What a striking pair they were, two beautiful people of dark hair. Other than the statue on Mount Pietan, she hadn’t paid much attention to their renderings. Looking back, she felt it was more in retaliation to her parents. It was the only rebellion she could afford without endangering her life. Now here they were in her room.
“This is…”
“Enchanting,” Cindrea finished for her, looking at the portraits as well.
“Would you like to clean up from the journey, Dragon Daughter?” Cindrea added, already walking towards where Ember assumed the bathroom was to draw a bath.
“No,” Ember started quickly, “I’d rather be alone for a little while.” She sat on the edge of the beautiful bed with a heavy plop. She hadn’t had a second alone, which was something she needed right now. There was too much to absorb, a lot to take in about the past few days.
“Of course,” Cindrea answered with a bow. “I’ll come back later to bring up dinner.”
Ember nodded and asked, “Can you bring some paper for letters?”
Cindrea agreed and left the room, leaving instructions for the guards as their heavy boots echoed closer. They stopped in front of her door and settled. So, not completely alone, but at least she didn’t have to interact with them.
Ember opened the glass door of the balcony and the breeze fluttered the white curtains in a dance. She walked past them, one curtain curling around her fingers before letting her through. Immediately her senses became overdrawn with salty air. When Ember saw the view, she automatically felt moisture gather in her eyes. It was the sea. The sea was closer than she had ever seen. She could actually make out where the sun kissed it.
Her room lay high in the castle, its tallest tower giving a view not of the wall, but of the world beyond it. A glittering sea reached her vision and the sun crested over the water. Where the sky met the sea, that strong line across the world, that's where Ember wanted to lay her soul to rest.
Her body rocked with the waves, and she pushed forward, gripping her fingers on the balcony edge. The sea, this sky, this room—it felt like home.
Later that night, when her heart had calmed, her belly had been full, and her thoughts were transcribed onto paper for Hasley, Ember decided to leave her room. She walked out into the hallway amused to find Wally asleep on the floor. Ember stepped over him to one of the covered paintings.
She lifted her hand and pulled off the white fabric. Illuminated by the torches in the hall, she could see Kariana Dragon Queen and Drakul Dragon King holding a small child. They gazed down at the baby smiling. On the child, Ember could see flecks of scales.
She wasn’t the only one, Ember realized, but rather the first after many generations without.
Ember re-covered the painting and walked back into her room. The cold of the open balcony brushed her cheeks, saying hello and simultaneously goodbye to her last night as Ember Julimore.
Eight
One Heir
Covered up to her neck in furs, Ember’s eyes rested on the night peeking through her balcony. In the lightless tower, the only glow in her room came from her soul-threads and the actual stars out in the sky.
Without understanding why, Ember had always felt a pull to the sky and to the world beyond the wall. When she mentioned it to her moms as a child, they had called that feeling a nudge from Aaleia, a hint of her future pushing into her consciousness. She replayed that conversation over and over again now. Why would they tell her that? Why hint at all that there was more to her than met the eye? She couldn’t make sense of her moms’ motivations no matter how she puzzled it. For in Ember’s heart, they were her parents, her moms, whether she was kidnapped or not.
Yet here she was without her moms and scared of the new relationship she could have with the Queen. Impossible thoughts in an impossible week. How did they do it? She didn’t think their tutoring of the royal guard's children would get either of them anywhere close to the Queen. More questions that she would need to find answers too. Was there anyone she could talk to about them? People in the castle that had been their friends?
Overwhelmed by the possibilities of her new environment, Ember fell into a dreamless sleep without trouble.
When Cindrea knocked and entered the room the next morning, Ember felt the sun had come too soon.
“Can I have a little more time?” Ember groaned, turning onto her back and looking up the canopy.
“I’m sorry, Ember. We have a long day ahead. Breakfast will be served shortly.”
Ember pulled the blanket up over her face. You don’t belong here, a voice echoed in her mind.
