“It’s me,” I said, sitting up. It took some time for the grogginess to subside. I met their blue gazes. “I’m Sera. Aereala doesn’t have me yet. You guys should quiet down a bit. I can’t get any proper rest when you’re yelling and squabbling.”
Collective relief came over their faces, and the tension around us fell apart immediately. Kael swept me into his arms. “I should fucking kill you for giving me such a scare!”
His cheeks, and nose were flushed red, and his silky hair, which was usually impossible to frazzle, had some ends sticking out. I helped him smooth out those ends.
“So, what did the goddess say this time?” Rylan asked, shifting in his seat. He was testy, looking like he was eager to have me in his arms, but he let his brothers have a turn. There were too many hugs, too many kisses, some scolding, and Frederick sniffling. He had a wad of tissues scrunched up in his palm. I reminded him to keep that aside before he pulled me away from Gaius.
I could only talk once Micah stopped kissing me. “She wants me to bring the fields back again. She was trying to take over my body, but apparently, Gaean did something to the composition of my soul and she can’t. Not for a time.”
“I’m assuming it’s too much to ask how long?” Micah said. He wore an uncertain smile; this victory was not absolute.
“She’s being vague, as usual. Gods and prophecies.” I sighed.
“So, it has nothing to do with Kael praying to the goddess nonstop?” Frederick asked. He stood over my bed and pointed to the white-haired prince.
Kael snarled. “I wasn’t praying.”
“Looked like praying to me. You had your hands clasped together and you were muttering verses onto the bed. I was wondering if I should bring you to the head priest.”
“I was asking nicely.”
Frederick snorted. “Sure.”
“You were the one crying like a little boy.”
“Says the sniffling male.”
“At least I didn’t need a whole box of tissues.”
“My back hurts,” I said. Their bickering was giving me a headache.
Kael stopped useless argument with Frederick. “What do you need? A massage? I can give you that.” He crawled toward me and put me over his lap.
“I was going to offer,” Gaius said.
“Too slow,” Kael replied. I heard the grin in his voice. He kneaded my back with a light touch, knowing exactly where to rub his fingers to draw a satisfied sigh from me. “Hmmm . . . Like that?” he asked.
“Yes please,” I said. Kael’s movements were bliss.
“You’re hogging her to yourself Kael,” Micah said, trying to hide his irritation behind a bored voice. The testosterone levels in the room rose a notch, and suddenly I felt like a piece of meat, stuck between four dragons who wanted to have a bite.
There was also Frederick smiling in the corner, completely oblivious to the tension in the room.
“So,” I said, diverting the topic from who got more of my attention, “we have one more chance to restore the fields.”
Rylan’s gaze was distant. I probably should be giving them more time to recover from the aftershocks of my pseudo-death. He brought himself back to Constanria and continued my line of thought. “You want to use it to appease the people?”
“There won’t be a better way.” Other than having someone die, of course. Mobs and their need for bloodshed always struck me as meaningless and odd. The sounds of the protests rippled from the balcony even now, and if I went outside to peer down, I was certain I’d see that the crowd had grown. The skies, from where I sat on the bed, looked even redder than the day before, its crimson color accompanied with shades of ruby.
No more birds flew through the skies of Constanria, although I did see a drerkyn warned by an arrow from a palace guard. If enough dragon-kind decided they wanted to end their peaceful protest and attack as an army instead, the castle would be overwhelmed, and we’d find ourselves in a lot of trouble. I hoped that Vancel wasn’t behind the scenes, inciting more feelings of disdain among the masses with his vicious whispers of deceit. But, of course he was, and he might not even need to—the crowd had taken a life of its own.
“You should hurry with the fields, then,” Rylan said. “Some outer regions are going hungry already. And food prices are skyrocketing.” He dragged himself off his seat to sink his weight against the bed. “The people are getting anxious, and Bianca isn’t safe. I was about to put my plan in action, but it was difficult. Seeing you like that was distracting.” Rylan tucked my hair behind my ear and brushed a kiss across my cheek.
