by Katie Cherry
She saw the storm coming, though. She had to have made it. There’s no way a girl like her would be taken down by some storm. I know someone had to have sheltered her. After another hour of searching, he turns to go back to Chester and Hannah. I’ll wait for her at home. If she’s safe, that’s where she’ll go, he reasons.
He waits for hours. When Hannah and Chester say they have to go, he nods and says he’ll stay there for when Crystal returns. The two glance at each other, but nod and leave to find out what they can.
And Nathan sits, staring at the door, hardly moving, for hours.
<<
“We have to find out what happened to her before we go report to Alvin,” Hannah says as soon as they leave the house, grabbing Chester’s arm to help convey her urgency.
“I know,” he replies, pulling out of her grasp. “The boy said she was last seen in the line-up for the Prince, so we’ll start there.” Leading her over to the street, they’re met with a crowd buzzing with unusual energy. Glancing at each other, they move to quickly join the throng. Everyone’s gathered around a small brunette girl, and even the merchants are listening intently. Curiosity is written on everyone’s faces.
“Who was she?” someone calls from the crowd as the girl reaches a break in her story.
“I have no idea,” she replies. “But she was an angel, helping me the way she did… even to the point of sacrificing herself.”
Chester looks over at Hannah and frowns. That’s not good. If they’re talking about Crystal- which, if I know anything about her, they are- it sounds like she’s dead. …Which means so are we, for letting her not only slip from our grasp- Dravyn’s grasp- but her death on our watch… Our deaths are guaranteed to be much more painful than the suffering she had at the hand of the storm.
“What happened to her after that?” Another person asks.
“Well, I thought she was doomed, being trapped in the rain and unable to move from it. She even passed out… But then- the Princes came!”
A collective gasp meets her words. “The Princes?”
She nods dramatically. “With their transportable protection against the ice rain! They picked her up and took her away. I assume they’re taking care of her now, up at the castle.” The crowd bursts into conversation, each speculating what that meant- if Noran had chosen her to be his bride, or if he had just felt bad for the girl. Perhaps there was another connection.
Chester and Hannah slip away, neither one saying a word, though their relief was palpable. Whatever punishment came, it wouldn’t be death.
*****
“Alvin- Chester and Hannah to see you,” the receptionist says, speaking through his closed door.
There’s a long pause, followed by a heavy, “Let them in.” Nodding to the two, she opens the door and gestures them inside. Alvin sits in his office chair, swiveled away from them, allowing them to see only the back of his head. He liked to be mysterious. Few people had ever seen his face- even when he went somewhere, he wore a mask as though attending a masquerade ball. “Report,” the deep voice demands.
Trying to quell their nervousness, they step closer. Hannah nods for Chester to speak. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he does so. “There’s been… a small development.”
“Chester, you know how I hate it when you beat around the bush. What happened?”
Gulping, Chester manages to continue without his voice cracking under duress. “Crystal got caught in the ice rain.”
“She what?!” Alvin screams, nearly turning around in his anger. Stopping himself, he steeples his fingertips together and takes deep breaths. “…Continue.”
“She’s alive. …As far as we can tell,” Chester hastily adds. “The Quagon Princes took her to the castle. There’s speculation Noran chose her for his bride, and saved her.”
“Hmm.” For a few moments, that’s the only response he gives. Finally, he speaks. “How fortunate for you that she lives, then. Though it is not in Dravyn’s plan for her to marry that pompous Noran. She must be free and open to his proposition when she’s been prepped for it. That was the reason behind having you replace the people Alexander sent to help them.”
“Of course, Alvin,” Chester replies, relief carrying heavy in his voice.
Alvin abruptly stands, still facing mostly away from them, hiding his face in the deep shadows of his office. “Get Crystal out of there. It’s better for her to move on from Quagon, at this point. The chances of the boy being there are slim regardless. We have other people to keep an eye on them as they traverse the realms. Your usefulness has reached its end. Get her off of Quagon.”
