Skwyr Court

Lady Emgard walked into the marketplace, leaning on her staff for support. She kicked up dust as she walked, a refreshing reminder that warm weather had returned. The sun shone happily in the bright blue sky above. The perfect weather for an outdoor market.

With her basket slung over her elbow, she walked among the villagers, keeping her head down, with a little help from an enchantment to hide her identity. She hated it when people recognized her. Then it was always “Can I help you, My Lady?” or “No, please, I can’t take money from you, My Lady.” It didn’t help her mission to help the locals if they kept offering her charity. She neither needed nor wanted it. Just as bad were the people on the opposite end of the spectrum, the ones who overcharged her because they knew she could afford it. Sure, they weren’t giving away their products, but she didn’t want to support them.

She eyed a fresh crop of carrots and thought about bringing some back with her for a stew. Living in the castle rarely gave her a chance to cook for herself, and it’d be a nice change of pace. Cooking had always felt like another form of magic to her. Like magic, cooking took care, attention to detail, and a lot of patience.

“How much?” she asked, motioning to the carrots. She was careful not to draw too much attention to herself, so as not to break her disguise.

The merchant glanced at her, then turned his attention to the carrots.

“Ten copper a piece,” he said.

The price had gone up in a week, but she couldn’t blame him for that. Instead, she took out her small purse, selected a gold piece, and handed it to him.

“I’ll take ten,” she said.

The merchant made no effort to hide his delight.

“Thanks, granny,” he said, accepting the piece of gold.

She arched an eyebrow at him, then turned back to the carrots. Like the crowd around her, the carrots were smaller than usual, which was another concern of hers. She picked ten of them, then moved on through the marketplace.

She glanced up at the sky again, feeling something wrong in the air. Some small feeling that made the hairs on the back of her neck stir. She gripped her staff a little tighter. The sky was almost cheerful.

But around this part of Skwyr, there was an underlying fear creeping around the people. She could feel it lingering among them. Like a shadow falling over them. The crops weren’t doing well; people didn’t even want to go out to a market anymore. They could all sense it, even if they didn’t know it.

She closed her eyes and concentrated. The sounds of the marketplace faded away. She felt herself leaving the ground, giving her a brief moment of vertigo. As old as she was, she’d learned to ignore it, knowing full well she was still on solid earth. The world moved about her, moving energy with it. She sensed the fine threads of magic that bound the world together, looking for anything out of place.

She felt each thread of the marketplace, of the sky. A watcher only, she didn’t dare touch any of them. It was easier to feel the one vibrating out of place.

It was a rhythmic vibration. A bobbing motion, perhaps. Like…

Lady Emgard’s eyes snapped open.

“Wingbeats.”

Her gaze turned to the horizon, and she saw it. Far enough away that no one would’ve seen it yet. From that distance, it could’ve been mistaken for a bird. But even as she looked at it, a sense of dread filled her. That wasn’t a bird.

She closed her eyes again, but instead of sensing the movement of the strands, she followed one straight back to the castle. Leaning her head into her hand, she breathed one word.

“Dragon.”

With open eyes, she lifted her hand up and allowed her message to fly free. A few feathers left her hand, vanishing seconds after they did. She knew her message would make it to the king. It had to.

“That was a neat trick,” one merchant said.

She looked back at him, dispelling her disguise. She waited a moment before realization dawned on his face.

“My… My Lady Arch Mage!” he exclaimed, stammering and bowing at the same time. “I… Please forgive me, I didn’t—”

“You’re forgiven,” she said. “I don’t care what you did, only what you’re about to do. Everyone here may be in grave danger. I need help getting their attention.”

“Not a problem.” The man turned back to his family. “Get everyone’s attention. I don’t know why, but it’s important!”

Two young men and a little girl ran out and started shouting to people.

It wasn’t efficient by any means; most people looked at them as though they were crazy. She didn’t need people to obey, only to listen. She didn’t like raising her voice.

“There’s a dragon on its way,” she said, raising her voice only a little to be heard. She looked up at it again. Sure enough, it was getting closer. She could see its mighty wings carrying across the sky toward the marketplace.

People saw her, then turned their heads toward the dragon. As they did, people whispered and pointed at it.

“Everyone, get off the street. Find shelter in the tents or stands if you must, but stay out of the street.”

“What for?” asked a man.

“Because there’s a good chance that if a dragon sees this many people, it’ll raze the village for fun.”

