“Time’s up!” Kael called from below. “It’s a draw. Now I need to have a rematch with Gaius.”
Rylan sheathed his sword. “Tomorrow, maybe. We have to make some time for Sera, too, remember?”
Kael said back loudly, “But I lost! I need to show Gaius!”
“Losing ungracefully, at that!”
Rylan flew down to the balcony where we sat. His wings looked even larger up close. He combed his hand through his black, silky hair and levitated in front of us. I couldn’t stop staring at his wings. They were so… reptilian, menacing, yet they also let a rush of wonder run through me.
“Sera,” Rylan said, “finish up your lunch. We’re going.”
I could feel Vancel and Mei’s eyes on me. I couldn’t tell if this was the good kind of attention, but I decided to embrace it regardless. Perhaps being closer with the princes would buy me more respect. I wouldn’t deny any perks if they came.
But what if it backfired?
There was only a piece of potato left on my dish, so I popped it into my mouth. I pushed myself to my feet, wiped my mouth, and readied to go. I spun my heels and made my way toward the exit.
“Not like that,” Rylan said. “Come here, I’ll give you a lift. It’s faster. Detours are a waste of time.”
“Thyme,” Frederick said, lifting a sprig from his plate, which was actually rosemary.
It felt like my brain just got struck by lightning, and I wasn’t sure what to do for a second. Hesitantly, I paced toward the railing of the balcony. I was wondering how to pry myself over the ledge despite my robes, when Rylan flew over and scooped me up into his arms, throwing the air out of my lungs.
Frederick dropped his utensils and fanned himself, then said, “Can I get a ride, too?”
Rylan’s eyes grazed over Frederick. “No. You’re too heavy.”
Frederick dropped his fork at once. “Hey, that isn’t nice. You’re a hidrae. You have the strength of a full-grown dragon.”
Rylan didn’t bother responding to Frederick’s whine. He spun around and batted his wings. My nerves started to strain—I’d never flown before and wasn’t certain how the experience would be.
Frederick was left stupefied as Prince Rylan flew me away in his arms. I couldn’t wrap my mind around it either. His grip was firm and strong around my back. I sank into him, musing over how comfortable his arms felt. I glanced below and saw the top of the building, with a spire poking out. This experience wasn’t too bad. I supposed I wasn’t afraid of heights, and I trusted that Rylan wouldn’t drop me.
“You’re heavy,” Rylan said.
“Am I?”
“No, I’m kidding. I like this.”
“This?”
His ran his gaze over my face. “Flying. I mean.”
I let out a sheepish laugh. For a moment I thought he meant he liked holding me in his arms, but that was plain silly. “Where are we going?”
“Right there.” He looked down at a garden. “It’s quiet. Nobody can see what we’re doing here, so your curse won’t be found out.”
“That fast?”
He shrugged. “Like I said. It’s quicker with wings.”
I glanced behind and saw the other princes and another three sets of wings. Kael winked at me, and my heartbeat quickened. It had to be criminal that the sunshine made the princes look this radiant.
Rylan landed in the garden. I hadn’t seen before. The palace was huge, and it’d probably take an entire year to explore the whole of it. I often stuck to the places I needed to go. There hadn’t been any time to go sightseeing.
A stream traveled through the massive garden, sounding the music of trickling water through the air.
Constanria, previously known as Ayesrial, had been barren before the death of its previous ruler, the Dragon Mother. After the Dragon Mother’s death, the lack of her black magic’s influence brought the region back to life. Springs began to sprout from all over, and plants flourished. The palace had been built around these natural features, as an attempt at architectural wonder. I remembered the first time I saw it insides of the palace. My mouth had probably been gaping the entire walk back to the dorms.
The high summers came ten years ago. They were summer months that ate into autumn and made cool-weather crops more difficult to grow. The dragon-kind thought it was a bad omen. At first, it hadn’t affected the growing seasons much, but these days, food was becoming scarce along the outer regions. I didn’t even want to think about what was happening to our neighboring country, Beyestirya. In Constanria alone, King Gisiroth’s bountiful reign was coming to an end, and the councils were contemplating removing the free flow of food. Frederick wasn’t going to be happy about that.