After some convincing, Ember got out of bed and pulled on the robe Cindrea handed her.
“Thank you,” Ember said.
“It is my purpose,” Cindrea said in a sing-song voice. Ember nodded her thanks, unsure if Cindrea has meant it as a slight to herself or a compliment.
The clothing that Ember was forced into minutes later felt foreign on her body. The dress was form-fitting along the waist, billowing outward to stop right at her ankles. The dark purple looked almost black, and it reminded her of the night. The dress’s main flaw, however, were the exposed scales above her neckline. Ember protested left and right, and demanded to wear a covering. Cindrea eventually relented.
“Remember this,” Cindrea said, “the quicker you embrace your scales and show them to others, the more power you will gain here.”
The thought made Ember want to both cover up and strip naked at the same time. Conflict stirred and she pushed it down. Today she needed to get more of a layout of the castle and what her days would be like. That was her only prerogative. Get a grip. Know the lay of the land. It’s what she did in every new house she lived in prior, and she tried to make this new life fall into that pattern.
Cindrea selected a few different shawls for Ember to look through, eventually choosing a simple black one. Feeling calmer now that she was covered, Cindrea braided Ember’s long hair back and they walked from her chambers to her living room.
After getting a crash course in the subtleties of having her own court, Cindrea pointed out which door was hers should Ember ever need to find her. She was told she could have more women and men at her beck and call if she wished, but Ember immediately told Cindrea that was not necessary.
Amir entered her vision from the open door.
“Good morning, Dragon Daughter,” Amir Captain called as he deposited a box in the room across the hall.
“Hello, Amir Captain.” She felt excited to see him again. His grey eyes sparkled with kindness and from their small amount of interactions the past two days, he genuinely seemed on her side. She was glad he was chosen to be her captain.
“I’ll be right back,” Cindrea said as she opened the door to her personal chambers.
“Do you have a minute, Princess?” Amir asked, leaning his body against the open door.
“Of course, if you call me Ember,” Ember replied.
He smiled at her but didn’t say he would. Instead, Amir gestured to the empty table and they both took a seat.
“We have a few things to settle today, mainly who will be my second and live in the room beside me.”
“What would a second do?” Ember asked.
“They will be available to you if ever I am sick, help with shift changes, and would be my replacement if I were to die,” he explained. He spoke of his death as if it were a normal thing to discuss. Perhaps for a captain, that was a normal thought process, as easy to accept as getting the occasional burn as a baker.
“What about Wally? I don’t know the other guards, but he jumped into action quickly on the journey here.” Ember shuddered at the memory of the fateless man. She brushed the fabric of her dress as if that would push away the memory.
“Wally was my thought as well, but whoever would be chosen would need to move into the tower and that would mean separating him and his pair.” Amir crossed his arms.
“Wally’s pair could move in as well,” Ember answered.
It's not like there wasn't enough room for his pair. She had all this space, and if this person was with Wally, they must be trustworthy.
“That wouldn’t be possible. Zhieve has to stay in the Queen’s wing.” Amir’s arms uncrossed and re-crossed. His gaze moved away from Ember and to the table.
It took a moment for Ember to understand the implications of his response. What would Zhieve have to do with…
“Oh,” Ember answered, not sure how to put her thoughts into reality. Her mind jumped back to just two nights ago. Had it only been two days ago? She saw again the glint in Zhieve’s eye when he looked at Wally’s, judging his decision not to murder a confused man. That look meant so much more now that she knew. That judgment held a stronger weight.
“I see how that wouldn’t work,” Ember said. “Right, so what do you recommend instead?” She asked, unsure of where to take the conversation from there.
“Honestly, he was the only one I was thinking for the position. It’s possible he could sleep here every other day? Or stay part of each night,” Amir thought aloud. “If he and Zhieve felt comfortable with that.”