“Yes, sir,” they both reply, bowing and hastily making their retreat.
Walking back to the portal that would take them home to Quagon, their hearts weigh heavy in their chests as their minds race for a solution. How to get Crystal to voluntarily leave Quagon?
<<
The sharp ringing of metal striking metal sounds from the largest open area in the Village- the Square. Boots thudding heavily on the stone, Alexander strides toward the sound, taking in a deep breath as he does so. His lips slide upward in satisfaction as he detects the smell of sweat permeating the area.
All movement in the Square slows and stops as every body turns to take in the sight of their King, standing before them clad in his own armor and bearing his sword, its obsidian-black blade seeming to absorb the light around it, making it difficult to make out any of the fine details.
“My King,” they greet in unison, falling to one knee.
“My people,” he replies, waving for them to return to their feet. “I do not mean to interrupt your training. This will be a short announcement.” Turning to the merman standing beside him, Krasnigor, he extends an arm to guide his peoples’ eyes behind them. The mermaids Kaifeng had sent stand there, stoic in both their stances and their attitudes. The perfect warriors. The few men gathered in the Square who didn’t pull back in fear sneered. “These merfolk will be joining our ranks. And although they are highly skilled warriors, they can still stand to gain from training with us and learning how to do the footwork needed for skilled fighting on land. I expect you to teach them everything you can. Please be as courteous as possible. No fighting beyond simple training. Understand?”
“Yes, sir,” the crowd choruses back to him.
Nodding in satisfaction, Alexander turns back to Krasnigor and Keyana, who stand at his side, tension making her body stiff. “I’ll be nearby should you need anything,” he says before walking a few feet away to stand before Harrison, a man with one of the strongest Gifts of Fighting. As their swords begin to clash, sending up sparks from the force of each hit, the Villagers turn to the merfolk. For a moment, the two groups stand and stare at each other, mere feet apart, yet with a clear distinction between them.
Finally, a brawny man strides up into the space before the merfolk, white-knuckling his sword and shield as he does so. Still, he jeers at Krasnigor. “You claim to be skilled fighters, eh? Well,” he spits on the ground near the merman’s feet before continuing. “Come on and show us a good fight!”
Grinning, Krasnigor and Keyana display their pointed teeth and narrow their eyes at the man before leaping forward as one, battering the man backward as he cowers behind his shield. The others soon join in, and a mock battle begins in the now very crowded Square, with their King and leader slashing away with his own light-eating sword, casting a frenzied mood over his soldiers that lasts until the sun dips below the horizon.
<<
“Stop scratching, you’re going to draw blood!” Alyssa lectures Eric as he digs stubbornly at a patch of scales on his hind leg.
“But it’s so itchy!” he protests, finally drawing back from the leg.
“I know, but your claws are sharp enough to completely pull out your new scales coming in,” she explains, petting Zarina’s head as she lounges in her lap, half-asleep. “You don’t want to have a bald patch, do you?�
�
“No,” Eric sighs, flopping to the ground and letting out a huff of hot air, stirring up the dirt.
“Besides, your new sapphire scales are beautiful,” Alyssa adds, allowing a small smile to herself. Who would have thought she would have ever acted so considerate of a dragon? And calling him beautiful? That was an even bigger stretch. Yet, it was true. Every day that she’d spent with the dragon family, the more she’d fallen in love with them. Their scales, once an inconvenience, were now true works of art, from the delicate ones on their faces to the larger, stronger ones lining their underbellies.
Who knows, maybe it was thanks to her growing bond with Zarina. As if drawn back into alertness at the thought, the baby dragon stretches, her claws carefully retracted to avoid hurting Alyssa. She can’t help but smile at the adorable little thing and runs her hand down her warm scales once more. Her instincts really were to protect, and not to hurt. Straight from the egg, little Zarina had noticed Alyssa’s lack of protective scales, and had carefully considered each action involving her.
