by Katie Cherry
“Of course I do,” he responds with a sigh, dropping his gaze to the floor, his cheeks burning. “But I put your safety above everything. Crystal, I promised your father- uh, your Second Earth one- to take care of you no matter what. I know you want to find your brother. I know there’s this big, important search for him or whatever, but honestly, I don’t see how he could help anyone more than you can. You are already far more capable than your parents in fighting off the Dragon Hunters. They’re afraid of you- as well they should be. YOU are winning this war. And I refuse to lose you, let alone trade you for your brother who may or may not even still be alive, may or may not even know about the realms, and may or may not even be willing to help out.”
This quiets Crystal for long enough that Nathan risks looking back at her face. She looks touched, but that darn stubborn look is already hardening her features once more. “I’m finding him.”
“Finding who, if I may ask?” an increasingly familiar voice inquires at the door. “Sorry, I was about to knock,” Savitri continues, taking a small step into the room. Crystal sends him a smile. Savitri had been kind to her, gentle and understanding, and they were already becoming friends of sorts. Nathan didn’t like it much- but he really didn’t like that he was taking comfort in her engagement as a security that Savitri couldn’t do anything about his feelings, even if he wanted to.
She pauses for a moment before replying. “My brother. I’m afraid he ran off. That’s why I came to Davenport- to try and find him,” she smoothly explains. I guess it’s a good thing she thinks ahead for most any situation, Nathan muses, watching Savitri for his reaction. That lie was delivered seamlessly. If I didn’t know any better, I would have believed her myself.
“Ah. What’s his name? I’m sure we can have him found within the hour,” Savitri replies, giving her one of his soft, confident smiles.
“I’m afraid that won’t be any use,” she replies, thinking fast. “He was really upset when he left- I think he’ll have changed his name when he got here. He’s… also very smart.”
“How do you know he’s on Davenport?”
“Well… there’s not a lot of places to go,” she stammers.
He chuckles lightly, coming forward and gently coaxing her to stand from the bed. Nathan follows suit, noticing Flint slip into his boot from behind. “Of course. I just mean, if he’s that desperate to not return home, he could have joined the Farmers. That’s what I would have done, at least,” he adds, his blue eyes twinkling in a way that makes Nathan’s stomach sinks. This guy… he was so smooth, so good with words… so good looking.
And Nathan had a feeling he would capture Crystal’s heart.
“Of course! Great idea,” Crystal replies.
“Especially since you’re supposed to have permission from the Royal family to set foot on land. I happen to be a part of that family,” he adds with a wink and a chuckle. “Would you like me to take you over to the Island?”
“That would actually be fantastic,” Crystal replies, her shoulders relaxing as the tension melts away from her. She grins up at the Prince. “Thank you, Savitri.”
He smiles caringly down at her in response. “Would you like to go now?”
“Of course,” she quickly replies, reaching out to snatch her new jacket, courtesy of the Quagon Royal family, from the bed.
“Yes, thank you for this,” Nathan adds, quickly feeling left out of the conversation.
“My pleasure,” he replies, giving Nathan a warm smile. He expected to feel relieved that he didn’t focus singularly on Crystal, but instead he feels more bummed. Here he was, being selfish and constantly jealous of Crystal of late, and this prince was still courteous to him. Meaning it wasn’t all an act for Crystal.
As Savitri leads them out of the castle and down to the boats, Nathan works to relax both his mind and his heart. For both his own sanity and their safety, he needed to stop this obnoxious jealousy that his body seemed to constantly be teeming with. It did him no good, it was stupid anyway, and it might tip them off to either of the princes. After all, she was supposed to be happily engaged to the heir to the Quagon throne. It was safer for them both if they continued to play their parts. Until they could get a portal made and leave the realm behind them forever, at least.
The thought of leaving in- hopefully- a few days comforts him as he follows Savitri and Crystal onto an overly ornate boat. Settling into the seat in the back of the boat, Crystal sits beside him as Savitri takes control of the boat himself, steering them away from Davenport and toward the nearby island.
