Lady Serra and the Draconian

by Catherine Banks

  I returned her smile and we entered the room to find the mood had soured.

  “You see what happens when the women leave,” she murmured into my ear. “Darkness descends.”

  She kissed Hadyn and the King on their cheeks before sitting between the frowning men.

  “What are you all scowling about?” she asked.

  “Nothing important, my dear,” the King replied and then a smile returned to his face. “Discussions that can wait until later.”

  Hadyn looked at me in question and I smiled at him as I stroked the necklace. He watched my fingers a moment and then his smile returned and the room lightened.

  He leaned closer to me and whispered, “I take it that you figured out who I am?”

  I let out a shaky breath and whispered, “Unless the stable master is on very good terms with the King, I’m going to guess that you’re the mystery Prince.”

  He laughed and said, “Yes, your guess is correct.”

  Wow.

  “You’re blushing,” he whispered, “Please don’t tell me that you’re going to scream and chase me around every time you see me now that you know I’m a prince? I hate when girls do that.”

  I laughed a bit louder than I intended, but he simply smiled back at me. “I’ll control myself,” I promised him quietly.

  Father stopped in front of the table, bowed to the royals, and then looked at me. “A word, please?”

  Uh oh. “Of course, Father.”

  I curtsied to Hadyn and followed my Father out of the room and into the deserted hallway.

  “What is going on?” he asked me angrily.

  “I didn’t know he was the Prince,” I told him immediately. “He attends Brevard with me and he hardly ever talked to anyone and then we became friends, but he still hadn’t told me. I would have sent you word about us coming here, but it was a surprise and I did not know where we were going until we got here. Mother knew, but she hadn’t told me and…”

  “You are flirting with the Prince while you are betrothed to another!” he bellowed at me and gripped my arm tight enough that I knew I would bruise.

  I flinched away from him and said, “The Marquess and I are no longer betrothed.”

  “What? Why is your betrothal dissolved?” he asked me angrily.

  “Because I killed him,” Hadyn answered as he stepped into the hallway.

  Father released his hold on me and took a step back. He put his court face on and asked, “What? Why would you kill Marquess Barnaby?”

  “What’s going on?” the King asked as he joined us.

  “Marquess Barnaby tried to force himself upon Lady Serra and struck her. I intervened and he grew enraged. He attacked Lady Serra again when she was leaving and almost killed her.” His fists clenched at his sides and he said, “He challenged me to a duel and I killed him in a fair fight.”

  “He attacked you?” Father asked me and then looked at Hadyn. “Are you certain that he tried to force himself upon her? Sometimes she can get worked up about…”

  “I’m certain.” Hadyn snapped.

  Father stopped talking and looked at me. “I’m sorry that he harmed you.” He turned to Hadyn and bowed. “Thank you for defending my daughter’s honor. Had I been there I would have dissolved their betrothal immediately.”

  I was trying not to cry, but it was difficult. Hearing Hadyn describe that night made me recall it all again. I hugged myself tightly and looked out the window at the town still partying.

  “I would suggest that you consider her current requests very carefully,” Hadyn said in a way that made me think there was some hidden meaning. Was it a threat to my Father? No, he would not threaten my father. What had he meant?

  “Requests?” Father asked and looked at me. “You’ve had new requests since that night?”

  “Four,” I responded in a soft voice. “Mother planned to discuss them with you when you returned and then you would make your decision and let me know who I was to be betrothed to next.”

  “Four?” Father asked softly. “Four?”

  Hadyn wiped a tear from my cheek and said, “We should return to the Festival. My favorite part is about to begin.”

  “Yes, go and have fun. I will speak to the Viscount to ensure that the Marquess’ death does not affect your family in any manner,” the King said.

  I looked at my Father and he looked pale and confused. “Father?” I asked.

  He nodded. “Go with Prince Hadyn.”

  I curtsied to my father and the King and then followed silently beside Hadyn as we walked back through the hallways we had entered through and towards the town square. He stopped me just before the doors and turned me towards him. I could not look at him.

  “Serra,” he whispered, “talk to me.”

  “Just, a moment please, I’m trying to lock them away.”

  “Lock what away?”

  “The emotions and memories.”

  He pulled me into a hug and I stiffened. He was the prince. I pulled out of his hold and turned away. It took a second, but I finally got myself under control and turned to him with a smile. “Okay, let’s go.”

  I started to walk to the doors, but he caught my hand and stopped me. “You promised that who I was wouldn’t change our friendship.”

  “It hasn’t,” I assured him.

  “Then why did you pull away from me?”

  I paused and said, “Although my feelings towards you have not changed, the way that I act with you has. I cannot be caught in the Prince’s embrace like that. If my Father caught me he…”

  “Serra, I’m still me.”

  “I know that!” I snapped. “But you’re still the Prince and there is protocol. A Lady isn’t supposed to act like…”

  “Like what?” he asked.

  “Like you’re a stable boy.”

  “If we were in the carriage would you have let me hug you?” he asked me quietly.

  “I may take a nap on our return ride,” I teased him.