Which was nearly everything, really. Zarina would join her when she went to bathe in a nearby pool of water, splashing playfully until Alyssa was finished. Alyssa would accompany the family as they taught Zarina how to do things- most recently, how to climb trees. This was her favorite thing to do, and would spend hours racing up and down, even growing so bold as to leap from tree to tree, always knowing that Alyssa waited just below to catch her in case she missed. Which was often at the beginning. But now that it’d been about a week since she’d hatched, she and her siblings were learning things very quickly. It’s still a little strange to Alyssa, but it made sense. They lived in the wild- they had to learn how to climb, hide, hunt, and fly. Otherwise, they just wouldn’t survive. Though, flying wouldn’t come for another week, according to Victor and Tatiana.
Eric, meanwhile, loved to talk. He would relate story after story to Alyssa, beginning with his earliest memories. Crystal rescuing him from a dead family he didn’t remember- poisoned by the Dragon Hunters. Waiting for Crystal for most of every day in a lonely little cave. Playing with Crystal and her friend whenever they visited. Teaching himself to hunt, and finally getting up the nerve to fly.
Zarina was the opposite in that aspect. Thanks to her joy of jumping from tree to tree, she’d already been attempting to fly, though she’s not yet strong enough to do so. She seemed to have a lot of energy and zest for life. She reinvigorated Alyssa in every way.
But now…
Nerdin had returned the day before, bringing the news that the council had arranged everything with the werewolves, and were ready to take her over there.
Alyssa had argued that it was no longer necessary- she legitimately wanted to stay with the dragons, regardless of the threat hanging over her of being taken to the werewolves. But, the dragons were nothing if not stubborn. They had agreed on the compromise a week ago, and were unwilling to change their minds about it now. Even those on her side merely promised that she would likely be able to return- they just needed to put it to another vote.
Today was the appointed day, and Nerdin would be there soon to pick her up and take her away from her new dragon friends.
“Do not worry, Alyssa,” Tatiana hums from the other side of the clearing, her other dragonets running around and playing on her body. “They have struck up an alliance with the wolves. If they do anything to you, I will personally rip them all apart,” she adds with a wink.
Alyssa smiles in return. “Thank you, Tatiana. …Though that is not my only fear. I’ve only been here for a week… what if Zarina forgets about me, or we lose our bond because of the distance?”
“You will not be gone long enough for that to happen- if it’s even possible to lose the bond between dragon and human,” Victor replies, swishing his tail back and forth in the dirt, allowing the dragonets to chase after it and pounce on the tip. “You’ll only be there for another week. Both sides must be evenly respected. Then, when they reevaluate, I am certain that they will approve of your change. You may be kept here longer to ensure that you don’t revert to your past self, but eventually, you will be given back your freedom and may go where you please.”
“Where would I go?” she sighs in response, looking longingly down at the little dragonet curled up in her lap. “It may not be the most comfortable life to live with dragons, secluded in the mountains, but I’d have Zarina. Back with the Dragon Hunters… I’d be betraying you all, not to mention putting myself at risk. Try and join the King’s Village, and they’d kill me before listening to what I had to say- not to mention I’d still be unlikely to see Zarina again. But surviving here is a struggle as well. Humans aren’t built for living like dragons. …I’m afraid I don’t fit in anywhere anymore.”
“On the contrary,” Eric pipes in. “You’re more like Crystal than ever before- and she belongs with both us and her own people. Wait until Crystal is back in Zilferia, and go to her. She is compassionate and understanding and will help you to gain ground with her people. Us, you can come and visit as you wish to.”
A smile cracks Alyssa’s stony disposition. “You really are a wise little dragon, aren’t you?”
“Well, there’s a reason I’ve been so itchy,” he quips, nodding his head toward his leg, the first area to begin growing sapphire scales. Feeling a now familiar thumping in the air, Alyssa turns to see the red dragon rapidly approaching.
