The Dragon Princess

Chapter 20

King Felix Andry

Iron City, Sarkin

I have been staring at this map for half an hour with no luck. The disappearance of Henrietta's son Rowan with the prisoner Roland is now known throughout the castle and probably the city as well. Soldiers have been dispatched to track them down, as well as rangers, but no luck so far. No one knows for sure how it was managed but having a traitor within the walls aided the rebels enormously. It was always my biggest fear, having a traitor within the walls; it just wasn't the one I thought.

"Well, well, well..." I look up, momentarily startled by the new voice booming over the room full of chaos. "Don't you look a hundred years past dead." I let out a laugh of surprise, seeing my baby brother striding through the Great Hall, his wife close behind.

"Did you really just call me old?" I embrace him, glad to have him here, despite the situation. It has been a while since I have seen them, but they have not changed much.

"Yes." Raleigh doesn't hesitate and grins as we pull back. "But to be fair, you are much older than I and you can't call me old without calling yourself old."

This causes a fit of laughs between us, old friends and brothers reunited again. "You are impossible, brother." I turn to his wife. "Ana." I greet with an embrace. "As terrifying and beautiful as ever." She punches me in the arm, but grins in a teasing way. "Nothing has changed I see."

"Indeed not." Elleana has always had the type of dark eyes that you never knew what she was going to do, but they shined in a way that made you happily uneasy; a strange combination. "The children send their love."

"I wish they could have come, but not under these circumstances." I reply, turning the conversation to a more serious matter. "The rebels are forming."

"Yes, we know." Elleana answers, before Raleigh could jump in. "We saw them crossing the borders on the way here." She shares a look with Raleigh before adding on. "Topaz is leading the army of rebels herself." This is not a surprise. Our traitorous aunt has been keeping herself very busy.

"We rode as hard as we could." Raleigh says, finally getting a word in. "Even found a couple of strays on the way."

As if on cue, two familiar faces round the corner and spot me immediately. "Thank God." My aunt's gentle voice reaches me as she does and wraps me in a tight embrace. "We were so full of fear when we saw the rebels." She finally let go as her husband, my uncle Zircon, walked up beside her. "We thought perhaps you would be still out looking for Josie and Jaymie. Have they come back?" The mention of my missing daughter always dampens my spirits, but with the mention of my missing sister on top of it makes my blood run cold. I have made so many mistakes in my life. How could I not see how unhappy my sister was? How could I have been so cruel to her?

"No, Aunt." I tell her after a long moment of silence. "They are both strong and stubborn girls. I have no fear for their safety, for they could always take care of themselves." It was a complete lie, but I had to say something to soften the look of terror on my aunt's face. Someone had to have a little hope.

"Where is your mother?" Uncle Zircon asks, diverting the subject, to which I am thankful.

"Upstairs with my father and Marina. They are trying to talk Karic out of joining the fight." A small smile comes to my lips as I think back on the last three hours I was up there. I had to escape that situation while I could. I wasn't about to tell Marina she was smothering the poor boy, or that she treated Karic like I did Jaymie. That is a battle I am not prepared to fight. "The boy is stubborn."