  Before I could stop him, he hugged me again. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For keeping your promise.”

  “Well, this was a huge secret,” I said. “And I don’t think the shock has worn off quite yet. But, I can understand why you didn’t tell me.”

  “You forgive me then?”

  “Nothing to forgive.”

  He kissed my cheek and looped my arm in his as we went out into the cold night. In the center of the square, a tall fire roared and we stood close to it as we waited.

  “What happens next?” I asked him.

  “You’ll see.”

  “You have got to stop doing this to me.”

  “It’s something you have to see.”

  A man stood up on a platform and raised his hands. Sparks fizzled from his fingertips and then colored bursts of stars filled the sky. Children screamed happily and people murmured about them.

  I stared in open-mouthed wonder. It was beautiful.

  More and more explosions of color lit up the sky and then the patterns began to change and take shapes. Soon a bear of light ran across the sky, then a lion, and then more animals than I even knew.

  “Do you like it?” Hadyn asked me.

  “I love it,” I responded without taking my eyes off the sky.

  A huge dragon filled the sky, its wings beating and I swore I could hear it screech as it dove and flew. When the man finished everyone clapped including me.

  We walked back to the castle and he led me to the door of the room I was going to spend the night in since it was too dark to return home. The hallways were dark and empty so I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him. “Thank you. You are amazing. I’ll never forget this night.”

  He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me back. “You’re welcome.”

  How was he so warm when we had been out in the cold? I stepped closer to him and it felt like his warmth wrapped around me. I looked up at him and he kissed me. I was so shocked that I froze as his lips press
ed against mine. He slid a hand up my back, into the base of my hair and kissed me again. Despite fearing discovery or fearing this could hurt our friendship, I kissed him back. He was handsome, sweet, and I was going to have to spend the rest of my life in his debt.

  He pulled back and ran his finger over my lower lip. “Good night, Lady Serra.”

  I lowered my arms and somehow responded, “Good night, Prince Hadyn.”

  He walked away and I watched him go before entering the room with my fingertips touching my lips. The lips that he had just kissed. I was so in over my head.

  I leaned against the closed door and sighed happily. Even if I never kissed another man again, I would remember this kiss.

  “Surprise,” someone whispered from my dark chambers and then a hand shot out and grabbed me. I yelled in shock, but the person held me so that I could not escape and could not see who it was either.

  “You should know your place, milady. You were betrothed to Barnaby and you should have done whatever he wanted, no matter if you were married yet or not. Perhaps this lesson will stick and from now on you will not question the Elites when they give you an order.”

  Unbelievable pain filled my body, like fire burning my veins, but try as I might to scream, no sound would come out. The person punched my side and I swore I heard one of my ribs crack.

  “Women are here to serve. You should never refuse a man when he wants you. You simply remove your garments and wait for his instructions.”

  Fire lit my body up again. It had to be magic since there was nothing touching me besides the person. My mouth opened in a silent scream again.

  “If he tells you to fetch him a glass of water, you do it.” They punched my other side making me gasp. “If he tells you to pretend to be a dog, you bark. Do you understand!” The person was screaming at me and I had no clue who it was.

  They continued their attack until I could not stand. As I lay on the floor, they put their foot on my head and said, “Remember my lessons because if I see you disobeying other Elite in the future, I will return.”

  They lifted their foot and then dropped it on my head, knocking me unconscious.

  CHAPTER SIX

  “Oh my!” a woman yelled. “Milady! Milady, can you speak? Help! Someone get a healer!”

  I tried to open my eyes, but everything hurt. I took in a deep breath and that was a huge mistake. My ribs screamed in protest and I cried out in pain.

  “What’s going on?” a deep voice who sounded like the King asked. Footsteps approached and then a shocked gasp. “What happened?”

  “I just came to check on her and found her like this,” the woman who had yelled earlier said.

  “Fetch the healer immediately!” the King ordered. “Serra, can you hear me?” he asked her softly.

  I wanted to say yes, but was afraid to move. “Mm,” I grunted in response.

  “I’ve sent for the healer. Just stay still and he’ll be here soon.”

  “What are you doing in…Serra!” Hayden yelled.

  “Don’t touch her,” the King ordered.

  “What happened?” Hayden asked from close to my side.

  “We don’t know. The maid found her and called for help.”

  “I don’t see blood,” Hadyn whispered.

  Oh good, no blood meant I would probably be okay.

  “Where is that damn healer?” the King bellowed.

  “Here,” a soft male voice answered. Fingers prodded my body and then strange warmth, like a candle, moved up and down my body. “She’s got two broken ribs and most likely one hell of a headache.”

  That was putting it mildly.

  “Can you heal her?” Hadyn asked.

  He sounded genuinely worried about me. That thought made me warm until I remembered what the attacker had said. Who was that? They obviously were not just a Barnaby supporter since they had told me they would come back if it happened with other Elite.

  The warmth spread out over my entire body and then I could breathe easier and most of the pain dissolved.

  “How do you feel now?” the soft-spoken healer asked.

  “Better,” I whispered.

