The Lost Knight (Volume IV) The Lost Prince

Chapter 21: Sleeping with Dragons

"I've noticed the guarding," I say to Jonah when we're almost to my room.

"That's my job," he says with a grin.

I smile at his joke. "You're funny. But it's not just you." I feign looking frightened and whisper, "I'm being followed."

"They follow me, too."

"Really? Why?"

"Anyone associated with the Orb has a guard. In case you are not aware, the castle is teeming with all kinds of creatures now. They may not all be friendly."

I don't like to think about that, so I change the subject to what I want for dinner, and that conversation lasts until we reach my door. Jonah bids me goodnight as Carfron and I head in.

"You've been called to the Queen," Albína says as soon as I close the door.

I groan. "What did I do now?" I've already met with the Queen twice. Once to tell her about my interaction with Stratagor Ziras and Detti. And another to explain that the Orb wasn't working.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," she snaps.

I shrug and walk out the door. I wish Albína didn't love the royals so much. Every time I get called in for a lecture, she takes it personally, as if I did something to make her look bad.

I don't have to wait in the outer chamber, so I'm not in too much trouble. However, Ekecheiria clears her hall as soon as I enter, which means a scolding is coming my way.

Queen Ekecheiria glares at me. Whatever I did, it's bad. She's madder than I've ever seen her.

"You need to excuse us Cypus," she says.

The look on Mr. Turehart's face would have made me laugh, but I'm in real trouble. He's always by her side. I wipe my sweaty palms on my pants as I watch him leave and rack my brain over what I could've done now.

Maybe the council discovered I broke the Orb. I mean I told them I did, but they didn't believe me. Maybe they found proof. The Queen is just glaring at me like she's trying to melt me with her eyes. Is she going to throw me out? Can she do that? She promised she wouldn't, but royals can break any vow they want.

I need to keep my breathing even. She's scaring me on purpose. Whatever it is, it can't be that bad. I've been good.

"Did you sleep with Prince Dathid?" she hisses.

"What!" I shout and shake my head. "Wait. What?" I'm dazed like she punched me in the nose.

"I will not repeat such a disgusting question. Answer!"

"No!"

Her eyes squint as if she just caught me in a lie. Then I remember. Is she trapping me with a technicality?

"Are you asking if we slept or if we..." I can't say the next part. I'm dizzy and physically ill. I can't believe where her thoughts have taken her. I don't know how to defend myself or Dathid. I change tactics and answer truthfully. "Yes, after the attack at Tridews Pert. We slept next to each other on the ground with Baliss, Jonah's dragon."

"So you admit to lying with the Crowned Prince of Cromsmead?"

The way she phrased that makes me cringe. "It wasn't like that. I was injured. We were hurting. He can't fly." I'm just spewing words before my brain can form thoughts. I press my lips together and bite them. The less I say, the better.

"Do you think cavorting around the countryside with the Rising King of Cromsmead might jeopardize the peace treaty between our lands?"

"Possibly. But if he's that important to you, why is he out there slaying dragons with me and not in here with your daughter?"

She jumps to her feet and points a bony finger at me. "You are not to question me!"

I reflexively bow my head, then snap it back up to meet her gaze.

Her eyes squint as she hisses, "What is the nature of your relationship with the Prince?"

I shake my head. "We're friends, I guess."

"Why have you become so close?"

"Because he needs a friend."

She glares at me. "You are on perilous ground." Her tone is low and menacing.

"I haven't done anything wrong. Neither has Dath...Prince Dathid."

She tilts her head to look down her nose at me. The only reason she's taller than I am is because the dais is three steps high. This head tilt nose thing makes it obvious that she's a tiny person. A really scary tiny person. "You will control yourself."

If I wasn't so afraid of her, I'd laugh in her face. Instead, I nod submissively. "Yes, your Majesty."

That worked because she dismisses me. I leave in a daze. Dathid and I were alone for most of our time. I was severely injured. He's at least seven years older than I am. He's been in Manahata for months. How does she think of these things?

"I wasn't sure if you'd be hungry, so I kept everything warm," Albína says when I walk into the room.

I eat while she waits for me to enlighten her about what happened. Albína loves Princess Elaeria and is still angry that she had to marry one of them. She was already weary of Dathid, so I don't want to tell her my conversation with the Queen. I don't want her to hate him. I can't lie either, so I'm stuffing my face with food. But she's waiting me out.

"Okay, fine," I say, putting the fork down. "It wasn't anything. When I was at Tridews Point, I slept on Baliss."

She looks confused. I should leave the story there, but she'd never believe that Ekecheiria could be that unreasonable.

"Dathid slept with Baliss too," I quietly add. Then in a much louder voice say, "And that was it. Two incredibly injured people were alone for a while, and she just wanted to know what was up."

Albína's look of scorn convinces me that her approval rating for Dathid has just dropped a few more points. She keeps her opinions to herself because she knows I like him. However, I've broken a rule. Unmarried people do not sleep together, especially when one of them is married to someone else—especially when that someone else is the precious princess.

"Whatever story you're putting with that comment, you need to stop," I say with more force than I've ever used with her. "He saved my life. I'm sorry if he broke a rule to make that happen."

She sighs and purses her lips.

"Don't do that. You weren't there. He was just being kind. He's a kind person. And he's one of the few friends I have."

"You need to stay away from him. He can only bring trouble for you."

"He saved my life." I stare at her as if I'm trying to force thoughts into her head. "Several times. I will not turn my back on him. We're friends. That's it."

Her face softens. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"I never know what I'm doing."

My comment shocks her into laughter. "Oh Agatha, why must you learn everything the hard way."