Rakarthen Academy

by Clara Hartley

  I ran my eyes across my friend, shaking my head. “Smoking, drinking, sleeping way too much. Why are we good friends again?”

  “Because I’m stuck with you, and you always seem to drag me into the strangest of circumstances.” Kaji breathed out a puff of smoke. It flared out of his nostrils and mouth. “It’s entertaining.”

  “Hah!” I straightened, pointing a finger at his face. “You admit it. You like my company.”

  Kaji rolled his eyes. “I tolerate it.”

  “Come with me.”

  “Uh huh.” Kaji flicked the tip of his darkweed joint. “Where to?”

  “There are new visitors in Constanria. I’m not sure from where. But I met one of them earlier, and he has pointed ears.”

  “That doesn’t sound very interesting. Ly, we watch people shift into dragons all the time. Pointed ears don’t even mean anything.”

  “But his wings.”

  “You have wings, too.”

  “Boring black ones.”

  “Tell that to the darmars.” Darmars were dragon-kind who barely had any traits of dragons. They were human, mostly, though maybe with a few of the scales that showed from time to time.

  “You didn’t see them,” I said, putting down the dynfowl bone and flicking my fingers to clean them. “They were purple and bright and made from flames. They looked like magic. Dragon-kind don’t have wings like that.”

  “Hm.” Kaji still didn’t look impressed.

  “He called himself Cendri.”

  “Doesn’t ring a bell.”

  “And he’s supposed to be at my father’s court today. I’m not sure if I’ve already missed the meeting.”

  “You could have gone yourself. No need to bring me with you.”

  “I want you with me.”

  “Why?” Kaji raised a brow.

  “If I get into any trouble, it’ll be better if you’re there.” Plus, he was always around me for the fun stuff.

  He sighed then muttered something so softly under his breath that I couldn’t make it out. Kaji put out the joint on his bedside table. There were tons of black markings on the table, caused by his smoking habit. He moved slowly. Carefully. Kaji always took his time. I wondered if he’d still do so if my life were in danger. I didn’t recall a single instance when he’d hurried for something.

  “I’ll grab my things,” Kaji said. “Then we can go look at those pretty purple wings you keep talking about.” He pushed his blanket from his body and got up. Kaji slipped on his boots and tied his laces. He walked to the other side of his bed and took out his short spear. He usually kept it hanging closely behind his arm.

  “Can you grab them more quickly?”

  “I told you that you didn’t have to bring me along.”

  I turned away from him for a split second. When I looked up again, Kaji was already waiting at the balcony. He always did that, moving fast when nobody paid attention. He acted so casually that nobody would guess.

  Kaji looked over his shoulder. “You said you didn’t want to miss the meeting.”

  “I don’t,” I said, walking toward him. “You just always make me wait.”

  “Sure,” he replied, as I brushed past him and spread my wings, taking to the skies.

  Four

  The stares the evaradraes gave me always sent a strange feeling churning through my stomach. Those looks were directed at someone they hated. We left the evaradrae compound quickly, heading toward the meeting hall.

  “You okay?” Kaji asked.

  I glanced at him. “And why do you think I’m not?”

  “Because you have that look on your face.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m like this all the time.”

  “No, you’re not. I’ve been in your guard for seven years, Ly. I know it when you’re troubled.”

  I looked down, fixing my eyes on one of the rivers that flowed through the palace. Raynea, the city of Constanria, was built over a network of streams that supported an ecosystem of flora. I’d known acquaintances from our neighboring country, Beyestirya, who told me that Raynea was majestic. I’d lived here for so long that I didn’t see it. I wanted somewhere new. Somewhere better. A place where I hadn’t wronged anyone and where nobody hated me.

  “It’s the sour smell of your darkweed,” I said, flapping my wings so I moved ahead of Kaji. “Can’t help but frown at that.”

  “There, there,” Kaji said. “No need to lie. It’s something else.”