  “You can put her in the bed,” the healer instructed.

  “I can do…” I started to stand up, but Hadyn picked me up and gently carried me to the bed. “Thanks,” I whispered without looking at him.

  He set me down so that I could sit against the headboard and then pulled the blankets up to my chest. I accepted them and then watched as he grabbed my hand in his. I followed his arm up to his shoulder and then his face. He looked furious and worried at the same time. “What happened?”

  I dropped my gaze again and debated what to do. Should I tell him what they said? If I did not tell him everything would that person come back again?

  “Serra,” he whispered softly and stroked his thumb across the top of my hand. “Tell me what happened.”

  I told him everything without looking at him. When I finished he kissed the top of my head and then stormed out of the room. The King followed Hadyn and I was alone with the maid.

  “Would you like to get changed?” she asked me.

  “I don’t have clothes here,” I whispered.

  “I could wash them quickly while you’re taking a bath and give you some temporary clothes while yours dry,” she offered.

  “Temporary ones won’t be necessary,” the Queen said as she entered my room. “Karen, fetch Lady Serra some clothes.” The maid who had been behind the Queen turned and left quickly. The Queen sat beside me and patted my knee. “I owe you since my hospitality has been broken. I will not take no for an answer.”

  “I would never say no to you, Your Highness,” I whispered and felt broken and defeated.

  “Landon filled me in on what happened,” she told me.

  “Landon?” I asked.

  She laughed softly. “The King.”

  Oh.

  “I’m sure that you are frightened and that their words and their open ended threat scare you, but you must not listen to them.”

  She was partially right. I would not let some elite take me wherever they wanted, but I did not want another visit.

  “Women are not lesser beings. Listen to me, Serra. Do not let their words affect you. You continue in your life as you have. Hadyn likes you just as you are. Do not let this change you.”

  “Yes, Your Highness.”

  She touched the necklace on my chest and said, “He tore out of the room in a rage unlike any I have seen before. I think my godson might love you, Serra.”

  No. She was crazy. Any man would be furious that someone they were protecting was harmed and told such awful things.

  “I do not think the Prince loves me, Your Highness. He’s been unfortunately forced to protect me on multiple occasions and he feels responsible for my safety,” I told her.

  She smiled sweetly and said, “Let’s get you into that bath.”

  “The maid,” I began, but she silenced me with a stare.

  I stood and despite what the healer had done, I felt exhausted. She took the necklace off and I almost snatched it back. She set it on the table beside the bed and whispered, “We will put it back on as soon as you’re done.”

  I nodded and she untied the back of my dress.

  “Who gave you that beautiful necklace?” she asked. “Was it your Father?”

  “Hadyn…I mean Prince Hadyn bought it for me last night.”

  “I see. Did you know he was Prince before you met us?”

  “No,” I said with a shake of my head. “I hope you know that my shock last night wasn’t meant to be rude to you. I just…I had no idea he was a prince. I thought he was an Earl or something.”

  She laughed. “That sounds like him to hide his title. He was gone for a long time and he told us when he came back that he didn’t want a formal announcement.”

  “Why didn’t he want an announcement?” I asked as I stepped out of the dress.

  “He wanted to be able to see the peop
le and find out what was going on without them knowing who he really was,” she answered.

  “That does sound like him,” I agreed.

  She helped me walk to the bathroom where a tub was and lifted my slip off my shoulders for me. Carefully stepping into the hot water, I sat down into it slowly to let my body acclimate. I sighed and relaxed until the Queen rolled up her sleeves and started washing my hair.

  “You can’t…I can’t….”

  “Shh,” she ordered me. “I was never able to have children of my own. I always wished for a little girl so that I could brush and braid her hair,” she told me.

  “My Father wished for a son,” I replied. “Though, I suppose that is more for passing on the name than anything else.”

  “Hadyn tells me that you’re Mother is skilled in magic.”

  “Yes, she’s quite powerful.” However, her sleeping spells needed some work.

  “Yet the magic did not pass to you?”

  I shook my head sadly.

  “Does this upset you? Do you wish you had powers?”

  “Every day,” I admitted. “I wish I could be a shapeshifter or something at least.”

  She laughed softly. “Most without the Gifts feel that way.”

  “Do you have a Gift?” I asked.

  She smirked. “I do.”

  When she did not respond I did not pry. She rinsed my hair and then put more soap in and scrubbed my scalp. It felt amazing.

  “Aren’t you going to ask what it is?”

  “I didn’t want to pry.”

  She laughed. “You have a good heart, Serra. I can see why you and Hadyn are friends.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m a shifter,” she told me.

  I turned in shock and caused soap to get into my eyes. I dunked my head to get the soap out and when I finally cleared the water out of my eyes, she was smiling broadly. “Really? What type of shifter?”

  “That is a secret for another time. Very few know I’m a shifter in the first place,” she said.

  “I won’t tell anyone,” I promised. I bit my lip because I had a million questions, but she must have noticed.

  “Ask.”

  “What does it feel like?”

  “It’s like breathing for the first time after holding your breath for a while. It feels amazing.”