Candy looked up to her mother, who stood with her head high as the prisoner was being led away.

Regardless of the fact that her mother hadn't meant or spoken those words to her, Candy still felt the sting of them somehow. If she ever became queen - though she loved her mother dearly - she would never use such harsh words on someone who seemingly didn't deserve them.

She watched as the last of the Ghostfang disappeared behind a stone wall, his head low and his wings drooping. She felt her stomach twist as though it was being pulled in two completely different ways. One for her mother, and one for the Ghostfang.

Her mother sighed deeply before turning around and heading to the castle.

"You should get some rest, my warrior. Tomorrow is going to be a big day," in all the (very short) time she'd known her, Candy had rarely - if ever - seen her mother so weighted down as she walked into the stone palace, leaving Candy and her friends.

They each looked deep in thought, similar to the way they had when they'd all been Glade's prisoners. Finally, Night took a deep breath, squaring his wings.

"I'm going to bed, goodnight," he walked slowly back to the palace without a backward glance. Scorpian and Silver followed him after a few silent moments. But Candy sat, glued to the spot. An idea had been prodding at the back of her mind ever since she'd heard about the Ghostfang.

She quickly chopped it away, spinning towards the castle where the others had gone.

Nope, I'm not going to do that. My mother knows what she's doing, I'll just let time take its path.

Suddenly she was walking the opposite direction her friends had gone, towards the Ghostfang and his mysteries.

As she was walking down the halls, it felt eerily similar to the time, not too long ago, that she'd freed Night. No, this is much different. I don't know that this dragon is trustworthy, I just feel it. Besides, my mother isn't the bad guy this time.

But she didn't comfort herself as she walked in silence. Every few guards would nod politely towards her, so she'd nod back, but besides that, she felt awfully alone.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Griffin was at her side, scaring her almost out of her scales.

"Your highness! I'm very glad to see you again," he smiled at her, his warm, twinkling green eyes welcoming and safe. Then she was telling him her plan. When she finished, he hesitated, making her stomach jump into her throat.

Oh no. Then, to her utter surprise, he grinned.

"First, you need to know where you're going if you want to get somewhere."

She looked down the hallway, reading his thoughts.

"This is not, in fact, the direction to the dungeon," he nodded sideways, gesturing for her to follow. She was hesitant, wondering if perhaps he was just trying to get in trouble. But how much trouble can I really get into here?

She followed him through the straight stone hallways, lit yellow by the firelight from the torches hanging on the walls.

Candy took a deep breath. The Ghostfang looked exactly as she'd seen him before, sleeping peacefully in his cell. She wondered when he'd last seen sunlight or felt truly happy. Based on what her mother observed, he must feel really lonely and depressed all the time.

"Griffin, I don't know if this is a good idea."

"You can do this, your highness. I believe in you and your ideas. But I think he'd be more trusting if there was only one dragon, especially-" he cut himself off but she finished the sentence in her head. Especially a young and defenseless one like you. "Don't worry, I'll be right next to you," she opened her mouth to protest but he was already melting into the scene around them.

Candy turned back to the Ghostfang. She inched further into the cell until she was close enough to touch him. She gently tapped his shoulder, one of the few places on him that weren't bony or covered in chains. It took a few tries - she had to tap a little harder each time - until his eyes finally fluttered open.

She jumped back as he stood - or something close to it under the heavy chains. Her heart seemed to echo off the stone walls, right around them and straight into her ears, but the more she looked into his cool, cream-colored eyes, the stronger she felt. She sat bat on her haunches, relaxing her shoulders slightly.

"My name is Candy," Griffin whispered something into her ear so quietly, she almost didn't hear him. "Candy Puasegg. I," she cleared her throat as her voice wavered. "I just want answers."

Then, after she saw him flinch at her words added, "And I'm going to get them my way."

Whoops. I didn't mean it like- she exhaled, stopping herself from trying to redeem herself.

"I truly don't want to hurt you, I promise. I -" she looked towards the "empty" spot where Griffin was standing. A hardly noticeable blur of her surroundings promised her his "you got this". "I'm just . . . a curious dragon who wants to know things."

Strangely enough, her own words relaxed Candy. The Ghostfang considered this, glancing at the ground below.

"And if it's not too much to say, I trust you."

That got both Griffin's and the Ghostfang's attention - in entirely different ways. She felt Griffin barely nudge her, but ignored him, waiting for the Ghostfang to talk.

"If you were sent by your mother," he started, his voice small. "You would have something to threaten me with into talking."

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

She took that as a yes and stared at him with a smile, waiting patiently for his next words. Something flashed across his face, she couldn't tell what it was. But something told her he hadn't received a smile in a very long time.

"I see no bribe, seeing as you don't know what you're doing and haven't brought any food . . ." she tensed. He tilted his head at her, the way he did when he was thinking - she noticed -, the chains around him rattling as he moved.

"My name is Kade, and I have no last name," he said bitterly, not trying very hard to hide how much he hated it. 

"Kade," Candy echoed to herself. The Ghostfang said nothing, staring at the ground below him thinking to himself. Candy didn't see a cold-blooded killer or thief, all she saw was a broken dragon, alone and miserable.

"Why does your sept hate you, Kade?" Candy couldn't help herself as she tilted her head the way he did when he asked something he already knew the answer to - not that she knew the answer to this question. He didn't move for a moment, laying there like a statue, until he finally looked up to her again.

She saw him inhale sharply, somehow knowing he was going to say something like, "I cannot tell you that" so she added, "But if you can't answer, tell me something else."

He stared at her, pure curiosity in his eyes. What is he thinking? Does he hate me? Or even worse, Does he see me as he sees my mother?

