by Emma Hamm
That was the last thing she needed to happen.
The sound of soft footsteps reached her ear. She glanced over her shoulder at Camilla who mockingly bowed. They’d found it easier to say she was a maid from Wildewyn, and that explained why she disappeared so often. If she acted the part of a lady’s maid, no one questioned where she was.
“My lady.”
“Sister.” Sigrid shook her head and reached out her hands.
The simple gesture was all Camilla needed to race forward and flop onto the cushions at her feet. “You are feeling well?”
“Better than before.”
“The poison is gone then.” Camilla rolled onto her belly and plucked at the strings of a nearby pillow. “I told him it would work.”
“You took a risk.”
“He took a risk. I should have been the one with you.”
“I fear what I would have done.” Sigrid sighed. “It's been too long since I allowed the drakon to take control. Neither of us knew where we were, or even who we were.”
“Loved ones can always help the beasts remember. We aren’t animals, Sigrid. The beast and us are one and the same. I wish you would accept that.”
“I’m nearly there.”
She remembered the freedom of being the dragon. There was so much power in that body. So many reasons to feel as though she were free. The beast knew how to keep itself safe, but more than that it seemed to understand a part of Sigrid that she had never seen before.
It knew she wanted to soar through the skies just to hide from other people. She wanted to be alone as no one else on land could ever be alone.
Gods, how she wanted to fly. Could she? Her wings had felt strong, her body lithe, and the moment she beat at the air with her arms, she knew she could have lifted herself from the ground.
It didn’t feel possible to lift such a large animal into the air, but she knew deep in her belly it could happen. She could have burst free from that underground chamber and launched herself into the sky. Then she could have flown away, across the sea, far from this place until she found a new land where Beastkin could say what they were, be who they were, without fear.
Camilla touched a hand to her knee. “Sigrid? Where did you go?”
“My thoughts are troubled.”
“The sultan again?”
“He has no wish to let anyone know what we are.” Sigrid was careful with her words, choosing each one so that anyone listening to their conversation would think she was speaking of her sisters. “It feels as though I’m betraying our people just by agreeing to his terms.”
“Then perhaps you don’t need to.” A spark of mischief lit in Camilla’s eyes. “There is more than one with whom you could speak.”
The sparrow boy.
“Have you found him?” Sigrid asked excitedly, then lowered her voice to a whisper. “Are there more?”
“Many more.”
Camilla’s mask lifted in a grin, and Sigrid felt a door open in her future. One she could enter but never exit from again. She blew out a breath. “When can we meet them?”
“They said I could bring you any time, although it will be a little more difficult now that I cannot fly. They are far from here, out in the deserts.”
“Why so far?”
“The city is a dangerous place for them. We would need at least three days.”
“Three days?” Sigrid repeated. “I don’t know if I can disappear for that long. I’ll have to tell the sultan a story. Perhaps a religious walk we must do? Something he would believe and that he won’t insist on coming with us.”
“Why do you even need his permission? You’re the sultana.” Camilla tapped her fingers against her mask, a bad habit she’d had since they were children. “You shouldn’t have to ask for permission.”
“And yet, even here I am a caged pet.” She tried to think of any plan that might work and found herself lost. “He won’t let me go without a guard.”
“Why does he care? If he didn’t want to…” Camilla paused then rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. All that talk for nothing, and he still protects you as if you cannot do it yourself.”
She wanted to meet these men desperately. What more could they tell her? Did they know what had happened to divide their people between countries? Men and women alike?
Her mind spun with unanswered questions that were infinitely important.
Camilla tapped her mask again. When Sigrid didn't look at her, she reached up and tapped Sigrid’s mask.
“What is it?” Sigrid huffed.
“A little sparrow told me there’s a balcony nearby.”
She narrowed her eyes. “A sparrow?”
“Rather small and insignificant, but an intriguing little beast to say the least.” Camilla’s gaze glimmered as it did when she knew something exciting was about to happen. “Perhaps you want to speak with this sparrow as well?”
The boy had taken a great risk in coming here. Sigrid pushed to her feet and smoothed a hand down the silver bodice of her icy gown. Bells were sewn into the bottom of the bodice, and they chimed as she moved.
“Shall we investigate this balcony? I would very much like to look across Bymere and see the city from up high.”
Shadows danced in the corner as one of the concubines moved. Sigrid couldn’t tell for sure if the woman had been listening to their conversation, but she wouldn’t be surprised. It seemed the sultan’s first wife had her finger on every pulse that existed within these walls. Sigrid had yet to figure out what the woman did with her information.
Camilla linked their arms and dragged Sigrid through the concubine hall. It was a beautiful place. The center hall was three steps down from the level which led to each woman’s room. Twin pools lined the hall with waterlilies growing from the depths. She’d seen no one taking care of the flowers. They seemed to grow as if by magic.
The hall itself was made of yellow marble. Intricate carvings and statues filled every nook and cranny. It was a blessing for the women to be gifted such beautiful artistic works, she’d been told. Women could appreciate the finer touches of mankind.
It made Sigrid want to vomit. They held these women like little birds in golden cages, only taking them out to sing every now and then.