“Okay,” Ember answered hesitantly. “Whatever you think is best.” What if there was more to this than met the eye? Was Wally more wicked than he seemed? Or Zhieve more good than he seemed?
Before Amir could say more, Cindrea popped back into the room.
“Ready to go?” she asked.
Ember followed her out of the room, affirming first to Amir that he’d make the right decision. They both stood up and followed Cindrea into the hall. Without thinking, Ember picked up a box from the hall to help Amir. Her hands needed to do something, to do anything at all. She wanted to string beads.
“Thank you, Dragon Daughter,” Amir responded sincerely, taking the box away from her hands. Cindrea pushed them along. Ember realized what had changed when Cindrea left the room. Her complementary styled dresses now also had coverups that matched hers. Together the two of them looked like a team. She smiled for the second time in one morning, it was a personal record.
They walked down the steps single file, Ember glanced back just as the portrait of Kariana holding her scaled child blinked from her view.
Amir Captain pulled open doors that led to the courtyard breakfast room.
“Here we go,” Ember breathed before stepping forward. Amir and Wally waited around the perimeter with guards from her company, Jedoriah’s, and the Queen’s. So many men and women lined up in jewel-toned purple suits made for a dark comparison to the greenery. Ember herself stood out in her darker dress with iridescent beads, soon realizing that Cindrea overdressed her for her first breakfast in the palace on purpose. Cindrea bowed to the occupants of the table and left, leaving Ember with her family and the gaggle of guards.
“Hello Embrence,” Jedoriah Knight crooned from his seat at the head of the table. His face barely moved when he spoke and the hair on Ember’s arms raised from her skin. Karwyn sat on the opposite end, her eyes looked straight through Ember. Ember wished she could stop and hug herself, but instead she broke into a bow. She lowered her head first at the Queen and then at Jedoriah. She was thankful for a reason to look away from their faces.
“That's not necessary,” Karwyn said after Ember finished, a crease forming in her brows. Her dark hair contrasted the pale yellow of her dress.
“I agree,” Jedoriah followed, glancing at the Queen briefly.
“Come, sit,” he said, gesturing Ember towards the seat on his right. Not wanting to sit next to her mother after her rejection was so fresh, Ember nodded and moved to the empty seat that Jedoriah motioned to. Fear immediately made Ember regret her choice, and her skin became clammy beneath her cover-up. There was an imposing presence around Jedoriah that she had trouble quantifying. She pushed her knees together, trying to keep them from shaking as a bead of sweat developed on her chest. He was the one her moms would emphasize as more dangerous over the Queen. She did not yet know why. If Jedoriah saw her discomfort, he didn’t say anything.
Noticing for the first time the extra guest seated at the rectangular glass table, Ember tried to smile. Seated near her mother was a tall woman with caramel hair and a wide nose. Like everyone else in the garden, she had taken a liking to stare straight at her.
“Hello. I'm Ember.”
“I'm Ahnika, your tutor. We’ll be meeting right after breakfast so we can access any educational lapses and get you into top shape.” The woman nodded curtly to Jedoriah and then Ember as if her thoughts were the beginning and end of the conversation. Her blue eyes were slitted, taking in everything about Ember. She didn’t seem unwelcoming, but she did appear cautious. Her eyes hovered over where Ember’s scales would have been visible if she weren’t wearing the cover-up.
“They’ll be no lapses there,” Karwyn responded. “They’ll have made sure of that!” Her eyes glazed over as she looked up to the sky.
“Who?” Ember asked, but she knew the answer. The queen referred to Ember’s moms as if she knew them.
The queen smiled at Ember without answering, her expression turning softer before she closed her eyes. She appeared serene, sitting at the head of the table with her eyes closed and not a care in the world. The wind blew and the leaves of the surrounding trees swayed behind her.
Jedoriah dropped his water goblet down with a loud clang on the thick glass table. What did guests and regular visitors like Ahnika think of the Queen's behavior? The thought of having a tutor immediately made her think of her moms.