“What is your plan?”
“Does it matter now, love?” Rylan asked, expression twinkling. “You’re back in my arms.”
“Ummm . . .” Frederick said. He looked at something very interesting on the ground. “Should I leave?”
“Why?” I asked, not sensing what was wrong.
“I feel like I’m playing the third wheel?” Frederick rubbed his thumbs together. “The sixth, actually, since there’s so many of you. I’m glad you’re back, Sera. Really, I am. I couldn’t eat anything for the whole day and can you imagine me, losing my appetite? But maybe you five need some time alone—”
“Wait,” I said, snapping my eyes from Frederick and turning to Rylan. “What do you mean that Bianca isn’t safe?”
Rylan casted his glance down. “You should worry over this after some rest.”
“I’ve been resting,” I said. “If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been sleeping for . . .” How long was I out for? I realized I’d never asked.
“For the whole night and then some more in the morning,” Frederick said.
“Really?” I asked. “It felt like such a short time in the spiritual realm. I guess the goddess truly works in different timelines. Anyway, I’ve been sleeping enough so go on and spill it, Rylan.”
Rylan cocked his head at me and flicked his forefinger and thumb over the top of my temple. I scowled at him and pressed a hand over my head. “Why are you hitting me? Are you supposed to hit somebody who just came back from the dead, presumably?”
Rylan smirked. “You deserve that much for making us worried.”
The rest of the princes uttered their agreement, so I scowled at the rest of them, too. Didn’t I deserve to be a little more pampered, rather than getting ganged up on like this? Maybe they’d finally figured out I hade more balls than them. “Somebody here promised to never tease me again,” I said.
Gaius pointed at Kael. “That was just him.”
“And once you woke, I decided I had promised too much,” Kael replied, wearing a teasing grin. “I don’t think I can uphold that promise.”
I snorted, even though I couldn’t stop myself from smiling, but then it came to serious matters again, and I had to put on a stern expression. I gripped Rylan’s arm. “I’m fine. And I don’t need to be coddled. Tell me what happened with Bianca.”
He shook his head before giving in. “The votes from the council had overruled me. They want Bianca executed by the morn.”
I felt sorry for Bianca. I never thought I would, but now I was going to give it my all to fight for her survival. She’d been in the dungeons for two days, boxed between the damp, humid walls and putting up with all this terribleness for me. How she had it in her to care for me, despite the toxic environment she was raised in, was a testament to her strength.
She was a small figure in her cell. Rylan had made sure to make prison as comfortable as possible for her. She had a bed, candles to provide light, and ample books for her to whittle away her time. Her sheets were of the same quality we had in the main building, made from silky wyngoat furs and with a ridiculously high thread count.
Still, the walls of the dungeon were damp and moldy, and when I visited her, she watched me climb down the steps behind metal bars.
“Hello,” she called from her cell. She looked so tiny inside this dark room, but I no longer saw her as a weakling. There was strength despite her size. I was no giant, eit
her, standing at only five-foot-four, but Bianca was skinnier and a couple inches shorter than me. Stature-wise, she seemed more fragile and breakable despite her drerkyn heritage.
She brushed her bang away from her forehead and intertwined her fingers. She was a messy person, perhaps because she an artist. There were paints laying around and one pillow was tossed across her cell. But since I arrived, she tried to keep some semblance of neatness. She shut the book she was reading and tucked it underneath her blanket before straightening her posture and pushing herself off the bed.
"Hi," I replied, still feeling numb from having to face her. The last time I had visited Bianca, it was with the princes, and Rylan did most of the talking. He'd assured her he'd do his best to get her out of her cell. I had wanted to say those words to her. They ought to have come from me, but I was too stubborn to say them.
"Are you comfortable here?" I asked.
She chuckled. Her laughter was musical, beautiful, likely one of the reasons my parents favored her. My laughter sounded like a dying horse's next to hers, but I didn't let it bother me too much——the princes loved to hear mine all the same.
