by SJ West
“Would the dragons there be willing to help us?”
Dracen shrugged. “It’s possible.”
“You are my chosen companion. They will help us…,” my little dragonling said, filled with confidence in her kinsmen.
“Dragons are an onerous species for the most part,” Dracen continued. “They had their own war amongst themselves at one time. The losers came here to live with the Fae after the war.”
“We must go to them and ask for their help. I don’t see how we have any choice in the matter,” I said. “We might be able to use magic against some of Nuala's dragons, but from what I saw when we entered the city, their numbers are too great. We need support in the air if we are ever going to retake Iron City.”
“Queen Emma is right,” Fallon said. “We have to have their help if we’re going to take out Nuala’s dragon corp. But, how will we communicate with them so they know what we want?”
Dracen looked to me. “I believe the queen knows how.”
I guess I shouldn’t have been startled by Dracen’s knowledge that I could speak with my dragonling, but I didn’t realize it also meant I could speak to other dragons in the same way.
“They will hear me?” I asked him. “Like the dragonling does?”
Dracen nodded. “Yes, you will be able to communicate with them in a similar fashion.”
“You can communicate with the dragonling?” Gabriel asked. “How?”
“She can read my thoughts, and I can read hers,” I told them. Gabriel and Fallon didn’t look too startled by this development. Only Isabelle looked like she was about to faint.
“Then it’s settled,” I told everyone. “I will go to the dragon’s home and persuade them to help us.”
“I agree we need to go,” Fallon said, “but we should travel to Kamora first and gather our men. Perhaps, you can also persuade your grandfather to lend us his support.”
“Can’t you handle my grandfather without me?” I asked. “If we split up, we waste less time.”
“I would if I could,” Fallon said, “but your grandfather will want you to ask for his help in person.”
“Why?”
“He may be your grandfather, but he will want the Queen of Vankara to give him certain reassurances of compensation for any troops he will lose.”
“Isn't it just common decency to help your family in their time of need?”
“Your father and he didn't have the best of relationships. If we have any hope of gaining aid from him, you will have to make the request in person. He will require your word before he commits his troops to us.”
“Gaining a firm agreement with Kamora is vital to our success,” Gabriel said to me. “Otherwise, there is only Chromis to go to for additional troops. And I think we can all agree that should only be done as a last resort.”
“Agreed. Then we prepare to go to Kamora first,” I told them. “And after that, we seek out the dragons.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
We immediately prepared for our trip to Kamora. We all knew time was of the essence and none of it should be wasted. The longer Nuala stayed in control of Iron City the more damage she would wreck on its citizens, and that was something I simply couldn’t have. They were my people, and I was their queen. They relied on me to protect them from all harm, and I had done a poor job of it so far. I couldn’t let them down any further. I wouldn’t.
It was decided that Gabriel should stay in Iron City while Fallon, Dracen, Inara, and I travelled to Kamora and the dragon isle. He was the best one to deal with what was going on from a political standpoint. It would be his job to seek out any remaining members of parliament, including Inara’s father.
“If I know my father,” Inara said to us, filled with confidence, “he’s probably somewhere in the city trying to save people. He’ll do whatever he has to do to help them survive this.”
Once we retook the city, we would need a strong government presence to reassure the people of Vankara that they were safe. I felt sure Inara’s father would be instrumental in rebuilding Iron City. He and I might not have agreed on how best to govern Vankara, but I knew he loved his country and would do whatever it took to see it restored.
“You should leave Dena here with me,” Gabriel said as he and I stood in the kitchen of the college. I continued to pack a large wicker basket with food supplies that were set out on the kitchen table for my small group to take on our journey.
“I can’t abandon her again,” I argued. “She needs me.”
“But you don’t know what dangers you will face, especially with the dragons.”
“My kind will not harm the child,” the little dragonling said on my shoulder, sounding insulted by Gabriel’s remark.
Yet, I couldn’t help but agree with Gabriel even though the dragonling seemed confident the other dragons would do Dena no harm. I still remembered the way the dragonling’s mother attacked Fallon and I when we ventured into Fae territory.
“There was something wrong with my mother at the time,” the dragonling said, having read my misgivings in my thoughts. “The others won’t behave in such a barbaric manner.”
“But do you know that for certain?” I asked her, not bothering to ask my question silently since everyone now knew the dragonling and I could speak with one another. “Are you willing to bet the life of my daughter on it?”
I could feel the dragonling’s certainty falter, and that was all the answer I needed.
“Dena will stay here with you,” I told Gabriel. “Protect her. She’s the future of Vankara.”
Gabriel nodded. “I know. No harm will come to her. I promise you that on my life.”
I continued to place the bread, cheese, and a sundry of fruits in the basket from the table.
“Tell me about my grandfather,” I said. “I need to know all I can about him.”
“The last time I saw the king his health was failing,” Gabriel told me. “That was almost five years ago. To be honest, I didn’t expect him to live this long, but somehow he’s managed to cheat death.”
“Do you foresee a problem with me gaining his help?”
