The Dragon Prince

Chapter 8

Ranger Elleana Wells

Forest between Spiritpeak and Fairpeak, Thegamor

A whistle resounded though the trees, reaching my ears as I remained in my hiding spot. I had a clear view, and I had watched him enter. He had insisted on going in alone. I silently cursed Marina and my stupid promise I made to her. I had agreed not to fight with him, and he seemed so eager to go by himself. I wasn't worried about him getting hurt. We were rangers. We could take care of ourselves, especially Raleigh and I. It was the curiosity I felt, as well as the intrigue of a stone house in the middle of the woods, with no road to or from it. Barely any trail, and easily hidden in the trees. The perfect hiding spot. No one around for miles. No one to hear you scream. If I had a prisoner, this is exactly the kind of place I would look for to keep him here.

When he had returned, on the back of that dragon, I had refused to watch. I wasn't about to admit it to him, or even show him that I thought it was an amazing sight to see. I had never seen anything like it. I wanted to ride the dragon myself, but I wasn't going to let him have the satisfaction of seeing me do it. We had travelled a few hours into the woods, before stumbling upon this place. I remembered stories I heard in Fairpeak, when I was looking for clues and answers while Raleigh was chasing after the new Queen. People spoke of a place out in the woods, where people were brought but never came out alive, if they came out at all. We watched it closely through the night, and nothing happened. No activity. So we decided to try our luck and see if anyone was home.

I saw Raleigh appear at the hidden doorway, motioning me to come. I slipped from my cover, and quickly ran up the steps, disappearing behind a cover of foliage after Raleigh. The place was a wreck. A fight had obviously transpired, but before we arrived. Probably days before we arrived. Chairs were overturned, as was a table. Broken mugs lay on the ground, and the fireplace was long cold. A metal rod sat strangely on the ground, with blood staining it in peculiar patterns. "This place is a mess." I remarked, looking over at Raleigh to see him nod, then step into another room. The door was half open slightly in the way. He stilled, as I walked in behind him. I froze as well. It was definitely a prison. No windows, a door with a lock much bigger than one needed for an ordinary room. A hoop was bolted into the ground at the center of the circular room, and two sets of chains were tied to it, with shackles on the end. Prisoner restraints.

"He was here." Raleigh walked over to the wall, bending down, and placing a hand against the stone. I walked over, standing behind him, looking down at what he found. "He scratched our names into the wall." He traced a finger over the letters. Jasper. Aohlee. Raleigh. Jocelyn. Raleigh hesitated, catching sight of a more names. Marina. Underneath her name, was the name Matylda. "I don't know who this one is." He placed a hand next to the name. It was etched deeper into the stone, as if his brother had gone over it many times. "She must have been a friend. A close friend."

I scanned the room, though it was hard, with the lack of windows for light. "Or another captive." I suggested, kneeling down next to the shackles. One set was more warn than the other. One prisoner was here longer than another, but I wasn't sure which one was. Was it Raleigh's brother, or was it this mystery girl. I glanced back at Raleigh to see him staring at me. "The last name is scratched harder into the stone. He wanted to remember her."

"He wanted to remember us all." He shrugged, standing up.

I stood up as well, but shook my head. "But it is so much deeper than your name, or your family. He knew he could never forget your names, but he could with hers. He didn't want to forget her." I glanced back around the room, taking in the details. "Either she escaped, or I think she died." Something else caught my eye. Close to a makeshift bed was another mark on the stone. I walked over, bending down to get a closer look. It was a drawing. Similar to one a child would draw, but it seemed more detailed. Hair and fingers. A man and woman holding the hands of a child. "Raleigh." I called, turning back to see him coming over to me. "Look at this." I motioned to the drawing.