"Comfortable?" she said, peering around. The bottom of her eyelids crinkled as she smiled. "I could use more candles."
I'd been dreading this confrontation ever since our conversation in Gaia.
"Would you like me to unlock the doors, Your Majesty?" the guard beside me asked. It was only then did I realize that I'd been gaping at Bianca like a fool, separated by the bars instead of stepping in so I could talk to her face-to-face.
The smile Bianca wore grew wider. "That would probably be for the best."
The guard looked at me for confirmation, so, somewhat stupidly, I dipped my head. He fished his keys from the belt on his waist and fiddled with the metal before sliding it into the keyhole. He moved languidly, taking his own time. I almost wanted to yell at him to quicken; my nerves were wrung so tight.
Bianca's attention burned into my skin, although I kept my gaze fixated on the guard.
I had to break this silence. Say something.
Why were the words disappearing from my head now? I had so many things I needed to tell her. They had rushed through my mind as I rode the atira down to the first floor and as I made my way through the palace grounds. The princes waited outside for me to finish. They weren't going to let me go off on my own after the death scare I'd just given them. I'd even asked them to stay outside so I could have a quiet moment with my sister. Now I wished I hadn't done so.
After what must have been the most stretched-out minute I'd experienced over the past year, the guard pulled the gate open. I stepped into the cell and he shut it behind me. He resumed fiddling with his keys.
"You were in here for two whole days?" I asked. The cell was no bigger than a wine cellar. It was smaller than the outhouse Gisiroth had sent me to so long ago. I'd go claustrophobic after staying in here for just a few hours, much less two whole days.
"It's not that bad," Bianca said.
I still did not meet her eyes. Maybe it was the feeling of guilt I sensed when in proximity with her. I needed to get it off my chest before having a proper conversation with my sister. "There's lots to keep me company, and the guards give me three full meals a day, so I want for nothing. I even received more pillows when I asked for them. Plus, they delivered my lotions when I requested."
A dusty taste and the constant feeling of muck and dread stuck to the walls around here. I wouldn't like the accommodations even if the food was good and I had hobbies to keep me company.
"I hope you're feeling better," Bianca said. "Jordy told me the news about the goddess."
"Jordy?"
She waved to the guard and he waved back. She had this magical ability to befriend almost everyone. Was it because of the genuine kindness I sensed from her? That made me look up to her. I always had to fake niceties when creating new relationships.
"More drawings?" I asked, walking to the stack of scrolls she kept at the side of the room. "You did so many in such a short time." I hovered my fingers over her drawings and waited for her to give me permission.
"Oh, go ahead," Bianca said. She stepped forward and began going through her art pieces, slipping into a new persona and acting like an art merchant seamlessly. "This one's my favorite. Of the two days I was here, anyway. It's of what I saw in Gaia."
I pulled the paper open. Her charcoal sketches were chaotic and scribbly, but every stroke had life and meaning, putting me in awe. She knew exactly where to emphasize her lines, and where to keep them light. I was so blind to my hatred that I had hardly paid much attention to my sister's talents. "Somehow you managed to make emptiness look alive," I said. It pained me to think of Gaia. That whole place was a mistake and put Bianca here in the first place. The fact she called this piece her favorite astounded me. Maybe she'd always had it in her heart to love and forgive.
She giggled. "That's high praise. You're flattering me. But maybe I should have taken more time with the sketch. I think I messed up at some bits."
"No, it's perfect." I carefully rolled the parchment back up, not wishing to mess the charcoals up.
"My second favorite is the one of Jordy, but he has that tucked away."
Jordy grinned. He had a missing tooth he might have lost in a bar fight. "Ain't going to let that go, miss. I’ll keep it with me till my last breath."
Bianca grinned back. "I could just do another one for you. All you have to do is ask."
"Nope. I'm in love with that un'. Someone's gonna to have to pry it from my dead body to take it from me."
"You're teasing."
"Not one bit." Jordy shook his head. "You did good, Miss Bianca. I've never seen myself this handsome before. It's like you know exactly what to make look pretty." He gave her a thumbs up and turned around to shuffle back to his post.