As people began to panic, more shouted at them to keep calm. Emgard took note of each one. It was always good to know on whom she could rely. She placed her basket on the stand closest to her, then walked to the center of the street, her staff in hand.

The dragon was close enough that she could see its black scales. She took a breath to keep herself calm. With luck, it would pass over them without paying them any mind. With a lot of luck. More luck than she figured she possessed.

It spread its wings and glided lower, intending to land. People around her talked with shaking voices, but others hushed them.

The ground shook as the dragon landed. She’d seen supply caravans smaller than it. It loomed over her, its great maw opening to speak.

“What a surprise,” it said in a tongue few others would understand. “If it isn’t Lady Emgard.”

His voice was deep and smooth. He — she was sure it was male — wasn’t at all afraid of her. She didn’t blame him; she didn’t look that intimidating to anyone other than her apprentices or the castle staff.

“I confess you have me at a disadvantage,” she replied. “You know my name, but I can’t say I know yours.”

He reared back. His head bobbed up and down while he made a coughing noise. No, he wasn’t coughing; he was laughing.

“You sensed me coming. I know you can find my name if you look hard enough.”

That same sense of dread that she’d felt earlier came over her for a moment. Was he doing that? She knew dragons were better with magic than humans, but to do so seamlessly wasn’t something she’d expected.

She didn’t dare close her eyes and leave people defenseless. Instead, she reached out with her mind into the ether once again. A new thread had been created, linking her with this dragon. From that, she sensed his name.

She held her staff tighter. She’d killed dragons before, but until the king arrived with his knights, there was little she could do against this particular dragon.

She knew that now. She’d fought dragons before, but this wasn’t an ordinary dragon.

“I’m flattered that you recognize me,” he said, leaning his head closer. “I thought humans were too ignorant of us dragons to believe I exist.”

While she listened, she drew up battle plans in her head. Killing him wasn’t her concern anymore; saving as many of the people was.

“The king is on his way,” she said, hoping to stall for time. “You might be able to kill me, but you won’t kill him.”

“I have no desire to kill you. That’d only pick a fight with the king, one I cannot win. Not yet.”

Its mouth drew back in what she could only assume was a smile. Whatever it was, it was revolting.

“But do send him my love,” the dragon continued. “Be sure to tell him… and all these people my name. Tell them that the nightmare is real. I’ve come out of the shadows to burn their lives to the ground.”

“The Court of Nelaro wasn’t enough?” she asked.

“Nelaro was only the beginning. I’ve got my eye on Skwyr now. Tell the king that for me, would you?”

Emgard sensed a warm, empowering feeling. She stood on the shoulders of giants, and they weren’t far.

“You’d better run before he arrives. Unless you’d like to tell him yourself.”

He leaned in closer to her.

“Quite like an old woman. Waiting for a younger man to save her.”

She gripped her staff until her knuckles turned white. One way or another, she’d see this lizard’s head roll.

“Now, now. We both know you won’t fight me with these people here.”

“You’d better fly away while you can.”

The dragon stretched his wings.

“Until next time, Lady Emgard.”

He leapt off the ground and soared into the air. Emgard didn’t relax until she’d watched him fly away into that bright blue sky.

“It’s safe,” she said softly. “The king will be here soon.”

People slowly came out of hiding around her in the marketplace.

“Thank you, My Lady,” the merchant near her said. “We’re in your debt.”

She looked at them with a little envy, but smiled all the same. It wouldn’t do to alarm them yet.

As people emerged, she picked up her basket and checked on them. Made sure they were okay. They asked about the dragon, but she didn’t answer their questions. Only told them that the Court would see to it.

They didn’t need to know what she did, what the king would soon know. They didn’t need to know that the boogeyman escaped their nightmares. That evil had crept out of the darkness.

That Valignatiejir had returned to Skwyr.

The first sign that there was trouble was Lord Velal telling Ekla that she needed full battle gear. After taking the time to ensure every piece of her armor was right, she’d met Lord Velal with six other knights, at the edge of the wall that guarded the castle.

The second sign that there was trouble was her being made field medic. Not that she minded; she was good at it, but routine surveillance operations didn’t need a field medic, nor full battle gear. Lord Velal was quiet about both their objective and destination. When they set off, she didn’t know where they were going, but like every other knight in the court, she knew to follow Lord Velal without question.

The sun rose slowly as they rode southwest of the court, out into the wilderness beyond the walls. There were few settlements out here, where wild beasts could be prowling around any corner.

