Chilly air hit Hare, and she opened her eyes to find herself in a place of darkness. She bit back a desperate yowl.
No!
Dark, drooping trees surrounded her. She was back in the rainforest.
"Why am I here?" she cried, unable to contain herself. "Stop bringing me here! I want to go home!"
The forest flickered, then she was suddenly back in the desert. The sun shone on her scales and nearly blinded her. She looked away and blinked, giving her eyes time to adjust to the light. When she looked up again, the SandWing was standing before her again.
The sun was too bright for Hare to make out the color of their scales or any important features. The only thing she could really see was the snake-like obsidian eyes that glared down at her. A hissing voice echoed around her.
"Hare."
Hare's head shot up and she whipped her head around, scanning the room. She was back in her room, and the sun was just beginning to rise.
Why was I back in the rainforest? And who was that dragon?
Hare got up and stretched. She didn't have time to worry about it right now. She had to check on Clay again.
Hare walked out of her room and almost immediately crashed into Copper. Copper wheeled back and blinked at her.
"I was just coming to get you," he said. "Queen Scarlet needs us. There's a trial today. It'll begin soon, we need to go."
"Already?" Hare said. "I wanted to- Ugh, never mind. Alright, let's go."
Copper raced through the halls, Hare close behind him. She followed as he dashed through the palace, only slowing when he did as they reached the balcony. They stopped just before they were able to walk onto the balcony.
"She's not here yet," Copper commented, looking around.
"She is." Hare jumped as Queen Scarlet's voice hissed from behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see the queen approaching with Vermillion and Ruby. Scarlet wore small black chains that were studded with diamonds instead of her usual golden mail. "She was just waiting for your slow tail to hurry up."
Hare winced as she realized the queen was only addressing her son. "It wasn't his fault," she said quickly. "He had to get me. If anyone was slow, it was me."
Scarlet waved her talon dismissively. "There's no need to take unnecessary blame, dear. Now, let's go. All of you." She used her wing to nudge Ruby forward. She stumbled a little over her talons, but she quickly straightened herself and stood tall like her mother. "At this rate, the sun will be at its highest point before we begin this trial."
Hare stepped back to let Queen Scarlet walk past her. The queen paused beside her and wrapped her wing around her, pushing her forward.
"I want you right beside me for this," the queen said.
Hare glanced back at Copper, then walked out beside Scarlet onto the balcony. The sounds of the crow's cheering and murmuring filled Hare's ears as Queen Scarlet took her place in the center, Hare and Ruby sat on either side of her. Vermillion leaped down onto one of two boulders that were laid out in the sand of the arena. He turned to face the crowd and spread his blood-red wings. Copper sat a little closer than he usually did, sticking closer to Hare. She was grateful for the comfort of his presence.
Another dragon, a pale red SkyWing, walked slowly on the sand. He climbed the second boulder and laid on it. His tail was stiff and laid limply behind him. His wings draped over the sides of the boulder. He was clearly old, but he still sat elegantly and formally. His pale eyes scanned the crowd. Their voices died down and they began to grow silent. He gave a small nod, then fixed his gaze on the center of the arena.
Three large iron rings were twisted into the ground with thick chains attached to them.
"What is this about?" Hare whispered to Copper.
"A traitor from seven years ago has been found," the prince explained. "So now we must have a trial to decide their fate."
"Won't Scarlet just kill them?" Hare asked. "I mean, I don't mean to be rude or offensive, but she seems like the kind of dragon to do that. Why bother with a trial?"
"She thinks it makes her look like a fair and just ruler, and she likes the performance of them," Copper replied, looking at the middle of the arena. "How she looks is very important to her. If she makes the SkyWings think they have a fair and strong queen, nobody will dare challenge her for the throne or question her authority. That's part of why only SkyWings get trials"
"If looks are so important, why have an arena?" Hare asked. "Why show everyone that death is your source of entertainment?"
"Fear."
Hare blinked. It sort of made sense, but it was confusing at the same time.
Finally, two guards hauled a dragon into the ring. The dragon was hissing and spitting at them. Hare recognized Alder and Fire. Alder was stumbling a little, but Fire held a firm grip on the chains they were using to bring her into the ring. Hare held her breath as she realized she recognized the red dragon they were forcing into the ring. It was Kestrel.
