The Dream Keeper's Dragon

46.You're Not Dying Tonight, Princess

Orken hid atop a tall tree, covered in branches, only his bald head exposed by the light of the moon. Kirin stood on their boulder and shouted orders. His eyebrows creased and his hand shot out to a bush by the side of the pond.

"Vel, do you want your head to be the first they tear off? Get down!" Kirin shouted, pointing an accusing finger toward a nearby bush. Aurelie couldn't see Vel but Kirin had a higher vantage point to look from.

Looking at him, she found the same hunger within herself that she had seen in Orken. It prickled through her fingers and pushed through her chest. She was as ready as she could ever be. The heat that had set upon her from the closeness of the King turned to a tingling sensation in her right hand. She knew that it was all about to start. In a matter of seconds, she would meet her father, the murderous King, and there was not an ounce of fear within her.

Leila's tail wagged below the boulder that Kirin stood upon. Daerious walked right passed them, carrying injured Shaelyn off to the small hill above the pond. She was amazed at how so many people could disappear in such a small space. She worried that they had all fled, but she chased the thought away.

She looked to Kirin to see where he would go. He turned once to make sure everyone was properly in hiding, and jumped off the boulder, walking to the center of the field. His back straightened, and he pushed out his chest. All thoughts of not feeling fear faded and her body shook as if she was within the epicenter of a quake.

"What are you doing?" her voice shook as she said it. She sounded young even to herself.

He stiffed and answered without turning, "Go hide like the others."

"Don't be stupid." She strolled over to him with a strong impulse to knock on his head. If by now he didn't know that she would follow him to the bottom of the ocean, he was the last to speak out about her intellect. Aurelie's fingers interlaced with his and locked so tightly that she hurt her bones.

"Will you not leave?" His head flicked backward in frustration and his eyes shut for a moment. "Not even after what I did?" he asked her, turning his head sideways.

Aurelie narrowed her eyes. The memories of what he attempted to do carried a sting, exactly as intended. "I'll not leave you," she replied. Provocation would not work, not now.

"Alright," he said and straightened his fingers. Before she could properly predict his next move, a steel grip ripped her away and she was dragged away from him kicking and screaming.

"Kirin, stop!" she cried.

"You're not dying tonight, princess," he said. It was the first time that the word did not intend to be demeaning, and at the same time, it was the only time that it actually was.

Aurelie yanked her arms forward and kicked out harder with her legs, against her better knowledge. Her heels dug dents in the damp ground and pushed the grass out in lumps.

"Kirin Donahue, I will never forgive you for this!" her voice roared. Heads popped out from hiding and searched for the racket.

"At least, you'll be alive to ponder about it." He flicked his hand her way.

Her eyes flared, and her knuckles were so tight that her bones ached. Idiot! Bloody idiot. The heads had all found their way down once more, not one of them attempted to help. Even Orken, of all people, let him drag her from battle. What was all the training for, then?

"Will someone please use some sense?" she yelled, but none of them shuffled.

Finally, the shadow stopped, right behind the pond, where she had last seen Daerious and Shaelyn. The shadow creature sat down and took her down along with it. Her stomach dropped with the fall. A branch moved, catching her attention. Daerious cursed under his breath and Aurelie made out his white curls through the disturbed leaves.