arm from Raisa’s grip with a grin. “I just hope you all feel the same.”

  “We will,” Alyona responded with an eager smile. “If Laika is happy, I’m sure all of our rooms are perfect as well.”

  “I may be a princess, but I’ve never had a real room before,” Ravi added as she bounced on her toes. “So my room will be extraordinary no matter what it looks like.”

  “You’ll both love your rooms,” I assured everyone as I stepped to the next tapestry and pulled back the corner. “Alyona, are you ready to see your room?”

  I heard her inhale sharply, and she nodded quickly. Then she took a step inside the staircase and looked up the spiral stairs to see the top.

  “I’m so excited, I can barely breathe,” Alyona admitted as we climbed. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had my own room inside a palace.”

  “You’re going to love it,” I chuckled. “I made sure this room is perfect.”

  “I can hardly wait!” Alyona giggled as she tried to walk faster up the staircase. “You’ve been telling me about this for weeks now, and it’s finally finished.”

  I chuckled at her and squeezed her hand as we approached the door to her room. This door slid into the wall as well, so I quickly opened it and walked inside. Then I pushed another tapestry out of the way and helped Alyona step through into her room.

  The princess gasped as she took it all in, and her amethyst eyes went wide.

  “Evan,” she breathed. “It’s beautiful!”

  Her room was similar to my bedchamber, except her study room was bigger, and she had a larger array of books than I did. Instead of wrapping around the study on shelves, her books were displayed in a large bookshelf that I’d formed inside the stone. The top nearly reached the ceiling, and a long ladder had been attached to the bookshelf so she could reach her books easily. Alyona also had a wide, open space instead of more furniture so she could practice her spells or meditate. The curtains over her windows and the sheets of her bed were a soft lavender color, and they matched her amethyst eyes. Her bathroom was identical to mine, minus the bathtub, and Alyona’s also had a vanity with a mirror to help her get ready.

  “Is this your magic?” she whispered as she ran a hand over the bookcase I’d made.

  “Yeah.” I nodded. “I figured it would be nice for you to have more space for your books and things. Do you like it?”

  Alyona turned back to me, and her eyes were filled with happy tears. Then she darted across the room and threw her hands around my neck.

  “It’s perfect!” she cried into my shoulder. “I love it. Thank you!”

  “Anything for my future wife,” I chuckled and kissed her on the forehead.

  Alyona pulled back with an elated smile, but then something caught her eye, and she drifted away from me with various “oooh”s and “ahhh”s.

  I grinned at the sight and let her explore the room for a few minutes before I sighed.

  “I should go back down,” I called out to Alyona. “I’m sure Ravi is excited to see her room as well.”

  “Of course.” The princess turned with a nod before she hugged me and pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “I’ll be here when you’re finished with everything. Thank you, again, Evan. This is wonderful.”

 
“Anything for you,” I repeated and gave my future wife another kiss.

  Then I left Alyona to her room, returned to the staircase, and quickly made my way back to the others. When they saw me return, the architects and Ravi quickly stopped their conversation and gave me their attention.

  “Well, she’s happy with it,” I announced, and the architects both sighed in relief. “She loves the library we put in.”

  Raisa squealed and turned to hug Azra.

  “That’s great!” Azra answered for the both of them, and a broad smile was etched on his face even as Raisa attempted to squeeze him to death. “We’re both happy she’s content with it. She is a princess after all, so I’m sure she’s used to the best.”

  “She’s still Alyona,” I reminded them. “She may be a princess, but she would have loved anything we created for her. That’s the kind of person she is.”

  They both nodded as I pulled back the third tapestry.

  “Okay Ravi,” I turned to the phoenix princess with a grin, “follow me.”

  She mutely stepped forward and through the door, but instead of a staircase, Ravi’s room had a long pathway to the left. We walked down the path, and Ravi summoned a flame to her hand to see. Then we reached a third staircase that climbed upward, and Ravi reached out to grab my hand, but she trembled slightly.

  “Hey.” I stopped and turned her to me. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m just anxious,” she sighed and ducked her head, and orange hair obscured her face from my view. “I’ve never had a room of my own before. I had my tent back with my people that continuously moved around, and the room in the airship is nice, don’t think me ungrateful, but it’s not mine. This is the first time I’ve ever had a permanent home. It’s a strange feeling.”

  “You’re going to love it. Come on.” I squeezed her hand and pulled her toward the steps, and then we climbed up.

  After a few moments, we mounted the last step and reached her door. It slid to the side, but it also seamlessly fit into the wall when opened so I could barely tell a door was even there.

  Ravi and I stepped into her room, and I could see tears immediately fill her blue eyes as she looked around.

  “Oh,” she breathed, and that single syllable held so much emotion.

  Out of all the rooms, Ravi’s had the most windows, since the walls were nearly all made of glass that let in the light of the sun. Large circular pieces of stained glass sat above the windows too, and they were a deep orange color to represent the sun. I knew the sun was important to the phoenix people, and it was a symbol of Ravi’s people and mine. Both phoenixes and dragons were created by the sun god, so it was something to tie us together.

  A large skylight window sat above her bed so she could watch the sun pass over her during the day, and two glass doors led out onto her balcony so she could shift into her phoenix form and have some freedom.

  Her bed was made from cherry wood and was the smallest of them all, but it could still easily fit three adults comfortably. Orange silk sheets were fitted neatly over the bed, and similarly colored curtains were tied off to the side of the windows. Her wardrobe and vanity were made from the same cherry wood, and those sat against the wall side by side.

  Across the room, there was a door made of stone, and a small opening sat along the bottom of the door, too small for a human to enter, but large enough for an animal. The door was thick and could only be opened by someone with earth magic.

