6

"Why are you cheering?" I laughed aloud, "You're all going to die."

*****

Sekka

Watching Wyatt be yanked away, and being left alone with the royals was a terrifying situation. The queen yanked me up off the ground next. Scanning through my core forcefully.

"A half elf pretending to be a low elf," She sneered at me, and changed her grip from my arms to my ear.

Holding the tip of my ear in a way that made it feel as if she was going to yank my whole ear off. A surge of power flowed around my body. A phantom image of Wyatt in his dragon form appeared around me, and knocked the queen off. Snapping at her hand as she drew it back. The image of a dragon seemed to disturb the queen deeply as she backed off far more then necessary for such a weak protection spell.

Her stunned, and fearful expression was unlike anything I'd ever seen on the face of a royal before. She quickly masked her expression, and waved confidently to the crowd as the protection spell dispelled.

"A protection spell that takes on the image of whoever cast it," She put on a false expression of confidence, "Now will you tell me who cast that spell?"

"Even if I did you won't be able to stop him now," I swallowed nervously, "He's been putting his plans into motion for over a year now, and the only reason he hasn't rampaged in the capital is because I'm here."

It wasn't a lie. Truth detecting spells, and items were common among the nobles.

"What would make you so important to that creature?" She gripped me by the throat.

"He says we're highly compatible," I choked out, "He wants to keep me for himself or something like that. I have no idea what's going on in his head."

"Leave," She ordered all the nobles in the great hall.

I imagined she probably wanted to kill me right then, and there in front of all of them, but the image of a dragon had disturbed her greatly. The hall cleared quickly after that. She was a powerful ruler, and the royal army, and guards were a cut above anyone they could bring into their service. It was in their best interest to obey.

"What is your name?" she asked once the hall was clear.

"Sekka," I answered.

"Why haven't you tried to deceive me?" she sat down on her throne.

"I was instructed not to," I answered.

"What exactly were you instructed to do slave?" Her lip curled up into a snarl.

"I was instructed to give you whatever information you desired so that I could survive," I frowned.

"He's willing to have his plans spoiled just to keep you alive," she frowned at me, "What will he do if you're killed?"

That last question made me start laughing quietly. One of the princes leapt off his throne to strike me only to have his strike repelled by the image of a dragon once again. This time the force was reflected back at the prince instead of absorbed. This barrier protecting me was getting stronger.

"I already told you I have no idea what he's thinking," I snapped back to a hundred percent serious, "Will he ravage the territory or come destroy the palace itself? Maybe he'll take hostages. Maybe he'll just keep killing until he gets what he wants. He knows he's not strong enough to fight you directly so who knows what he'll decide to do. I saw him kill my master, and every single elf under him in a single attack. Sure my master was just a lower elf lord, but three hundred isn't a small number, and he's only gotten stronger as time goes on."

"Three hundred soldiers under a lower elf wouldn't be enough to kill a dragon," she sat back in her throne, "How much do you know of this dragon?"

"Sorry, but I don't plan to answer those kinds of questions," I knew this was going to get me a beating, but the powerful barrier protecting me bolstered my confidence a bit, "I wouldn't be alive right now if he hadn't decided to take me in. Besides. With how impulsive he is he's likely to make a move that will get your attention soon enough."

*****

Sefrika

I rushed to my bride, and hugged her tightly as soon as we returned to the capital, but her expression at the time had bothered me. I'd never seen her so frightened. I'd asked her what was wrong, but she'd refused to answer for some time. I sat by her as she looked out the window for the better part of two days as her expression grew more, and more grave. She hadn't eaten more then a few morsels in all that time.

"It's here," she looked as pale as a ghost.

She was ready to speak.

"What's here?" I gripped her hand gently.

"A star bright enough to block out the sun itself," Her eyes started watering.

Whatever she was looking at was clearly hurting her eyes. She referred to the capital soldiers she helped recruit as stars, and the other royals as the sun. My eyes widened as I slowly began to process what exactly she'd said.

"I think it would be best if we went to the shining mountain for a few weeks once you tell them who this star is," I ran my thumb along the back of her delicate hand, "Those eyes of yours have been staring into the lights for far too long. I believe they need a rest."

"A star bright enough to block out the sun huh?" Jarl, the eldest prince, snarled with a sour expression.

Her word had demoted him from crown prince so he often waited for an opportunity to make a mark that would get his crown back. He was even behind a great many of my brides assassination attempts.

"It seems you have some good information to bring the queen," I cut him off before he could continue speaking, "Why don't you do that?"