The Whispers Of Queens

When Petals Fall

Talila woke with a start, her head was foggy and she could feel her fever still rampant against the cool morning air. She attempted to sit up but felt chains rattling and she was suddenly hit with the memories of the past day. "Stupid Fae." She whispered to herself, or she thought she did until she heard a low rumbling growl from a beast.

She turned to her right and saw the lunar wolf staring at her with bright yellow eyes, her gums and teeth showing. She bit in her direction which caused Talila to jump back and trip amongst her blankets. This seemed to amuse the beast as it sat back and stopped growling, its tail slowly swishing back and forth.

"Lyra, don't tease the girl." Talila turned to see Li working cleaning the camp. His long dark hair was now almost a golden crown, he had curly hair. He'd be handsome if he wasn't such an asshole, Talila thought to herself.

"I thought lunar wolves couldn't be tamed." She heard herself say out loud. The comment earned another growl from the giant wolf.

"She is not tamed." Li looked at her sideways and smirked. "So I'd be careful with your comments, she's got a ferocious hunger." He walked up to Talila and started leaning down toward her. Talila flinched before she could even think and silently cursed herself for showing weakness and fear.

"Don't touch me." She tried to put up a glare which didn't work to cover the cower from before.

"I need to see if your fever has gone down or not." He seemed to try and shrink himself down.

"Where's Farous?" Talila frantically began looking around. Then she saw he was cleaning up his bedding on the other side and breathed a sigh of relief.

"He's fine, much better than a princess who likes to get pricked by flowers." Talila almost lashed out at the mockery but remembered the gravity trap he had done to Farous the day before. Before she could think of a comeback the Fae man had placed a hand on her forehead.

"Well it's not as bad as yesterday but you haven't broken it fully." He turned and handed her a wooden cup. "Here drink."

She reached out tentatively for the cup and started sniffing it. It was a light herbal tea from the Fae realm, and her least favorite without any sugar was bitter. She made a face before she could

help herself.

"That tea will be the best thing for a fever." He scowled at her. "You better drink it all or I'll shove

it down your throat."

"Geez, who taught you how to talk to ladies?" Farous cut in. "You ever been laid before, cause I'll I'm hearing is you haven't." He shrugged innocently when the man turned towards him with an angry look.

"And like anything or anyone would touch you with a ten-foot pole?" He sneered back.

"The ladies love a gentlemanly dragon." He wagged his eyebrows back, making Talila laugh.

"Whatever you say." He sighed and gave Talila a hard look. "Drink."

Talila tired of those cold blue eyes staring at her downed the tea as fast as she could. She stuck her tongue out when the aftertaste of bitter leaf water hit. Seeming pleased he continued

clearing up camp and tossed some dried meat to both her and Farous.

"You haven't even told us your name, queen's dog," Farous said between pulling on the tough

meat with his teeth.

"The names Li. That's all you two need to know about me, the lunar wolf is named Lyra and she's more impatient than me. So don't get on her bad side." He gave a small knowing smile to Lyra.