Chapter 31
KALLIE
"She won't get up, Your Highness. We have tried encouraging her to walk around the room at least, but she refuses," one of the nurses, whom Kallie hadn't quite caught the name of, whispered a few yards away. "Well, in truth, she isn't even refusing because that would imply that she showed some sort of emotion or desire to do something . She will hardly even sit up unless we force her to."
Kallie's back was turned away from the healer and whomever she spoke to, but Kallie had no energy to turn around and identify them. They would make their presence known to her whether she wished to acknowledge them or not soon enough. That's how it always went, it seemed.
Even the queen had stopped by at one point. But all Cetia did was press the back of her wrinkled hand to Kallie's forehead before shaking her head in disappointment and leaving without a word having passed her lips.
The woman with stark white hair had also visited several times. She wouldn't say much, only sit in the chair at Kallie's bedside, watching in eerie silence that unsettled her.
Terin would come, too. He had spewed a lengthy apology for kidnapping her for a second time. But when Kallie only blinked at him, pain glazed his brown eyes. Kallie, however, could not offer him the forgiveness he sought.
She wished it was simply because he did not need her forgiveness, not after everything she had done. But rather she could not speak the words because she had no words to give, kind or otherwise.
Still, Terin kept returning. At first he, like the rest, had sat there in silence.
Kallie could feel his discomfort when he would shift and fidget within the straight-back chair, as if he finally realized that while they might have shared the same blood, they were still strangers.
Eventually, the uncomfortable became comfortable, and Terin began talking.
He told her what happened after the temple erupted into flames. He told her what the king had revealed to them in the tunnels. He told her of her best friend's betrayal.
A far-off pang echoed somewhere inside as he revealed the truth about Myra: that she had manipulated her emotions and most likely had been doing so for longer than anyone thought.
Yet Kallie was numb to it all.
And perhaps it was because she did not wish to admit her ignorance of her own failing.
Then, Terin started to tell her stories of their childhood, the games they would play together, and the days they would run barefoot through the castle grounds.
But the memories with Kallie in them were few and far between, and soon, he began to tell her other stories.
The ones of the life she had missed out on.
A spike of pain should have filled her chest at these memories she did not possess, of the people she had never gotten a chance to know, but instead, there was nothing.
Just a void, an emptiness she didn't know what to do with.
So, Kallie did nothing with it.
By the time Terin was called away, he would look at her one last time before he left, his gaze falling to her finger where their mother's ring still encircled before his smile fell.
But Kallie did not care if her silence hurt him.
She couldn't get herself to care.
Because while the Pontians were thrilled that the queen was able to rip Kallie's mind apart, what was Kallie supposed to do with what was left of her?
The rage was gone.
The anger had vanished.
The craving for power was nonexistent.
Everything Kallie had once cared about--the crown, the power, the king's approval--felt nonsensical now.
"Come on."
Kallie's gaze flicked to the woman before her, and she immediately recognized the princess of Tetria.
A constellation of freckles smattered Medenia's nose and cheeks. Her midnight hair was twisted into an elaborate braid that was draped over her shoulder. A string of emeralds hung from the black satin ribbon that held the braid together.
Now that Kallie had seen the queen, she couldn't help but see the resemblances.
Although Medenia's eyes were a smidge darker than the queen's near-white ones, they were just as hypnotic.
When Kallie looked upon the princess, fear was only a passing thought.
The queen had already destroyed Kallie's soul. There was nothing left for Medenia to take from Kallie, even if the princess wanted to.
Medenia folded her arms across her chest, blowing a strand of hair that had fallen from the plait. "I suppose Opal wasn't kidding about you being stubborn, huh? I had hoped the healer was exaggerating about your...lack of enthusiasm. Well, that's just not going to work for me. It's time to get up, Princess."
Kallie's forehead creased with wrinkles at the title.
She was a princess; she used to own a title. But now? Now what was she?
Who was she?
Medenia rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll get you up myself then, but if I hurt you, you only have yourself to blame," she said snidely.
Medenia bent over the bed, digging her hands beneath Kallie's shoulders and tugging her up. Kallie's head spun, and she tossed out a hand, gripping the sheets as she attempted to steady herself.
"Some fresh air would do you some good, I think," Medenia muttered as she continued her torture. She pulled Kallie's legs from under the blankets and brought them over the edge of the bed.
Kallie groaned as her knee cracked, pain blossoming through her leg.
Medenia flicked a brow up. "If you wish to stay in this room, all you have to do is say so." The princess waited, her hands folded in front of her stomach.
Kallie dropped her gaze, too tired to fight her.
"Then it's settled." Medenia clapped her hands together.