Ekla kept her guard up, still wondering what it was they were doing. Why all the secrecy? She knew the King’s inner circle had their secrets, and she knew something was going on. There were rumors of a black dragon lurking in Skwyr. She had a sinking feeling that this mystery mission involved that dragon somehow.

The sun was just peeking through the mountains behind them when she spotted smoke ahead of them. She focused her ki into her eyes, and saw something in the distance beyond the smoke.

A shape moved through the sky, away from them and the court. She could faintly make out the outline of wings. With one hand, she pulled her spyglass from a pouch on her side. There was no doubt about it: dragon. It was larger than any other she’d seen on her surveillance missions. One of its claws was curled around something as it flew off. She saw it for only a moment, then it was gone, concealed by the smoke ahead of them.

Her eyes darted to Lord Velal. Had he seen it? It was flying away, and their mission was likely to find survivors up ahead, so there was little she could do yet. She checked her helmet and activated the filter in it as they approached the smoke, then put her spyglass back into place.

Charred remains of tents littered the area. The fires had all burned themselves out, but the ruins stretched for at least a mile over scorched ground. There was no doubt about it; the dragon had been here.

Ekla dismounted along with the other knights. None of them needed the order; they started walking through the ruins, looking for any survivors sheltering among the dead.

She tested each step before putting her weight behind it, scouring ahead of and below her. She channeled her ki to her eyes and ears, checking her helmet every few steps to keep the smoke out. Several questions still fought for her attention, but she couldn’t be distracted. There’d be time to work out the problem later.

That’s not my concern either.

She turned over tents, but found charred remains of people. She tried to determine from which kingdom the tribe had originated, but there wasn’t enough left.

“Lord Velal,” one of the other knights said, “what did this?”

That’s not our concern right now, Ekla thought. Our only concern is to find survivors.

“The only thought you should be giving to that,” Lord Velal said as he too scavenged the remains, “is whether it’s going to come back.”

Ekla was the youngest master in the castle, but she knew better than to question Lord Velal. He wouldn’t keep secrets from them unless it was necessary.

You are capable of handling the worst. I will never shield you from the truth without good reason.

Respect and loyalty were two of the values on which she’d been raised. Lord Velal said it was one thing that had made her stand out when he’d selected her for master.

A sound caught her attention and she froze. Tuning out the sounds of the other knights, Ekla focused on that sound. A soft groaning, wheezing. The sounds of life.

She stepped through the ruins, keeping her focus on that sound. She could’ve missed orders, but she was following the more important ones. Besides, Lord Velal wouldn’t order them to quit until every inch of ground had been searched.

The sound came again, followed by a soft cough.

Ekla glanced back at Lord Velal, and saw that he’d heard it too. She caught his gaze, then turned her head towards the source of the sound. Through the smoke, she saw him nod.

“Hello?” she called.

Another cough through the smoke.

“Help.”

The voice was soft, wheezing, gasping in the smoke.

“I’m from the castle,” she said. “My name’s Ekla.”

“Help.”

“I’m going to get you out.”

She stepped closer, careful to avoid stepping on anything. She didn’t know what was alive or dead anymore, and she wouldn’t risk harming anyone.

“Help.”

“Keep talking. I’m coming to you.”

The voice got louder and louder as she approached. It was still faint, but strong enough that she could find it. She dragged a piece of ruined tent away, and found the owner of the voice.

It was a man. He was covered in soot and ash, but she didn’t see any burns on him. His back was to her, his arms wrapped around something. He wheezed and coughed in the smoke, but didn’t move, even after she’d freed him.

No, I didn’t free him. He could’ve gotten out.

“I’m…”

Her voice trailed off when she saw what he was holding. It was a little boy, no older than seven. Unlike the man Ekla assumed was his father, the boy’s skin was blackened, charred.

“I’ve got survivors!” she called.

The first step was to get them out of the smoke so she could work. She wasn’t far from the edge of the ruin. The ground had been razed, but it’d stopped smoking enough that she could setup a safe zone.

“I’ll be back in a moment.”

She raced along the outside of the ruin, whistling for her horse to meet her. She grabbed her medical pack from the horse’s side, then sprinted back to the man and his son. She pulled out a pair of tied sticks from the pack. Pulling them apart, she activated the magic woven into the cloth.

The cloth hung in midair while she pulled a card out of a pouch strapped to her leg. She pressed her thumb and forefinger against the card, and the tiny runes that decorated the card glowed. She tore the card into pieces, throwing the pieces around her charges.

When the last piece landed, the two of them floated into the air, the man’s arms still firmly around his son. She gently lifted them up, the spell keeping them still, and moved them onto the stretcher.