However, the concubines seemed quite happy with their lives. A cluster of them walked in the opposite direction of Sigrid and Camilla, giggling and falling over each other on their way to one of their rooms.
Pretty things. Each one was a delicate flower. A rose bloomed in one corner, the fabric of her pale pink dress dancing as she moved. A tiger lily lifted a graceful hand to pour water for another, the orange fabric fluttering in the slight breeze.
Sigrid nodded to them all as they walked by, hiding her emotions behind her mask. They were weak little women, but she admired their beauty all the same.
Camilla tugged her away from the hall and down through the servants’ quarters where none of the women were supposed to go. They weren’t allowed to be alone with men. Unless, of course, they were also a servant.
“Hurry,” Camilla urged. “I don’t want anyone finding us. They’ll ask questions, and we don’t have time.”
Sigrid lifted her skirts and raced after her sister. “I have to wear these dresses, you know that.”
“Not all the time!”
“If the sultan orders my presence, I cannot show up in men’s pants and a training shirt.”
“Why not? He’s already seen you at your worst.” Camilla glanced over her shoulder with a saucy grin on her face. “Or maybe not your worst. I’ve also seen you swimming.”
“Run faster, owl. I suddenly desire roast bird.”
They tried to hold hands over their mouths to muffle their laughter, but Sigrid was almost certain at least one man saw them. She tossed caution to the wind. Let the sultan find out she had gone down into the servants’ quarters. What would he do? She was enjoying his palace and all of the hidden secrets in its halls. Surely, he wouldn’t be angry at her for that.
Camilla skidded to a halt in front of a door and pressed a finger to her lips. “Wait, let me make sure he’s still there.”
“You aren’t my personal guard, by the gods.” Sigrid pushed by her and opened the door.
The balcony had an impressive view of the desert, but not of the city. Perhaps, this was why it was in the servants’ quarters. A bucket sat in one corner, likely waiting for someone to take and clean, but it was the view that caught her eye.
The sun was low on the horizon. Sand caught its rays and turned the entire desert to gold. Rolling sand dunes gently sprayed in the wind, and the entirety of the view was framed by giant, black mountains far in the distance. The Edge of the World could be seen even from here.
A shadow peeled away from the wall, and the blue-eyed boy she remembered stepped forward.
“Sultana.”
“So, it is you,” she said, smiling and reaching out for his hand. “I’m glad you made it here.”
He stared at her hand in horror. “My lady, are the rumors not true? It’s said to touch the sultana is to lose a hand.”
Sigrid understood why he would think so, but it hurt her heart to know he feared her. She shook her head and swallowed all her own fear that rose in response.
“It’s true for any human. The rules of the Beastkin are clear. None but family may touch a Beastkin woman, the punishment is removing whatever touched their skin. None but family may see a Beastkin woman’s face, the punishment for that is death.” She took a deep breath, reached up, and unhooked the clasps of her mask.
It was a dangerous thing to do, but as matriarch of the Wildewyn Beastkin, it was up to her to make the right choice. Their people needed to understand that Beastkin were united, even across countries.
She pulled the mask away from her face and held it out to Camilla who stared at her with wide eyes. Only one other male had ever seen the last remaining drakon female’s face. She squared her shoulders in pride and met the boy’s gaze.
He paled. “My lady, I don’t wish to die.”
“And so you shall not.” She reached forward again and caught his hand. “You are family. Don’t you understand? All Beastkin are family in some way, shape, or form. It’s an honor to meet you, because I can see you without the mask. You are a blessing to me and to my people. We have been alone for so long.”
Tears built in his eyes. The boy stared at her with wonder, his eyes flicking to the side where Camilla removed her mask as well.
“I didn’t think it was possible to find people like you,” he finally choked. “We thought all our women had died, hunted down by the Bymerians. Our numbers have dwindled for centuries until we finally ran away to the desert.”
“Then it’s good we found each other.” She released his hand, feeling overwhelmed by the sudden touch. Sigrid didn’t know how to be this woman who was comfortable with other people. She would try. It was the right thing to do. Unfortunately, it would take time.
“The leader of our people would like to meet you,” the boy said.
She waved a hand in the air. “Yes, we will speak soon. What is your name?”
“My name, Sultana?”
“Yes.” She smiled at the surprise in his voice. “I wish to know your name first, and then his.”
“I am Altair.” He stared up at her with wide eyes. “Why do you wish to know my name?”
“So I know what to call you.” And because she wanted to know the name of the angel who had taken the first step in bringing their people together. “And the name of your leader?”
“He is known as Jabbar. He sent me to ask when you will come.”
Sigrid tried to think of the lie she would tell Nadir, but couldn’t come up with anything believable when her head was filled with such magic. There were Beastkin in Bymere, and they knew who she was. They wanted to meet, to talk, perhaps even to unite their people. Her soul sang with the possibilities.
“Tell him I will send a message soon. I must find a way to sneak away from the palace without anyone knowing where I have gone, but I eagerly await meeting him.”
“Shall I tell him the truth?” Altair glanced at her mask. “I have not told him what kind of Beastkin you are. I didn’t know if it would be an insult. Our ways are very different.”