“That was a good idea, using him to get us to the one part of Quagon we wouldn’t otherwise be able to get to,” Nathan admits after a minute.
“Thank you,” she smiles.
“Hopefully now I can convince you that we need to leave here as soon as possible?” he probes, continuing.
Her smile dips into a half-frown. “But, we aren’t done searching Davenport.”
“Fine. But after three days, I’m dragging you through that portal,” Nathan growls, putting his foot down with her for what felt like the first time in forever. “Whether we’ve looked at the face of every guy in Quagon or not.”
Her blue-gold eyes widen a little in surprise. Finally, her face hardens, but she gives him a small nod of acceptance. Blowing out a relieved sigh, he turns away from her. He hated to see her frustrated, especially when it was with him, but it had to be done. Her safety was a priority. And now that she had that ring on her finger and she sleeps in the same building as the family that would kill them in an instant, getting her out of the entire realm of Quagon was the safest and smartest thing.
He just hoped a few days would still be quick enough. If they were caught before then… it would be all over. For both of them. Despite each of their dragon parts, they would be unlikely to be able to fight off everyone on Quagon and get out alive. Especially since his dragon side seemed to be nearly useless out of the water. It wasn’t built to leave the water, let alone fight on dry land.
Standing, he walks to the edge of the boat, trying to push his worries from his mind. He would either be able to protect Crystal, or he wouldn’t. Worrying about it wouldn’t make him any more powerful. Besides, there was still a good chance that they would be able to make it three more days without detection.
Focusing on the approaching island, he gazes in appreciation at the mini forest contained thereon. It seemed the Quagon people knew that trees of any kind were rare, so had left these, even though some of them bore no fruit. Most of the South side of the island, though, was formed in tidy lines, as he had expected. Multiple kinds of crops grew there. As they draw nearer, Nathan can’t help but crinkle his nose at the smell.
Savitri chuckles when he notices. “Fertilizer doesn’t smell all that great, but it gets the job done. The crop harvest is always regular and healthy. There may not be much land on Quagon, but what we have seems to be thriving, giving us all the food we need. It’s still barely enough, but with careful rationing, it’s been perfect. Nothing goes to waste.”
“Of course,” Nathan slowly replies, wondering why he had explained that as though he knew they weren’t from Quagon. Did he suspect us? Was that a test? “…I know that. I was just… unprepared for the smell is all.”
“Of course,” Savitri replies with an easy smile, guiding the boat toward the one dock on the island. A couple of Farmers come running up, recognizing the royal vessel, and help secure them before helping the prince to step down onto the land. They then help Crystal, then Nathan, to do the same.
“Welcome, Prince Savitri,” one of the older men greets, bowing his head a little before straightening. “To what do we owe this pleasure?”
“I was just curious,” Crystal hurriedly answers, stepping forward. “I figured that… as future Queen, I should know more about the lifeblood of Quagon. You Farmers do so much for us, and I thought it… fitting to meet you all.”
The Farmers look at her with renewed interest. “So, Noran finally pi
cked a bride, eh? We’d heard rumors, of course, but we spend most of our time here, rather than in the city,” the man explains, looking her over once more. “Well, I’m sure everyone will want to meet you! Please, follow me, your… majesties,” he continues, finally spinning around and leading the way through the tight rows of corn and other plants.
“You could have told me that’s what this trip was about,” Nathan catches Savitri murmur to Crystal behind him.
“I didn’t want them to warn my brother I’m coming is all,” she softly replies, only a hint of worry in her voice.
“Ah. Smart,” Savitri replies, his voice warm with humor and admiration. Gritting his teeth, Nathan pushes further ahead, leaving the two just far enough behind him that he can no longer catch what they’re saying.
Before long, a break appears in the greenery, opening up to a humble looking cabin. One of them holds the door open as the other ushers them inside. Stepping in, Nathan has to blink for a few moments before his eyes begin to adjust to the darker atmosphere. A long table stands at the far side of the room, where a good twenty to thirty men sit, covered in dirt and conversing loudly. They suddenly fall silent as they notice Nathan, with Crystal and Savitri now standing right behind him.