  My shoulders sagged, my heart growing heavy. Kaji could always see through my emotions. He had a sixth sense about them. I found that annoying and lovable simultaneously. “It’s the evaradraes.” I released a breath. “I don’t know why they’re getting to me so much lately. I’ve always known they hated me, but the looks have darkened. I don’t get it. I’ve always just tried to be their friend.”

  “Always?” Kaji asked.

  “Yeah.” Though the question made me doubt myself. “I mean, I’ve admired them since I learned that they were the strongest fighters in the drae lands.”

  “You weren’t always nice to them.”

  Kaji’s accusation brought back memories from my childhood. I didn’t want to acknowledge them. It was difficult to look at old mistakes and face them, because doing so would mean accepting that you were a horrible person at some point. Everybody wanted to be good. “It’s been years,” I said.

  Kaji’s wings beat against the wind. “You used to think you owned the evaradraes.”

  I scowled. “I didn’t.”

  “You sure acted like it. Coming in early in the morning and barging into the training grounds. Demanding that weaker boys fight you and then beating them up because you were a hidrae.”

  “I was twelve.”

  “Doesn’t change the fact that you were a big bully. I watched you from afar then. I remember absolutely hating your guts. We weren’t close. And when your father suggested I join your guard, I spat at the idea. I was dragged into it. My supervisor didn’t give me a choice.”

  I went silent.

  “Don’t get all pouty on me.”

  “I was a big asshole,” I replied, sighing.

  “For sure.” He nodded, not even caring to coddle me. We flew over the top of the council of intelligence—a crystal building containing obscene amounts of scrolls and books.

  I turned to Kaji, frowning. “You didn’t have to put it that bluntly.”

  He shrugged. “Wouldn’t have had the same impact if I didn’t.”

  “Gods. You’re right.” I dragged my hand through my hair.

  “I always am,” he said confidently.

  I grunted. “What changed, then? Why don’t you hate me like the rest of them?”

  “I was sent to your guard,” he said. “So, I learned that you weren’t all that bad.”

  “I’m not?”

  “You’re annoying, don’t get me wrong.”

  “Huh.”

  “But you have a good heart.”

  Kaji didn’t compliment me often. It was an unspoken rule between us. Good friends didn’t offer up compliments unless it was really necessary. How were we supposed to keep up our front of hating each other if we kept saying nice things?

  I blinked, stiffening at Kaji’s kind words. “Did you eat something strange today?” I glanced at the side of Kaji’s mouth, which had a smear of food. He was attractive enough to pull off his unkempt look, though I was sure more girls would swoon over him if he took the time to clean up his appearance.

  Kaji brushed aside my statement. “You’re daft and insensitive sometimes, but when people have trouble, you don’t run away. I remember the time you stayed up all night with your sister to clean the kitchen when she’d made a mess. You didn’t want her to suffer King Rylan’s punishment all alone. And if a member of your guard has a problem, you’ll do whatever you can to ensure it gets solved.”

  “Well, they’re my own people.” Even if they didn’t have the best impression of me.

  �
��Not everyone thinks that way, especially of others who speak ill of them.” Kaji screwed up his nose. “I don’t like hearing the things the evaradraes say about you.”

  “What things?”

  “It’s better you don’t know.”

  I sucked in a sharp breath. I’d always known that the evaradraes spread rumors about me, but I conveniently ignored that, preferring to be blind to the pain. “Thanks.”

  “What for?”

  “Just for being here. And, well, forgiving me.”

  “Takes an idiot to hold a grudge.”

  “I mean it,” I said, voice hardening. “I’m just really thankful for you, Kaj. It’s hard to talk to anyone these days. I mean, I have my parents. But they’re parents, so we can’t connect so much. And then there’s Daara. She’s always with the scholars. Juleanna’s found someone and she’s with him all the time. Kylen’s off studying in Beyestirya.” I scratched the back of my head. “I shouldn’t have offended so many people when I was younger. I thought as the princess I could do anything I wanted.”

