The Last of the Firedrakes...Or so We Thought

Chapter 31: Into Motion

Danica

My blue-eyed captor from my journey to Eldoren with Kalen. "I thought I killed you."

"Oh you can't get rid of me that easily." He sneers.

I faintly remember I have to stall for time but I struggle to grasp words. "What do you have against me? What do you want?" My shoulders tighten and my spine tenses.

"I hate you because as long as you live, you threaten me. I should be the heir to the Firedrake Throne! It is all Azaren's fault, he took the throne from my father." He strides towards me. 

Standing my ground is more difficult than taking a life, but I do it anyway. Must not show weakness. "My father's throne was rightfully his!"

"By 10 seconds." He snarls. 

It takes me a minute to peace everything he's saying together. 

When realization crosses my face, he laughs. "And she finally gets it!"

"I-no one told me my father had a twin brother." I stammer. I curse myself for submitting to weakness.

"Our grandparents did not want anyone to know. They chose Azaren as the strongest and heir from a young age. They didn't even give my father a chance to prove himself." He continues coming closer. 

After the last time he puts his hand on me, I don't want him any closer. I can't show more weakness, I have to be strong. 

"You know, you and me, we aren't all that different." He lifts a hand to touch my face under my hood. He smiles when I flinch as his skin touches mine. "Both of us have been forgotten."

I finally step back. "What do I have to do with any of this?"

"Because, my cousin, together, with your immense power and my brains and cunning , we could rule the world."

. . . 

Noctis

I teleported Tenebris and Timur to the back tunnel entrance before taking myself to the front.

The guards recognize me and immediately allow me entry. The announcer announces my arrival and a frenzy within the palace awakens.  

I'm escorted through the familiar hallways of my childhood home to the throne room. 

"My son, welcome home." My widowed mother greets me with a curtsy.

After my father's death I became soul ruler of Rohron. I travel for months at a time, supposedly. 

"Hello, mother." I nod my head respectfully. 

"I was not made aware you were returning home." She joins me as I walk down the length of the throne room.

"I did not realize I had to send advance notice before coming back to my own home." I open the door next to the thrones that leads to my study. I take a seat and glance at the filed on the desk. "Please have Benly come brief me on everything I missed while I was on tour."

"Yes, my lord." She bows again and leaves with a whirl of a dress.

I roll my eyes and thank the gods I won't have to stay here for long. 

It takes only a few minutes for Benly to shuffle through the door. Benly is my head advisor - a short, brittle man with a sorry excuse for a personality.

"My lord, good to see you." He huffs.

"Get on with it."

I hate the person I must become when I'm here. The mean, stuffy, bratty son of a bitch.