"You're getting along well with the staff," I said. If I were in this cell, I'd probably scowl my hardest and make threats to try and get out of here.
"They're just following orders." Bianca shrugged. She took another scroll out from her stack and loosened her posture. Her cheeks turned red, and she cringed. "I'm sorry, is it presumptuous of me to be forcing my drawings down your throat?"
"No." I raised my brow. "I was the one who started looking at them in the first place." With Bianca growing up with Ashryn and Theo, I'd assumed she'd become abrasive and hardheaded, yet she spoke like a timid mouse. Inside, she had more courage than I wished to admit.
The empty words between us dried out. “Look, Bianca. I'm just . . . I want to . . . want to say I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" she asked. She furrowed her brow. "Why are you apologizing?"
"You stood up for me and I'm the reason you're here," I said. "When you came to the palace, I thought the worst of you because of our parents' influence. I failed to see that you've changed, and I used past experiences to judge you. I said such mean things to you in Gaia, only seeing my side, and even then, you stood up for me. You deserve better."
"This cell is pretty nice," Bianca said. She grinned sheepishly.
"You don't belong in a cell."
"I just wanted to make up for all we put you through, you know? Do you think I've achieved that?"
I tugged my sister's body to me and wrapped her in a warm hug. I made sure she shared no contact with my skin since the curse was still upon me. I used to sense fear from our parents and her whenever I came into close contact with them, but Bianca had grown past it. She accepted my embrace, bringing her own arms up to fasten around my torso.
It felt good, making up with my sister.
It was nice to know family actually cared. For once, blood could be thicker.
I released her and looked into her brown eyes. "Rylan promised you won't be here for long, and I'll do everything I can to make sure that you get out. I won't let them go through with it."
"Go through with what?" she asked.
"You haven't heard?"
"Is it bad?"
/> My expression darkened. Then, heavily, I said, "The councils have called for an execution tomorrow morning." I tightened my grip around her arm as she gasped in surprise. She began to shake. "It won't happen. I swear on it. The goddess gave me a spell to bring back the fields and once people see there's hope, they won't be so quick to want to take it out on others. It'll be okay, so don't worry."
Bianca clasped her hands together. In her tight expression, I saw she trusted me.
I gave her one more final, brief hug.
That was when I heard a thump followed by the sound of a man wheezing and sputtering.
"M-miss . . .B-bianca."
I looked over Bianca's shoulder and it was like the icy winds of Beyestirya swept over my skin.
Jordy lay on the floor with a dagger in his neck. Blood poured from the wound through his throat, and more came from his mouth, nose, and eyes. The red liquid formed a growing puddle beneath him. In the dim light of the dungeons, the red looked black. His pleas for help croaked and lessened into a raspy sound.
"Jordy!" Bianca shrieked. She spun from me and headed toward the bars. I tugged her away before she could get too close, stopping her from nearing the figure who came from the shadows.
I yelled for the princes.
"They won't hear you," the cloaked figure said. I couldn't see his face since a cowl blocked out his features. He wore leathers and had dozens of knives strapped against his torso. "The door at the front is sealed tight. Two for two. It's my lucky day." He plucked the dagger out from Jordy's throat. Jordy's eyes rolled back into their sockets, and the poor guard stopped moving entirely.
"Who are you?" I asked, raising a hand to block Bianca from the stranger's view.
"Just a guy looking to fill his pockets." A mercenary? I didn't recognize his singsong voice. "I'm afraid we haven't met before." He cleaned his dagger with a rag, although it looked like he was intent on using it again. On us.
He was messing with the wrong pair. Bianca's beads were still around my hand. Two of them were filled. One was half empty. I should be able to summon enough spells to deal with the assassin, but I had to be cautious about it. Once I ran out, it'd be difficult to handle this six-foot-plus man with brute force. Kael had trained me well, but I still needed more experience under my belt to deal with trained assassins.
Fall of Dragons (Sera's Curse Book 3) Page 23