Once they were out of the smoke, she took four rods from her pack. She stuck them into the ground, and a tent sprang out from them. She ducked inside, then had the stretcher set her patients down onto the ground.

“Can you hear me?” she asked the man.

His eyes fluttered open as she pulled out another pair of cards. She activated the first one, and the card turned translucent. Looking through it at the man, she saw everything about him. His heart was beating out of control, one lung had collapsed, and he was bleeding internally. She let go of the card, and it stayed suspended in midair. Activating the second one, she turned back to the boy.

Unlike his father, the boy’s damage was mostly external, but she saw signs of infection spreading throughout his body. His eyes and ears were gone, but only the eyes were permanent if she could save him. Neither patient was in good condition, but she chose the boy first.

She pulled two more supplies from her pack: a jar and a roll of bandages. Putting the jar on the ground, she grabbed a card from her pouch — with it broken into sections, she always knew which card she was pulling — then activated it and dipped it into the jar.

“You’ve got to let go of him,” she said softly. “I promise, I’m going to do everything I can for him.”

She gently pulled the man’s arms away, then pressed the card to the boy. The card, now covered in the ointment, spread it over the boy’s body. Once the card ran out, it flew down to the jar and returned to the boy.

“Report.”

“Two survivors, I think father and son,” she replied to Velal’s shadow in the tent entrance. “Boy’s covered in burns, but I should be able to stabilize him. Man’s got internal bleeding.”

“Help…”

Ekla turned back to the man, then grabbed the card floating in midair.

“You are in the hands of the court, now,” Velal said, his deep voice emanating calm. “You and your son both have long lives left to live.”

Her first step was to reinflate the lung so he could breath again. She stabbed a small tube into his chest cavity. Pulling it out, she slapped a small bandage on the wound, then moved down to his ribs.

“I don’t have everything I need here,” she said. “Not for him.”

“I’ve already sent for Lord Gorkle and his druids.”

Ekla thanked him silently for being prepared. As proud as she was to be trusted by Lord Velal, she wasn’t proud enough that she’d refuse help.

She wrapped bandages around the boy as the card worked over him with the ointment. She’d never been good with magic and its need for precision, but when the mages made her a tool she could use, she was all for it.

“Help…”

“I’m doing the best I can,” she said. “I promise, I’m going to do everything I can to keep you and your son alive.” She took another card out of her pouch. “First, I need to put you to sleep.”

The man looked into her eyes, pleading her to help.

“Help… her.”

She shot a glance at Velal, but his silence told her that they hadn’t found anyone else.

“Who? Who’s still missing?”

Some instinct in her told her she already knew the answer. She flashed back to the dragon, flying away from the carnage it’d created.

“Daughter… It… took…”

The man couldn’t form another word, nor was it safe to let him keep talking. Ekla took the card and laid it over the man’s eyes. She watched as he drifted off to sleep.

Her own breathing had gone shallow. That dragon hadn’t taken something from the tribe; it’d taken someone.

“We will get her back,” she said. “I promise.”

Lord Velal ran through the mountains, the young girl in his arms. The moon shone overhead, providing him little light to use. Instead, he sensed his way through the rocky ground, listening for the sounds of anyone coming after him.

Lord Velal, as the one most able to deal with complications, it will be your responsibility to see that the girl is returned safely.

He slid down the mountainside, keeping one arm around the girl while he used the other one to steady himself. It wouldn’t be far to get to the court. If he could make it, they’d both be safe. At least, if he could make it back to the rest of the waiting officers.

By now, Lady Emgard would know he had the girl. With his four most trusted knights keeping the dragon’s attention, he had a good chance to escape. But he wasn’t out of the woods yet.

He heard the dragon roar. The sound echoed throughout the mountains, thrown from one to another and back again. This was the complication he was meant to handle. He hoped his knights were all safe. They’d all figured the dragon would place more importance on retrieving the girl than on killing them, but there was always a chance they were wrong.

He ducked behind a boulder and scanned the sky. He doubted he’d be able to spot it, but any disturbance in the stars would give away its position.

As he was about to move on, he spotted a fire soaring through the sky. What must’ve been an arrow moments ago struck something large and invisible. The fire spread, fueled by magic, to cover the shape in the sky. He spotted the outline of the dragon as it attempted to shake off the spell. Even as the fires died, sparks remained behind, revealing the dragon.

Clever.

