The satyr scrutinizes me, as if contemplating everything I just told him. “Your father promised me freedom. He said that if I helped him find the wizard, he would speak with King Kryden—the one who banished me—and see about having my sentence reduced. And yet a hundred years have passed and still, here I am, unable to leave this terrible land.”
“Did you ever consider the possibility that my father kept his promise? He may have spoken to the king of Miraunus, but if Kryden said no, there wasn’t anything more he could do.” I can hope that’s what happened. I can’t imagine Father not keeping his promise.
“How would I know? I’m still here. Perhaps he just forgot or couldn’t be bothered to ask.” Khende looks away, still showing temper.
“Help me, Khende. Help me find the wizard, and I will speak with King Kryden. And if the answer is no, I will come back and tell you so you don’t have to wonder.”
“I can show you what I showed your father, and nothing more. The rumors of a wizard here are just that—rumors. There is nothing to prove such a thing. I’ve never seen him, and the only time he’s sought out to my knowledge is when two kings came asking for help finding him. In the morning, I will show you where I took your father. The one place it would make sense for such a person to dwell in a place like this.” With that, he lies down on his back and begins snoring.
“Thank you,” I mutter and lie down as well.
“WAKE UP, DRAGON!” Khende shouts into my ear.
I force an eye open and see him jumping up and down in front of me just so he can reach the top of my head. “Is it truly morning?” I groan.
“It is. And we’d best be going because there’s a bit of a walk.”
“Could you spot the place we’re looking for from the sky?” I stretch out, forcing myself to get up before I fall asleep again.
“I suppose it would be easy enough.” He shrugs.
“Then we’re not walking.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Khende holds up his hand. “I did not agree to fall to my death. We’re not flying.”
“Either you can climb up on my back and hold on, or I can pick you up in my talons and carry you. I am stuck as a dragon—you had better believe I’m going to use it to its full advantage,” I huff.
“You’ve survived walking this long. What will one more day hurt you?” He begins looking a bit desperate.
“One more day away from the love of my life, another day not getting to marry her, leaving her to help run a kingdom. One more day could change everything. Right now, one more day is a matter of life and death. I must find a way to break this spell. We are flying.” I won’t argue with the creature anymore. If he chooses not to come, I’ll find the one I seek on my own.
“Fine, we’ll fly. I don’t like it. In fact, I hate it, so I hope you appreciate this.” He goes back to mumbling as he climbs up my scales and rests on my neck. It’s a rather odd sensation, and not something I’d like doing ever again.
“I assure you, I am more uncomfortable right now than you are,” I grumble and take flight.
“Go toward the mountains!” he yells over the wind.
I turn and follow his directions. Within an hour, we can make out trees and creatures atop them. “Where to now?” I call to him.
“There.” He points, his hand only barely visible in my peripheral vision.
I look down to see black smoke rising from a stack on the side of a small cottage. I dive down, enjoying terrifying Khende as I go, stopping short and landing perfectly.
Khende gets down, griping, but I ignore him and begin walking to the house, excited for what I may find. “Not so fast there, buddy!” the satyr calls out. I slow to be kind because he did just help me, but I’d much rather be on my way.
He passes me without a word, and I have half a mind to roast him. He’d never see it coming. But I don’t. Instead, I take another step forward.
My paw throbs in pain. I step back and look at the ground to find what caused so much agony. “What’s this?” I nudge the key with my nose. It’s made of thick glass, a skeleton head as the grip, and two teeth on the other end. It’s the length of my smallest talon and must weigh at least a pound.
“What now? I thought you were in a hurry.” Khende comes back and looks down, then picks up the key. “That’s heavy!” he exclaims, almost dropping it.
“Any idea what it opens?” I look around and see nothing like it, nothing it could belong to.
“How would I know?” He shrugs. “But we should keep going. The sooner this is over, the better. I’d like my freedom.” He tosses the key back on the ground.
I use my talons to scoop it up. “Do you have a piece of leather?” I think holding on to it is a good idea. Something like this must be important.
Khende stops once again, grumbling. “Now what would you want leather for?”
“I can’t exactly carry this in my claw and I don’t have pockets.” I drop the key in front of him.
“Lucky for you, I do.” He picks up the key and shoves it into his trouser pocket, though it sticks out, too large to fit.
The smoke we saw from above comes into view, but there’s no building. No cottage, not a house of any kind. All that sits in our path is a door. No walls holding it up, no visible building behind it.
“I think I found what that key belongs to.” Khende hurriedly pulls it back out.
I can’t take my eyes away from the door, staring at every little detail. Frosted glass, a skull in the middle, its mouth a keyhole. I run my claw down it, but it leaves no mark. I push harder, but still, it only makes a terrible noise. My scales stand on end and I take a step back, not ever wanting to hear such a sound again.
“Do you want me to open it?” Khende asks quietly. He has to repeat himself when I can’t hear him, considering our height difference.