This courtyard, like many other places in the palace, was decorated with natural features and flowers of all different kinds.
Rylan let me down, and I pulled myself away from him. We didn’t have any skin-on-skin contact because my whole body was covered, but just the semblance of his touch seeping through my clothes, and his smoky scent, was enough to turn my brain into liquid.
He had fine features, which he most likely got from his mother. There was a hint of something there that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Attraction, maybe? I chastised myself. I was being silly. What would a prince want to do with my cursed soul?
Kael, Gaius, and Micah swooped in, landing as smoothly as Rylan did. They tucked their wings back into their scapulae, letting the spiny entities seep back into their skins.
“So,” Gaius said, “what’s the agenda for today? And why are we in such a secluded area of the palace?”
“We don’t want anybody finding out about Sera’s curse,” Rylan said. “It might cause trouble. Not everybody’s going to be comfortable with her power.”
“Most people aren’t,” I muttered.
Rylan’s gaze dropped to my hands. “Take off your gloves, Sera.”
Uneasiness tingled through me. It almost felt as if he was asking me to undress. I kept myself so covered all the time that letting any part of myself go bare, except for my face, felt intimate.
I slid off both of my gloves and placed them on a nearby bench. The warm air of Raynea brushed my fingertips.
Rylan nodded. “Okay, let’s test yesterday’s findings once more. To make sure that Sera’s powers really don’t have any effect on us.” Rylan offered his hand, like before.
I gulped, then took it. He held me longer than he did yesterday. His hands were coarser than I expected them to be, and they were large, encompassing mine entirely. He had a firm grip, which made my head a little giddy.
And then I felt it—a light sensation that begun with a spark, then hummed, growing in intensity. I saw that he sensed the same thing too, because his eyes widened.
Rylan frowned. “That’s…”
That tingle… it almost felt good. I wanted more of it. I had to rip my eyes away from Rylan, because looking at him with that feeling between us was making my heart beat in an arrhythmical pattern.
“What is it?” Kael said, tearing Rylan away. “My turn.” He grabbed my hand, without being polite enough to ask for permission, and let his touch linger. Kael’s touch was warmer than Rylan’s. The same sensation snapped through me. This was only coming through a touch of our hands. It was like… there was a well of something in me, and their touch caused it to stir, inciting a sensation of tingling and electricity coursing through my veins. I couldn’t get enough of it, and was disappointed when Kael pulled away.
He grinned. “Oh, Micah, Gaius, you’ll want to feel this.” He passed me to Micah next, and the scene repeated itself.
When it was Gaius’s turn, the brute scoffed. “I’m not doing that. We’ve established that you guys get fluttery and princess-y after touching her for too long. I don’t want my hands on such filth.”
His words were like cold water thrown at my face. The rushing sensation sank away. A nerve ticked at the side of my temple.
“Gaius,” Rylan said, “at least check he
r with your soul magic. Examine if she’s truly human.”
Gaius sighed, but did as his brother ordered. He lifted a hand, hovering it over my face, and closed his eyes. His brow crinkled. “Human,” he said. “Almost.”
“Almost?” Rylan asked. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“There’s something strange about the make-up of her soul… A foreign entity of some sort. It’s like I can sense her soul flickering, trying to keep up with a power that isn’t supposed to be there. I don’t know what it is.”
Ryan drew his lips together. “Don’t know? But you know all there is about magic.”
“Not everything. Lots of information was destroyed after the death of the Dragon Mother, under the first queen’s decree.”
“You’re still more adept at it than the rest of us.”
“And I’m saying this information isn’t enough. Are we done now?” Gaius stepped back. He sat down on the bench, next to my gloves, and hunched over, resting his elbows on his thighs. “I’m tired of having to face this lowborn. Even her soul is strange.”