He continued through the mountains, knowing that the dragon would be able to sense him without seeing him. Now it was a matter of staying ahead of it until help arrived. He couldn’t hope to win a fight with the dragon while keeping the girl safe.

He looked down at her through the dark. She was still fast asleep, enchanted to remain so until they returned to the court. With what little light he had, he could see her white skin. If he hadn’t known better, he’d have thought she was a refugee from Nelaro. Her white skin would stand out enough in the court, but the streaks of red in her hair — the mark of one touched by a dragon — would ensure people looked at her differently for the rest of her life.

His mind went back to a little boy with scars over his face and bandages over his eyes, lying in a bed in the court hospital.

You can bring her back, right?

There was such hope in the little boy’s voice that Velal couldn’t have said no if he’d wanted to.

I swear on the name of His Majesty King Fohra that I will bring her back.

There was no stopping him. He would keep his promise, even if the dragon found them. There was every possibility that they’d be found; it was becoming more likely with every moment that he stayed in the mountains.

Up ahead, another complication found him.

A light shone in the dark. It was like looking at a pearl, full of pinks and blues, but overwhelmingly bright. Velal shielded his eyes from it, taking a step back.

Once it’d gotten his attention, the unicorn lowered her aura.

Velal took another step back and tightened his grip on the girl.

“I mean you no harm,” he said, keeping his voice respectful and calm. “I seek passage back to Skwyr Court.”

“I know, Velal.” Her voice was soft, gentle. “You may pass through these mountains unharmed. But the girl may not. Give her to me so I may kill her.”

“I am under oath to protect this girl.”

“She is dragon-touched,” it said as if that explained everything.

“I can see that. The dragon that did this—”

“Is on his way. A unicorn can always sense a dragon in her territory.” The unicorn tossed her head to the girl. “That thing you hold is an abomination. It must be removed from this world.”

“I have a better idea,” a new voice said. It was low and smooth, calm and confident. The voice of one who was used to getting his way, who had nothing to fear.

The dragon landed on his other side with a crash, his invisibility spell gone. The ground shook, nearly throwing Velal off balance. The unicorn held her ground, raising her head in disdain.

“Valignatiejir.”

“Shisona,” the dragon said. “So good to see you.”

Velal looked from one to the other. He had his back to the mountain, keeping them both in view at all times. He could hold the girl with one hand and fight back with the other if necessary. And his knights wouldn’t be far behind Valignatiejir, nor would Lady Emgard and her mages be far away.

“That girl is mine,” the dragon said. “I already disposed of your knights. I can kill you too.”

Velal’s eyes flicked back towards the mountain caves. He knew that wasn’t true; he’d seen the arrow go up to illuminate Valignatiejir, meaning that at least one knight still stood. Even knowing that, he felt the fear of Valignatiejir’s words creep into his head.

His grip on the girl tightened once again. His chances of survival were slim, but her life was more important than his.

“You have made an abomination of this girl,” Shisona said.

“On the contrary, I made her better. Humans are so flawed and weak. You would be thanking me if you didn’t hate them.”

“I have no problems with humans, only with hybrids born of dragon magic.”

“Can the process be reversed?” Velal asked. He was sure the answer was “no”, but no dragon had ever offered them information on it. There were two types of dragons as far as the court knew: those that used the touch, and those who saw it as a perversion of life.

“Of course, not,” Valignatiejir said. “Why would I ever do that?”

“Irrelevant,” Shisona said. “The girl is damaged and cannot be repaired. Leave her, and you may escape.”

A rumble of thunder rolled across the sky. Clouds moved to block the moon and stars, leaving Shisona’s aura the only light Velal had. He lifted a hand and touched his helmet. The world lit up in his eyes, full of blacks, whites, and grays. Even if he could see, the oncoming storm was the work of Shisona, preparing to force him to hand over the girl and fight off Valignatiejir.

At least now I’ve got a fighting chance.

“Preparing for a fight, I see,” Valignatiejir said. “It’s no matter. I’ll kill both of you and take the girl back with me.”

Keeping a firm hold on the girl, Velal moved his free arm to his sword. With all three sides ready for a fight, his best chance was to escape while the dragon and unicorn were distracted by each other.

Valignatiejir stomped one massive claw on the ground, and stalagmites erupted all around them. Velal didn’t need to look back to know that his escape had just been cut off.

He kept his breathing calm, flicking his eyes from the dragon to the unicorn. No one would make a move until the others did. Thunder rumbled overhead, the storm holding until Shisona commanded it to strike.

