The hand on my back vibrated as Prince Brion answered, “Less than one-eighth of the total acreage.” I realized Brion was the source of the comforting touch as he spoke. I’d expected it to be Prince Finn, not his distant, hard to read brother. I felt the blush creep up my neck. I stared at the fancy rug on the wooden floor, praying none of the draekon would notice.
“That is not good enough,” the king growled. “I needed the rebellion disbanded months ago. You will organize soldiers and resume searching the forest at first light.”
I bit my lip, silencing my protest. Prince Brion wasn’t my favorite draekon, but I’d feel safer knowing he was at the castle now that his father had returned. I refused to contemplate why I felt that way. Slowly, I lifted my eyes from the floor.
“The forest is vast,” his son pointed out, still not removing his hand. I wasn’t sure he realized it was still on my back. “It isn’t enough to scout the area. My troops are setting up command posts and bases throughout the forest. We must establish a strong presence and create a tight net rebels cannot sneak through. It will take time, but we will root them out.”
My stomach fell, and my fear caused my heart to pound against my chest. I wondered if Prince Brion could feel it. The rebellion was doomed to fail. I’d never believed otherwise. But that didn’t stop me from worrying about my family.
King Roderick’s stare didn’t waver. “You are currently working on this strategy?”
“Yes,” Prince Brion replied. “I am dividing troops and resources at the main garrison, sending draekon and human soldiers to different locations nearly every day.”
I didn’t want to think about how many males were venturing out with the goal to destroy my loved ones. Unshed tears burned in my eyes as my worry for my siblings’ safety consumed me.
Finally, the king heard an answer he liked.
King Roderick smiled, and I hated that I found him attractive. Someone so evil shouldn’t be handsome. “Excellent. I look forward to hearing your progress at our next meeting. Dismissed.”
Prince Brion applied pressure to my back. I turned around, careful to not run out of the room like I wanted. I’d made it through my first and second encounter with the king, but I knew, deep down, that it would not be my last.
8
There was finally a break in the monotony of my days. Instead of assigning more notes from the history text, Prince Brion had surprised me at breakfast by telling me to gather my quill and ink in a satchel. He was going to the garrison that morning, and I was going with him.
I wanted to send a note to Lord Erwin, explaining I wouldn’t be able to meet him for our scheduled midday meal, but the impatient prince gave me no time. I scrambled to finish my oatmeal then showered quickly.
I changed into my uniform. The white shirt clung to my damp skin, but the binding around my chest kept my appearance decent. My tight green pants gave me trouble as they stuck to the moisture on my legs, but I eventually prevailed and tied the strings to secure them on my hips.
I stumbled out of my room, pulling on my boots. “Sorry,” I blurted, still struggling with the second boot. I nearly fell on my face but caught myself on the armchair next to me. “I’m ready.” I looked up and saw Prince Brion take in my wet hair and damp shirt.
His nostrils flared. “Get your things and let’s go.”
Snatching my satchel from the table by the front door, I waved goodbye to Prince Finn. He smirked, leisurely finishing his breakfast as I raced out of the door. Prince Brion was already half way to the stairs by the time I exited the private apartments.
Readjusting the bag on my shoulder, I jogged to catch up to him. I didn’t acknowledge the inquisitive stares as I followed the prince out of the castle. I was too excited by the prospect of a new task. I craved the opportunity to keep myself busy and away from the depressing thoughts plaguing me each day, as well as the meanspirited gossip flying around the castle.
Prince Brion crossed the main courtyard with me on his heels. We approached the guards stationed at the castle’s high walls. Two manned the gate’s opening mechanism while dozens paced up and down the length of the elevated walkway. Each of them wore chest plates emblazoned with the draekon king’s royal sigil, and their helmets covered everything but their eyes and mouth. They would not be caught off guard by an attack again.
Every guard who saw the prince stopped what they were doing. They clicked their heels together and lifted a hand in salute. A chorus of “Your Highness” traveled through the air.