“Uh… hi, everyone,” Crystal stammers, shyly giving a little wave.
The Farmer who had done most of the talking when they had arrived, then pipes up, bellowing out to the crowd his news. “This here is Lady Crystal- Noran’s chosen bride!”
The room erupts into noise once more as everyone starts talking over each other, excitedly coming up to get a closer look at who was supposed to be their next queen. Nathan narrows his eyes at the crowd as they draw nearer, scanning for any eyes with some gold in them. Thaddeus had told them to look for that since it’s such a rare feature, though most of the Dragon family for generations has had it. It didn’t guarantee that they were a Dragon, but it narrowed down the search a ton.
However, once all of the men had come and looked upon ‘her majesty,’ Nathan had also looked over every single one of them. …And none of them had a bit of gold in their eyes.
It takes a good hour for them to be able to excuse themselves from the boisterous crowd of Farmers and get back to the boat. When they do, Crystal and Nathan settle back into the seats of the boat as Savitri begins to steer them back to Davenport. They look at each other and know without saying anything that they had both come to the same conclusion.
Rex was not among the Farmers of Quagon.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Quagon Royalty
“Ugh,” I grunt as one of the three ladies buzzing around me gives a sharp yank on the ribbons wrapped around my waist. “What is this for, again?” I ask Savitri, who’s standing by the door, watching with an amused smile.
“Noran wants to show you off, essentially,” he chuckles, walking further into the room. “He’s also a voracious partier. An engagement is too good of an opportunity to pass on.”
“I thought he said he was hosting a ball in my honor?” I gasp as a corset is cinched tighter, cutting off my air.
Savitri’s grin deepens. “Technically, it’s true. You’re the guest of honor and the reason he gets to throw another party,” he laughs.
“Wow, I’m so honored,” I can’t help but groan. “But is this really necessary?”
“Well, you’re a princess now,” he replies, his countenance dimming as he addresses the gravity of my situation. “You should look the part.” You have no idea, I think to myself. I was born a princess. Just not for this realm.
“…This dress is going to be over-the-top, isn’t it?” I grimace as a hoop is slipped over my head, settling on my hips. Oh, no. This dress is going to be enormous. How am I even going to fit through doorways?? Glancing past Savitri and his enchanting smile, I eye the door. Oh. I guess all the doorways here are pretty large. Still. I hate this.
“Of course,” Savitri laughs. “You don’t know my brother like I do. Everything he does is ‘over-the-top.’”
“Ugh, save me,” I groan, half joking.
Savitri’s face instantly grows serious- a look I rarely see on him. He leans closer and I can feel my heart picking up as he does so, heat rushing up my neck. “I’m happy to. If you’re serious,” he murmurs. His face is so close to mine. My head is swimming. Wait. What was he saying? Surely… he didn’t mean…
“My future Queen!” The call from the doorway causes Savitri to jerk away from me and my heart starts to settle, my head clearing from the distance as well.
“Noran,” Savitri greets gruffly.
Obviously oblivious to his brother’s annoyance, Noran strides into the room, beaming with pride. He has eyes only for me, and it makes me extremely uncomfortable. Especially in this obnoxious beginnings of a dress. “You’re looking lovely,” he says as way of greeting, reaching out for my hand, kissing it and making me feel ever more awkward.
“Thank you,” I carefully reply. “…I’m looking forward to the ball. When will it be held, again?”
“Tomorrow night,” he beams. “Everything is being prepared as we speak!”
“Oh… good,” I murmur, glad that he’s no longer paying attention to me, since I did a poor job hiding my disdain toward the party he’s throwing for me.
Gazing into the distance, he seems to talk to himself more than me. “There will be plenty of food, of course- the most recent harvest is about to come in, so it’s perfect timing there. Everyone in Quagon will be in attendance, of course…”
“Everyone?” I gasp, feeling like I should make a run for the hills before it hits me- everyone. Everyone in Quagon- gathered in one place. There’s no way we could miss finding Rex here with all that! “That’s amazing!”
