The Last Dragon Rider (Book 1 of Rider Series)

Chapter 32

Caspian blinked and then blinked again. Confusion filled his eyes while he studied me. "That soon?" he asked, and I nodded. "Why?"

I shrugged. "The High King wishes it," I replied. I gestured for him to follow me and walked back the way we had come when we walked to go to the room protected from those that could do me harm.

"Can I see you before then?" he asked while he followed me until he was at my side. Hope filled his voice, and I had to make sure to keep my face leveled.

"If you search," I replied. I glanced at him and smirked, and he scowled. "I won't be that easy to find when I don't want to be," I added, and he snorted.

"I gathered that," he grumbled, and a smile flickered on his lips. He sighed and moved a hand through his hair. "I think you are right," he said, and I raised an eyebrow in question. A small smile appeared on his lips while he looked at me. "I think that our paths are aligned for a reason."

"And what is your theory?" I asked. "Why are our paths aligned?"

Caspian shrugged and pursed his lips. "I don't know," he replied. He moved a hand through his blonde hair before he sighed and shook his head. "I wish I knew, but I don't."

I stayed silent and nodded. I placed my hand into my basket and fiddled around, trying to find the coins that always ended up at the bottom.

"What do you have in your basket?" Caspian asked. "I've been meaning to ask you that."

"A lot of stuff," I replied. I fished the coins out of the basket and shook them in my hand. "A witch made the basket for me so that I could carry what I needed for either inside the walls or outside."

"And the satchel too?" Caspian asked. "Did she make that?"

I nodded in confirmation. "I don't know if anyone can see what is in the basket or satchel," I admitted. "However, I don't want to take any chances."

"Why not?"

I paused and stared at the male, putting the coins in my other hand. Reaching into the basket, I kept my gaze on him, and he started to feel a little uncomfortable.

Caspian shifted on his feet and looked nervous. He didn't try to stop me, and I had a feeling it was because he knew I wouldn't stop. "Uh... Marini?" he asked. "What are you doing?"

I didn't reply and pulled out a dagger, making sure not to grab Mirïna by mistake. "Do you really think I could get away with these?" I asked, flicking the dagger in my hand.

Caspian's face paled, and he kept an eye on the dagger. "Uhhhhh... no?"

"According to the rules of the kingdom, 'no person outside of the royal guards are allowed to learn how to fight or shall carry a weapon of any kind,' and that includes me, Your Highness." I stuffed the dagger back into my basket, making sure that it was covered.

The Prince let out a relieved sigh and relaxed his stance, and I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, amused. "So, you know to fight?" he asked, not answering my questioning look.

I nodded and turned on my heels before I started to walk in the direction we needed to go. "Yes," I replied, "which is why if I do get captured, then I would be killed."

"Wait; what?" Caspian asked. He walked over to me and grabbed my arm. Worry filled his eyes while he pulled me to a stop and had me look at him. "Marini, what do you mean by that?" he asked.

I gave him a weird look and slipped my arm from his grasp. "Have you not been paying attention to your lessons, Your Highness?" I scolded. "I know that one of the laws of this kingdom is that, and I quote, 'no one outside of the royal guard shall know how to fight nor carry a weapon around. If seen doing this, then the offender shall be beheaded by the court of law.' So, yes, I will be killed."

Caspian made a face. "I don't agree with some of the laws that my father has made," he said. "So, I don't pay attention to them."

I nodded and started to walk again with him by my side. "That makes two of us," I replied. "However, I have far greater consequences that could happen to me if I was to be caught."

"Then don't get caught," Caspian stated as if that was the most obvious choice.

I gave him a side look and raised an eyebrow. "I know this, Your Highness," I replied, looking forward again. "I have made sure not to get caught with anything that I do because I don't want to face the consequences that I know will follow."

Caspian nodded and looked relieved. "As long as you know," he said, and I rolled my eyes. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck, making sure that the hood of the cloak stayed up. "Why don't you call me by my real name?" he asked, changing the subject.

I shrugged. "Because you're the prince," I replied. "That is your title, and that is what you are going to be called, Your Highness," I added.

"And because you are too stubborn and don't want to say his name," Shilan quipped playfully, and I mentally rolled my eyes at him.

Caspian frowned, and I could tell that he didn't like my answer. "Fine," he said. "Shall I call you peasant, then?" he asked, and I shrugged.

"It's not the worse that I have been called, Your Highness," I replied. I was not bothered by being called a peasant when in technicality, I was.

Caspian huffed and pursed his lips. "What is another name for Dragon Rider?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Digra," I replied. "However, you can only call me that here, in Sparrow's Mill, or with your Elf buddy." I cocked my head and raised an eyebrow. "What is his name, anyway?" I asked.

"Lexus," he replied. He cocked his head and studied me. "Does he have another name?" he asked, and I nodded.

"And I don't know what it is," I said. "You'll know that before me."

Caspian grinned, and I rolled my eyes. "Does that mean you're jealous?" he teased, and I shook my head, no. He pouted, and I bit back a snort. "Why not?" he asked. "I'll know something that you don't know."

"Because I can ask the High King," I said, smugly. "And he'll tell me." I paused and shrugged. "Hopefully."

"And if he doesn't?" Caspian asked. "Will you be annoyed then?"

I shook my head, no.

"Why not?"

"Because I can ask him in three nights," I replied.

"Not if I tell him not to," Caspian grumbled.

"Ok, and then how am I supposed to get that information?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"From me," he replied smugly. "For a price."

I raised my eyebrow further in question.

"You'll have to call me by my real name, and only then can you know his real name."

I bit back a smirk and looked away from him. "Funny," I said. "However, that is not going to happen."

"And why not?" Caspian asked.

I glanced at him, and my smirk deepened because he looked so forlorn and upset. "Because," I replied. "The guard doesn't listen to you. At least for some items of business. He listens to the High King. If the High King wishes for him to tell me, then so he shall, with or without your permission."

Caspian pursed his lips and grumbled something under his breath that I couldn't quite pick up. Finally, he sighed and nodded. "Then you shall know then," he said. He paused and studied me, and I couldn't help but turn my gaze to him in question, wondering why he had the long pause. A small smile appeared on his face, and he bowed his head. "Digra."