The thought terrified and grieved her. She always wanted to be a proud daughter, but even her real mother managed to embarrass her somehow. She focused on Kade again, realizing he was looking at her with an expression she definitely didn't recognize. Was it . . . a smile, maybe?

"I cannot tell you the reason because I do not know it myself. But as you asked of me, I will tell you what I do know. They do not like my philosophy or the way I speak to them, or my- they do not like . . ."

"Your personality . . ." she summed up. He nodded. "Kade, I know this must be a tender subject but, how were you trapped in the first place? You don't have to tell me if you really don't want to," and she meant it. He hesitated, thinking it over, then to her surprise, "What your mother said was true. I was deeply hurt by my family and thus decided to run away and forget being a Ghostfang. Unfortunately, blinded by my despair, I did not see the group of Chamelokyes hiding in the mountains around me."

"I - I'm sorry," she didn't know what to say, cursing herself for making it awkward. Griffin scared her half to death, nudging her scales. She looked around them, searching the place to know what time it was. Something told her it was late.

An idea struck her head.

"Kade, I have an idea. I know you want to be free, but it's true that we need your help. I don't know you very well, but I know you enough. Come with me, and I can help you."

"I do not understand, princess. If I do go free, I have nowhere to go."

"I'll help you by giving you a family," she smiled, strangely pleased to see him taken back. Griffin suddenly morphed into sight, frazzled and confused. 

"But your highness! He- he's a prisoner. How in Nymphs' island are you going to - to give him what you've promised!?"

Candy looked at Kade, who seemed unphased by his sudden appearance. He knew he was here all along, Candy realized angrily.

"Ghostfang, how did you know my friend was here!?" Kade seemed hurt at her words, shrinking back.

"I'm sorry, princess - I thought you knew it was a talent of Ghostfangs," he ducked his head. She immediately felt awful for calling him Ghostfang so harshly and softened.

"It's alright. But I should warn you - don't tell anyone else if you want it to be kept a secret."

"On the contrary. If I kept this important detail a secret from this sept, I would regret it, I'm sure," he'd gained his dignity a little again.

She pulled Griffin towards her as she leaned towards Kade. "Now here's how it's going to go . . ."

It was easy to get Kade out of his chains, - Candy's stomach flipped when they came off at the sight of his rubbed-raw scales - the hard part was getting him through the castle - even past the first guard.

The dragon jabbed his spear out defensively. Candy stepped in front of him, holding her head high and trying not to give away her panic.

"What is your name, guard?"

"Reef, ma'am," he still pointed his spear at Kade.

"Reef, I'm taking this prisoner to the queen," she paused, determined to say the right thing without lying and without messing everything up. "We are going to determine whether he is worthy of being kept alive," she glanced at Kade," or not."

Reef lowered his spear, but he didn't relax.

"Thank you," she followed Griffin as he led them through the halls. The next twenty guards acted the same, but just like she had the first one, Candy convinced them all to let them pass until they finally reached the throne room. It was empty excluding a couple of cleaners. Kade got all of their attention immediately.

"Cleaners, where is my mother, the queen?" she added the last part to sound authoritative or important or something. 

"She's in her chambers, your highness."

She nodded her thanks and left without another word.

There were more and more guards on the way to the queen's room. It made it next to impossible to get there, but by some miracle, they made it to her giant, copper built doors. They towered over the trio. Candy looked at Griffin for their next move.

He took a deep breath before gently knocking on the door. It opened soon, but instead of a chambermaid or servant, the queen herself stood.

She was in her human form - Candy didn't know exactly how she knew it was her mother, she just did - in a comfortable-looking nightgown. It was beyond weird to look down on her own mother. The queen, startled, quickly grew to her full size, standing taller than Candy again.

"My warrior, what are you doing here at this hour?" she moved her head as she glanced at Kade, "And with him?"

Candy felt strangely confident and proud, completely believing in her answer.

"Mother, I have a proposition."

"No need to sound so formal about it, Kala," she said kindly and almost with a smile.

"Mother, I - I want to make everyone here trust Kade as I do. There is an extra bed at the far wall of my room - I want him to stay there and guard me tonight," she said, holding her breath. Pua looked more than shocked. She blinked a few times, her talons sliding down her heavy door.

"Uh- um - uh, what made you get this idea?"

"Because. I've been talking with him and I have heard part of his side of the story. He's done absolutely nothing wrong, mother, and I want to help him. Not set him free - exactly. Give him a family," she smiled back at Kade as she added the last part. 

Pua had stopped looking confused and lost and was now looking fairly angry. Oh great, Candy smiled innocently up at her, nervously entwining her talons. Pua was taking an eternity to answer. Finally, she set her wings.

"My warrior, I don't like the idea of you going behind my back and talking with this Ghostfang."

Candy waited patiently. Go on. I sense a 'but' coming.

"I promise mother, I'll never do it again."

The queen hesitated. " . . . Very well. If this is your wish, I'll do what I can and trust you with it, but I'm sending a troop of guards to be posted and-"

"No mother, I have to make you trust him. If there are a bunch of guards, he won't get a real chance."

The queen sighed heavily. "Alright. But at least let me send in one of your friends."

Candy happily agreed.

The downy and fur felt especially soft tonight. Candy was tired, and it was late, but she was happy. Slightly suspicious of her mother's trust, but happy. Scorpian was laying right beside her with her wing over her, and a few tails away sat Kade. Candy had introduced her friends to him, excited for them to meet, before giving him a bit of a history lesson; part of her backstory. And then they'd arrived at her room. Her mother insisted she a least keep her usual nightguards posted outside her room, just for other intruders, she'd promised.

Kade was fairly awake - Candy assumed he'd had enough sleep to last a lifetime - searching his surroundings for any threat toward Candy and Scorpian.

It took a while, but Candy finally drifted off into sleep.