Chapter 3
Sagan
Saying the next days were trying was an understatement. Being shipped off to school in a foreign country and being the only dragon during my formative years was trying. It was downright painful at times.
It was nothing compared to dealing with soul-crushing grief and everything I was dealing with. At every turn, someone was trying to undermine me or act like I was an outsider.
And the worst part?
They weren’t always wrong. I was an outsider because of how my parents had rigged so much against me. I’d barely spent any time at my own home and I knew the names of very few.
While Elira was beloved and knew all of them. I would have been impressed if it wasn’t all an act. From the first time I’d come home and visited and she’d faked a soap opera-worthy fall to try and pin me as some bully, I’d known the type of person she was.
Unfortunately, others weren’t as bright and were not raised to see snakes at every turn. Maybe it was mean to insult their intelligence for that, but they worked in a castle where court games were always at play.
Yeah, they were idiots then.
Unfortunately, someone I needed most was completely under Elira’s spell and treated me like I was the adopted daughter trying to take Elira’s place. Raquel, the head of the castle staff and Keeper of Keys—which was an official title granted by my parents—had served them loyally for decades.
As had her mother before her.
And her mother before her. Their family had generations of serving mine, so a rift with her would look bad on me no matter how valid I was.
I was quick to assess that and decided to give the breadcrumb of allowing Elira to handle the job of managing all the floral arrangements under Raquel’s watchful eye. Easy enough, right?
Apparently not.
“It’s just a few changes, Your Highness,” Raquel defended, pressing her lips together and giving me a disapproving look.
I studied her closely and held up a hand to Elira when she tried to speak. “You are in charge of how many staff, Raquel?”
She blinked at me a moment. “Over two hundred.”
“And if they disobey your instructions? Do you just shrug it off as a minor change? Forgive that and don’t bat an eyelash?
” I raised an eyebrow, knowing I’d won the point when her lips pressed tighter.
“So to everyone around us, I’ve finally returned home and I’m being undermined and overruled by people I should be able to trust most.”
“Your point has been made, Your Highness,” she begrudgingly accepted. “I will make sure everything is followed exactly as instructed.”
I was about to let it go but then couldn’t.
“I understand you have a favorite and it’s not me, but these aren’t even my instructions, Raquel.
They are my parents’. This is what they wanted.
I would never have thought you would go against them.
Not even in their deaths. They adored you and trusted you more than maybe anyone else. ”
The blow landed harder than if I’d struck her physically.
I turned to Elira then, ignoring that she was over six inches taller than me. How she could always play the victim and be a taller female dragon—fragile and bigger than most—always annoyed me. She still looked delicate somehow with her big eyes and magenta hair streaks for her fauna dragon.
Whereas I was short and had ugly orange streaks. She was somehow always more feminine, and people wanted to take care of her.
“And you the same. I understand you wanted to bring more color into the arrangements because my mother loved that. I think the sentiment is wonderful. But not when they laid out their wishes so specifically so no one had to make these calls while grieving.”
“You’re right, Sag—Princess Sagan,” she rasped, bobbing her head and wiping crocodile tears. “I wasn’t thinking and I’m sorry. I won’t make a mistake like this again. I just—I just miss them so much.”
I was sure she missed the power and privilege they gave her more and was trying to capitalize on that before I took it all away.
“Later, I think it would be perfect to have a public garden dedicated to Mother, sponsored by all the wards of the royal family, that anyone can enjoy with all her favorite flowers,” I continued, deciding to turn it around on Elira even more.
But also, it was something Mother would have loved, and she deserved to always be remembered for her dedication to helping others.
“People should never forget how many Mother cared for and gave better lives to—had faith in when so many were willing to ignore them,” I continued, my voice genuinely cracking.
“I think that would be a great project for you to work up with some of the other wards, and I will find room in the budget or pay for it myself because…”
“Your mother would have loved it,” Raquel rasped, getting choked up herself. “Yes, something beautiful that others can enjoy. Well done, Your Highness.” She reached out like she was going to rub my arm but then dropped her hand.
