by Iyanna Orr
Now, as he leaned against the paneling on the side of the door, Drake was still silent, but Zafrina was raving. As her voice raised yet again, the guard that had been silently watching him suddenly disappeared down the long corridor.
“You cannot be considering giving him what he wants!” Queen Zafrina yelled. “We have worked for centuries getting him exactly where we want him, and now, you’re going to blow it on a whim?” She’d sat through it as Chandler told Drake what he wanted, and he watched as she grew angrier, but it wasn’t as if she had a say. Therefore, she was trying to argue her point. “This is where it ends, Drake, where we finally stop looking over our shoulders, wondering if he’s going to find out and destroy us.” Her voice took on a pleading note, but Chandler already knew he wasn’t going to be swayed.
“He demands it, Zafrina, and if that’s what he wants, it is what he will get,” King Drake replied, his voice quiet. “You must remember that this is my kingdom―”
“Our kingdom!” Zafrina suddenly raged, but Drake continued over her.
“This is my kingdom,” he repeated. “And this was entirely your idea. It was seventeen years ago. You suggested raising him and bringing him to Legacy. It has been seventeen years while I’ve watched you try to break him down, and all you’ve succeeded in doing is making him stronger. Which as I consider the situation now, it is somewhat of a favor. You had your chance, love, but now, it is mine. He is our salvation as well as our damnation because he is the only one who can help us keep Legacy. I will not have you changing your mind and giving him the chance to bring the prophecy to life. As it may be, we are safe because he seems to be the benign boy we raised him to be. We cannot threaten his ire, Zafrina, or it will rise, and we will be as helpless as those wretched humans.”
“Those wretched humans have more sense than you,” Zafrina stated. “They would have killed him for doing what he has.”
“Tell me, what has he done?” Drake implored. “You give me a rational explanation, and I will execute him right this minute.” There was silence, and Chandler could almost hear Drake’s smile of satisfaction. “As I suspected. Bring him in.”
The guard who’d gone appeared beside Chandler, and the large doors were opened. He slowly made his way down the carpeted hall before ducking in a bow Drake raised a brow at. Chandler put on a polite smile as he straightened and glanced to Zafrina. Her eyes were wide, and she kept them directed away from him, as if afraid of breathing at him wrong. Even if they weren’t really his parents, Zafrina really was afraid of what Drake would do to her if he didn’t like what was happening. Chandler took a deep breath and looked back to Drake, his polite smile still in place. His own smile was pleased.
“I hope I’m not causing any trouble,” Chandler commented.
“Not at all,” Drake intoned, his own eyes flickering to Zafrina. “We’ve been discussing your… rules. After a minor disagreement, we’ve come to a decision.”
“Yes?”
“We accept. Tomorrow morning, you will be escorted to our manor in Rockbryr. It is at most four leagues from any civilization. Your suites will be arranged upon your arrival.”
“Of course. And my army?” Chandler cut in, looking to Drake. The room was quiet, and he heard as Zafrina clenched her teeth, shooting Drake a look. The king’s lips curved into a mischievous smile.
“They will be ready.”
Chandler bowed to Drake, yet again, but he barely acknowledged it as he stood and left the throne room. Zafrina, though, stayed and watched Chandler with steel in her eyes and her entire body stiff. Slowly, he walked up the high stage the thrones sat on and perched on the side table. Her eyes stayed where he’d been standing, but she swallowed thickly.
“You may not like me, but the truth is, I will not lower myself to hating you because of what you’ve done,” Chandler said. “I know to get where you are. You had to have done something to my real parents.”
He stopped as she nodded slowly, and he saw her fingers were trembling.
“What’s done is done. I can’t miss people I never knew, but I know you, Zafrina. Once upon a time, you were my mother, and I was completely fine with that. I lived with it because I loved you. Things are different now, but it doesn’t mean we have to hate each other. You once tried to tell me everything would be okay, but it will not be unless we give being political partners, maybe even friends, a chance.”