A chain was looped around Kestrel's snout to keep her from biting or using her fire. Heavy chains weighed down her talons and tail.
Once Kestrel was fixed in place, Alder and Fire flew out of the arena, side by side. Kestrel glared at the queen, smoke seeping out of her bound mouth and nostrils.
"My loyal subjects," Queen Scarlet said, her voice echoing around the arena. "This dragon, Kestrel, once of the SkyWings, has been accused of the highest treason - disobeying me. Vermillion, speak for the prosecution."
Vermillion bowed. "Your Majesty, the facts are cleared. Kestrel disobeyed your orders, then fled from the kingdom. Even she knows what she did wrong. She deserves a long and painful execution. There's no need to drag this trial out."
"Well said," Scarlet said, clapping her talons together and nodding to her son.
"Your Majesty," Osprey rasped, raising his head a little to look at the queen. "I'd like to speak now, if I may."
Queen Scarlet scoffed. "If you must."
"Kestrel may have disobeyed you, but did you not reverse the order after she was gone?" Osprey said.
"Osprey," Scarlet snarled, "speak plainly or do not speak at all. Otherwise I'll rip your tongue out."
"Hold back on the threats," Osprey hissed. "I must speak, you know that. That's why I'm here. Kestrel was one of your most loyal soldiers. She obeyed your every word, and she took on a partner due to your orders. As a result, she brought on an egg. Upon hatching, this egg was revealed to contain twins."
"We know this," Queen Scarlet said, yawning. "Get to the part where we execute her."
"Hold your tongue!" Osprey snapped. "The dragonets were defective. One had too much fire, while one had too little. You ordered Kestrel to kill them both and never take on another partner again."
Too much fire? That sounds like Peril. Does that mean... is Kestrel Peril's mother?
"Kestrel tried to escape," Osprey went on. "She took the dragonets and tried to flee down the mountain. You caught her at the Diamond Spray River, where you issued a new order. You told her if she killed the dragonet with too little fire, you'd spare her life and the others. So she obeyed and killed the dragonet right there with her own claws. She killed her dragonet on your orders. And then you switched the orders again."
"I'm the queen, I can do that," Queen Scarlet hissed.
"You told the guards to kill the other dragonet and bring her back for trial. I know, I was among them. Kestrel made an attempt to grab her dragonet and flee, but you intervened and blocked her off from the dragonet. Kestrel had no choice but to fly away and leave her only dragonet at your mercy."
There was a heartbeat of silence. Hare stared at Kestrel, who looked heartbroken.
"Sounds guilty to me," Queen Scarlet said cheerfully. "We'll execute her tomorrow."
"No!"
Hare looked up as a burst of fire shot through the sky. A dragon suddenly landed on the sand beside Kestrel and glared at Scarlet with piercing blue eyes.
"It's not true!" Peril cried. "Tell me it's not true!"
Kestrel stepped back and stared at Peril. From the look in her eyes, Hare could tell she'd thought Peril was dead this entire time.
"Surprise!" Queen Scarlet chirped, waving a talon toward Peril. "Your daughter's alive, and she's working for me!" She turned to Peril and narrowed her eyes. "You're not supposed to be here."
"You lied to me!" Peril screeched. "You said she was dead, you said she wanted to kill me!"
"She did," Scarlet said, standing taller. "How would you feel knowing your mother was still out there, wishing she'd killed you instead of your brother? Why do you think she never came back? She didn't want you, Peril, that's why she ran off to raise other dragonets instead."
Liar! She probably only took off to raise us because she couldn't raise her own dragonets. She did it because you're a heartless monster who took her family away!
Kestrel reared up on her hindlegs and roared unintelligibly through the chains, clearly thinking the same thing as Hare.
"Who's kept you alive all these years?" Queen Scarlet went on. "Who's kept you fed and alive and given you everything you need? Who raised you? Who acted as your mother because the other left you?"
Peril hesitated for a moment, then stood at her full height. "You're no mother. You never have been." She looked over at Kestrel. "I call upon the Champion's Shield. It says the queen's champion may stand forth for any dragon sentenced to execution. I will fight any dragon of your choice, and if I win, you'll let her go." She met Kestrel's eyes for the first time. "I want to stand for my mother."