Valignatiejir sucked in air, then growled the arcane word for “fire”, sending a wave of flame sweeping toward Velal and Shisona. Velal drew his sword, but turned his back on the fire. It washed over him as lightning tore through the sky and struck Valignatiejir.

The fire parted around Shisona, who reared up and brought another bolt of lightning down on Valignatiejir. The dragon shook it off as easily as he did the last one, laughing as it left him unharmed.

“Lightning? You’re so predictable, Shisona.”

Velal scanned the stalagmites, searching for a way out. There was a chance he could scale them, but they were at least twice as tall as he was. It’d take time to get over them, time during which he’d be unprotected. Which meant he had to get through them.

Another bolt of lightning flashed through the sky, but Valignatiejir wasn’t its target. Velal had a second to react, thrusting his sword up to catch the bolt. The magic in the sword absorbed the lightning, but the force knocked him off his feet. He grit his teeth as his back slammed into the rocks behind him. Before either could attack, he was back on his feet, looking for an opening or weak spot on Valignatiejir.

Shisona charged Valignatiejir, giving Velal a distraction he needed. He spun around and focused his ki in his blade. Using his momentum, he sliced clean through the stalagmites. His ki flowed from his sword to his legs as he ran at them, then leaped over the barrier, landing on the other side. He sprinted away from the fight the moment his feet touched the ground.

Velal ran through the mountains, but he didn’t get far before the other two caught up. Another wave of fire swept the ground behind him. He slipped into a crevice too small for dragon or unicorn, then sidled through it, pressing the girl to him.

The cliffs on either side of him shifted and spread apart. He looked up, and saw an opening not far above him. He jumped to one side, then the other. In a few leaps, he broke the surface and kept running.

Valignatiejir landed in front of him and reached out a claw. A harsh wind picked up and threw Velal off his feet, away from the dragon. Velal vaulted off his hand, letting the wind carry him away from the fight.

Shisona charged him, but he parried her with his sword in midair. He took off again once he was back on solid ground. Stones rolled beneath his feet as he ran through the mountains, looking for some sign that help was on its way.

Before help arrived, the ground shook beneath him. He stumbled, but kept his footing, looking for another way to escape. Before he could find one, he started sinking. He tried picking up his feet, but he sank too fast to get out.

“Enough of this,” Shisona said, galloping up to him. She faced him, glaring at the girl. “I’m sorry, Velal. I mean you no ill will, but that girl must die before the dragon takes her.”

He stopped sinking as the ground turned back to stone. He tried to move his feet, but they were still held fast.

“Thank you, Shisona, for holding them for me,” Valignatiejir said, swooping down behind him. The ground shook when he landed, and again with each step.

Velal focused his ki into his sword, but didn’t make a move. He watched the other two, knowing that if he did anything, they’d have a few seconds in which he couldn’t act. It’d take time to cut himself free, time he and the girl didn’t have.

Before either of them could act, words rang out through the night. The ground cracked apart, freeing him. A large chunk of the ground ripped free and carried him over Shisona’s head to a newcomer’s side.

Lady Emgard set him down beside her, allowing him to step off the platform. The wrinkles on her face emphasised her scowl that she kept directed at Valignatiejir and Shisona.

Valignatiejir roared and sucked in a breath.

“Before you act,” Emgard said, “you might want to know that I’m not the only member of the court here.”

A light appeared in the darkness. It formed into a doorway, through which stepped King Fohra. Valignatiejir and Shisona stepped back as the king tapped his staff on the ground, breaking the door into smaller lights and sending them swirling around all five of them.

“Valignatiejir. Shisona.” The king addressed them both, then turned his focus to the dragon. “Valignatiejir, there are plenty of places in this world where dragons may exist peacefully. I ask that you find one of those places and leave Skwyr behind.”

Valignatiejir let out a low growl.

“Why would I do that?”

“You may be able to kill any one of us alone, but together, we both know you won’t be so fortunate. I’ve met you now; I’ll always be able to find you, and I don’t approve of what you’ve done.”

The dragon glared at them, then looked at the girl. Even on a dragon’s face, Velal could see the longing. There was something about this girl he needed, and he was thinking of challenging the king himself to get it.

“Don’t think this is the end,” he said at last. “I’ll be back.”

“I expect so,” the king said.

The dragon beat his wings and lifted off into the air. He swung around, then flew off into the night, disappearing like a shadow against the sky.

“Shisona,” the king said, turning to the unicorn, “thank you for telling us where to find him.”

“You must kill that girl.”

