ESSA
Dawn had not yet breathed its light into the window when Maryn’s hand touched my shoulder.
“Your aunt is here, Your Majesty,” she said. “She bid me wake you.”
I sat up fast, my situation hitting me like a splash of cold water.
The bydrune. It was today. I stood quickly, brushed past Maryn, and went to my vanity table. On it, a silver tray sat that held the items I used to get ready each day. A hairbrush. Perfume. My lotion.
Except…
“Where is my lotion?” I asked Maryn.
The serving woman looked down at the floor. I pointed to the spot on the vanity where the jar had been.
“Where is my lotion?” I said louder.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty. I dropped the jar and it broke.”
I stared her, incredulous. “And you didn’t save the lotion?”
Maryn shook her head. “No, Your Majesty. There was glass in it. Forgive me. I meant to fetch you more, but I—I forgot.”
It’s not her fault, I told myself, trying to soothe my anger.
She’s just a kind, simple woman. She had no way of knowing her clumsiness would ruin a kingdom.
Unless she was one of the Prelate’s minions, of course.
Unless he’d guessed my game and was trying to thwart me. How could I trust anyone in this place?
“Go, then. Fetch some,” I said. “And be quick about it.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” she curtsied and bustled out of the room.
As she left, Auntie slipped in through the door. “Essa?” she said. “Everything okay?”
I took a deep, steadying breath. “Fine,” I lied. “Just…”
“Nervous?” she placed her hands on my shoulders. “Don’t be. We’ve both prepared. The Prelate will be like a fly in a spiderweb.”
“The scorper venom…?” I whispered.
“The wine is mixed and ready.”
I frowned. “You… used all of it?”
She nodded grimly. “Every drop. It will be hard on us, since we had so little time to build up a tolerance. But we must make sure the dose is fatal for our friend. Better all three of us should die than he should live. We would not want to face his vengeance if we were to fail.”
“Of course,” I agreed, the words coming out a whisper.
The scorper venom was gone… And with it my plan, the plan I hadn’t told Auntie about, the plan I’d barely even allowed myself to think about—had vanished.
“Are you alright?” Auntie asked. “You look pale.”
I made a motion with my head, something between a shake and a nod. I was barely awake, and already things were falling apart.
“Yes. I… I’m fine. I think I just need some time to myself this morning. Would you mind leaving me for a bit?”
Auntie gave me a reproachful look. “You’re not thinking of doing anything foolish, I hope.”
“No,” I said quickly. “I’m just tired. Come back in an hour. And bring breakfast, would you?”
Auntie pursed her lips. “Fine. But I don’t recommend you eat much. You might feel nauseated during the bydrune. Your mother vomited during her first one. Just some fruit, maybe a roll—”
“Of course,” I said, already ushering her toward the door. “Thank you, Auntie.”
“One hour,” she said, as if it were a warning.
“Yes. Absolutely. You’re the best,” I said, ushering her out. Then I clapped the door shut and locked it.
Instantly, I was in a mad scramble—pulling on my flight leathers, tugging on my boots, strapping on my sword—which was always a challenge with my single hand.
When I was dressed, I went to the window.
Pre-dawn darkness still hung over Issastar, but the sun would be rising within the hour.
If I were caught questing about the palace grounds the morning before my bydrune, it would arouse suspicion, and all my plans hinged on catching my enemies unaware. I needed haste—and luck.
I looked down. This chamber wasn’t so high up—only thirty feet or so—and a copse of trees lay below me, ready to break my fall if I failed.
I felt the stirring of warmth against my chest as the dragon stone on my necklace came to life, and I jumped.
The wind caught me, lowered me through the rustling tree branches, and set me down gently upon the leafy earth.
Then I was running, weaving my way through the sleeping citadel, keeping to the shadows to avoid the notice of the guards.
I made it to the Hatchery without incident, plunged down the stairs, and crept along the hallway to Sordim’s chamber.
The other dragons weren’t there, as they had been the first time I’d come.
It was only Sordim, his massive form lying near the window-like opening at the far end of the chamber.
I couldn’t see Romia, but I guessed she must be sleeping at his side.
I stepped into the room on fleet, quiet feet—then I felt the blade at my throat and froze. Romia stepped forward from the shadows next to the entrance, a gleam of amusement in her eyes.
“Well,” she said. “It seems our royal visitor has returned.”
Sordim rose and turned, his stinger poised and ready. Clearly, he’d only been pretending to sleep. His reddish eyes fixed on me as he growled, low and loud enough to shake the room.
“To what do we owe the honor of your visit, Your Majesty?” Romia asked.
“Well…” I gave a quick side-step to my right and spun, getting myself out of reach of her blade and drawing my own. I brought it up between us, on guard.
Sordim’s eyes narrowed.
Romia snorted a laugh. “Oh, you came to fight me and my dragon at once? What a pretty sight that will be.”
I glanced from Romia’s glinting sword to Sordim’s massive stinger and back again.
She was right. I was backed into a corner—literally.
And while I might be able to kill Romia, or somehow get past Sordim and escape, I had little chance of doing both.
And I certainly had no chance of getting venom from a scorper by force.
“Why are you here?” Romia demanded.
I didn’t answer. My mind was racing, my sword still raised. If I could cut the end of Sordim’s tail off somehow before he impaled me with it, then maybe, maybe…
With a grunt of irritation, Romia threw her sword to the ground, letting it clatter at my feet.
“Essa, please. Can we stop this?” she demanded.