I scowled. “Lowborn?”
“Isn’t that what you are? Rylan did some checks on you. Most people on the councils are nobles, but you’re not even that. You used to clean the latrines back in your town. That’s the lowest of the low.”
I folded my arms. “And do you have a problem with that?” Gaius was looking increasingly punchable. He wouldn’t be this cocky if he had a crooked nose, would he? Then again, shoving my fist into his face would likely end up with me getting a crooked hand.
“Yes. I don’t like being next to filth.” He gestured at Rylan. “Even though my dear brother here thinks we should associate ourselves with your kind.”
Rylan cut in, “Gaius, you can stop taunting her now.”
“I’m stating the truth. She’s nothing but a—”
At that moment, something in me snapped. I whipped up to Gaius and tried to stomp on his foot, but ended up missing, so it just looked like I was throwing a hissy fit. But I didn’t care. So what if I was having a fit? I didn’t deserve those insults. “I worked hard to get to where I am. I’m tired of people like you, who were born in your mighty positions, so high up that you’re completely oblivious to the struggles of people like me. You’re just a shallow, close-minded asshole that needs to learn how to—”
“Uh oh,” Kael cut in. “I didn’t know our little toy here had some bite—”
I spun around and thrust my finger at his face. “I’m not a toy.”
“Kitty-cat?”
“No.”
“You remind me of one. Trying to roar but sounding out cute meows instead.” He made a feline sound that probably shouldn’t have sounded that sexy.
“You all are assholes—”
Rylan said, “I would hold your tongue if I were you. May I remind you that we’re royalty, and there has to be some level of respect.”
I bit my lower lip, glancing at Gaius, who was flashing me a grin that made my blood boil.
“Apologies,” I said.
“So, she’s not completely human,” Rylan continued. “Then what is she? There have been reports of other humans being born in the recent years, although I think Sera is the oldest I’ve heard of.”
I hadn’t heard of this. It could have been classified information. “When?”
“Two. A few years back. I assume there are more, but it’s not difficult for them to hide as darmar, which you have been doing.”
Were there others like me?
“Sera should be in the military,” Kael added.
“Not a chance,” I snapped, wondering why it was so difficult to hold back an attitude with the princes. Perhaps it was because there was this strange sense of being comfortable around them, which I had absolutely no reason to have.
Kael shot a brow up. “Imagine the possibilities.”
“In this time of peace? All my power can do is hurt my companion soldiers. Not to mention I’m terrible at anything involving moving quicker than a walking pace. Plus, I’ll have to reveal my powers, and it only scares dragon-kind away, making them want to burn me at a stake.”
Rylan nodded. “Sera’s right. Unless Beyestirya decides to attack us for whatever reason—and Father has had good relations with them for years—there is no need to build a weapon out of Sera and stir trouble in court. However, training might still be a good consideration to have should we ever need her.”
“Trust me,” I said, “I’m going to end up touching a soldier, which might work, but then get stabbed the next moment, should you ever find me in battle.”
“The tests, then?” Gaius asked. “Better to get it over with so we won’t have her here anymore.”
My fists were starting to become too attracted to Gaius’s face, and not because he was handsome. “I don’t want to be here either, Your Highness.”
Rylan pursed his lips. “Why are we immune? Are there others like us?”
I doubted so. The princes were truly unique. “That thing… with my soul. You felt something strange in there? Perhaps that’s what causing the curse. Is there something different about yours, too?”
Gaius furrowed his brow. He lingered his touch over Rylan. A light glow emanated from his palm. “It’s not the same. Yours has an airier feel. We do have a special entity in our souls. We’ve always known that. But ours is… violent.”
“Violent?”
Gaius spun around. “I think we’ve established that there’s nothing much more to learn. We’ll have to look up abnormalities in souls to come to further conclusions.” He spread his wings behind his back and lifted off the ground.
“Gaius,” Rylan said, shaking his head, “you need to learn to open up.”