“I haven’t decided yet.” I continue analyzing it. Is there a chance this is what my father found in his search for the wizard? What are the odds of this being someone’s front door? Then again, it’s in the forbidden lands. If I were to live here, I would make sure my house was indestructible. However, I would not leave the key out for anyone to find.
“I have to open it. There’s no wizard on this side of the door.” I look down to Khende and try to gauge his reaction.
“Would you like me to come as well?” he asks, trembling as if he hopes I say no.
“You have done your part, and I appreciate your help. I will not ask you to come with me. We don’t know what we’ll find, and frankly, in your position, I wouldn’t want to go in there either.” I look down at the satyr and extend my arm, opening my talons.
He nods and drops the key in my palm. I attempt to use my talons to insert the key. It falls from my grasp with a clink.
“Who am I kidding? You can’t unlock the door. How do I expect you to survive alone?” He smiles, though it is only for show, before picking up the key and sliding it into the door. He turns it, and with a click, the door pops open.
A cold breeze washes over us, and it feels as if I’m frozen. But I shake myself out of it and walk through the opening. There’s only blackness.
The world of color and life disappears behind us as we step into nothingness. I begin shivering, the extreme cold beyond any weather I’ve had to deal with before.
“Any ideas where we are?” I ask Khende, my teeth chattering.
“Somewhere dark and cold,” he responds, shaking just as much as I am.
“Welcome, King Aurelio,” a deep voice says, sounding as if it’s coming from all directions. There is no light, nothing to either side of me that I can feel, only the ground beneath our feet. And no one that I can see—even Khende is invisible to me right now—and a fear like nothing I’ve ever felt grips at me.
I take a step forward, hoping something becomes visible soon. I keep walking, wishing this hadn’t happened. Wanting to be anywhere but here. I take another step and find a glimmer of hope as something white flutters by.
With each step, a
little more white appears. First the butterfly, then flowers. An odd light shines down from above, and I can’t help but notice there’s no color. Everything looks dead, yet living. It’s peculiar.
“Welcome to Itrummortui,” the same voice from before announces. “Khende is free to leave or stay. But you, Aurelio—you are not so lucky.”
I turn the bend, following the rotting, blackened trees and plants and come to find a throne of sorts. Sitting in it is a dragon, his cheeks sunken in, his horns jagged. His wings are torn. I look down, and the feeling of despair returns. I, too, appear to be damaged—or at least I am partially that way. The blues of my scales –now jagged and broken- have vanished, replaced with the same black as the dragon before me.
“What is going on?” I open my wings, which are thankfully still intact.
“You have entered the city of the undead.” He answers as if that is no strange reply.
“Why am I here? What is going on? Who are you?” I can’t help the overwhelming number of questions that flood my thoughts.
“Calm down, Aurelio. All your questions will be answered in due time. First, you must listen, for there are rules to this game. And if they are not followed, the consequences are not pretty.” The dragon stands and walks toward me. “First, know that every choice you make from here on out comes with a heavy burden. Second, understand that even if you wish to interrupt, if you think you know the answer, do not speak until asked. Third, you must allow me to tell you everything before making your choice.”
“My choice is to go home,” I say, not wanting to play his games.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. What did I just say? You must hear me out. You cannot decide without knowing your options,” he scolds.
“I want to return to my home, to be with those I love, and I wish to be able to shift once more, no longer trapped in my dragon form.”
“All very noble things, but you still have not allowed me to finish with the rules, with the game, and therefore, what you want is irrelevant. We can try this again tomorrow. Take him to the dungeons,” he says to whomever stands in the shadows. Or perhaps he speaks to the shadows themselves, because that is what grabs hold of me, dragging me away into the oblivion, back into utter darkness.
I WANDER THE EMPTY halls of the castle, amazed at how silent it is even in the dead of night. I run my fingers across the pillars and beams as I walk past them, the moonlight filling in the gaps where nothing stands to block the light.
Entering the ballroom, I hear music playing in my head, a memory from so long ago. Where Aurelio once took me in his embrace, there is nothing. I hold out my arms as if he is reaching for me, waiting to dance with me, and spin, twirling, my skirt flowing out and around me. I continue pirouetting until I’ve glanced across the ballroom and found myself at the opposite doors.
With a defeated sigh, I push through them and continue down the corridor. I have no destination in mind, no duty to fulfill, but when the sun rises, tomorrow will be a repeat of today, between speaking to people in need and trying to tame the council as they rush to push me out.
And the ache that’s taken up home in my heart as I wonder every moment if Aurelio will ever return. If he’ll survive whatever fate the wizard has for him. “Why can’t you be here?” I say to the emptiness, wishing the king could hear me.
“Zanta?” A dark voice startles me.
I look up to see Castel approaching me from the shadows. “Good evening.” I curtsy, fumbling a bit, embarrassed that he overheard me.
“Are you well? When I heard a commotion, I did not expect to find you here.” He puts his hand on my shoulder, perhaps trying to comfort me, though if that is the case, it doesn’t work.
“I am, Castel. Thank you. And my apologies for disturbing you. That was not my intention.” I bow my head, ashamed.