“To be honest, I don’t think it’s him you will have to worry about. From what I’ve been told about his mental deterioration, he may or may not even know you’re there. It’s his new queen you’ll most likely have to contend with, and I’ve heard some disturbing rumors about her.”
“New queen?”
“Yes. The reason I was in Kamora five years ago was because the queen’s grandmother passed away. Emma and I attended her funeral. About a month later, your grandfather took a new wife.”
“Rather fast, wasn’t it?”
“We all just assumed he was probably having an affair with the woman behind your grandmother’s back.”
“Who is she? What is she like?”
“Her name is Sora. I’ve never actually met her in person. But, I’ve heard through our spies that she’s very….” Gabriel lifts his head as if he’s trying to think of the exact word to use, “resourceful. From what I’ve been told, everyone goes to her for the decisions that need to be made. She’s in charge for all intents and purposes.”
“Is she someone who will help us? I was hoping I could rely on the queen’s personal connection to her grandfather to gain his support in this war.”
“She will most likely help,” Gabriel cautioned, “but it will not come cheaply. Be prepared to offer her compensation for her aid.”
“I had already planned on that,” I said, studying Gabriel’s expression. “But from the way you look, I have a feeling she might ask for something I may not be willing to bargain with.”
“It’s possible,” he warned. “She’s shrewd, and she’ll know she has power over you because you will be coming to her for help. Be cautious around her. Don’t trust her completely and watch your back.”
I sighed as I heard this news. “And here I thought I would be having a friendly family reunion with my dear, aged grandfather. Does nothing come easy in thi
s life?”
Gabriel grinned. “Not when you’re queen.”
Aleksander walked into the kitchen, and I immediately knew what he was going to say before he even opened his mouth.
“I want to go to Kamora with you,” he told me.
“I would rather you went home,” I in turn told him.
Aleksander walked over and leaned against the table beside me in the kitchen.
“Why not let me come?” He asked. “I might be of use to you there.”
“You would be of more use to me if you went home and gathered your troops to help me get the Fae out of my city.”
“I’ve told you my price for my help,” he murmured. “Would marrying me be such a horrible fate, Emma?”
I looked over at Aleksander and was surprised to see the hurt in his eyes by my continued refusal to accept his proposal, such as it was.
“I won’t be blackmailed into marriage,” I told him resolutely. “And if you’re the type of man who has to do that type of thing to get what he wants, I don’t see a future for us. I refuse to live my life with someone who only thinks of themselves. Be a better man, Aleksander, and perhaps I’ll take your offer more seriously.”
“What if I can’t be a better man? What if this is all I am?”
“Then we have nothing further to discuss.”
I returned my attention back to filling the basket with food. I was extremely aware of Aleksander watching me closely. I wondered what was going through his mind, but I had no way of knowing for sure. His expression gave nothing away.
Eventually, he pushed off the table and left the room without saying anything else. Once I had the basket filled, I closed the top and looked over at Gabriel.
He’s watching me with an almost confused look on his face.
“What?” I asked.
Gabriel shrugged. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say you have feelings for Aleksander.”
“He’s not completely without his merits,” I said. “But if you think I’m in love with him, think again. I don’t have time for that. This nation is all I have time to think about right now.”
“And the child?” Gabriel asked. “If it turns out to be Aleksander’s?”
“Then I’ll cross that bridge when I reach it,” I said. “But I need to stay focused on getting the Fae out of our city. That is my first priority. Romance is the furthest thing from my mind right now, Gabriel.”
Fallon walked in just then with Isabelle by his side.
“I think we should take one of the students with us,” he told me.
“Which one?” I asked.
“Able Celloc,” Isabelle answered.
“Yes, I’ve met him,” I said as I remembered meeting the boy in the dining hall before Dena’s unexpected return. “Why him?”
“He has the power to see into the future, sort of,” Isabelle said with a great deal of hesitancy.
“What does ‘sort of’ mean exactly?”
“His visions are sporadic. He’s able to see a multitude of outcomes to various situations, but it’s never completely clear which one will happen. I believe in time he will be able to determine which visions are true and which are false, but he’s only eighteen and still young. His emotions cloud his ability sometimes.”
“I suppose it couldn’t hurt to have him with us,” I said, “as long as he understands the dangers in the journey we’re embarking on.”
“He longs for adventure,” Isabelle said with a sigh. “He craves it, in fact. Since he’s been here, he’s had a hard time being cooped up at the college. I’ve often had to reprimand him for sneaking off the grounds and into the city for…what did he call it… life experiences.”
“Well, I’m sure he will get plenty of those on this trip.”
I close the lid on the basket, and Fallon comes to my side.
“All packed?” He asked, picking up the basket for me.
I nodded. “Yes, it should get us to Kamora. Hopefully, they’ll at least feed us while we’re there.”
Fallon chortled. “At the very least.”
We leave the kitchen area and make our way back to the airship in the courtyard.
“Sarah, watch this,” the little dragonling said excitedly.
I felt one of her delicate wings brush against the side of my neck as she spread them. With a gentle push off my shoulder, she flew over to Dena who was standing next to Inara by the airship’s staircase.