Prince Brion dipped his chin. “At ease.”
The gates opened, and I left the castle for the first time in weeks.
Draek sprawled out before me, full of shops, cafes, and taverns. I’d only walked among the city on three occasions. Once when Agent Min had escorted my sister, Bridget, and I to the castle to claim our positions in the kitchen. Another time was when I met up with my brother in a tavern near the garrison. And the last time had been when I’d gone with Master Errol to treat injured soldiers at the barracks in town.
Aside from my first walk through Draek, I hadn’t been able examine the bustling city around me. I’d been too overwhelmed from my new reality as a recruit to really take in the splendor of the capital.
Now as I shadowed the prince’s steps, I took the chance to observe Draek with fresh eyes.
Individuals walked down the pristine streets, but not many given the early hour. Most of the draekon I saw appeared to be working class, as were all of the humans. Neither wore expensive jewels or fine fabrics as they began their work for the day. I suspected it would be some time before the wealthy draekon and their stunning human companions deigned to grace the city with their presence.
Shaking my head, I chastised myself for the judgmental thought. During my months in the capital, I’d learned my initial prejudice against the draekon had been unfounded. From all I’d seen, the worst thing a draekon did was treat their human recruits with indifference. Mostly, that was the case with servants, but I’d observed a few draekon barely acknowledge their human companion’s existence. And aside from the king, I’d yet to see evidence of the innumerable harems I’d heard about in Caldiri.
I knew my prejudices were unfair. I just needed time to erase them from my mind.
We arrived at the garrison. A pang of sadness hit me as I remembered the night of the barrack’s fire—the night Warren Ajax, a fellow Caldirian recruit, died. He had been only sixteen.
Prince Brion finally looked over his shoulder to make sure I was there. I’d been struggling to keep up with his fast pace our entire journey. And my distracted observations certainly didn’t help. Turning back around, the prince led me into the military building.
I followed him through the bare hallways, taking turns quickly so I wouldn’t lose sight of him. We climbed up the stairs and arrived on the top floor. Only three doors extended off the hallway. Prince Brion entered the first one to our left.
The office was plain, nothing like the luxury of the king’s. A simple oak desk was positioned against the windows looking down into the training yard. Two chairs were angled in front of it, and a high-backed chair sat behind it. Two long tables stretched on the left and right walls, covered with maps and various pieces of parchment, weighed down with books and rounded, grey rocks. Their color matched those of the mountains flanking the back of the capital city.
Prince Brion picked up one of the chairs in front of the desk and moved it to the end, perpendicular to the other two chairs. “Sit.”
I sat in the chair, placing my satchel on the ground. I tilted my head back to look up at him. “Now what?”
“Now, you will document what is said during my meetings today.”
He was going to let me listen to his official meetings? “Really? You want me to write down everything?”
“I don’t need a word-for-word transcription. Just the highlights. Like who I’m speaking to, what orders I give them, and status reports on our troops’ movements. Got it?”
Shock
ed by the level of trust he showed by permitting me to hear such information, I could only nod and utter a quiet, “Yes.”
Three taps sounded against the door.
Prince Brion remained focused on me. “Good. Get ready. The meeting is about to start.”
I yanked the bag up from the floor and retrieved the quill and ink, placing them on the edge of the desk in front of me. Prince Brion handed me a booklet of several bound pages. I turned to the first empty page and placed it in my lap as I inked the quill.
The prince moved to sit in the chair behind the desk, facing the door. “Come in.”
The door swung inward. A typically handsome draekon entered.
“Colonel Trek,” the prince greeted the soldier. “Welcome.”
The colonel bowed low. “Your Highness.”
I heard the prince laugh. I shot him an odd look. He didn’t notice.
“Stop with the formalities, Trek, and get in here to give me your report,” the prince said, his amusement obvious.
The soldier returned the laugh and closed the door before walking towards the desk. Seeing me, he stopped. He stared at me, not saying a word.
