by Melody Rose
We flew in silence for a little while. I avoided looking at any part of Monte, and he continued to keep his eyes on the sky ahead. Neither of us sent anything to one another, lost in our own individual thoughts. I pushed stray pieces of auburn hair out of my face and sighed.
“When the police came to my house to tell me about my parents,” I began, “they didn’t say ‘They’ve died.’ They told me, ‘Your parents have been killed.’ Someone else made the choice to do that to my parents. I don’t know if I could ever lower myself to that same level.”
“I respect you, Eva,” Monte replied. He continued to look straight ahead as he said this, but his tone had softened at least. “And I respect your thoughts on this. You have every right to be afraid. I only wish to remind you that you are not alone. That means you are fighting with others and for others. Killing Reon may not be something you choose to do. It may be something you have to do.”
I rolled that pearl of wisdom in my mind long enough to give me a headache. I didn’t have a proper response and really didn’t believe that anything I said at that moment would be helpful. So I chose silence.
The sky continued to blaze with stars, like a cavern filled with diamonds. Often I tried to pick out familiar constellations like the ones I knew from Earth, but this universe had a different array of stars. So often, I made up my own. I thought to ask Hannan or Chyndron or someone who knew more of Andsdyer’s history than me about constellations. Maybe they also liked to tell stories in the stars.
As I gazed up, a flash streaked across the sky. I squealed in delight.
“What?” Monte asked, worried. “What is it?”
“A shooting star!” I cried. My arm stretched up, and I pointed though the spectacle was now over.
The dragon turned his head to look back at me. One bushy white eyebrow rose higher than the other in a skeptical expression.
“A what?”
“A shooting star,” I repeated like he knew what I was talking about when he obviously didn’t. “When a star streaks across the sky like that, you make a wish.”
The eyebrow rose even higher. “A wish?”
“Yes,” I pressed.
“This is another weird tradition?” Monte checked. “Like the candles on Julei’s birthday cake?”
“Kind of,” I answered. “But it’s rarer. I’ve never seen one, not till now.”
“Your people have an odd obsession with wish-making,” the dragon commented. He returned his gaze back to the path ahead.
“I don’t know,” I said with a shrug. “I never really thought about it too hard. Wishes are just little reminders to hope.”
“Well, Eva, what do you hope for?” my dragon asked with a sense of officiality.
My thoughts raced for an adequate wish. Something about witnessing my first shooting star seemed special somehow. Though, the longer I thought about it, the more obvious the answer became.
“I wish for the courage to save Andsdyer,” I said the words in my mind, not caring if Monte heard them. “By any means necessary.”
2
Monte and I landed out in the Gardens, where the dragon clan had taken up residency. Unfortunately, they were all too large to fit in the Menagerie, and the kingdom wasn’t equipped to take in a clan of dragons considering no human had bonded one since Queen Irena herself. Now they had a woman who bonded with six of them.
I guess I was just special like that.
There were seven dragons in the clan, and several months ago, they declared me their queen. It had a lot to do with destiny and the fact that I came from an entirely different realm. I had learned that both Irena and Reon came through a portal, like me. Because of this trait, we were the only humans able to bond with dragons.
Other humans in Andsdyer bonded to creatures of all kinds. Griffins, sphinxes, butterflies, sloths, parrots, bats, you name it. The bond between djers, a human and a creature, gave both gifts. For the creatures, they got enhanced intelligence and awareness, and for the humans, they got supernatural abilities.
Hence my abilities to heal, cast light from my hands, grow an armor-like skin, have unnatural grace, breathe underwater, and wield a magical sword which I pulled from a dragon’s mouth.
I also had the ability to control people, but I didn’t count that one since I’d technically promised never to use it.
Still, there was one dragon in the clan, Zulu, who I hadn’t bonded with yet. Once the contamination struck the court, there hadn’t really been time. I figured we would get to it. Bonding was such an intimate process that I didn’t want to rush her into it.
I was sad to see none of the dragons when we landed. I figured most of them were resting for our big journey tomorrow, which is what I should have been doing. Though I felt like I drank seven cups of coffee. I doubted sleep would come easy tonight, even if I were tired.
Monte turned to face me and bowed his head slightly. “I wanted you to know that I support you.”
“I know that,” I said quickly, not understanding the meaning of what he was saying.
“No,” Monte said sharply. “You are not only my queen but my djer. I do not wish you to think that our conversation up there meant that I would defy you or go against your wishes.”
“Oh.” I was taken aback by his honesty. “Monte, we’re good. I never had a doubt.”
“Good,” the dragon said with a definitive nod. “I will see you in the morning then.”
“Yeah, before we head off to God knows where,” I muttered.
“You truly do not have a plan?” Monte checked.
“Where are we supposed to go?” I said, exasperated. “There’s this mountain that supposedly doesn’t exist anymore that might be in the north, but no one’s really sure. It’s not much to go on, but we have to go on something.”
“If only there were a way to get more information,” Monte said suggestively.
I stared at him blankly. I wasn’t picking up what he was putting down, and it was blatantly obvious. I rolled my lips over my teeth and shook my head slowly.