My change in tone brings Noran’s attention back to me, his face looking delighted. “It is! I’m so glad you agree! Now then, I’ll leave you to your dress- I have much to arrange. It will be the celebration of the century! I’m getting married!” he cries, rushing out the door without ever acknowledging Savitri.
Savitri turns back to me with an eyebrow arched. “Well, that’s my brother for you. But why are you suddenly looking forward to it? Just a few moments ago, you were dreading it.”
“Oh, that hasn’t really changed,” I smile, lifting an arm for one of the seamstresses. “I just realized it’s a perfect opportunity to find my brother.”
“Oh, excellent point! How may I be of assistance?” he asks, giving me another of his easy smiles.
“Look for a boy around my age with gold in his eyes.”
“Ah, like yours,” he nods. “Of course, it would be my pleasure.”
“Thank you,” I reply, settling in for another couple of hours of this torture. After a while, I close my eyes, allowing my thoughts to wander back to Nathan. He said while I was occupying the princes, he would use Flint to find out what he could about the royal family. I don’t know why it’s so important to him, since we’ll be leaving- at his own demand- in just two days, but I’m glad he’s occupying himself and bonding with his little finger-sized monkey.
<<
Nathan holds his breath, feeling his heart pound in his chest as he presses himself against the wall, trying to hide his body in the shadow of a door. The sound of someone approaching grows louder, matching the pace of his pounding heart. Hardly daring to breathe, he watches the hallway carefully. A pair of maids hurry past, huge stacks of ribbons in their arms. They scurry past him without so much as a glance of curiosity at why he was in a forbidden area of the castle.
“Whew,” he breathes once they’d gone, relaxing before taking the few remaining steps to the door with far too many locks to not be hiding something good. “Alright, Flint,” he murmurs, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the tiny monkey. “Time to do your thing.”
The Rabazi monkey’s ears flick as they take in and consider his words. Turning, he dives under the door, flattening as he does so. He slips through easily. “That is seriously so cool,” Nathan can’t
help but chuckle under his breath, a smile creeping onto his lips. Glancing down each end of the hallway, he then sits on the floor, back to the wall, and closes his eyes. Hopefully he can play dumb about being in this hallway if he gets caught, and act as though he had been sleeping.
Reaching out with his mind, he follows the thread that connected him and the monkey. Although it still unnerved him a little, he allows his mind to slip into Flint’s so he can see what he sees as he investigates the locked room.
It’s… a library? Nathan thinks, confused. Urging Flint closer to one of the nearer books, he realizes they’re all journals. Bingo! This should dish up some dirt on this royal family. There’s just something seriously fishy about them- not to mention their weird obsession with hunting down anyone from another realm. …Alright, let’s find something newer, though. That one’s practically falling apart with age.
At his direction, Flint scurries up the shelves until he comes to a section that, according to the years listed on the spines, would be from the current King. Selecting one, Nathan has Flint push it over to the empty part of the shelf, allowing it to fall open. Thayre is signed on the inside. Yep, this was the King’s.
Using Flint’s tiny monkey paws to painstakingly flip through the pages, Nathan scans them for any information. It doesn’t take long before something pops out at him. Someone named Dravyn, and the Watchers. Instructing Flint to settle down and let his eyes scan the page, Nathan begins to read.
“I’m King now. But it has come at such a great cost… Dravyn had a hand in all of it, yet somehow I feel he cares nothing for me and my success. He simply wants me here to keep an eye out for people from other realms. I know not why.”
A few weeks pass between entries.
“I have discovered why Dravyn is so afraid of anyone coming here from another realm during my lifetime. I went to a witch today, and she spoke to me a prophecy. It spoke of two people arriving from another realm. Their arrival would set in motion things that cannot be stopped. Things that may lead to Dravyn’s downfall. How else would the Watchers that he trapped here break free unless he was gone?”