A Story of Blood and Thorns

Chapter 20

Drakon paces around the room, muttering to himself, while I figure out what to do. Sabien is most likely out of the picture. If the king sent him, which he did, I would have to persuade the king that I never went to the dungeons. That Sabien was attacked by someone else. The king cannot know that Drakon is alive.

He walks past me for the fifth time, his wings folded tightly on his back. His wands wave around in circles as he talks to himself. It's a moment before he sees me eyeing him.

"Yes?"

"I have a plan," I say. Down the hall, I hear people shouting. Something crashes. From the sound, it seems like someone threw a vase to the ground, which then shattered into a million pieces. "But you need to leave. My friend is coming soon, and you can return then. While that happens, you should figure out where your family is."

His hair falls into his eyes as he thinks. "That sounds good. The palace has changed greatly over the decades, but I know most of my way around. I will meet you both in the dungeons."

"How old are you?" He seems older, much older than he looks.

He smiles, showing off sharpened canines. "A little over 100. And you, princess, are seventeen. Your birthday is in a few days. Two days, to be exact."

"I'm going to be eighteen in two days?" All this time and I never once thought about when my birthday is. It never seemed of any importance. But now, I guess, the prophecy requires me to be eighteen.

"On the spring equinox," he says with another smile. "The start of a new season, and with it, a new queen."

I dip my head. Of course, my birthday would be on the spring equinox. It's almost symbolic. Spring marks the coming of flowers and fresh starts. My body is made of sun and thorns. And my fate is to be the queen of Wiralith. A fresh start for everyone.

"Thank you," I say, oddly nervous. That also means I have two days to overthrow my father. "I'll meet you tonight at the edge of the forest."

With a bow, dipping at the waist, he says, "Of course, my queen." He walks to the edge of the balcony, and with a deep breath, falls. I race to the edge, bundling the blankets around me. In time to see Drakon spread his wings, catching a wind before he skewers himself on the roof. He glides over the blue tiles, his shadow rippled over the roof, to the forest, where he disappears within the trees. I watch until he fades from sight. As I turn to go into the palace, the door slams open.

Several guards come in, pausing when they see me. I clutch the blankets tightly as Devina strolls in, clothes in a guard's uniform complete with twin swords at her waist. Two braids swing on her back. She rolls her eyes when she sees me.

"I thought you were gone," she says. "You weren't in your room."

I furrow my brows. Does she not know what Sabien did? Her eyes linger on the bandage on my arm, analyzing. I analyze her back. But her expression is unreadable.

"Come." She extends an arm to me. "The court wants to know you are safe again."

I take her arm, glad that she's not killing me yet. And maybe I can get some information from here about the king.

She beats me to it. "The king is sick today," she says as we meander through the halls. My feet follow the route to my room unconsciously. "All of the stress has taken its toll on everyone, him most of all. Don't try to see him. I do not know what he'll do if disturbed."

I nod to show my compliance, then stay silent. Devina is not someone I need to talk to. The aristocrats are my target. If anyone knows about anything, it's them.

All I need to do is sort truth from lies.

Five ladies are waiting for me in my room. Devina shoos her guards out while they prep me, leaving the bandage untouched. They don't talk. Not even to ask for a hairbrush or a color of paint.