The Hidden Crystal

Chapter 10

It wasn't long before stone grated against stone as the door opened again. She lay motionless on the cot, facing the wall with the blanket pulled up to her ears, hoping whoever it was would leave her alone. A few rushed footsteps, the small clink of something being set on the floor beside her, and then the footsteps hurried away and the door rolled shut.

Probably someone who thought she was dangerous.

What a laugh.

Here she was, an orphan girl locked in a dragon's jail cell with magical restraints, and somebody was scared of her.

She was scared. Terrified. The golden gloves didn't hurt, but the gold-encrusted amulet felt heavy around her neck, and the muted whispers she could barely make out sounded frantic. She didn't want to know what the dragon mage had planned for her any more than she wanted to know why the king's mage was looking for her.

It all had something to do with the amulet. She wished she could tear it off and throw it away.

And yet the thought of doing so hurt.

Her only hope was Char, and she wasn't even sure he was on her side. He'd brought her here, after all. If he'd really wanted to help her, why would he have done that? If he had just been trying to keep her from the king's mage, couldn't he have taken her somewhere else? Somewhere away from dragons who threatened to kill her on sight?

Father John had said there was no reason to fear dragons. He'd said they were just people, just like humans. He'd said magic wasn't intrinsically bad.

But every dragon she'd met so far had frightened her out of her wits, and all the magic she'd encountered had brought her nothing except misery.

She wished she could talk to him right now. She knew he'd tell her to pray—and she was already doing plenty of that—but just hearing his calm voice would be a comfort. He had so much wisdom and such a gentle, understated way of sharing it.

She missed him. She missed Kayla. She missed everybody.

Hours passed.

She fell into a restless sleep, but the sound of the door opening jolted her awake. She sat bolt upright, shrinking back against the wall, pulling her knees up to her chest and the blankets up to her neck. The last person who'd entered had brought her a tray of food she hadn't touched, and she didn't think she'd be lucky enough for this to be someone who was just collecting the tray.

She watched the door roll away, her heart pounding out of control.

It was Char.

The lighting was dimmer than it had been earlier, but she had no trouble making out his green eyes. They met hers, just for a moment, and then he scanned the room, pausing on the untouched tray on the floor before coming back to her.

He took a step toward her, and she flinched.

He stopped, his eyes narrowing. "What did they do to you?"

She hesitated. His hushed voice told her he was trying not to be overheard—or pretending that was the case—and the way he halted his approach told her he was trying not to frighten her, but she couldn't tell if any of it was genuine. She wanted to trust him, though.

She wanted to trust somebody.

What would it hurt to show him?

She pushed the blanket back, revealing her golden hands and the golden amulet. "It's to keep me from using magic. I-it doesn't hurt," she added quickly when she saw a muscle pulse in his jaw. "It just, um... feels heavy."

"Those idiots," he muttered under his breath. He took a step closer and held out his hand to her. "Come on."

She looked from his hand to his intense green eyes and back again. Was he trying to help her escape? After someone threatened him because of her?