I met his gaze steadily, but my nerves twisted my insides.
“Trek.” Prince Brion’s tone held a hint of warning. “This is Amelissa, my new secretary.”
“Secretary?” Colonel Trek tilted his head. “You don’t look like a secretary.” It was almost exactly what King Roderick had said. I cringed from the memory.
Colonel Trek misunderstood my reaction. “I mean no offense,” he quickly said. “Apologies. It’s just that you are very beautiful. Not that other secretaries are not pretty, but I’ve never seen one quite as lovely as you.” He rambled like a nervous schoolboy, and despite my initial wariness, I found it charming. Colonel Trek seemed harmless enough. Otherwise, I didn’t think Prince Brion would have let the comment slide.
“If you are done making a fool of yourself in front of Amelissa, perhaps we can get started?” I glanced at the prince, and my shock amplified as he turned towards me and gave me a quick wink.
My mouth almost dropped. Did Prince Brion just wink at me? I swung my head to the right and watched the babbling soldier.
“Right.” Trek sat in the chair across from the prince. He cleared his throat. “Where would you like me to begin?”
“Squadron Fifteen’s most recent movements.”
“The most recent correspondence indicates the squadron has reached the goblin hovels. No creatures were found at the location, but they remain on high alert in case of an ambush,” Colonel Trek said. The soldier’s words brought forth memories of the goblin that had attacked me during my journey to the capital.
The sickly green creature had spoken the common tongue when he’d reached into our carriage and said, “They’re in here.” I never learned why the creatures from my childhood stories would have wanted to abduct us, but I expected it wasn’t for anything good.
“Excellent,” the prince said. Then his loaded stare landed on me. “Amelissa. Are you taking notes?”
I flushed and stuttered, “S-sorry.” I put quill to parchment and scribbled the highlights of Colonel Trek’s report.
When I finished, Prince Brion gestured for the soldier to continue. “And Squadrons Five and Eight?”
Colonel Trek informed his prince of the squadrons’ locations, state of their soldiers, as well as references to their supply of weapons and their planned future correspondence with headquarters.
A half hour later, Prince Brion dismissed the soldier. “Thank you, Trek. That’ll be all.”
“Of course, Brion.” He put his hands on the arms of the chair and pushed himself up. Shyly, he looked at me and said, “Pleased to meet you, Amelissa.”
Taken aback by his politeness, I could only return the sentiment. “Pleased to meet you, as well, Colonel Trek.”
The soldier ducked out of the room. I watched his departure with a small grin. I didn’t think I’d seen a shy draekon yet. His behavior reminded me of boys from my home region. Namely, Hyde during the early years of his infatuation with me. The half-draekon was the son of the lord of my region, and I’d spent my life thinking the worst of him only to have him turn out to be one of the most admirable males I knew.
A tickling sensation brushed against my ear. I rubbed my skin, but the feeling remained. I turned and saw Prince Brion staring at me, or more accurately, my mouth.
The smile fell from my lips. The prince’s eyes snapped up to mine. Before either of us could speak, another soldier knocked, ready to give his report on the anti-rebellion efforts.
The next three meetings filled the rest of the morning. My hand cramped from all of the writing, but I didn’t dare stop. The soldiers spoke quickly, and I didn’t want to miss one piece of information.
The last soldier left, shooting me a sultry, suggestive smile as he closed the door. I dropped the quill and opened and closed my hand before shaking out my wrist.
Prince Brion got to his feet and rounded the desk. “Is your hand okay?”
His concern surprised me.
“It’s fine.” I stopped moving my hand. I didn’t want him to think I disliked my task. This morning was the least boring one I’d had since I became his secretary. “What’s next?”
“Lunch,” he answered. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” He left, and the door remained open behind him.
I stood and walked around the office, stretching my legs and continuing to massage my hand. I scanned the table positioned against the left wall. A large map of the Draekon Kingdom and shipment ledgers covered the surface. Strolling to the other long table, my fingers shifted papers to see the ones beneath. More ledgers and training reports.
