Kingdoms Falling

Chapter 15

"It's my parents!" Cotton hissed, wheeling to face Meadow as the smaller hatchling began to tremble. "Of all the times for them to show up!" She flared her wings furiously as her eyes darted around the room, searching for a place to hide him. "Quick! Find somewhere to hide!"

Meadow glanced desperately toward the window. He wanted to run. He wanted to flee the city as fast as possible. But he would never be able to get out unseen, and two fully grown dragons would be much stronger and faster than him. He would be caught the moment he tried to escape. And then killed. And sliced into tiny pieces. And then killed again, just to be sure.

The only other option was to hide in her room, and though it definitely held a lot of personality, there weren't many great places for a dragon to disappear, and by the sound of it, he had only moments before the King and Queen arrived and found him in their daughter's room. That would come across a thousand times wrong.

"Where?" he yelped.

"Storage closet!" Cotton snapped, barreling toward him and dragging him after her. "Steel and I used to play in it all the time. It's empty. You should be able to fit if you squeeze!"

Meadow decided not to point out that he was smaller than her, and if she could fit, then he definitely could. He adjusted his glasses anxiously as he tripped over a plush rug and thrown violently in front of a large wooden trunk. At his side, Cotton was already working to unhinge the lock. She was stiff with terror and her claws kept fumbling with the key.

"Come on, come on," she growled under her breath.

Meanwhile, the wingbeats were almost upon them. Meadow glanced back toward the window, already picturing her parents in all of their terrifying regalness. They would tear him apart in moments, and there was little chance Cotton would stop them.

"Cotton..." he whispered nervously. "Cotton, please hurry."

"I'm trying!" the pink dragoness shot back. "Oh, for Dragnaple's sake!" she spat when the key jerked out once more.

"Here." Meadow couldn't wait any longer. He grabbed the key from her and jammed it into the lock. "Twist and pull," he explained as the box clicked open and he hastily drew the lid up. "Much easier than--"

"Whatever!" Cotton growled, ushering him forward. "Just get in, would you?"

Meadow obeyed, stepping in and curling himself into the smallest ball he could muster. His wings were rather large, and it took a minute to squeeze them in next to him and his tail was jabbed uncomfortably against his side, but he ignored it and, taking a deep breath, nodded to the princess who quickly slammed the lid down over his head.

Darkness fell over him. He could see nothing, and he could hear the blood roaring in his ears. His breaths were short and sporadic as he struggled to keep quiet and not move, no matter how cramped he felt. It was urgent that he remain still, or risk exposure. Don't sneeze. Don't sneeze. Please. Don't...Cotton, please hurry.

"Mother! Father!" came Cotton's hitched voice from somewhere to his left. He caught his breath when two sets of talons touched down and three sets of clawe hurried into her room. "Greetings! Um...what...what can I do for you this lovely evening?"

"Not now, Cotton," spoke a rough masculine voice. There was the sound of wings and Cotton mumbled something incoherent. "The guards reported an intruder in the west wing. We're checking all the rooms until we find him."

"Well, there's certainly no one here!" Cotton protested indignantly. "I was just getting ready to sleep, and...oh! Careful! Those are mine! Dad! My art! Please!" Something crashed down and Meadow flinched, curling in his talons furiously.