Gerard stepped up to my side and put his hand on my back. “Everything will be fine,” he reassured. “Let me do all of the talking.”
“Excuse me?” I blinked.
“I think it would be best if I spoke. I’m more experienced in these sorts of discussions.” He flashed a smile. “You can stand at my side and be your beautiful self.” He returned his attention forward.
Speak for me? Control the discussion?
Maybe it really was better for him to talk. He knew I didn’t have experience, not when it came to discussions such as this. I’d learned about it, but what good was I if I’d never done it before?
We entered the throne room, and I instantly felt out of place.
The queen sat upon her throne, regal and beautiful. Her long blond hair reached down to her waist, and she held the jeweled sword I’d seen in the painting at the cathedral. She held the sword across her lap in a nonthreatening way and studied each of us. “To what do we owe this visitation?”
“My name is Prince Gerard. I am the crown prince of Ashwrya. The—”
“Northern country,” the queen interrupted. “What brings you this far south? And with this party of misfits?”
I didn’t miss her gaze freezing on Dormir before moving to me.
I wanted to speak. I wanted to explain my position. I opened my mouth, but Gerard spoke first.
“I traveled to Griswil to meet my betrothed, the crown princess Elisa.” He put his hand on my back.
“May I explain?” I asked.
Gerard shook his head. “We’re in the middle of a discussion, darling.” He looked at the queen. “When I arrived, I learned my beloved had been cursed.”
“Gerard, please let me talk,” I requested.
“Elisa, you don’t know how to barter.” He patted my hand as if I were an invalid or old lady who had lost her mind, and the hair on the back of my neck prickled.
“With all due respect, this is not your curse,” I said sharply. “This is not your kingdom, and I am not yet your wife. These negotiations are my responsibility and mine alone.”
He flashed a smile but ran his hand over his mouth. “This is my expertise. I thought we agreed I would guide the discussion.”
“No. You wanted to. This is my responsibility.”
Gerard lowered his hand and his lips tightened ever so slightly. He glanced around at the eyes staring at us. Finally he stepped back, gesturing toward the queen with a swoop of his arm.
Confidence surged through me, and I straightened my spine. I faced the queen and stepped forward. “I am Princess Elisa.”
The queen’s eyes darkened.
I hesitated. “I … am the daughter of Queen Rachel.” I licked my lips. “At birth, the sorceress Selina cursed me that I would become a dragon by my eighteenth birthday. At the same time, the faeries vowed to help break the curse. Since then, Selina has been killing your kind, and … Dormir explained your people were exiled as well. I have come to ask for you to uphold your vow. And to please help me.”
The weight of the queen’s gaze made me glance at Dormir.
“Did I say something wrong?” I asked.
He shook his head and stepped forward. “I found her at A’Luvien.”
“And you felt it was wise to bring her and these men to our home? The princess? Daughter of the woman responsible for doing this to us?” the queen spat.
Dormir’s jaw flexed. “Queen Misla—”
She held up her hand, cutting him off. She looked at me. “You and your friends will leave at first light.”
My breath caught. The guards moved to guide us out, but I didn’t budge. “No.”
Misla’s brow shot up. “Did you just tell me no?”
“I have come all this way.” I stepped forward, but Dormir’s hand shot out, stopping me from getting much closer to the queen.
The guards had also taken steps forward, hands on the hilts of their swords.
“If you don’t help me, I will be a dragon before I’m eighteen!” I held up my hands to show her the black scales. “I already have these and horns.”
“And why should I help you?” she asked in a hiss.
My heart started to race. I needed to keep calm. This was the most important discussion of my life. “Maybe you and I can help each other. You help me with my curse, and I will speak with my mother. We can meet, faeries and humans, and discuss our future together in this country.”
Misla shook her head and leaned back on her throne.
My fingertips tingled, and I lowered my hands.
At least she was contemplating my suggestion. She got to her feet, lowering the sword to her side. “I do think an arrangement can be made. Arrest them. Put them all in prison.”
“What?” I squeaked.
Dormir flinched and rushed across the stone floor to kneel before the queen. He spoke in their native language as the guards moved forward and took me by the arm.
Gerard put his hand on my hip and leaned to my ear. “I told you to let me speak. Now we have a bigger problem.”
I tried to find words, but my tongue felt fat in my mouth, and the guards were pulling me away. Dormir slumped to the ground in one of his episodes, and my heart pounded faster and harder.
“Did he just faint? How pathetic,” Gerard mumbled.
“He’s … got a condition,” I said breathlessly. My heart raced so fast I feared I might faint as well.
Imprisoned by a fae queen—this hadn’t been part of the plans at all.
The guards directed us toward stone steps at the front of the cave. A group of men in front of me, Gerard and the others behind me. Gerard was right. I had failed. If I had let him speak, would the queen have had mercy? Would Gerard have convinced her to help? Would he have been able to avoid us being locked up in prison?
“Stop him!” one of the guards shouted.
I spun around in time to see Gerard leap over the edge of the steps and land surprisingly gracefully on the roof below. He then slid and disappeared into the darkness below.
