Demons of the Queen

Chapter 16

I want time to freeze, but I know that's impossible.

I look up in the sky. I want to get back to the castle before it gets dark.

"I need to get back to the castle," I say.

Miles and I climb down the mountain together, talking along the way.

"So, you really were the one who wrote me that letter?" I ask.

Miles nods.

"Wow," I say, pausing in my descent down the mountain and staring into his beautiful blue eyes. "That letter terrified me."

"In a way, I'm glad it did. I think it helped you begin to realize the huge mistake you made," Miles tells me.

I understand what he means.

"So, what comes next?" I say.

"With what?" Miles asks.

"You and me," I say, feeling my stomach flipping inside of me from nervousness.

"I want to be with you," We say at the same time. Then we start laughing.

"I still can't believe you are the queen and you can get away like this all day," Miles says.

"Well, that's what the royal advisor is for. They do a lot of the royal family's work but the royal family gets most of the credit," I say, chuckling.

Suddenly, I hear a roar coming from above me.

"Cecillia?" I cry out.

I hear another roar, closer to me this time,

I look up, and sure enough, Cecillia is soaring above me.

"Down here, girl!" I yell.

"Are you crazy?" Miles screams. "That thing will burn us to death!"

Cecilia swoops down and hovers in the air next to me. I climb onto her and caress her head.

"Hi, girl!" I coo.

Miles looks stunned.

"Coming?" I ask.

Cecilia moves forward and Miles gingerly climbs onto her back beside me.

Cecillia snorts and begins to accelerate towards the castle. Miles grips my hand so tightly I think it might burst, but I don't mind at the moment. I am riding a dragon above a kingdom with the boy that I love and who loves me. What could be better than this?

As we near the castle, Cecillia slows down and begins flying in a circle. The castle gardeners shriek when they see her.

"Do not be afraid!" I call out to them. "This dragon will not hurt you!"

We land in the pond causing the goldfish to scatter beneath us.

A group of gardeners rush over to us and make sure we are alright. I assure them that other than the fact that Miles and I are soaked, we are fine.

"Please create a habitat for the dragon and make sure that she is able to come and go from it whenever she pleases. This dragon does not belong to me, but she is my friend and I would like her to be able to feel at home here if she would like to stay," I say.

I then gesture to Miles.

"Please also fetch Miles some new clothes since the ones he is currently wearing are completely soaked. Miles, I am going to go change clothes and I will meet you back here when we both have changed clothes." I say.

I kiss Miles quickly and walk into the castle to change my clothes.

I return and see him playing with Cecillia in the courtyard. She is catching and eating the apples he throws at her.

"Miles, I have some work I should do inside, would you like to come with me? It would be so much more pleasant with you there." I say.

"There's nothing I would rather do!" He says, grinning.

We begin walking into the castle when I see my advisor storming out. He looks enraged as walks menacingly towards us.

"I know exactly what you did and don't you dare try to deny it," He seethes. "I saw the letter. You ungrateful bitch! You just couldn't be content with being a princess; something any other girl in the kingdom would give her damn life for! You are a murderer and you know it."

"Hey! Miles yells. "Don't you dare speak to your queen this way! You should know your place."

"You should know your place, you filthy peasant!" My advisor spits on Miles.

I slap my advisor across his bright red face. He and Miles look stunned.

"You will never speak to the guy I kind of love like that. Do you understand me clearly? I have made mistakes, but I have learned from them. You are so quick to judge others and you don't even look at yourself and the wrong things you have done! I don't care if I did worse things than you! I have changed! And unless you want me to tell everyone that you disturbed the privacy of the queen of Selia and that you were snooping through her things. I will tell them about the orders you gave the military without our permission. The orders that took the lives of hundreds of soldiers. So unless you want me to tell the kingdom this, you will keep quiet. Am I clear?" I say.

My advisor looks above my head fearfully.

I look up too and see Cecillia staring him down and snorting.

My advisor gets on his knees.

"My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty. I forgot my place." He says.

He turns around and I hear him muttering.

Cecillia follows him silently. Whatever she heard must have been really offensive because she roars and breathes fire.

I shut my eyes.

When I open them, all I see is a pile of ash on the ground.

Miles and I gasp in unison.

"Cecillia!" I exclaim.

" Please don't tell me that ash was formerly known as your advisor." Miles whispers.

"I thought we said we were going to be completely open

and honest with each other," I reply, continuing to stare at the pile of ashes.

Miles and I hop onto Cecillia's back and fly away.

I make a promise to myself that this is the last time I will ever run away after seeing someone die when it was at least partially my fault.

I sigh and hold my hand out to Miles. He takes it.

"I like my new title," He says.

"What?" I say.

"Then guy you kind of love!" He exclaims while doing jazz hands.

We laugh in unison and whoop and we fly over the kingdom on Cecillia's back.