“All is well. Come sit with me in my chambers. We’ll have a cup of tea.” He places his arm around me and guides me, not really giving me a choice.
I don’t like the idea. Castel scares me. He has never liked me, which he has made clear. And now I am left ruling the kingdom at his side with Aurelio who knows where, but certainly not here. A chill runs down my spine, but I ignore it and continue walking.
We enter his chambers, and he promptly closes the door before leading me to the sitting area. The room is surpassed only by the king’s. Sofas and chairs circle a round table covered with sweets and drinks, as if he were planning on having company tonight.
The door to what I presume to be his personal chambers is closed, and that does comfort me a bit.
“Please, help yourself. Belen was kind enough to prepare some snacks and drinks for me, as she knows I have not been sleeping of late.” Castel sits on the long sofa. He leans his head back and rubs at his face.
“What troubles you?” A silly question, as the answer seems obvious, but I ask all the same.
“If I had to venture a guess, the same thing that has you wandering the halls at night when the rest of the kingdom is fast asleep.” He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees and looking at me curiously.
“Aurelio,” I whisper.
“Indeed. Our king has left us with a great task that has become a heavy burden to bear. Luckily, neither of us must go it alone.” He grabs a biscuit and chews away at it slowly.
“No offense meant, but it doesn’t feel that way to me. The people don’t want me—they want their king, and it has been made clear that I will never replace him, not that I wish to. It wouldn’t matter to me if Aurelio were a farmer—I’d love him all the same. My only wish is to be with him. I don’t want his kingdom if he isn’t in it, but there are those who judge me, who assume the worst of me. Some would say I cursed the king myself just so I could rule. A silly thought, considering I too am cursed.” Every word about Aurelio makes my ache only greater.
“Zanta.” Castel moves closer and takes my hand in his. “I must admit that I had those very thoughts. To be quite honest, I have been thinking the worst of you since the day my brother and sister-in-law brought you in. But Aurelio trusts you—he loves you with all his heart and soul. I have no doubt that he would sacrifice everything for you, and the night before this curse came to be, I promised him I would give you a chance. Now, seeing your heartbreak, I feel it is not possible for you to have been a part of the curse. But I must ask, who would say you caused it, when we’ve only told the people that their king is ill?”
“I don’t know. If I had any clues I would have told you.” I shake my head, wishing I had a better answer.
“These last few days, working beside you, teaching you how to run a kingdom, have made one thing very clear—you belong here. You belong with our king. And no matter how hard it may seem, no matter how difficult things become, I will be by your side until Aurelio returns. We will make it through this. And one day soon, you will be the rightful queen of Dracameveo.”
His words surprise me. I’ve known he didn’t like me, didn’t trust me, but to know that his feelings are changing is quite a shock—a good one.
“Castel, I’m so sorry. I almost wondered if you cursed us. The way you’ve watched me since my arrival, the way you made it so clear to Aurelio that you did not think I was a good choice in wife and queen, I feared it was you plotting against us from the very beginning. But now you vow to help me through this, and it worries me even more. If you believe in me, if you are helping me, exactly who is it that wishes for me to be gone?”
“I do not know, but I assure you, it isn’t me. Another thing we must consider is that whatever forces have caused such turmoil could be unseen, someone or something we haven’t met. The curse may be nothing against you personally. Think on it—Aurelio’s father went through the same thing.”
“Well, yes, but when you first told us that story, I was still under the impression that you would never like me, let alone help me, so please don’t take offense that I thought you could have had something to do with that. I mean, truly, how would it look to you if the same person witnessed tw
o kings go through such an ordeal?”
He turns to better face me, now holding both of my hands. “I am so sorry for all the distress I’ve added to your already difficult time. You’re right—it does truly look bad for me, but I promise, I had nothing to do with it. I don’t want to be king. Some believed me to be cursed myself, in a manner, but truly, it’s a blessing, my situation. I am happy being a guide, in the background, away from prying eyes.” His eyes are wide and his voice rushed.
“Forgive me, but I’m not sure I understand what you’re talking about.” I bite my lip, thinking over everything I know of Castel.
He sits back and runs a hand over his face. “I had assumed Aurelio told you this, but now I see he did not. A very little known fact about me, dear? I only have one form. Though born to dragon-human shifter parents, I myself am only human. Ignacio was my younger brother. Had I been born with his ability to change form, it is I who would have been king. This is why for so long, people have suspected me of causing trouble, bringing terror and causing the curses –as if that’s something I could have done - and hate. Some believe it is I who set the dragons on all those villages, including yours.” He looks away, seemingly ashamed, even though it isn’t true.
“Please, don’t be saddened. What others believe is their choice. That doesn’t make any of it true, does it? I am grateful to know that you are the loving uncle Aurelio believes you to be, but it still leaves us with the mystery. You say your brother went through the same thing Aurelio suffers now. Aside from the wizard, is there nothing you can remember that might help us presently?”
Curse of the Undead Dragon King (Skeleton Key) Page 7