Ember was scared to be in this place of power, scared of the spotlight in her new place of residence. But after the feelings that coursed through her when she met her biological mother, she knew she could not go, not yet. And after what was just said, it was clear Karwyn knew something about her moms. Maybe they had actually been friends? Her moms had taught her about the kingdom, sharing more information than Ember thought she would need. All of her memories seemed different now. There were multiple meanings in this new day.
“A pleasure to meet you,” Ember said to Ahnika.
“Of course, Ember has a lot to learn in the next two weeks,” Jedoriah said, continuing the conversation. He cut up the piece of sausage on his plate and ignored the Queen’s words. Ember's attention drew back to him.
“Why two weeks?” Ember asked.
Her mouth watered as the sugary delights passed before her, each pastry a sight for sore eyes.
“No, Embrence. Jair Doctor had something special prepared for you.” He dismissed the server and someone else came forward with a tray. Ember grimaced at the brown mush. At least she could put a little cinnamon on top.
“We’ll be holding your debut ball in two weeks’ time,” he explained as he bit into the puff pastry Ember was not allowed to have. Red goo crushed out from one side, sliding onto his fingers like oozing blood.
“My debut ball?”
Ember found it quite funny that they labeled the ball as if it belonged to her since she had no idea that there was one being planned after her arrival less than twenty-four hours ago.
“Yes, for morale,” Jedoriah answered as if those three words addressed every concern Ember would logically have. But they did not. She needed to know more about what the Queen meant.
"It will be combined with the annual Aaleian festival, a wonderful affair," Ahnika added.
She had no say in her world when she lived with her moms, but when they were taken from her she had a small taste of control over her life. It was stripped from her just as quickly as it was gained.
Now she was here, in a decorated box of foliage and flame.
“I’ll make sure we go over the different traditions you’ll have to take part in at your debut, Embrence Dragon Daughter," Ahnika said.
Zhieve came through the garden doors and handed a note to Jedoriah. “Those rats,” he spat, crumbling the note after a quick read-through.
“Is everything alright, Jedoriah Knight?” Ahnika asked formally.
“Another rebel brawl,�
�� he muttered, stabbing a bit of food.
“Where?” Ember asked, daring to speak again. Her body felt cold at the thought of them.
“Near Borderain. Two groups raided a farm and then a factory.” He quickly stabbed and cut more pieces, chewing loudly. “Nothing to be done now, the guards in the province are in high alert.”
Was that how they treated the death of the moms that raised her? A quick bit of anger, then an oh well? Ember didn’t know what she was getting into here, she wasn’t looking forward to finding out.
“Are you alright?” Amir asked after breakfast. His eyes trailed Zhieve and the retreating company that followed the Queen and Jedoriah’s departure from the table.
Ember nodded, gripping her hands together in front of her dress. Ahnika had left early to prepare the classroom for Ember’s first lesson. She and Amir were alone in the breakfast garden.
She flicked a crumb off its surface and watched it fly off into the grass. The circle of trees around the rectangular table was a lovely sight, but she did wonder the purpose. The castle held many of these pocket gardens it seemed. Rooms placed outside when there were many empty within.
“Can you show me the way to Ahnika’s classroom?” Ember asked, hoping to get done with her tasks for the day quickly.
Amir smiled at her, offering his arm to her.
“Follow me, Dragon Daughter, to the library.”
Walking through the library made Ember want to do anything but go to class. Not being able to socialize had given her an affinity for learning. Her moms had always loved that byproduct of her upbringing, especially given that they both taught different subjects across the realm. Ember paused in her trek, her eyes looking up at the long stacks of meticulously numbered books. Reading and jewelry-making were her only hobbies.
Royalty Fantasy Boxset: Ember Dragon Daughter & Hasley Fateless (Fated Tales Series 1 & 1.5) (The Fated Tales Series: YA Royalty Fantasy) Page 7
