The Dragon's Daughter

xi. the rise of the dead

She woke up with a gasp. 

Her room was mostly dark save for the little light she kept on her bedside table. 

"Luke…" 

Here she is again, awake at three in the morning. 

Feeling too awake for bed, she got up and dressed for the day. She put on her black leggings, tank top, and jacket. Simple yet comfy. Of course, with it she also had her weapons. 

"Where do I go now?" she asked aloud. "Huh. Stupid Elora." 

☼︎☼︎❁☼︎☼︎

"Woah what are you up to?" 

They were standing in a graveyard under a starry sky. 

"Graveyards," she murmured, "not really my thing."

Giant willow trees loomed all around them. 

Nico was watching some gravediggers at work. She heard shovels and saw dirt flying out of a hole. 

"Hi!" Nico said when he saw Elora.

"Hey, you." Elora looked around. "What's all this?" 

"You'll see." 

Nico was dressed in a black cloak. The night was foggy. It was warm and humid, and frogs were croaking. A large Wal-Mart bag sat next to Nico’s feet. 

“Is it deep enough yet?” Nico asked. He sounded irritated. 

“Nearly, my lord.” It had the same voice as the ghost she heard talk to her baby brother.

“But, my lord, I tell you, this is unnecessary. You already have me for advice.”

"Minos!" she exclaimed when she saw the ghost. "What are you doing here?" 

"Princess." The ghost bowed. 

"You're taking advice from him?" She faced Nico. "Don't." 

"Do not listen to-"

"He is your prince," she snapped. "Show respect, Cretan. From another source I've heard, he might as well be your king. I thought you would be someone who would know how to respect but that's too much to ask from a former king it seems." 

"I-"

"Go on." 

"My lord," the ghost started, "I give out great advice. Like she said, I was-"

"She is your princess." It was Nico's turn to snap. "She is my sister. If I am a prince, then she is the princess." 

That's her brother, people! She loved him already. 

"That's two strikes." She smirked. "One more and it's time to tell father dearest. I simply cannot wait for you to cross the third strike." 

“As for you, I want a second opinion!” Nico snapped his fingers, and the digging stopped. Two figures climbed out of the hole. They weren’t people. They were skeletons in ragged clothes. 

“You are dismissed,” Nico said. “Thank you.” 

At least he still has his manners.

The skeletons collapsed into piles of bones. 

 “You might as well thank the shovels,” the ghost complained. 

“They have as much sense.” 

"One strike, Minos," she reminded while Nico ignored him. 

Nico reached into his Wal-Mart bag and pulled out a twelve-pack of Coke.