  “What is that for?” Ravi asked as she stared at the door curiously and stepped toward it.

  “Well,” I began, “I know it’s important for you to have a safe place to burn. The opening at the bottom should be able to accommodate your phoenix form, but just in case you ever need help, I can open the door with magic. Once you’re inside, you can close the opening so no-one can get inside until you’re reborn. Your ashes will be safe here.”

  Ravi stared at me for a long moment, and then she launched herself at me and wrapped her arms around my neck.

  “Woah!” I huffed as I caught her.

  “This is the best thing anyone has ever done for me,” she cried into my shirt.

  “Even better than a dragon saving your people from echidnas?” I chuckled back.

  “Okay, this is the second best thing,” she sniffled as she released my neck and grinned at me. “Thank you for all of this. I love it. You’re amazing.”

  She pressed a chaste kiss to my lips before she pulled away and began to look around her room. Then she collapsed onto a large sofa and sighed.

  “I’m glad you’re happy with everything, Ravi,” I said with a relieved smile. “Your room was the most difficult. I didn’t want to overwhelm you with too much, since I know you’re used to living with the bare minimum, but I didn’t want to have nothing for you.”

  “This is perfect,” she murmured happily as she snuggled into the sofa. “It’s exactly what I would have done.”

  I opened my mouth to respond, but then a muffled rumble shook the palace. I gasped and teetered on my feet, but I managed to right myself quickly.

  “What the hell was that?” I asked as I ran to look out the window.

  Ravi spang up from the couch, ran to another widow, and scanned the area outside.

  “There!” the phoenix yelled. “I can see smoke!”

  I ran to stand next to her and looked out, and a large plume of dust billowed into the air off to the east, maybe half a mile away.

  “That’s not smoke,” I corrected her with a frown. “That’s dust. And it’s coming from the outskirts. There’s a group out there today. They’re supposed to be building a mill for the wheat we harvest. I need to go check it out. Stay here.”

  I used her door that exited out into the palace versus the secret passage back to my room. Ravi’s room was only down the hall a little from Laika’s, and the wolf would want to come with me, so I could grab her before I left.

  I ran down the hall and knocked once on the door before it was pulled open. Then Laika appeared with her broadsword in hand.

  “I heard the explosion,” she said immediately.

  “Let’s go figure out what happened,” I said, and she nodded in agreement.

  I ran down the stairs to the main level of the palace, out the main door, through the palace gates, and back into the city.

  “This way!” I called out as we ran. “I saw dust from the direction of the construction site. Something happened.”

  Laika nodded as she ran behind me, and I was thankful for her Demi-Human endurance. She was able to keep up with me easily instead of falling behind.

  As we got closer to the site of the dust column, I could hear panicked yells from Hatra’s citizens. Debris and fine dirt particles still fluttered through the air and covered everything in a fine layer of sand colored dust, and I coughed as it grated on my lungs. Finally, we reached the area where the mill was supposed to be, but all that stood there were the crumbled remains.

  The building had collapsed.

  I glanced around urgently, and I saw several groups of people had surrounded the mill, and they murmured together quietly.

  “What happened?” I asked the nearest citizen, a young woman with long black hair.

  She must have been close to the area when the building collapsed, because she was covered in dust, and her tear stained cheeks were the only proof of her olive colored skin.

  “The mill,” she broke off with a sob, “the mill collapsed. The workers were still inside.”

  My heart skipped a beat before it took off at a sprint.

  “Laika, get everyone back!” I ordered as I turned to the mill. “I don’t want anyone else getting hurt, but I have to go see if everyone is okay.”

  “Yes, my lord,” Laika replied, and she immediately began to bark orders at everyone to stand back while I approached the mill carefully.

  I had no idea why the mill had collapsed, but if it was because of another sinkhole, like the one that had trapped Laika’s search party, I didn’t want
to risk more damage. So, I slowly crept toward the edge of the debris and looked down, and splintered wood, pieces of stone, shingles from the roof, and other forms of debris sat within the destroyed remains.

  “Hello?” I called down into the hole. “Can anyone hear me?

  I waited for a few seconds, and I clenched my jaw when no one responded. I couldn’t let any more citizens be hurt.

  So, I took a deep breath and tugged on my spiritual sea, and my healing magic seeped through the debris in a wave of glitter as I searched for the workers. I could feel my magic beginning to heal broken bones and other injuries, and I let out a thankful breath.

  If I could heal them, they were alive.

  “Hello?” I called down again, and this time, a voice called back.

  “Help!” a faint voice replied. “We need help down here. We won’t have air for long.”

  Suddenly, a chorus of voices began to erupt from somewhere below.

  “Help us!”

  “Please, help!”

  “I don’t want to die down here!”

  “Okay, listen!” I roared above the panicked cries.

  Silence returned before I heard a surprised voice.

  “Lord Evan?” It was the same man who first answered me.

  “Yeah, it’s me,” I confirmed. “Can I have your name?”

  “Henry,” the voice called back. “I’m Henry.”

  “Okay, Henry. I’m going to help you, but I need you to listen very carefully. You’re buried under the mill, and I can’t tell how deep. I’m going to shift into my dragon form so I can hold the ground steady to prevent any more of the mill from collapsing on you, but I need you and the other men to try and dig yourselves out. My magic should have healed you, so unless you’re pinned under anything, do your best to help.”

  “Yes, sir!” Henry shouted.

  I stepped away from the mill before I transformed since I didn’t want more weight to cause more problems. Then I shifted easily into my dragon form, flew into the air, and used my stone magic to slowly hold the mill in place.

  “Okay!” I roared. “Slowly start to move things around.”