The king turned back to Velal and the girl. Velal wondered what he was thinking. Was he considering it? Was that the plan? It couldn’t be; they’d worked hard to retrieve her, to get her safe, and the king wouldn’t hide his real intentions from Velal like that.

“I feel it too,” he said. “The unease that creeps inside your head. That she was never meant to be like that.” He turned back to the unicorn. “But she is a citizen of Skwyr now, and we will find her a home. We will protect her, from all threats.”

Like Valignatiejir, Shisona glared at the girl again, but unlike Valignatiejir, Velal knew what she was thinking. Her longing was not for some unknown goal, it was to see the girl removed from existence.

She broke her gaze, then nodded to the king. “We shall meet again, Your Majesty.”

“I look forward to it.”

Shisona turned and galloped into the sky. The aura around her faded until she was nothing more than a star in the night.

“I think that was enough excitement for one day,” the king said, turning back to Emgard and Velal. “It’s time we took that poor girl back to her family.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Velal said.

The three of them turned around. The king spoke words that Velal couldn’t understand, and the lights from his spell reformed into a door. The king beckoned them forward, and the three of them returned to the castle, to deliver the girl back to her family and a new life.

Roshil pulled her work-in-progress out of the furnace. Setting it back on the anvil, she took her hammer to it again. The sound of metal hitting metal filled her ears, but spending time in the forge almost every day for the past month had turned it into white noise.

Once the metal cooled again, she shoved it back into the furnace. She wiped her brow with her sleeve, sweating in the heat.

“Apprentice Roshil!”

Hearing the Lord High Artisan’s voice, she spun around and stood to attention.

Lord Grund wheeled himself over to her. He looked as dirty as she was, but despite his wheelchair, he managed to give the impression that he loomed over everyone.

“Where’s Master Udra?” he asked.

Roshil glanced around the forge, but didn’t see her master anywhere.

“Don’t know, my lord. She was here earlier. Told me to work with the furnaces this afternoon.”

He looked at the piece of molten steel in the furnace behind her.

“I can see that. Pull that thing out before you ruin it. Nothing more useless than a deformed shield.”

She grabbed her tongs and pulled it out of the furnace, then placed it on the anvil in front of her. She grabbed it with a gloved hand and picked up her hammer in the other.

“Pack it up,” he ordered. “You’re finished for today.”

Roshil looked down at the shield. It wasn’t big, but a buckler still stopped arrows and steel.

“With all due respect, my lord, I’m nearly finished.”

“You’re right. It’ll make a fine shield. Unless you intend to use it to block attacks.”

She glared at him, then went back to work.

“You’re using the wrong tools,” he said.

She paused and studied her creation. It was a little lumpy in places, but she thought it was alright.

“And, you should still be practicing the basics. If you’d mastered them, you’d know what you’re doing wrong. So pack that up for another day.”

“Can’t you tell me what I’m doing wrong?” Roshil worked the metal more, smoothing it out while it was still hot.

“First you flatten it, then you mold it. If you try to do both at once, you end up with lumps and divots like you’re seeing now.”

She growled under her breath, but put down her hammer. After waiting for the metal to cool, she picked it up and moved it to her spot in storage. She took off her gloves, goggles, and apron and put them with the unfinished piece, then returned to the furnaces as Lord Grund was shutting them all down.

“You can go to dinner,” he said. “In fact, that’s an order. You skipped lunch again.”

An image of a hundred staring eyes in the great hall flashed into her mind.

“I’m fine.”

“Having trouble with orders today, I see.” He wheeled over to another furnace and deactivated the spell that kept it hot. He turned his wheelchair to face her. “Food. Now. And if you see Master Udra, tell her I want to see her.”

As much as she didn’t want to go to the great hall, she was hungry, and if she kept arguing, she knew from experience that she’d be banned from the forge for a day.

“Yes, my lord.”

Roshil walked through the door that connected the forge to the rest of the castle. As with all the magic doors in the castle, she felt a tingle when she stepped through it. No matter how many times she walked through one, it still made her smile to think of how beautiful that piece of magic was.

She walked away from the forge, through the stone corridors of Skwyr castle, heading toward the great hall. After spending all day in the forge, the cooler air felt good on her skin. She wiped away sweat again, then looked at her arm.

Five years of living in Skwyr, and she still felt out of place. Pale skin against a sea of brown. People around her whispering about the Kingdom of Nelaro, as though she’d ever been there. All she knew about it was that her mother had grown up there, and that Nelaro City was gone.