Pulling Kallie up by the crook of the elbow, Medenia guided her out of the room. Well, more like dragged her out of the room.
Outside the infirmary, the sound of rapid, clumsy footsteps drew Kallie's attention. A large, shaggy, brown dog bounded toward them, its tongue lolling out the side of its mouth as it panted eagerly.
"Hi, Beau!" Medenia greeted the dog with a cheerful smile, reaching down to pet its head. "I can't play right now. Go find Ophelia, all right?"
Beau cocked his head and let out a sad whine.
"Beau," Medenia scolded gently.
The dog released an exasperated huff before dashing down the hall.
"He's been so needy since we returned," Medenia said, shaking her head and guiding Kallie through the corridor. "I missed him of course, but right now is not the best time to play fetch."
Kallie said nothing in response, her attention solely focused on staying upright.
Their walk was slow and laborious, but their pace didn't seem to bother Medenia even as they made the trek down the steps at a torturous pace.
"It's unfortunate that you tried to escape the first night. If you hadn't, perhaps they would have been more inclined to set you up on the main floor," Medenia remarked as they descended the steps. "But they were worried that you'd take off again when you woke. Maybe we can convince them to move you now. It doesn't seem like you're going anywhere anytime soon."
Kallie gave Medenia a cursory glance. The Tetrian princess was rather...peculiar. But peculiar or not, Medenia had shown Kallie nothing but kindness when they had met at the welcome dinner and then again before the hunt started.
Yet sometimes, the princess's words, if twisted a certain way, sounded like an insult. Kallie wasn't sure if she should have been insulted or not at that moment. Still, she remained silent nevertheless.
Medenia shrugged and helped Kallie down the last few steps. "Come on," she said before guiding Kallie to a set of glass doors leading outside.
Kallie wasn't quite sure if a stroll outside was what she needed.
Then again, she didn't know exactly what she needed, or even what she wanted, for that matter.
The sun kissed Kallie's skin as the doors cracked open, and the fresh air tickled her nose. As Kallie scanned the enclosed garden, she inhaled a sharp breath at the sight of a foreign creature resting in the middle of the flowers beside a fountain and stopped dead in her tracks.
"Oh!" Medenia squealed, squeezing Kallie's arm. "I don't believe the two of you have formally met. Unless..." she trailed off, peering at Kallie, a brow arched. " Have you seen her before?"
At the sound of Medenia's voice, the beast lifted its head and peered in their direction, and as its ruby-red eyes landed on her, Kallie stumbled backward and shook her head as she kept her eyes on the beast.
The sun bounced off the animal's irises so vibrantly that it looked like a roaring fire was aflame within them. Yet, as the creature looked upon Medenia, nothing but kindness sparkled within. Kallie could sense Medenia observing her intently as if the princess wasn't sure if she believed Kallie's answer. But while Kallie may have lied about many things over her lifetime, she was not lying about this.
When Medenia tugged Kallie forward, Kallie was tempted to dig her heels into the dirt. But alas, she did not. She trudged forward, reluctantly and helplessly.
Kallie could not understand what she was seeing. One of its paws peeked out from beneath its stomach as it lay on the ground, and it was larger than Kallie's head. The animal had the snout of a wolf, but as the two women approached, it stood, stretching its wings out wide. And as it pressed its paw against the ground, large, sharp talons protruded from it.
Kallie gasped in horror, yet Medenia led them closer. The creature cocked its head, its eyes narrowing and nostrils flaring as it scrutinized Kallie.
"This is Nyrri," Medenia announced, smiling and looking adoringly upon the animal that could quite possibly eat them whole. She released Kallie's arm and approached the deadly beast. "We found her when we were traveling, and we are fortunate to have found her when we did. Without her, all of us might have died. Isn't that right, Nyrri?"
The creature nuzzled into the princess's hand in response.
Medenia continued, "Since we have taken her in, she has scared many of my guards away. But you have nothing to fear. Although she can be dangerous, she is sweet at heart."
"How?" Kallie croaked, the question slipping from her lips.
Medenia glanced at Kallie, astonishment registering across her face at the question. But while the princess may have been shocked at hearing Kallie's voice, Kallie's attention was purely on the animal. The more Kallie observed Nyrri, the more she quickly saw the beauty of the beast.
Nyrri's eyes were so expressive that Kallie could see almost every emotion drip from them as she experienced the world around her.
The creature spread her wings out again as she nuzzled Medenia's hand before tucking them against her sides. But before Nyrri tucked them away, Kallie glimpsed the scars across the membrane of the wings that the sun's glow illuminated. It was clear that the creature had suffered a great deal of pain throughout her life.