I sighed, picking up a palm-sized leather book. There was nothing within its binding to hold my interest. Closing the volume, I put it back on the edge of the table. I walked back to my chair and picked up the booklet full of notes. Pursing my lips, I blew a steady stream of breath onto the last page. Not ready to sit back down, I continued to blow on the ink, approaching the wide windows behind the desk.
The training yard came into view. The garrison was basically a large rectangular building with a giant square cut out in the middle. The space opened up to the sky, and the ground was split into two parts. One covered by grass, and the other covered by dirt.
I watched a group of human soldiers sparring with one another, using only their bodies as weapons. Each pair seemed evenly matched, and their skill ranged from stilted and awkward to swift and confident as they exchanged blows in the dirt fighting arena.
My gaze swung to the grassy field. Human and draekon archers were lined up, facing a row of targets posted against a long wooden board. An invisible signal was given, and they all released their bows, hitting their targets.
I closed the booklet and turned away from the window. I didn’t want to think about who the soldiers would be using their skills on. I placed my notes on the prince’s desk. As I was about to turn away, the end of a tattered scroll caught my attention. It peeked out of a partially opened drawer.
My curiosity getting the best of me, I wrapped my fingers around the metal ring and pulled the drawer open. My pulse raced, nervous of Brion’s reaction should he find me searching his personal belongings. But I couldn’t resist. It was like the scroll called to me.
The full length of the scroll came into view. The edges were worn and tattered, and the parchment was a dirty brown color. I’d seen plenty of ancient-looking scrolls in the castle’s library, but this one seemed to call to me. Reaching in, I retrieved the document, turning it over to see if there was any indication of what I was looking at.
A slip of paper had been folded and tied to the underside of the scroll. It was a light cream color, making it several years newer than the document it was tied to. Careful to not damage the fragile item, I slid the paper free of the twine holding the scroll together. I lowered the ancient item back into the drawer and unfolded the paper.
It looked like a note. I tried to decipher the draekonian.
Ny Mooer Fadeyrs. The great prophecy.
Cur Jerrey er nish. Something about an end.
Custey gliminee. Cursed lovers?
My forehead creased. Was the scroll some sort of prophecy? I returned the paper to the drawer and reached to retrieve the document, but a knock on the doorframe made me slam the drawer closed. I cringed at my guilty reaction.
I looked at the entrance, ready to defend myself to the prince.
I realized too late that Prince Brion wouldn’t have knocked at his own office.
Agent Stone, the female I blamed for my and Lorie’s recruitment to the capital, stared at me with a surprised, but pleased, expression.
My mouth dried out as I recognized the stunning, pitiless census agent. She looked like a hawk who just spotted a rodent in a field, preparing to swoop down to make her kill. The traumatic Choosing ceremony flashed in my mind, bringing forth the sad and frightened emotions I’d experienced.
“Amelissa Allaway.” Her deceptively smooth voice filled my ears, forcing me to relive the horrible moment I’d heard my name called at the Choosing. I leaned forward and placed my hands on the desk to steady myself.
I didn’t greet her. I didn’t even blink. I watched the chilling grin pull on her lips, fearing and hating the draekon in equal measure.
“What are you doing here?” she asked. Then her eyes traveled from my wavy, damp hair to the white blouse tucked into my green pants. Her smiled widened as understanding dawned. “You work for the royal family.”
Still, I didn’t speak. I was like a cornered animal. Not even I knew if I would remain cowering, or if I would lash out at the threatening predator across the room.
“I knew there was something about you.” Agent Stone didn’t need me to acknowledge her words. She was just fine listening to herself talk. “From the moment I saw you at that paltry banquet in Caldiri, I knew you were special. And that brother of yours… gods help me. He and that scar were something to look at.”
My fingers turned white as they pressed against the desk. My heart thumped when she mentioned Lin. I hated her interest in my brother.
Possession Page 7