My gut wrenched. “He left …” I choked.
Gerard had left me.
Dormir was unconscious.
And now I was a prisoner with faeries my mother had exiled.
The guard in front of me seized my arm roughly, likely to prevent me from following Gerard, and the other fae guards did the same with Gerard’s men. I didn’t even resist. My stomach churned as the guard dragged me up the stone steps, then across a wooden bridge to four shallow caves with metal bars on the outside.
The guard stepped in front of the closest and said, “Unpar.”
The bars lifted, and he shoved me in with such force I stumbled and fell to my hands and knees. I whipped my head around and watched in dismay as the bars sunk back to the stone floor. Gerard’s men complained as they were put in the cells nearby.
I backed up the few feet to the back of the cave and pulled my knees up to my chest. I was desperately trying not to panic. I had to breathe and not allow my emotions to create even more dragon features.
But tears stung my eyes.
My heart wrenched in my chest. I buried my face in my arms and broke into sobs. The faeries were supposed to help. That was part of the promise from my curse. Gerard was supposed to save me because, clearly, I was like every girl in the stories. I couldn’t save myself. What a fool I was to have thought otherwise.
Sixteen
My eyes hurt.
My throat was dry.
I was freezing.
I rubbed my arms as I sat against the cave wall. I didn’t know if I’d actually slept that night. I’d been too worried about Gerard leaving me. I worried about Tao being locked up in a stable without someone he knew. I worried about Dormir.
I got to my feet and walked to the front of the cave. I was too afraid to touch the bars. Who kne
w if there was fae magic? I looked down over the valley, knowing somewhere in the distance was my home.
“Elisa, you’re awake.”
Relief washed over me as Dormir stepped into my view. He had changed his clothing into a deep royal blue with silver accents.
My brows pinched.
Royal and regal.
Like the queen.
I met his gaze again. “Did you lie to me?” I asked, gesturing to him. “You are royalty as well?”
“I didn’t lie to you,” he said quickly. “Fae can’t lie.”
“I can’t believe you! You made me believe …” I clenched my teeth and turned away. I couldn’t get angry. I couldn’t risk sprouting a dragon tail or something else right now.
“I didn’t trust you enough to let you know I’m a prince.”
I wheeled around. “I told you I was a princess! How is that any different?”
Dormir shook his head. “My people aren’t trying to kill yours.”
I scoffed. “So what is the plan now, Your Highness?”
He frowned, but I didn’t care that I’d offended him.
“Just answer me one question.” I tightened my hands into fists. “Did you bring me here intentionally? So your mother could imprison us and you could get justice for everything?”
“Elisa, your anger,” he warned.
“You speak to me of anger?” I shouted. “You passed out because of yours.”
Dormir’s brows shot up. “I won’t sprout more scales.”
I snorted and retreated to the back of my cell. “Am I allowed a blanket, at least?”
Dormir stared at me, then finally rubbed the back of his neck. “I will see if they will allow that. They are talking right now about using you as a bargaining chip.”
“You mean, holding me for ransom.”
He lowered his hand.
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know why I put so much trust in you.” I turned away.
“So you’re just like your mother.”
“I’m not the one who imprisoned you, Dormir!” I snapped. “I trusted you! I relied on you to get me here and—”
“And I did!” he yelled back. “Not only did I get you here safely, I saved you in the Ancient Wood and got you council with my mother. It’s not my fault you didn’t articulate your needs well enough to convince her to help you.”
“Well”—I faced him—“perhaps we should give you an award. Or better, why don’t you just take me back to the Ancient Wood and allow the trees to kill me? It’s better than being kept here for who knows how long. And what will you and your sweet mother do? Watch me slowly turn into a monster?” I scoffed. “And to think I was afraid of Selina.” I turned away again, furious I had nowhere I could run and hide from him. My nails bit into my biceps. “You should have left me to die in the trees,” I choked.
Dormir didn’t answer.
My stomach clenched and I took a deep breath to steady my anger. Even if I was furious with him, I needed someone there. The silence stretched, and I was afraid he’d left, so I glanced over my shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” he said. He looked at me with disgusting pity.
I wiped a tear from my cheek and sniffled.
Dormir looked at the bars. “You seem like a really nice girl. I’m sorry this happened to you.”
“But I deserve this because I was born.” I don’t know why his words stung so much. I thought we had built a friendship. He looked at me in a way Gerard didn’t, and we were engaged. But what would I know of friends? I walked back to my corner and sat down. “You sound just like my mother,” I whispered.
“Elisa …”
“You can go.” I refused to meet his gaze.
“Maybe I can talk to my mother again. Get you another—”
“I said go!” I yelled. My black claws extended, and I felt like I could breathe fire.
Dormir actually took a step back.
Tears of anger, frustration, and self-hatred burned through me. I hated what I was. I hated I was so naïve to not know what my mother had done to the faeries. The faeries didn’t have a cure, they didn’t even know about my curse. This entire journey had been for nothing.
And now I was stuck in prison.