“Eva.” Monte tilted his head at me and gazed at me with disappointed eyes. “Who do we know that has been in direct contact with Reon?”
“Other than me?” I asked, thinking back to the short encounters the false king and I had for a while.
When I first started to get the knack of healing people, Reon started showing up to counteract me. We ended up playing chess for the person’s life. If I won, he saved the individual, but if he won, the person not only stayed infected, but I had to give him some of my powers. The only thing I learned during those encounters was that Reon was a power-hungry, uncaring asshole, and a damn good chess player.
“Yes, other than you,” Monte replied with a dull tone.
I wracked my brain for a second before the image of my former friend popped into my head.
“You can’t be serious,” I gaped. “Jae’s not going to talk to me.”
“Maybe not of her own volition, but she could be persuaded,” Monte suggested.
“You can’t be saying what I think you’re saying.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Gideonia would kill me.”
“You were the one who said you wanted more information,” Monte argued. He looked over his shoulder and lowered his voice. “This is a sure-fire way to get some direction.”
“I would have to visit the dungeons, and I’m pretty sure they don’t let just anyone down there,” I countered, grasping at straws.
“Good thing you’re not just anyone,” Monte replied with a sly smile.
The dragon turned away from me and headed towards the hedge maze, which had become his sanctuary since we arrived in Andsdyer. With a passing glance, he looked over his shoulder at me.
“See you in the morning, Eva,” he said. “I look forward to hearing your plan.”
I clenched my fists and growled. Despite the heat of my breath, it came out in cold spirals around me as the night reminded me that winter was upon us. I stuffed my fingers in my pockets and hobble
d away with hunched shoulders and a grimace.
The whole way back to my room, I tried to refute Monte’s logic. Jae really was the best lead we had. She claimed to have direct contact with Reon. While she might not know exactly where he was, anything she could give us would be more than what we had before. Our only clue, the mountain, had come from Jae when she was under my manipulation powers, so we knew it was true.
Still, the thought of using that gift made me queasy. Gideonia had been slow to trust me, given her history with other djers. However, when she saved my life by using her powers of control, stopping me from draining my powers to the brink of death, we inadvertently bonded. After that, the dragon made me promise never to use the gift she’d given me.
“It is too powerful for one creature to bear,” she explained. “It is not right for one creature to have such control over another.”
I agreed with her, really, I did. However, the temptation to use it on Jae pricked at my skin. We needed a lead, or otherwise we were basically traveling blind.
There was a sense of terrifying urgency, as well. While we caught Jae, we didn’t know when Reon would strike next. We had no idea about his plans or what to expect. It was dangerous to be working with so many unknowns, especially when lives were at stake.
Seeming to make the decision for me, my feet led me not to my room, but to the dungeon door. Standing at it was one of the king’s guards. I inhaled a sharp breath and nodded at him.
“Lady Lawrence,” the guard said with a nod back to me.
My back stiffened at the formal greeting. Ever since I’d been officially introduced at court, despite the whole evening ending in everyone being contaminated, I was now a noble. Everyone in Andsdyer was required to treat me as such. It had a sophisticated and classist air that I didn’t think I would ever get used to.
“You are out rather late,” the guard said kindly. “Is there something I can help you with?” He had a long face, and his limbs seemed to be too big for his body like he hadn’t quite grown into it yet. Puffs of uneven whiskers peeked out around his chin, and I wondered if he missed them shaving.
“I intend to visit Jae Bysonry,” I proclaimed with more confidence than I had. I took my hands out of my coat pockets and clasped them together in front of me. “If you would please permit me entrance to the dungeons, I would be most grateful.”
“I do not wish to refute you, my lady, but it is rather unusual to be visiting the prisoner so late at night,” the guard cautioned. “You should have someone accompany you down.”
I smirked. Then I called to the light housed inside me. It glowed against my exposed hands and receded up my arms into the sleeves of my coat. I enjoyed watching the young guard’s eyes widen in surprise, wonder, and a little bit of fear.
“I appreciate your offer, but I believe I’ll be just fine, thank you,” I said through tight lips as they stretched to maintain my grin.
The guard quickly reached for the ring of keys on his belt, fished for the right one, then stuck it in the lock. As he swung the door open for me, he gestured broadly with his arm, indicating that I was welcome to go down.
I stepped forward and kept the light at my fingertips so I wouldn’t need a torch. I looked up into the round brown eyes of the guard.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Witt, my lady,” the guard answered with a gulp. His prominent Adam’s apple bobbed noticeably.
“Well, thank you for your help, Witt,” I said, turning my smirk into a genuine smile. “I appreciate it.”
“You’re… you’re welcome,” Witt stuttered.
I left the guard at the top of the stairs and descended into the darkness of the dungeons, with only the light from my hands to guide me.
I had only been to the dungeons once before when we originally thought my other friend Stella was the traitor. Jae had thrown us off her scent by setting Stella up. That visit hadn’t been pleasant, and I didn’t expect this one to be either.
