Legacy's Prince

Chapter Fourteen: Secrets and Plans

Zahairas lands next to the Jade Lady and lets me dismount.

I have to go. I'll be back tomorrow.

I turn to ask him something else, but he takes off before I can speak. Crossing my arms I storm back towards the academy. Hopefully no one has noticed my absence yet. As I creep from the greenhouse to the academy walls, trying to avoid capture, I feel a strong hand on my shoulder.

"What are you doing outside after hours?" a voice calls. My chest tightens as I look over my shoulder and see a taller boy in a guard's uniform standing behind me.

"I got lost," I lie.

"Lost indeed! We'll see what the headmaster has to say to that!"

I groan. Well, if I wasn't dead before I certainly am now! The guard drags me towards the front door. I try to fight away, but it's no use. He has a very strong grip and besides, there aren't many crowned princes of Durcardi at this academy. I'll just be punished later. Defeated, I let him pull me along...

...towards the dormitories?

"Um...guard-"

"Hush you!"

"Where are you taking me?"

"I said hush!"

He pulls me into the hall of my building, opens the door to mine and Dezden's room and tosses me inside. I'm shocked to find that not only is Dezden gone, but Seana and Axellia are seated on my bed. At the sight of me they leap to their feet and call my name. Axellia all but tackles me in a tight hug.

"Are you alright?" she asks as she pulls away, looking me over for any side of injury. "We saw you fall, and then the Headmaster took off with you. We thought you'd been hurt! What happened?"

I blink, trying to take in what she was saying as Seana stands close behind her, hands clasped to her mouth, not even trying to hide the fear in her eyes with that stony gaze.

"Sorry 'bout all de hushing," I turn to find the guard from before morphing and shrinking as green, glowing, sparkling light cover him until he's shifted into Dezden.

"I had to keep de disguise up so I could keep looking for you. But enough shushing! What in de name of Agono happened to you?"

I look about, still dazed by everything.

"Cai, what happened to you?" Seana whispers as she lowers her hands from her mouth to her chest.

I want to answer them, but I'm still not sure I understand everything that's happened. Even if I did, where do I start?

"...dragon..." is the only word I can manage.

"Dragon?" Dezden lifts an eyebrow in confusion. "What about dragons?"

"I have one." I gently push Axellia off me and collapse back onto my bed. I rub my hands over my face as I groan. Axellia snorts.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny, Cai, now tell us what really happened."

"That is what really happened," I remove my hand from my face. "After I fell in the...whatever that was, a dragon cleaved to me. There were dozens of them in there! And then one of them just walked up to me and the next thing I knew I was seeing white and I could hear his voice in my head. Ardan brought me back, and the professors all began talking about it. Then they sent me to bed. Then my dragon...Zaranas I think is what his name was-"

Zahairas.

"Oh, shut it!"

Everyone around me jumps at my shout. I turn my head, embarrassed. "Sorry, he's still in my head."