Chronicles of the Soveriegn

Chapter 7: Traitor

I woke to a throbbing headache. It was like someone had hit me over the head with a brick. I braced myself to sit up, but the combination of being lightheaded and being very weak forced me to lay back down.

“Thank goodness you’re alright!” Cedric was sitting next to my bed.

My hand flew to my forehead to find it heavily bandaged.

“What happened? What time is it?”

“Slow down, Ari. Saya threw you off in the woods. It’s evening. You’ve been blacked out all day.”

Etana. If I’d been out cold, who’d been feeding her?

The thought had barely crossed my mind when I heard her voice. I’m in the wardrobe. Don’t worry about me. You’re in rough shape. Find out what happened from Cedric.

Thanks Etana. “So, you’re good with potions and healing. How bad do you think this is?”

“It could be worse. You really hit hard, but I’ve got it under control, and with magic you should be fine in a few days. Here, drink this.” He picked up a glass from the table with a light blue liquid in it. It tasted like sour goat milk.

“Ugh. What is that?”

“It’ll help your head feel better.”

“Thanks. What did Saya spook at?” I knew from experience that she spooked easily, but she’d never bucked like that.

“I don’t know, no one saw anything.”

“What about Saya, is she alright?”

“She has a cut on her leg, but she’ll be fine.”

“Thanks Cedric, for staying here and helping me and all.”

He smiled his unforgettable smile, “Not a problem. I just figured you’d want someone who knew what happened nearby when you woke up. But if you’ll excuse me, I am really tired.”

“That’s fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Alright. Bye Ari.”

I thought he’d never leave. The door to my wordrobe creaked open and Etana thumped onto the floor.

She was huge! The hand-sized dragon I’d left yesterday afternoon was now as tall as my knees.

I seem to have had a growth spurt.

Geez Etana! You grew over a foot! Where’d you get all that food?

You were out cold, so I went to the kitchens. No one caught me.

You’re huge, you know that?

If dragons can grin, Etana did just then. Yup, pretty great isn’t it? She flapped her wings and rose into the air.

“You can fly!” I shouted.

Shhhhhhhh! And yes. Keep quiet, others can hear you when you talk.

Sorry.

And Ari, I have news. It’s about Rory, Tulus’s daughter.

What about her?

She’s the one you need to be looking after. She’s an Enchantress.

A what?

An Enchantress, Ari. She has powers of manipulations over those less powerful than her.

What do you mean, like manipulation?

She has power over their emotions. She can make them feel however she wants. And when Cedric was in here, I could tell that she has him under her charm.