I laughed and realized it was the first real laugh I’d had in a long time.
Dena held out her little hands, and the dragonling landed on her palms. Dena smiled with unadulterated joy at her prize. An ache formed inside my chest as I looked at her because I knew I was about to wipe the sweet smile from her face with my departure.
I walked up to my daughter and knelt before her.
“Dena,” I said, dragging her attention away from the dragonling, “Mummy needs to leave for a little while.”
Dena’s blue eyes immediately welled with tears. “No,” she begged. “Stay.”
I forced myself to remain calm and not let my own emotions get the better of me.
“Gabriel will protect you while I’m gone,” I told her. “You know how much he loves you. I promise I won’t be gone for very long. And when I come back, I’ll have a legion of dragons bigger than ours following me to get rid of the bad people in our city. Wouldn’t you like to see that?”
“Stay, Mummy,” she cried, propelling herself into my arms.
The dragonling flew out of her hands and back onto my shoulder.
“I can’t,” I said, because that was the truth of the matter. “We have to protect the people who live in our country, Dena. When you become queen one day, you’ll understand that they’re needs are more important than our own. We may be their leaders but our only purpose is to serve them.”
I let Dena cry and simply held her to me so she knew I loved her. But, she also needed to understand that our personal desires were small in comparison to the safety of the people of Vankara. If she was going to be a great leader one day, it was a lesson I felt sure Queen Emma wanted her to learn.
Gabriel knelt down beside us.
“Come on, Dena,” he cajoled. “Let’s me and you find some ice cream while mummy goes on her trip.”
“So, is that your plan?” I asked him. “Spoil her completely rotten while I’m away?”
Gabriel grinned. “Do you have a better idea?”
I shook my head. “No,” I admitted. “Spoil her to her heart’s content. I’m sure there are some students here who might be willing to entertain her with some magic tricks as well.”
Dena pulled away from me slightly. “Magic and ice cream?”
I smiled. The simplicity of youth. If only such things could distract adults as effectively.
“Sounds like fun to me,” I told her. “And I’ll be back before you know it. So,” I said standing up, “I hereby grant you, Dena Vankar, the power to get whatever your heart desires while I’m away. But, remember, when I get back, playtime will be over.”
Dena wiped her tears away and walked over to Gabriel, taking his outstretched hand.
“Don’t spoil her too horrendously while I’m gone,” I told Gabriel.
Gabriel winked at me. “Of course not, your majesty.”
“Who’s that cutie?” Inara asked, eyeing someone over my shoulder.
I turned to see Able Celloc running towards us with a small black travelling bag in one hand. His face was flushed with excitement.
“Our seer for this trip, I believe,” I told her.
“Seer, uh?” Inara said. “Well, now, let’s put that to the test and see how far into his own future he’s seen so far.”
From the suggestive tone Inara used, I didn’t have to be a fortuneteller to know what she had planned for Able’s imminent future.
I looked around our small group. “Where is Dracen? Is he still coming with us?”
“He and his son were having a discussion the last time I s
aw him,” Fallon told me.
Almost immediately, I saw Dracen walk out of the college with Isabelle as if he heard me ask about his whereabouts.
“Sorry, your majesty,” Dracen said as he and Isabelle joined us. “I had some family matters to take care of before our departure.”
“That’s quite all right,” I said. “I hope everything is fine.”
Dracen tried to smile, but it was a sad one. It told me there were still issues between him and his son that need to be worked out. Dracen simply nodded to me, and I understood his need to keep his family matters private.
Dracen looked over at Gabriel. “He will behave while I’m gone and stay out of your way unless you need his assistance.”
“I seriously doubt I will,” Gabriel said with vehemence, making me wonder what past the two men shared that made them dislike each other so heatedly.
“So how exactly are we supposed to get past the dragons flying around up there a second time?” Inara asked.
“Leave that to me,” Isabelle told us. “I will conjure a shield around your airship like the one I have around the college. I will make it invisible so it’s not as conspicuous. It should protect you during your journey.”
I looked at Dracen. “Can you not conjure a shield like the Royal Mage’s?”
“Uh, no,” Dracen said, almost as if he was embarrassed by his shortcomings. “My powers lean more towards illusion and destruction. It isn’t within my arsenal of powers to conjure a shield like Isabelle’s.”
“Able is it?” Inara said as she sauntered over to the young man. “How would you like to travel with me in the navigational compartment on the way to Kamora?”
Able smiled and for some strange reason I had a feeling he knew what was coming without having to see it with his third eye.
“Thank you, commander. I think I would enjoy riding in there with you.”
I rolled my eyes at Inara and turned to Dena to kiss her goodbye.
“You be a good girl for Gabriel,” I told her, to which she nodded. I stood and looked at the others. “I suppose we should be going.”
I walked up the steps to the living quarters of the airship, but just before I entered, I looked behind me and saw Aleksander standing in the doorway to the college staring directly at me. I nodded to him once in recognition of his presence and he nodded back. However, he didn’t make a move indicating he would be coming to give me a proper goodbye.