Chandler knew she was looking at him, questioning the motives behind his proposal. He really wasn’t sure what they were, but he did know that he did once love his mother for the person she was even if she hurt him. She was the one who had been there, whether willingly or not. At least, she’d stayed while his then father, Drake, had disappeared, probably to here, while Chandler grew up. He heard her sigh beside him, and then there was a hesitant touch on his shoulder. When she spoke next, it wasn’t to accept or deny, but Chandler listened wholeheartedly as she described to him the castle and Legacy.
Hours later, Chandler had already managed to shake away the feeling that burned in his bones. Did he feel guilty for planning to murder the only mother he’d ever known? For taking her down with the likes of Drake? Maybe he did, but he knew it had to be done. His mind, so far, was back on track and pushing him farther away from the memories he had of Zafrina, who explained to him what Legacy was and their intentions toward the land. Chandler had known it was a steaming heap of bullshit, but he smiled and listened like a good son.
He was given a room far from the throne room and any other the king and queen might inhabit. Once inside his room, Chandler promptly locked the door, pulled a chair around to face it, pressed it against the opposite wall and stared at the damaged wood. He had to give Drake and Zafrina their props. At least, they were cautious enough not believe immediately that he was on their side. Not even his niceties with his former mother had stirred the air that was their unresolved issues. He stayed staring at that wall until the bright, blinding light of the morning faded to the dry heat the noon sun brought. As soon as the sun started sinking, the light tumbling in through the glass pane of the balcony doors, Chandler stood up and moved towards the room doors slowly, knowing they’d probably planted guards there. As he stopped, he looked down, and from the small crack under the door, a shadow shifted, and he stopped, now knowing his suspicions were correct. Good, Chandler thought and then moved as quietly as possible around the room, searching every hole and crack to see if he was being watched.
They’d assured him any technology from Earth hadn’t been carried into Legacy, but so far, they hadn’t given Chandler much of a reason to trust them.
In truth, he was curious about this place and ready to get out and explore. Zafrina had explained to him that Legacy was the fifth dimension, the oldest that still lived. Earth’s dimension, what they labeled “The Prime” had been alive far longer than any other dimension, yet it didn’t appear on the levels that determine dimension value.
“You see,” Zafrina had said. “Earth is protected by the people that inhabit it. Even though they believe they are killing their planet, their belief that things happen beyond their control keeps it alive. They don’t think they do, but every living creature on Earth believes in magic.”
“That’s all that protects them? The things they believe?”
“Yes,” Zafrina said, smiling slightly. She turned to look at Drake, who had come in and studied them from his throne. She turned back to Chandler and lowered her voice. “But it won’t protect them forever. That’s what happened to Legacy. Drake came here and killed their spirit and everything they ever believed until the planet was as vulnerable as a newborn. He took control.” Chandler watched her in confusion as her expression went from devastated to calm in a few moments. She turned towards the thrones and called for the guards. Immediately, the doors were opened, and Chandler was escorted to his room.
It had been strange, her sudden confessions, but so far, it didn’t seem to be helping him with anything. Chandler sighed and stood up from his chair, wa
ndering over to the balcony doors. They weren’t locked, but they wouldn’t open, no matter how hard he tried.
He half-heartedly reached forward and tugged on the handles. Again, they didn’t budge. Footsteps had alerted him before the knock came on his door. His hand dropped from the handles of the balcony door as he turned and looked at the trembling wood. He stared at it, but another knock jarred him into action. Chandler made his way to the other side of the room and pulled it open. The guard from the throne room didn’t speak as he held out a folded piece of paper. Chandler took it and closed the door just as he turned away. He flipped the unusually weighted piece of paper over and found the source of the burden. The seal he’d seen carved into the base of the throne was embedded in wax.
