Hoodwinked: The Summoning Book One

Chapter 29

Sashia Dregan stood next to her mother, Alliana, with clasped hands as they stood before the empty tomb of Prince Greggor. Snow swirled around the gathered mourners in honor of the youngest son of King and Queen Dregan. His body had not yet been recovered, but his place of rest was marked with his name. Torches were placed all around. Candle lanterns floated on each of the three main rivers of Draconia. The entire kingdom mourned for the loss of the beloved prince.

Alliana took the news of his death the hardest. She locked herself into her room for several hours once King Nathar arrived with the other dragon riders and bore the tragic news to the queen. Her heart ached for her son. It was Greggor who brought much cheerfulness and laughter into her life. Queen Alliana told Sashia, she blamed herself for allowing the seventeen-year-old boy to go to Loboria.

Not wanting to stare at the tomb any longer, the queen turned and walked away from the grave. Sashia was about to follow her mother, but Matteais grasped her arm and gave her a slight shake of his head.

Sashia frowned at her older brother. If there was anyone who could truly sympathize with the queen over a child's death, it was Sashia. She personally knew what it felt like to lose loved ones. Her husband and her daughter lay in the marked graves only a few meters away from the very spot she now stood.

For the last two years, Sashia had mourned their deaths. They say healing takes time, but Sashia's heart felt as empty as Greggor's tomb. Nothing can prepare oneself for the loss of a husband and a child in one single moment.

It had been the worst winter Draconia had seen in years. The avalanche of the south pass buried seven people and five horses returning from the market place in a matter of seconds. Only three survived. Sashia was one of the survivors.

She was found only moments after the snow settled. Hundreds of Draconians assisted in the recovery of the others. The horses, her husband, and Felisia, her one-year-old daughter, were all dug out of the snow three days later with the other two villagers who were buried alive.

Sashia remembered how peaceful her husband and daughter appeared the day of the funeral. It was if they were merely sleeping. Sashia wished she had died with them. For she died every time she relived that dreadful day.

Standing in the growing blizzard, Sashia looked at her only surviving brother. She took his hand and gave him whatever comfort she could give him. The snowstorm worsened as everyone returned to their homes. By nightfall, there was already twenty-four inches of snow on the ground.

King Nathar, Zyvon, Matteais, Klav, and Queen Otswana returned from Mourner's Cave just moments before dinner. As she walked past the castle library, Sashia heard them speak of a vision of the summoning door.

Otswana kept reminding them there was no snow on the ground in either vision when she fell. Sashia was curious of what they spoke, but the Draconian princess did not question their topic of discussion.

Sashia was accustomed to staying out of other people's affairs. As Sashia sat at the pianoforte alone in the parlor, she remembered it had been Greggor who shared every bit of news with her. It was strange how she did not mourn for him. Neither did she mourn for Yugeer during his memorial service several days ago. She pressed her hand to her chest, feeling the rhythmic pulse there. The princess still had a heart, but perhaps she had closed it off to protect it.

                                      * * *

"So, we return in the Spring?" Klav asked his wife in the library of the Draconian castle. "You believe the witch will be waiting that long, Otti?"

Queen Otswana tilted her head at her husband as she studied him. He didn't usually call her by her shortened name. She hoped it wouldn't be used only when he was upset. At this moment, her husband did appear to be quite agitated over not being able to seal the summoning door and kill the sorceress they assumed was Ediliana.