I stared at her, stunned.
“How long have we known each other?” she asked.
“Look, was I best friends with Laynine? Yes. Would I have preferred she win the challenge instead of you? Yes. But we’re both Skrathan.
We both saw this place attacked, both saw dragons butchered and our comrades scattered.
Both saw everything we love go up in flames. I hate our enemies as much as you.”
“And yet you stayed here,” I said coldly. “Instead of coming with us. Instead of resisting.”
Romia roughly brushed a strand of hair from her eyes.
“Fine. Yes, if there was to be a new order, if there were to be new rulers, if there was to be a new Skrathan formed, then I would have liked to be the leader. And it’s true, Laynine and I were talking with Kortoi and Hoatan before your mother was killed.
We were preparing for Laynine becoming Irska.
But that doesn’t mean I’m loyal to them, Essa.
I am a Skrathan. Then. Now. Always. If there’s a chance to bring back what was…
if there’s a way we could still somehow win, defeat these bastards.
And if I could somehow help you make it happen…
?” She shook her head, too overcome with emotion to continue for a moment.
I adjusted the grip on my sword and glanced at Sordim again, unsure.
“…That’s what Laynine would have wanted,” Romia finished, blinking back tears. “And that’s what I want, too.”
“Is that why you, Kramat, and Cronin tried to kill me over the Cauldron?” I asked.
She snorted. “Please. The three of us, working together? If we wanted you dead, you’d be dead. We were toying with you. But you did impress us. You’re a worthy Irska, Essa. We would follow you—if you’ll let us.”
The words you are worthy struck some chord deep inside me. Tears rose to my eyes and I had to bite my lower lip to choke them back. I lowered my blade.
“I know you feel like you have to fight every battle yourself,” Romia said. “But you’re not alone. Far from it.”
I mastered my emotions and forced myself to meet Romia’s gaze. Using the little bit of dragon intuition I had with Othura locked up, I tried to plumb Romia’s eyes for artifice, trickery, deceit. But I found only a fiery sincerity.
And the brutal truth was, I had only three choices left in this Torzame. Fight her and die. Give up my plans. Or trust her.
I exhaled, blowing a lifetime of tension and mistrust out between my lips. Then, I sheathed my sword. Reaching into my pocket, I took out a glass bottle and held it out to her.
“I need scorper venom,” I said. “I won’t tell you why. You mustn’t tell anyone you gave it to me. But everything, everything hangs in the balance.”
Romia watched me for a moment, one eyebrow quirked. Then, she reached out and plucked the bottle from my hand.
“See? Was that so hard?” she asked.
She gestured to Sordim, who brought his stinger down and placed its tip into the bottle. I watched the thick, clear liquid oozed out of it—enough venom to kill half the kingdom.
I rushed back to my chambers, scaled the wall with assistance from the wind, and clambered back through the window and into my room.
I unstrapped my sword, stripped off my flight leathers like they were on fire, and threw on a robe.
I was just catching my breath when the knock on the door came.
Auntie breezed in, a tray of food in her hands.
Maryn came in behind her, carrying a glass jar.
“New lotion, Your Majesty,” she said, placing it on the vanity.
I nodded my thanks, then Auntie sat me down. We ate while Maryn fussed with my hair.
“I gave Kortoi your invitation to join us for your bydrune toast. He looked a little surprised, but he accepted.”
I nodded. Auntie glanced to Maryn, and I understood her silent communication: she wanted us to say no more on the topic, not with someone else listening.
“We must think about how to rebuild the Skrathan once you have your throne back,” she said. “I will be happy to train a class of new recruits, but we must also see that Kennak Bargate is freed.”
“Yes!” I said, grateful for the change of topic. “I saw him. He was imprisoned near Othura.”
Auntie nodded. “He will be glad to help, I think, but getting the nobles to agree to his release will be tricky…”
She went on as I nibbled at my bread and berries, my mind drifting, my stomach too clenched to eat more than a few bites. My attention must have drifted, because the next words I heard were Maryn’s.
“…I was surprised you weren’t here.”
I blinked, glancing up at her. “What?”
“A few minutes ago when I came to check on you,” Maryn gave an uncomfortable laugh. “I was afraid you’d fled.”
Auntie’s eyes locked onto me, sharp as a dragon’s.
“Where did you go?” Auntie asked me. The tone of her question was casual, but that might be a trap.
Had Romia told her that I’d stopped in for a visit?
That I’d gotten more venom? Would they even have had time to talk while Auntie was in the kitchens, getting me food?
They could have spoken via simnal, certainly...
If I lied to her now, Auntie might know I wasn’t being honest with her. But if I told her the truth, she might catch onto my full plan—the one I hadn’t told her about—and ruin everything.
I thought again of her on that balcony with Natath, talking with such familiarity.
I couldn’t tell her the truth. And I couldn’t lie, either. A half-truth, then…
“I… went to the Hatchery,” I said. “I wanted to spend some time in Othura’s chamber. To clear my head. And I ran into Romia on the way.”
Auntie’s expression darkened.
“It was fine, though,” I said quickly. “I think we reached an understanding. She wants to help rebuild the Skrathan.”
Auntie looked highly skeptical. But before she could respond, there came a knock at the door. “The princess is summoned to the bydrune chambers,” an official-sounding voice boomed.
Auntie and I exchanged a long glance.
“We can discuss this later,” she said, giving me a nod.
Then we rose and gathered our things. Gods help me, it was time…