Breaking the seal, Chandler opened the paper to find an invitation. He’d been invited to attend the melee tournament, featuring an all welcome invitation to the knights of Legacy. In Drake’s neat scrawl at the bottom was a message: “We are expecting you to attend.” A tournament that could take weeks when Chandler was supposed to be leaving tomorrow.
“What the hell?” he yelled, barging his way into the throne room where Drake was no doubt spending his time. The guard came in behind him, his hand landing on Chandler’s shoulder harshly. Instantly, Chandler flipped around and shoved the guard as hard as he could. The man flew back, the top half of his body slamming against the border of the doorway and the bottom half flying out. He spun into the hallway and disappeared as the doors closed.
Chandler turned back around and glared at Drake. Zafrina was nowhere in sight.
“What is this?” he demanded. “You said I could leave tomorrow.”
“There was a change of plans, Chandler,” he said, a smile on his face. “A last minute decision.”
“Last minute?” Chandler scoffed. “More like you’re trying to keep me here. How long is this going to take?”
“A month or more,” he answered immediately. “After, you may take your leave.”
Getting back to his room, Chandler slammed the door behind his and walked to the balcony. He smashed his fists against the glass and glared into the descending darkness.
“It’s protected by a spell,” a woman’s voice said, and he whirled around, looking for the source only to find nothing. There was near silent laughter. “It’s quite humorous, actually, seeing as the spell is used for toddlers here in Legacy.”
“Who are you?”
“I am me. If it’s a name you’re looking for, you must earn it. Names are not given freely here,” it replied. “If it’s an escape you’re looking for, I may be able to open that door.” Chandler felt a slight chill. Something trailed over one of his wings, and he shivered, jumping away. “You are quite a strange boy. Humans don’t usually come with wings.”
“Good thing I’m not human then.” Chandler’s eyes slid over the room, trying to make something out. Then, he closed his eyes, trying to hear where in the room his invisible roommate was.
“I may not be the greatest werecat in existence, but I can assure you that you are human.” There was a slight touch on Chandler’s eyelid, and they sprang open, looking into iridescent eyes that blinked in surprise. “Or maybe not,” she said, her voice soft. She leaned closer. “Your eyes, they are very strange. They remind me of… what are you?” Chandler’s vision was filled with her. She had shining golden hair and almond-shaped eyes that resembled a cat.
“What’s a werecat?”
She smiled sadly.
“We are a dying breed; therefore, you will not see many of us.” She turned away from him and headed towards the balcony doors. “You never answered my question. Would you like me to open these doors?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
There was a moment as she studied the doors and then walked from Chandler’s vision. Moments later, a cat appeared on the outside of the door, its eyes looking through and watching him. Chandler knew it was her. Her eyes were still the same. She stared back at him, and then her mouth opened wide. He could just hear the yowl that came from her throat.
The door clicked open.
Chandler stepped out and up onto the ledge. He looked down at what was below him, and then he closed his eyes before he started falling. Whipping his wings out to catch the stiff winds, he stared into the sky ahead of him. Drake and Zafrina wanted him here for the tournament, and that’s exactly what they would get. He would enter, and he would make certain he was away from this place before the month was over.
Chapter 10 – Tournament
It took four days for the participating knights to make their way to Legacy. He hadn’t realized exactly how large Legacy was until he began to see the crests of the armor of the soldiers. There were five Legacy planets, connected by a conduit made of space matter that also allowed magicless travel. Each crest held the same symbol; a silver raven, but the colors that made them up varied. Legacy Prime’s color was black, followed immediately by Legacy One with a dark shade of red. Between the two, being the higher status planets, it was clear that Legacy One was dominated by Prime. The remaining three were inferior and bowed easily to Prime and Two. There were considerably fewer knights from those three. Their colors were green, brown and purple, respectively.
It hadn’t been a challenge at all to convince Drake to let him fight. Chandler had thought Drake would be against his participation, but once he’d told Drake about his entry, the man seemed even more eager for the upcoming weeks. Turning his back and leaving the throne room after that confrontation had felt wrong, and something deep inside Chandler burned. He wasn’t quite sure what it was, but it felt familiar.