  “You were a kid,” Kaji replied. “You didn’t know.”

  “Don’t go too easy on me, now.”

  Kaji ran a finger over the tip of his nose. “If you’re really thankful, you should learn not to steal my food every time you barge into my room.”

  “It’s bad to leave food out all the time anyway. What happened to sharing the love? Strength in numbers.”

  “Is that your excuse?”

  I blew a kiss his way, and that only made Kaji scowl even harder. He was always grumpy, but a puppy on the inside. He said I had a good heart, but his was the kindest. Kaji wasn’t born into wealth like me, but I knew he’d donated most of what he earned to the orphanage I liked visiting. Madame Gynelire, the head of the orphanage, absolutely loved it whenever he visited. For someone as lazy as he, he gave up much of his time to those children.

  When I asked him why he made such sacrifices, he’d replied, “I don’t have a family, so might as well help these kids find one.”

  I spotted my oldest sister, Daara, right outside the main court. Blue was the color of the Everborne family, but Daara absolutely loved her blacks. She was dressed in a black dress, as usual. Her hair was cropped short, right above her ears, and she wore two large earrings shaped like dragon skulls. I still loved her despite her fashion choice. In fact, much of the court did. Many dragon-kind mimicked her way of dressing despite how terribly dark it looked.

  “Evening, Lyra,” Daara said coolly. “Evening, Kaji.”

  I angled my wings before tucking them into my back, landing before her. “Have you seen the strange beings?”

  I wondered why she looked a bit peeved, but then I remembered that Daara was one for propriety. I’d forgotten to greet her. Before I could do so, however, Daara answered, “Those beings are called fae. Dragon fae, to be more exact. They exist in a realm that is known to few, Thesnan.” Daara read. A lot. She usually had a nose in a book while having the next one ready and tucked underneath her armpit. She took after my youngest father, Micah. Her memory wasn’t as perfect as his, but considering the things she’d learned in such a short time, it was pretty good.

  I pointed at the entrance of the court. “Were you there?” I asked. “Inside with them?”

  “Mom let me sit and listen while they had their discussions. You and Juleanna were invited, too, but you didn’t show.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek. “I wanted to attend, but Mom made me sit through religion studies.”

  “Because you were late for the first lesson?”

  “I wanted to skip it altogether.”

  Daara clicked her tongue against her teeth.

  I shot her a dirty look. “Are you chiding me, now?”

  “It’s okay, little sister. Not all of us have to be responsible.”

  “I pass the tests.”

  “Good leaders have to set good examples. Sometimes it’s not a matter of results, but the way you choose to live. Mother sees that I respect her orders despite knowing I don’t need the lessons. I won’t be attending them again. She’s trusting me with more duties because I’ve proven myself to her.”

  “Good for you.” I stuck my tongue out at her. Daara often spoke logically, and she was also right about most things. Weren’t those kind of people the most annoying? They were impossible to argue with. “You do whatever you want to do, Daara.”

  “I say that, but Father’s decision regarding you troubles me.” Daara’s lips turned downward.

  I waited for her to explain, and when she didn’t, I said, “About me?”

  “The fae are here to demand a truce.” Truce? Had we ever been at war? “They want an alliance between the dragon-kind and dragon fae.”

  I cocked my head. “What for?”

  “There’s a threat to all of the lands, apparently. Undead creatures.”

  Even Kaji looked surprised at that.

  “Undead?” I asked. “Like beings that refuse to stay dead?”

  “As the name implies,” Daara replied. I learned things fast, but nobody was as clever as Daara. The world seemed to spin half as fast when it came to her. It must have been frustrating to deal with people who couldn’t keep up.

  “I still don’t see how this has anything to do with me,” I said.

  Daara’s face tightened. “The fae aren’t used to outsiders. Their king wants the truce, but most of his people aren’t open to the idea. They want an emissary to return with them, to help ease the rest of the fae into the idea. And the king insists the emissary be you. They were quite adamant. He thinks that if any dragon-kind should go, someone with fae magic is best.”