Kael snorted. “He’s still upset.”
“Upset?” I asked. Over what?
Gaius scowled. “It’s nothing you should know.” He sped off before we could continue the conversation, leaving the four of us lingering in the garden.
Five
I could hear the flapping of Micah’s wings as he soared through the skies.
Rylan had suggested we gather any more information in the national reports similar to my curse before we investigated further, and had directed Micah to send me back to my dorms.
An awkward silence lingered between Micah and I for too long. I had to try and break the quietness, because hearing nothing, while being carried by an attractive prince, put my nerves on edge. Like his brothers’, his body had a muscular tone, but he felt bulkier than Rylan had.
“You don’t talk much,” I said.
His velvety voice smoothed past me. “No.”
“Why is that?”
“Because.”
I puffed up my cheeks. Yep, this was going to be tough. I racked my brain for more things to say. He set me down in front of my dorm. It was a tall white building, with vines curling around its entrance. The sound of trickling water played in the background. It belonged to another one of the many streams weaving through Raynea.
“Thank you,” I said.
“I’ll walk you to your room,” Micah replied, picking his way in front of me before I could retort. “Which floor is it?” he asked, not turning around.
“The third.” I followed. Having another go at breaking the tension, I said, “Why is Gaius so rude?”
“You ask a lot of questions, don’t you?”
I studied the tattoos on his back. They wound around his scapulae and muscles. “It’s part of being a scholar. Inquiry is the entire basis of our profession.”
“You’re a bunch of busybodies, then?”
“Learners,” I corrected him.
He huffed and climbed up the marble stairs. “Gaius is rude because he’s spoiled.”
“Spoiled?”
“He’s an eligible bachelor. He’s wanted for nothing.”
“You are, too.”
“Yeah. But I didn’t get everything I wanted. Not like he did. Not like Kael. They have the love of Queen Miriel.”
> “Have you… met your—”
“No.” He hesitated, as if not wanting to continue the conversation. “I don’t know who my mother is.”
“Why doesn’t Rylan act like them, then?”
“He’s had a lot of responsibilities since being a child.”
A pause lingered between us.
“Like?” I asked.
“Important ones.”
“Well, of course they’re important.”
Micah sighed. “He’s being raised to be a king. Our father picked Rylan as his crown prince and treated him harshly to forge him into a strong ruler. Rylan spent some years with the common folk. Twenty, in fact.”
“Twenty?” My face scrunched up. “How old are the lot of you again?”
“More questions.”
“You lot are intriguing.”
He sighed. “Rylan and Gaius are two hundred and ten. Kael is a hundred and fifty.” A hidrae’s life span was a thousand years, so they were considered young. The lower the class of dragon-kind, the shorter their lives were. Chances were that Frederick wouldn’t live past two hundred, and Bianca, my sister, would make it to five.
And me, a human daughter born from a dreryn and a darmar? With a soul with a strange make-up on top of that? I didn’t know what the hell I was, or how long my life span would be.
“How old are you, then?” We reached the top of the stairs. There was only a short distance left to my room.
“I’m a hundred and two this year.”
“That’s…”
“We’re old, yes.”
“It’s a long time to be faced with that.”
“That?”
“Scorn.” I couldn’t imagine facing a hundred and two years of constant gossip and being treated as an outsider. If I were Micah, I would have left the palace long ago. “I… Maybe I can relate.”
He regarded me, frowning. “That’s presumptuous, isn’t it?”
“You weren’t their favorite… because… well, you know.” I wasn’t sure if I’d gone too far, so I didn’t spell out the details of his illegitimacy. “My parents sometimes don’t even think I’m their child, because my hair’s a different color from theirs. My dad looks at me strangely. Bianca gets everything she wants, as long as we can afford it. I was left doing more shifts scrubbing the toilets and was hungry half the time. Sometimes the world treats us unfairly and we just have to fight harder to get what we want. We’re not that differen—”
Bane of Dragons Page 5