Cole

"Sire, we just got word that Princess Rosalie was attacked in the streets."

I looked up from the map on my desk and arched an eyebrow. "Is she alright?"

"Yes." My security officer nodded, his armor clinking.

"Then why are you telling me?" I turned my attention back to the map and ran my palm over the smooth parchment.

The border between Telasia and Stivalia varied from one hand-drawn map to the other but it was more or less the same.

My security officer cleared his throat.

"What?"

"Princess Rosalie is asking for you."

I slapped my hand against the map and let out a long breath. What could my sister possibly want from me? I handled external threats. We had all the soldiers and guards we needed in Vagra to handle local threats.

Morganna is insistent as well.

I frowned at Talon's interruption. Why?

She won't say. She's agitated.

"Let the princess know that I'm on my way."

My security officer bowed, clinking more, and turned on his heel out of my office.

I rolled up the map and headed to Rosalie's wing. Her guards lined the hallway, stationed in between every door, and a company of six outside her bed chamber.

The guards were tense, on guard. The palace was the safest place in the world. No one would come after a princess in the palace.

Then again, I didn't think anyone would attack a slave within palace walls...

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Morganna's heavy steps rattled the bed chamber doors.

"Step aside." I motioned to the guards at the door.

One hesitated, the one with the mark of the highest ranking among my sister's guards.

I narrowed my eyes at him. He sucked in a sharp breath and motioned the others out of the way.

Rosalie paced back and forth in her foyer. She kept shaking her hands. I saw a slight tremor in them.

Behind her, Morganna's scales glinted in the torch light, flashing splashes of blue against the white marble walls.

As the smallest of all the dragons, she could easily get comfortable in Rosalie's chambers. There were times I wished Talon could fit in mine.

"I count four limbs, a head. Hardly more than a bruise on your cheek."

Rosalie froze. I heard her swallow as she turned to me. "I'm fine. Thank you for your concern." She sniffed and shook her head.

"I assumed you were fine since you asked for me and weren't in the infirmary."

Morganna curved her neck toward me. Her eyes glowed bright and she pulled her lips back over her pearly white teeth. Her breath came out in a low, raspy hiss, wafting hot air over my face.

I waved my hand in front of my nose. "Why did you want to see me?"

"Do you even remember why I was in the city today?"

"Acquiring a Solstice dress for my personal attendant."

Rosalie scoffed. "So, Mister War Strategist, it stands to reason that if I was attacked, so was she!"

I furrowed my brow. "It also stands to reason that she's fine since you made it back in one piece."

Rosalie threw her arms out to the side and Morganna uttered a low, resonating growl. "Well, she didn't! She was taken. Whoever attacked us was after her."

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"What were these attackers like?"

"Umm..." Rosalie scrunched her face up.

What are you thinking? Talon asked.

Two attacks on a slave girl. That seems unlikely.

"I didn't get a good look at them. They blended in with the shadows. Or they were the shadows... I don't know. She said she sensed their magic." Rosalie shrugged and sank onto the nearest chair. She bowed her head. "I know I should pay more attention but I was terrified. Now, she might be in serious danger."

Shadows. Like the attackers in the garden, Talon confirmed.

I took a deep breath, my nostrils flaring, my hands clenched to fists. It wasn't a coincidence.

Talon, get ready. We're going after her.

"Cole, where are you going?" Rosalie called after me.

"To get back what is mine!"

"But... she's a..."

I whipped around. Rosalie shrank back into her seat. "She's a what?"

"A slave. Isn't it... since when does a prince go to the rescue of a slave?"

"Yes, she is a slave, which means she is my property. I want to know what imbecile has enough of a death wish to challenge me." I pointed to my chest. "And when I do, I will fulfill that wish of theirs."

Rosalie's lower lip trembled. "O-okay."

Is that all it is? Talon questioned as I changed into battle clothing.

With a dragon at my back and access to his magic, I didn't bother weighing myself down with armor. It was better to have free, fluid movement.