The night Drake closed the tournament entries, there was a feast. Chandler had never seen the room where it was held, but it easily fit all the knights that had traveled to participate. There were no speeches given. Drake simply made a gesture, and the fifty or so servers standing along the wall descended upon the knights, dropping food until the tables were full enough to fall over.
Purposely, Chandler had been given a seat at the head of the room, where Drake and Zafrina sat. He continuously ignored the glances he could feel being cast his way. He wasn’t worried about what they’d think, but those whose eyes he did meet didn’t seem to care that he was sitting alongside the king and queen. In fact, when they could see they held his attention, they made a point of giving a respectful nod or other gesture that made Chandler wonder, suspiciously, why he was sitting with the “royalty.” The lesser knights, probably seeing Chandler’s lack of hostility, took it upon themselves to meet his eye, just to prove they were made of the same substance as the higher knights. After a short time, Chandler made a point of keeping his eyes on the table.
“Chandler,” Zafrina called him later. Sitting on the far side of the table, Chandler raised his head and looked at her, noticing Drake doing the same. Seeing she had his attention, a smile came over her mouth, and the violet in her eyes melted away from the tension that had been inside. “How is Rory?”
The question took Chandler so much by surprise that he froze, eyes snapping into a blaze as he watched her. Zafrina wasn’t focused on him, however. Her gaze had drifted to Drake, and she was giving him a look that told him to be interested in whatever Chandler might say next. Finally, she turned back to him, her smile going wider as Drake looked over as well. The forced calm in his expression was betrayed by the burning contempt in his eyes. That look, obviously asking Chandler why he would care about the mundane lives of the humans, forced him to answer.
“Before I left him,” Chandler started, saying it in such a way that made it very clear his exit hadn’t been willing. “He seemed to be doing just fine. He was accepting that he was in a situation that couldn’t be swept under the rug. Rory made sure I knew I had a home and people who cared about me, just like he did before any of this started happening.” He gestured around him. Drake glanced around and settled a scowl on Chandler, but Zafrina looked away, shame suddenly clouding her expression.
There was silence while
Drake looked away and continued eating. The food sitting in front of Chandler remained untouched, its surface slightly chilled to the touch. Absentmindedly, he pulled it apart and was greeted with a fresh spray of steam as it heated itself again. Giving the food a disgusted look, he shoved it away. Immediately, one of the servers was at his side, quietly asking him if there was something else he preferred. Chandler politely tried to send the girl away, but Zafrina called her back over, a harshness coming to her voice as she spoke. Chandler listened stiffly and blank-faced as she told the girl to bring him raw almonds. It was clear Drake didn’t know why she’d requested this but didn’t ask. Instead, he watched with little interest while the girl set a carved bowl in front of him three minutes later. As she turned to walk away, Chandler thanked her quietly, his eyes glued to the tawny-colored shells.
Finally, Chandler looked up and leveled a look at Zafrina he hoped was civil. It must have passed because she sent the smallest smile his way before she continued asking questions. For the next three hours, as the knights slowly dispersed, Chandler answered the questions Zafrina asked and watched as Drake slowly took in all the things he’d never known. He’d become used to the evil in Drake, but the looks racing each other for dominance over his face scared Chandler more than the thought of dying by his hand. There was nostalgia, quickly overridden by anger. He was yearning for something that was far back in his past, and the fear that came over Chandler forced him to stop telling them how he’d found out about his real parents.
Drake all but fled the table once the last knight had cleared the double doors. Chandler was left with Zafrina, watching as the servers disappeared and more came along to clear and clean the tables. He watched them work; all the while knowing Zafrina’s attention was on him. Slowly, he reached into the bowl and picked up one of the almonds, turning it around in his fingertips. As she sighed and started to stand, the words finally fell from his lips.