Without realizing it, Kallie had taken a step forward, a hand extended. Nyrri shifted closer as well, extending her snout toward Kallie. When Nyrri did not bite Kallie's hand off and instead closed her eyes before nudging her hand, Kallie stroked the bridge of her nose.
Medenia offered Kallie a sad smile and said, "We're not sure how she came about or what she is exactly. Based on the information we have gathered, the Frenzians seem to be partaking in some sort of experiment. During the attack at your wedding, Domitius--" She paused abruptly.
Kallie stared at her unmoving hand as a ghost of an unidentifiable emotion came and went. She could feel Medenia's gaze boring into her but refused to meet it.
Instead, she swallowed and continued petting Nyrri's nose.
Medenia cleared her throat and continued, "He ran off into an underground tunnel. When we found you and the others down there after the king had caused the tunnel to collapse, we saw...things. Terrible things. Malnourished animals that had clearly undergone some sort of horrific testing. We believe they're trying to create a weapon from them."
As Kallie stared at Nyrri, her eyes widened as she finally realized what the creature reminded her of. A worn illustration in an ancient text surfaced in her mind, depicting an animal with brilliant scales, a long tail, and a large snout. Even the red eyes made her think of the helmets the Frenizans wore.
"Dragons," Kallie whispered, her hand falling.
Medenia grabbed Kallie's hand. "Do you know something? Did--"
Kallie shook her head as she blinked at the princess. She hadn't meant to say anything, but she couldn't take it back now.
"No, I..." Kallie cleared her throat. "I had spent a lot of time with Rian in the royal library. He has a deep interest in the creatures and believes they aren't truly extinct. When I had mentioned it to my fa--"
Kallie's brows twisted as the word got stuck in her throat.
Nyrri gently shoved her hand, and Kallie returned to petting the beast as she pressed forward. "When I had mentioned it to Domitius, he dismissed Rian's interest, thinking it a mere childish obsession."
Medenia hummed. "Well, now we know it was not merely some childish obsession."
Kallie nodded absently, unsure of what to think of the beast.
She was unsure of many things. She had known that the Frenzians were protecting important knowledge, but she had never imagined that the existence of this creature was part of that.
Were these experiments that Medenia spoke of the reason that the king wanted Kallie to formalize an alliance with the Frenzians? To gain access to whatever knowledge created Nyrri? But then why had he dismissed it when Kallie brought up Rian's research into the legendary creatures? None of it made sense.
"How did she end up with you again?" Kallie asked after a moment of pondering.
"On our way to Frenzia before the wedding, we found her caged among a group of Frenizan soldiers near the Borganian border. From what Graeson and the others relayed, most of the soldiers did not make it out alive."
"Most?" Kallie repeated, ignoring the twisting of her stomach at the mention of Graeson's name.
Medenia nodded. "According to Graeson and Dani, two men managed to escape, fleeing by horseback."
A previous conversation with Rian the day before the welcome ceremony resurfaced. Rian had mentioned that his soldiers had been slaughtered and that he and Sebastian had to flee.
Was this what he was doing then? And if so, how could he have allowed it?
Based on her interactions with him, Kallie wouldn't have thought that Rian would partake in something like this. He was kind, modest...but he was also ignorant. His soft greeneyes always seemed troubled and soaked with sorrow.
Kallie had never seen any malice within them.
But perhaps the young king was not whom Kallie had imagined. Maybe she wasn't the only one who had been wearing a mask all this time.
Medenia grabbed a piece of meat from a nearby bucket, and Kallie quirked a brow, recalling a detail the princess had revealed to her during the hunt.
"I thought you were a vegetarian?" she remarked.
"I am," Medenia said with a small smile. She shrugged and threw the meat into the air. "But Nyrri is not."
Nyrri jumped, her wings spanning out as she caught the raw meat with a quick snap of her jaw. When she landed, the ground around her shook, causing Kallie to stumble back several steps. However, even as Kallie's heart beat rapidly in her chest and she got a good look at Nyrri's sharp canines, Kallie wasn't afraid of the wild creature, despite logic telling her she should have been.
How long had the animal been held in captivity? How long had she had to endure the Frenzians' cruelty before she finally gained her freedom? Before she found someone who did not wrap a chain around her neck?
Before the Tetrians stopped fearing her?
The creature might have been born to kill and destroy, but hidden within the dragon-wolf's gaze was a yearning for security and companionship. She bumped Medenia's thigh, silently begging for affection, for connection.
As Kallie watched Nyrri, she felt at ease for the first time in a long time, even as she felt the eyes of dozens of guards watching her in the garden.