  I pointed at my chest. “Me? As an emissary? Are they out of their minds?” Also, why did the blond, pointy-eared man keep saying that I had fae magic? I had no reason to believe I did. I hadn’t known about their kind till today.

  “That was the same thing I thought. You don’t get along with anybody.”

  I turned to Kaji. “I get along with him.”

  Kaji sniffed. “Barely.”

  “Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?” I asked.

  “What’s the fun in that?”

  I didn’t know what his problem was. He always complained that everything was boring, anyway.

  “Did Mom and our fathers agree?” I asked Daara.

  “They’re having discussions, but I think they might.”

  “What?”

  “I was as shocked as you. Kael was the most open to the idea. Gaius didn’t want any of it, and Mom said okay after much consideration. Of course, Rylan did mention having to talk to you first. He’s usually the most logical.”

  “I need to speak with them.” A range of emotions bubbled in my chest. I couldn’t decide what I truly felt about this situation. Anger? Panic? Fear? I’d lived in the palace my whole life. Sure, we had casual expeditions to our neighboring countries, but those never lasted for more than a few weeks, and I always had my family to keep me company. “And if I leave, can Kaji come?”

  “Dragging me around again, I see,” Kaji said.

  I didn’t have the time to bicker with him at the moment.

  Daara shook her head. “I don’t know, really. They’re still discussing the details inside.” She gestured at the court.

  I stiffened. “They’re still in there?”

  “Since it’s your fate they’re discussing, you should probably head in and join the discussions.” She paused. “You might want to calm down first.”

  “Is my temper that evident?”

  “Tact is not your strong point. Try not to slice the heads of our guests off.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a white figure shifting behind some shrubs. It was Mayhem. The ingoria didn’t always make his presence obvious, but he was always nearby, watching to ensure I was fine. I trusted him more than most of my evaradrae guard. I saw the sorrow in his eyes when we locked gazes. If I left Raynea, did he and I have to part, too?

  Five
r />   Kaji and I entered through the second floor of the main court and through the balcony. Daara didn’t want to partake in the proceedings anymore. She told me she had another literary project to finish with one of her scholar peers, and that she’d heard enough of their discussions to learn of the fae.

  My parents all sat atop a raised platform, facing four other males. Just like Cendri, whom I’d met in from of my tutoring building, the males had pointed ears. They were all just as surreal-looking as him. I wondered if they had the same level of rudeness, too.

  “I don’t like Cendri,” I said as I leaned over the balcony. I spoke in a hushed whisper because I didn’t want to interrupt the conversation my parents were having with their visitors. Judging by the shaking of their hands and cursory smiles, they were about to finish.

  “And why not?” Kaji asked, speaking equally as softly.

  “All he does is insult others.”

  Kaji snorted. “Must be nice to taste your own medicine, then.”

  I grunted in response.

  Standing in the center of the fae was a man wearing a crown on his head. He had long, flowing golden hair and was dressed in a large, feathery coat. I was guessing that, due to his ornate outfit, he was king of the fae. “We have one last thing to show you, King Rylan,” the man said. He nodded to Cendri, who, with a flick of his fingers, summoned a person out of nowhere. Orange light burst through the middle of the court. A second later, a figure stood in its place.

  Could magic do that? Where were the summoning spells he had to utter? Had he no regard for the cost of magic? Soul magic required sacrifices. My family was the most adept at controlling it. Even then, we stuck to the simple spells because we didn’t want to waste too many resources. Soul essence took time to harvest.

  I frowned at the disturbing sight before me. The person Cendri had summoned had a bag tied over his head.

  “What is that?” I asked. “Its flesh is rotting off its body and gods, that smell.” Dragon-kind, hidraes especially, were incredibly sensitive to scents. I gagged. The grimace on Kaji’s face made it clear that he shared my sentiments.

  “One of the undead,” Kaji said.