Then there were her hair and eyes. Streaks of red ran through her hair, and her eyes were gold. It was the first thing people saw when they saw her.

She walked past a group of apprentices. They glanced in her direction, but didn’t make eye contact. No one liked making eye contact with her, although she didn’t understand why. Were her eyes that bad? Why couldn’t people look past that?

I don’t care, she told herself. I don’t need them.

Sure, she looked different, but she wasn’t the only one. There were people from Alforn and Bywin in the castle too, even a few from Nelaro.

As she neared the great hall for dinner, she spotted a familiar face. It wasn’t a friendly face, but familiar was good enough for her.

“Master Udra!”

She was among a group of people Roshil didn’t recognize. Her first thought was other masters. At first, she didn’t respond, but one of her friends nodded in Roshil’s direction. Udra turned and glared at Roshil.

“Didn’t I tell you to stay in the forge until you were finished making a shield?”

Roshil clenched and unclenched her fists. Lord Grund had ordered her to leave. She was sure his orders overrode Master Udra’s. Why couldn’t people all agree on what she was supposed to do?

Udra said something to her friends, and they walked off, leaving them alone.

“Our Lord High Artisan told me to leave. He wants—”

“Sure he did. Or you’re avoiding working in the forge!”

Roshil frowned, not sure what she meant. People confused her, and she did whatever she could to avoid them, but she’d be content staying in the forge all day. It was the entire reason she became an apprentice. Master Udra should’ve known that.

“I’m not—”

“Don’t lie to me,” Udra said, lowering her voice. “Just because I’m responsible for you doesn’t mean I’m going to believe every word you say. Unless Our Lord High Artisan tells me himself that he dismissed you, you’d better get back to work.”

“I’m not lying,” Roshil hissed. She clenched her fists. Her lips drew back in a snarl.

“Why did I have to get stuck with you?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Look at you. Anyone can see you’re not normal. I’m not talking about your skin being white, I’m talking about that hair and those eyes.”

“People change the way they look all the time!”

“Normal people do. But you’re an abomination.”

Master Udra looked her in the eye, but shook as if it were painful for her. Roshil had seen that before, that contempt.

Another voice, one from long ago, crept into her mind.

I’m the only one who will ever love you.

“What?” she asked, pushing down old memories.

“You disobeyed an order from me,” Udra said, breaking eye contact. “Go back to the forge. Stay there until I tell you to leave. And never question me again.”

Roshil glared at her, but nodded nonetheless. She was tired of being pushed around, but no one cared enough about her to stop. She turned and started back toward the forge. Keeping her gaze straight ahead, she walked until she was sure Master Udra couldn’t see her, then turned and headed toward the north tower. Along the way, she spotted a familiar crack in the wall. It opened up at the floor, creating a crawlspace big enough for her to hide.

No one will ever love you.

A shiver ran through her body. She hated that voice, but it never left her. She could still feel those eyes on her, watching her from far away. Those same eyes now stared back at her from her own reflection.

He won’t hurt you anymore.

That’s what they’d told her when she’d been brought to the court. When she’d found out what had happened.

Roshil sat there, struggling to keep herself together. People went by, but no one saw her. She knew she was different. She had been for five years. Before that, people said she looked like her mother. But that thing had taken that from her. Taken her mother. Taken her brother’s sight.

I’m not your enemy, Roshil. I’m your friend. The only one you’ll ever have.

She shook her head, shoving those memories down. She held her legs tighter. It wasn’t her fault she was like this. She didn’t want to be.

Time passed, and people returned to their rooms. Curfew was approaching, which meant she’d missed dinner. That didn’t matter; she didn’t belong in the Court. Maybe she didn’t belong in the kingdom.

She heard a familiar sound echoing through the empty corridors. Glancing out of her hiding spot and down the corridor, she saw Lord Grund turn the corner.

She crawled out, got to her feet, and stood to attention.

“My Lord High Artisan.”

“It’s Master Grund, now,” he said. “I’m taking over your apprenticeship. Report to the forge immediately after breakfast tomorrow morning.”

He turned his wheelchair around and started off before stopping.

“Do you know why people don’t like you?”

“My mother was from Nelaro, and—”

“No.”

She frowned, wondering what it was he knew that she didn’t. Was there some other reason? Her hair and her eyes?

“Go to the kitchens for some food, then go to the library. Look up the term ‘dragon-touched’, and explain it to me tomorrow morning.”

“Is that what I am?”

“Curfew starts soon. You’d best get moving if you want to be ready.”

With that