I grabbed it and squeezed it, taking advantage of the moment.
“Too many are trying to change too much now that they’re gone.
If there is ever a time I need everyone to stay the course and keep with what my parents wanted, it’s now when everyone is vulnerable and people are looking for cracks.
Please, these matters aren’t small to other eyes. ”
She swallowed loudly and nodded. “You’re right. It was a misjudgment on my part and it won’t happen again. I will make sure any potential changes to anything are cleared with you first.”
“Thank you for understanding and being so loyal to my parents. They need that right now, especially after what the elders tried to do,” I said, faking the emotion in my voice. I talked to her a few more moments, but then when I turned away, I smirked at Elira.
Two could play the games she wanted to.
I was just better at them and had all the power.
Rage filled her eyes, and most might not want to poke her with so much else going on, but... How else would I get her to make a mistake and expose her true nature faster?
But it was everywhere I turned.
The head of the temple? He thought I needed to spend time reflecting with the gods on why I was so harsh on my sister Elira when my parents loved her. I let him go on and on, giving him the illusion that I was actually listening and considering this nonsense.
“I think you have lost your way, High Priest,” I said when he was finally done.
“I beg your pardon?” His eyes were too wide for his thin, long face and it was extra comical somehow.
I swallowed a snort. “Have you ever lectured my father like this?” I nodded when he flinched. “It seems your time as the head of the capital temple… I think it best you start mentoring your successor since you’ll be retiring in the next few years.”
“Princess, I have no—no plans to do that,” he sputtered.
I slowly blinked at him. “You do now if you want to graciously extract yourself from your position and leave with your legacy intact.”
“That is beyond excessive when I simply—”
“Stood here for twenty minutes and lectured me on how I’m so far off the path of what the gods want, you worry about the future of the country, because you seem to be half in love with a ward of the royal family that you sound deluded, High Priest,” I cut in.
“She’s not my sister. She was never adopted.
“The fact you are suggesting to promote someone unrelated to me to princess like it’s no big deal is an insult to our whole government and monarchy, not to mention my parents.
I am not a child, but soon to be queen of the realm you live in.
This whole conversation—no, lecture—was unhinged, and I’m beyond worried about you being in charge.
“So start handing over your duties graciously but quickly to a successor or I will have you removed immediately as is under my sole authority. Not this insanity of my sibling I don’t have or whatever scheme is going on now.
” I tilted my head and studied him. “Why her? There have been much more impressive wards our family has taken care of. Why her?”
I waved off his answer and made it clear he’d wasted enough of my time. Also, that it would be in his best interest to handle everything going forward perfectly or I wouldn’t give him the option of a graceful exit and would simply kick him out of his cushy position.
“And if there is any mistake or type of petty rebelling against my decision during my parents’ lying in state here or at their funeral, it won’t simply be your position, High Priest.” I made it clear that his death would be on the table.
At least he wasn’t foolish enough to doubt me.
I made sure to swing by Elira’s room and tell her that if she didn’t quit her games that she was losing at, she would be out on her ass with nothing and disgraced. She tried to put on the act, but I reminded her no one was around so not to bother.
She huffed. “They love me more than you. They all do. Even your parents. I’m not going anywhere, Sagan. You might have been born of them, but I am who they all choose.”
I snorted, infuriating her even more. “I don’t believe that for a second, and if you do, you’re truly nuts.”
“I’m not,” she bit out. “None of them—”
“Know the real you, Elira,” I purred, gesturing to her.
“This is all an act. They like the fake you. You’re a con woman.
What they like isn’t real. I could get them to like me better if I was as fake as you, but I’m true to myself.
” I gave a half shrug. “But none of it matters in the end because I am the princess and you’re trying to be a fake one. How sad.”
I was already down the hall when she gave a wordless scream.
Fool. She was playing checkers with someone who was a master at chess. I just had to limit the amount of damage she did while blowing up the board.