Because I was too gullible.
Sometime later, I looked up when I heard footsteps. I scoffed at myself when my heart sunk because it wasn’t Dormir. To think I’d hoped to see his lying face.
The woman opened a single bar and slid in a tray of food. “Your breakfast. Lord Dormir also requested I bring blankets.”
I walked over. “Thank you,” I said softly. “Will—” I took a big breath. “Will he get in trouble for being mixed up in this?”
The fae woman with long red hair didn’t answer.
“His mother didn’t appear too pleased last night. He shouldn’t be punished for my foolishness.” I took the blanket and hugged it to my chest. “Can you please tell him I’m sorry?”
She smiled briskly. “I can deliver your message.”
“And thank you for the food.” I set the blanket on the floor and sat on it as I pulled the tray onto my lap. I didn’t feel like a princess at all. I didn’t want to think what my mother would do when the fae queen told her of my stupidity.
What if Mother left me here? What better way to get rid of her transforming daughter?
With nothing to do, my mind ran wild with worry. I paced. I studied the landscape. I wondered what, if anything, would have changed in our world if I had died in the Ancient Wood, if anyone would even miss me. Marigold and Dahlia would.
The woman returned to bring me lunch, and I couldn’t bring myself to ask about Dormir.
She returned at dinner.
I didn’t see Dormir.
I wrapped the blanket around myself and stood near the bars.
I was so unaware I didn’t hear someone approaching until I felt the shadow fall over me. I turned and gasped. “Gerard! You came back!”
He grinned at me. But there was something sinister in his eyes. He dug into his pocket and produced a beautiful purple stone.
“You found it! Can it cure me?” I reached through the bar, but he pulled away.
“No, it can’t.” He smirked. “This was quite a fortunate circumstance—for me.” He eyed the bars as he stepped back. “I mean, breaking your heart was going to devastate you anyway, but now I don’t have to worry about any repercussions from your family. The faeries will have killed you, your family will mourn, and I will take the throne.”
“What … are you saying?” I asked, my words strained.
His gorgeous green eyes met mine. “The faeries have already sent a message to your mother, detailing how they would like a trade. They will return you if she gives them more land. Of course”—he looked to his right the same instant I heard screaming—“They won’t live that long. It was foolish of them to have only one way up to their cliff city and to build it completely out of wood.” He chuckled so darkly I couldn’t believe he was the man I had once fallen so in love with. “Now they will die, and you will perish with them. I couldn’t have planned this better.” He held his arms out to his side. “And with you gone, who will take the throne?”
“My sisters!” I shouted.
“Hm, I will have to get them out of the way, then.” He rubbed his chin. “Of course, I will have to be very calculated. It might take me a week or so. We have to have a funeral for you, and I have to work my way into your poor, sad mother’s heart.”
“Gerard, you can’t possibly leave me here!” I gripped the bars to my cell. “You need to save me!”
“No. I really don’t.” He pocketed the gemstone and winked. “Farewell, Elisa. I hope you don’t suffer too much.” He disappeared out of my line of sight.
“Gerard!” I pressed my face against the bars. “Gerard!”
/> I couldn’t see what was going on, but I heard the screaming. And I realized the sound hidden behind was the sound of fire. With their wooden structures, I knew the city would burn like kindling. Someone needed to do something! I hoped the faeries would have some sort of contingency plan. Surely, they would have prepared some method to get water on the wooden structures should something like this happened.
But the screams weren’t stopping.
If only there was a way to help them …
I hadn’t heard my inner voice for a little while. I seemed more comfortable with Dormir around, and now with the chaos, the voice seemed to know I needed something.
I took a breath. “No one can help them.”
You weren’t born to die in a fire! You are a dragon!
I drew a shaky breath. “No. I can’t …”
If you don’t accept who you are, they will die.
The words echoed in my mind. The fae city was being destroyed, and I knew no one was trying to save them. They’d already gone through exile, and now this. But if I accepted myself as a dragon …
“What’s the worst that could happen?” I wondered aloud. “Mother will lock me away the instant I get home, regardless. Gerard has already left me and took the stone. Dormir … he could have been trying to get help like he promised. But how could he worry about me, a prisoner, when his city is going up in flames?”
I had to take a hard look at myself.
If I came to terms with who I was, I could save the faeries. If I didn’t, I could die with them. Yet if I transformed into a dragon and the faeries put their fire out, then I would be a dragon without a home.
The wind carried the smoke in front of my cage, and I knew I had no choice.
If I didn’t help them, no one would.
Even if they had locked me away, the right thing was to save them.
I looked down at my black, scale-covered hands, then reached up and touched my horns. One last time, I studied every inch of myself as a human girl. Crown princess of Griswil. I knew after this I would never be the same.
And I understood I was okay with it.
I drew a deep breath and closed my eyes. “Here we are, dragon. I’ve feared you my entire life. I’m tired of hiding. If you really are my destiny, then so be it.”
The Dragon Princess: Sleeping Beauty Reimagined (The Forgotten Kingdom Book 1) Page 14