Bless the boy and his foresight. She hadn’t thought at all what the Beastkin men would do if they knew a drakon was in their midst. Having such a powerful creature was both good and bad. If they wished to rise up against the sultan…
It was too much to think of. She didn’t know what she would do. The man wasn’t good for his country. He wasn’t taking the steps she wanted him to take, but he also wasn’t evil.
And he was a drakon as well. She couldn’t allow them to risk his life.
Sigrid shook her head. “No, don’t tell him yet. If he insists, say I wanted to tell him what I was myself. That it’s better to know in person.”
“He’ll hazard a guess at that.”
“But he won’t guess a drakon.” No one would. They had been dead for hundreds of years other than her own single line hidden away in Wildewyn.
And that of the sultan.
“Go now,” Sigrid said. “It’s not safe for you to be here, and I won’t risk your life. Camilla will find you again when I know how to reach your people.”
“Be safe, Sultana.”
She watched him change into a sparrow at the blink of an eye and dive off the edge of the balcony. Her chest ached at seeing him go.
There was much her people didn’t understand or know. They couldn’t have possibly guessed at what she would find here in Bymere. This was a country full of secrets hidden deep within the sands.
“Shall I fetch Raheem?” Camilla asked.
“Why?”
“You’ll want to ply the sultan with sweets and alcohol to get anywhere,” her sister grumbled. “That man will not let you out of the palace without a guard. And we can’t take a guard where we’re going.”
“I know that. I don’t intend on walking though.”
Camilla stepped in front of her, holding up the golden dragon mask. “Just how do you intend to greet these men?”
The mask settled over her face once again. The cold metal felt like a prison the moment it touched her cheeks.
Sigrid reached for Camilla’s mask and did the same for her sister. “As a drakon.”
Nadir
Nadir stood in his great hall, staring at the throne. What would his brother have said about all this madness? A Beastkin woman as sultana, a dragon as sultan. A secret neither of them could ever share with the people of Bymere.
Madness, that’s what he would have said. He'd said time and time again, if Nadir insisted on remaining a Beastkin then he would have to control it. Merge the man and the monster, learn how to be the stronger side of the coin, and never flip it over unless he absolutely had to.
Hakim had always feared the dragon. Even when Nadir was just a boy, and the dragon was just a whelp, his brother had looked at him with pity and sadness.
To be Beastkin in Bymere was a curse. Whoever found him in his other form would kill him on sight if they could.
His brother had been right. There were too many people who despised him. Too many vipers in the sands who wanted to strike at his ankles.
Nadir didn’t want to think what his first wife would do if she found out. She hated Beastkin nearly more than he did. Every inch of her was afraid of them. Likely because she couldn’t explain them.
He understood that fear. He’d been afraid of himself long before he understood he could control the dragon, and that it was as much a part of him as anything else. But explaining that to someone who couldn’t change into an animal would be impossible. Saafiya couldn’t understand him, so he didn’t even try.
He’d been careful his entire life to never have a child. The advisors thought it likely that he couldn’t have them. He’d heard their whispers behind his back, wondering why there wasn’t an heir. Saafiya had a child from h
er first marriage, the boy nearly the same age as Nadir, so it wasn’t that she wasn’t capable.
Let them spread whatever dark rumors they wanted to. He wouldn’t curse another to this life in the shadows.
“Husband?”
He stiffened at the voice, squeezing his hands hard behind his back. “I requested that no one enter.”
“I didn’t ask for permission.” Her amused tones eased the tension in his neck.
Sigrid. How did she always find him when he was at his worst? He turned and found her striding toward him.
Her graceful steps hardly shifted the fabric of her gown. Icy blue today. Tiny bells sang at her waist with every slight movement. She was beautiful, like the babbling brook in the forest he’d seen only once in Wildewyn.
What a woman he’d captured.
Bowing low, he said, “Wife, you’re looking particularly beautiful today.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere.”
“And what can I do for you?” He gestured at the horseshoe arches revealing the sinking sun. “It’s not yet time for dinner.”
“I thought perhaps you would be interested in escaping with me for a few hours this evening? Surely, the sultanate can survive without you for one night.”
“It’s a dangerous request. My advisors will plot yet another assassination attempt.”
“You could kill them instead.”
How he wished he could. Nadir lifted a hand and ran it through his hair. “The advisors come from all areas of Bymere. They are more representative of this kingdom than I am. It is through their mouths that my people speak. To kill one, or send one home, is an act of civil war.”
“Even if they try to kill you?”
“Even then.”
She arched a brow, mask shifting with her movement. “They must do much better than last time to get through me.”
“Yes, I suspect they know that.”
The memory was one he couldn’t easily forget. She was a far better warrior than his men although he was proud to know he’d bested her. Nadir rested easy knowing that if he had to, he could subdue her.
A heated part of his mind also enjoyed the knowledge that his dragon was larger. He couldn’t have guessed that if he wished. The male sand lizards that basked in the sunbeams around the palace were always smaller than their mates. It made little sense that dragon males were larger, and yet he was.