In the middle of the night, darkness swallowed the dungeons. With low ceilings and stone walls, the cramped quarters would have suffocated anyone. A dank smell, like spoiled wine in a cellar, stuck to the walls. Layered atop that was the rank of feces and unbathed humans. The eight feet wide cells were mostly empty when I shined my light in them. Still, occasionally, I met the haunted face of a prisoner condemned to live the rest of their lives to this miserable place. I thought about what crimes they committed to wind up here. The king and his father before him must have had their reasons, but it was difficult for me to imagine anything terrible enough to punish a person to this.
Save for maybe murder.
I shook that thought from my brain, not wanting to think about killing or death or anything of the sort for as long as I could help it. I had a job to do, and I still wasn’t convinced that I could do it yet. My confidence seemed to shrink as I made my way down the rows of cells until I found Jae.
The girl curled herself into the corner of her cell. She hunched over a weak, wooden cane. It was a mercy, at least, to see that Jae had some way to get around. Jae had limited mobility due to her untreatable illness and had spent most of her time in a chair or using a cane when I knew her. Turned out that cane had hidden a secret stinger that contained the contamination, so the wood one now was probably the best she was going to get.
Already on the small side, it was shocking to see that Jae looked even smaller. It was only a week, but her hair was dirty and her skin pasty. She wasn’t asleep when I approached her cell. Jae’s eyes burned bright against my light. They seemed to be smiling, though her face stayed still and unrevealing.
“I did not think yours would be the last face I see before I die.” Jae’s voice crackled from days of not using it. “Have you come for an apology?”
“If you had one, I don’t know if I’d accept it,” I said honestly. “You hurt a lot of people, Jae.”
The girl pushed a puff of air through her lips. “I planned to hurt more.”
“Well, thank goodness you didn’t,” I replied softly, not really knowing what to say to that.
“It is thanks to you actually,” she sneered. “You had to go and ruin my fun.”
“Fun is an interesting word for it,” I countered.
“I take it you did not come down here for some witty banter on the eve of my death,” Jae said cordially, though her eyes still held a menacing glare. “Why did you decide to pay me a visit, Eva?”
“I don’t know…” I stuttered, suddenly nervous under her imposing gaze.
“Come now,” Jae said with a pout. Her eyebrows narrowed, and a light flickered briefly behind her eyes. “That is not the Eva I know. Not the woman who shoved the flaws of the court in their face, who defied their processes and rules.”
“You don’t know me,” I responded defensively. “Not really.”
“I am offended,” Jae said with a gasp. She placed a hand on her chest in false annoyance. “You think that none of our time together was real.”
“How could it be?” I snapped. “Everything about you was a lie.”
“Not everything,” Jae responded calmly. “I am still sick, am I not? Or what about my name? That is real.”
I shook my head. “Any sort of friendship I thought we had was ruined the minute you sided with Reon.”
“And yet,” Jae said, her voice slick like the water dripping down the dungeon walls, “you came down here hoping to utilize that old friendship to get information from me?”
“Honestly, I don’t know what I was thinking,” I scoffed. “It’s not like I could believe anything you tell me, anyway. This was a mistake.”
I turned to leave when Jae rushed the bars with inhuman speed. She gripped them with white knuckles and shoved her face through as far as she could. Her pale skin stretched, caught on the cold iron bars, and she jutted her chin forward.
“Wait!” Jae cried. Her voice bounced off the cave like a tennis ball, and I flinched as if it came right for me. “You never asked a questio
n. You do not know if I will lie. Not for sure. How will you know if I have the information you seek if you do not ask?”
“Your logic doesn’t make any sense, you know that?” I said, annoyed with this conversation. “This really is a waste.”
“Not if you tell me what to do. Not if you compel me,” Jae taunted.
My blood froze, and I sucked my teeth, trying not to scowl. “What do you mean?”
It was Jae’s turn to roll her eyes. “I know what you did to me back when you broke my bond with the bees. I know you wormed your way into my mind and forced the information out of me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I denied with too much confidence.
“I felt it,” Jae insisted. “I felt my mind, my will leave itself. It was the weirdest sensation, like someone blocking my airways.”
Goosebumps pricked along my skin as she described the sensation. It terrified me to think that I did that to someone. That I removed their will to choose or their ability to think for themselves. It made my mouth go dry with disgust at myself. I knew then that I wasn’t going to be able to do it again. I couldn’t force Jae to go through that, no matter how much I wanted whatever information she had on Reon.
I rubbed my hands, still glowing, on the front of my pants, suddenly uncomfortable. There was no reason for me to stay down here. I just had to leave and not sacrifice any more time to Jae. She certainly didn’t deserve it.
“You are not going to do it,” Jae said as if reading my mind. “With that kind of power, you could do anything. The kingdom could be yours.”
“Not really,” I protested. “You can’t just take things like that. It’s not right.”
“Says who?” Jae argued. “We want to build a better world.”
“Yeah, by destroying the one you already have,” I snapped back. “There are other ways, ones that don’t require so much death and destruction.”
“You can try, but death and destruction are inevitable,” Jae foretold with an ominous tone. “And the inevitable is closer than you think.”