Gently removing Zarina from her lap, she stands to face him, determination pulsing through her. I will conquer everything these dragons have to throw at me and return, ready to embrace my future. I will have everything I desire.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
A Proposal
“You look great,” are the first words out of his mouth. I bite my lips, holding back a frown. This prince is exactly how I imagined he would be- commenting on how I look rather than asking how I’m doing, despite having been nearly killed in the most recent ice rain.
“Thank you,” I finally reply. “I’m recovering really quickly thanks to your help. And I hear I have you to thank for saving me?”
“I am,” he admits, his lips twitching into a smile as he gives me a small bow, immediately ramping up my feeling of discomfort. Straightening back up again, he extends a hand to me, palm up. Panic flares in my chest as he follows the move with an invitation- command, really. “Walk with me?”
Managing to walk toward him steadily, I bow my head in acceptance and take his hand. As his smile expands, my heart clenches. Why did my doom have to be such a heartthrob?
Guiding my hand to his elbow, he escorts me through the elaborate halls of his home, talking my ear off about his duties as heir to the throne, details about the castle that he whispers to me as though confiding in me, and finally leads us to a hidden garden behind the castle. I can’t help but gasp. There’s an insane amount of green here, which feels like a relief to my eyes after seeing nothing but pink buildings and sparkling blue water. I don’t mean to pull away from the prince, but he doesn’t seem to mind, watching me with amused eyes as I take a few steps further into the sanctuary that suddenly surrounds me. Everything is amazingly lush and green, and I even notice a few birds here- clearly transported from another realm since the only ones to be seen here are water birds, with huge wings that enable them to stay out over the water for months at a time, drifting from thermal to thermal. These, though, are like the birds back home, in Second Earth.
“This… this is amazing,” I can’t help but gush.
Prince Noran smiles, and it finally reaches his eyes. “Thank you. Soil was transported here at the creation of Davenport, as well as the birds. No one outside of the royal family has ever seen this,” he adds, his voice growing heavy with meaning.
“Oh… but I… I’m not…”
“Not yet,” he replies, coming up to me once more. After taking a moment to stare into my eyes, he moves to kneel in front of me. My eyes widen with shock as I realize what he’s doing. But my tongue is frozen, bound by my p
anic. I’m unable to find my voice as he speaks. “You are beautiful, brave, and courageous,” he begins. That’s like the same thing, I think, somewhere in my muddled thoughts. “You clearly understand sacrifice. I couldn’t think of a better woman to stand at my side as I take my place at the throne. We will have beautiful children, strong and capable. …Will you marry me?”
I continue to stand there, every muscle tight, pressing my hands to my mouth as he finishes his speech. Tears well in my eyes as I consider the implications of refusing him. Proof of me being from another realm or not, he could have me killed for denying him. I wouldn’t put it past him- he seemed to be all about appearances.
But, I also can’t bring myself to say yes to him. The tears begin to spill down my cheeks as I war between survival and matters of the heart. Taking this as a yes, he smiles and slips a ring I hadn’t even noticed him holding onto my finger. It’s only a little too big. Dread then settles in my throat, nearly choking me as he leads me back into the castle.
Oh, Dragonfire. I’m engaged to the Prince of Quagon.
I’m done for.
<<
The girl had left with another human male, and now the Rabazi monkey was alone in the strange, enclosed space. Quickly darting to the place the humans had all left, he slides easily under the door. Holding still, he focuses on the bond between him and the boy. It was back, though not very strong.
Not wasting any time, he races through the halls and beneath doors. Finally slipping outside, he feels the bond link grow stronger. Quivering with excitement, he shoots off toward the wall that surrounded the building he’d been taken to. Racing up it, he stops at the top, looking around with his big eyes. He doesn’t see him, but he can feel his nearness.
Jumping down from the wall, he hurries to scurry along the streets, the feet of numerous unaware people falling all around him. He easily avoids their clumsy footfalls, nimbly darting around each, running so fast he felt he could fly. All for the boy. The boy… There he was! Sitting, head down, on some steps leading up to yet another building.