She is my responsibility. It was enough of a chore to replace my former personal attendant with her. I don't want to go through that hassle again.

Talon's rumbling laughter rattled paintings in their frames against my walls. But rescuing her is less of a hassle?

How long would it take me to find a suitable replacement and then train them? She has become rather effective and she isn't half bad to look at, either.

Is that important?

I ran my fingers through my hair and scoffed. If someone is after her, I want to know why. I also want to destroy them for crossing me. Do I need more of a reason than that?

The door to the gardens wasn't far from my room and I made it there before Talon mustered a reply. He was already in position and I easily climbed his arm and straddled his great neck.

No. That is enough. What took you so long?

Chuckling, I patted his neck. With one powerful downsweep of his wings and a leap over the palace walls, we were airborne.

Can you track her?

Talon's body rippled as he breathed in a sharp breath through his massive nose.

I can.

***

Sabine

Foam curdled in the corner of my mouth and my muscles jerked out of my control. Electricity poured through me. My body moved like a puppet and I held back my scream as white-hot pain scorched my insides.

"S-stop..." I gasped.

The electrical current stopped and Cara's leering face hovered in front of me. "Are you going to make me? Oh right, you can't, because of this." She grabbed my slave collar and yanked, pulling my neck at an awkward angle.

"I would never make you do anything." Each breath shuddered through my bones. The pain lingered even though the shocks were gone. My skin was oily with sweat, hair plastered to my face, and my bindings cut into my skin, the fibers piercing me like needles.

"How very noble of you. It's not like I get any pleasure out of this, you know."

"Heh. It seems like you do. I obviously don't know anything and I'm defenseless, but you're torturing me anyway."

Cara snorted. "I almost believe you when you say that you don't know anything."

She pressed her palm to my forehead and the entire room disappeared. I could feel her hand on my forehead but it felt like the rest of my body was gone, I was weightless.

The room was empty, and it wasn't the same room I was being held captive in. This had to be a magical vision or illusion.

Scratch. Scratch.

I couldn't turn my head. I strained my eyes in the direction of the noise.

Millions of little insects crawled off the walls and like an army, marched right toward me. I couldn't move. I couldn't struggle. My body was nothing but I felt them crawling all over me, shivers through my skin, their pinchers plucking at me.

I wanted to scream but I clamped my jaw tight. All I could hear was the scratching, pinching, and clicking of the bugs as they devoured me.

Cara's hand left my forehead and we were in the basement again. I twisted and writhed against the ropes, my skin still crawling. There were no bugs. No welts or scratches. My body was there, unharmed.

I could still feel the sensation of those imaginary insects all over me. My stomach turned and bile rose in my throat.

"Are you ready to talk?" Cara asked. She grinned a stretched, horrifying smile.

I closed my eyes. One deep breath after another, I settled my body until my heart stopped racing and the sensations on my skin died down. I'd taken worse beatings before.

"I have nothing to say."

"You know, I've been going easy on you."

"For someone who doesn't like to torture, you seem to be good at it," I pointed out, bowing my head.

I heard Cara snort. "Well, my father is great at developing spells of this variety. I learned his ways for situations like this. Now, if you really want to know what he can do, I will show you. We're far from any settlement. No one will hear you scream."

"I'm going to die here, anyway." My voice didn't sound like my own.

"Well then, don't say I didn't warn you."

Cara began a chant in a language I'd never heard. Her voice filled the basement, words echoing over words as she chanted faster and louder.

All the hairs on my body stood on end and the air around me warmed up. It got hotter and hotter until my skin blistered and my hair singed.

I gritted my teeth and gripped the ropes on my wrists until they cut through my palms.

The heat intensified more and my vision blurred. I could feel my skin bubble and pop.

I couldn't hold back anymore. A scream erupted from my throat, tearing through the sounds of chanting, drowning out the blood in my ears. I screamed until my breath gave out and my head swam.

The world around me faded into darkness but the pain persisted.

As my consciousness faded, the entire room began to shake. Was I imagining the ceiling caving in? Was it another of Cara's illusions?