“How scary,” Hettie murmurs under her breath.
Ruelle reads fast and quick, like she has read this book a million times. “This story is about a prince of the Dawn Dynasty, born years past. His father, the king, was very sick. It was a surprise when the prince was born, a miracle baby and an heir at last. He slowly became the only one left in the Dawn Dynasty line, and he had to make sure it continued. Long ago, the Dawn Dynasty was trusted with the protection of two books. The books were written by magical beings foreign to this world, and the Dawn king was warned they must never be opened. One was silver, one was gold. Twins in everything but their contents and colour. They were claimed to be written by beings older than the deities themselves.”
“How interesting.” I lean forward. I’ve never heard anything like this, yet it’s familiar. It reminds me of some of the pages in the weird book Daegan gave me.
“He took the books, which should never have been opened, for himself. The vow that the Dawn Dynasty took when they acquired the books was long gone in his mind. His wife warned him not to open them, but he was very determined that they had to be opened because neither one of them had an heir, and an heir was needed to continue on in peace. Without an heir, the Dawn Dynasty would fail and die. He opened the books to find a cure for his wife’s infertility, but he did not want to risk her life. He loved her dearly, and so, in the choice of not risking her life, he used the magic on himself. A dark twisted spell, and it turned him into the first vampyre ever known to our world.” My mouth is dry as I listen. “There was once a fae prince who read every book known to the world. He was a fae who loved to read, and it cost him too much. When he was done, he used the dark magics of the ancient books he found to make the first vampyre. He turned himself immortal so that he may never die, and he conquered the world from the dragon riders in five days.”
“Is that true? Five days?” I question.
“Our history tells us it was over quickly, so parts of this tale might be true,” Ruelle agrees. “I will continue on. The vampyres not only bred their immortality, but he used their magic to make thousands of them overnight, until he had an unstoppable army. There came a price. After a while, it became obvious that he could not make any more vampyres, and his wife, who ran from him, had taken the books and disappeared.”
“His wife had stolen the books?” Hettie asks. “What a twist! He did all of that for her and she left him!”
“Maybe she didn’t want to be transformed,” I muse. “This is why I love reading. It tells you stories that you would never hear otherwise.”
Ruelle nods. “Anyone who believes a book isn’t the most powerful weapon in the world is a complete fool.” She glances at Hettie. “One of the lessons I repeatedly tell this one over here who doesn’t like to read.”
My mouth pops open. “You don’t like to read, Hettie?”
She shrugs. “I get a bit bored.”
The bell rings, echoing throughout the corridors, marking the next hour. “I’ve got to get to the library for work, but I’d love to see you soon.”
“She will find you, no doubt,” Ruelle says as we both climb up off the chair. Hettie hugs me tight before running off, and Ruelle sighs. “You looked so sad when you first got here. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I recognise grief. Now you’re grieving a dragon you’ve never met. I’m sorry. The dragons’ logic can never be completely understood by us. They are immortal creatures who have lived in this world long before fae ever existed.” She walks away and looks back. “I really did think you’d come out to be one of the best dragon riders yet.”
I smile faintly at her. “But I won’t. It’s okay.”
“It’s not,” Ruelle replies as she walks away. I shake my head, waiting a few moments to calm down and make sure I don’t cry before I leave the Moon Dynasty apartment, nodding at the two guards. When I get closer to the dragon in the centre, I pause when I overhear arguing. I recognise Ziven. “I don’t agree anymore.”
Daegan’s reply is swift and almost sarcastic. “Why?” He laughs once. “Oh, don’t tell me you’ve actually… You were always the weak one of the pair of us, and look where that has kept us for all these years! Our people come first. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten that.”
I hear someone slam something into a wall. Maybe a person. Ziven’s tone is unyielding and bitter. “I have never fucking forgotten that, but this isn’t the right way.”
“It’s the only way!” Daegan growls back. “Just look the other way and don’t get involved. You should have done that last time with our siblings and—”
“You’re fucking dead,” Ziven answers, and I don’t doubt him for a second. My heart bangs in my chest as I step out of the corridor to interrupt them. Silver fire explodes out of Ziven, bursting in every direction, and I’m immediately caught in the silver fire. A wave of fire lands straight in my chest like a whip, and I go flying back, slamming into the wall as I scream in pain.
“Story!” Daegan shouts, running over. I wince as he picks me up into his arms and holds me against my chest. “You’re a fucking monster, King Ziven!”
I look at Ziven through the pain, through the dark dots clouding my vision. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen him look different…guilty. “Storm, I didn’t mean—”
“This is why you’re a monster and why you should stay down in these apartments. Story, not Storm—that’s not her name—will not be coming back here again.” Daegan carries me away before Ziven can say anything at all to that. He won’t say anything. He wanted me gone anyway. “I’ll get you to a healer. I’m sorry that he did that to you. I love you, Story, and I will make sure no one hurts you again.”
I’m glad I pass out, because I don’t know what I’d ever say back to him as my mind stays with the Moon Dynasty king.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Page Twenty-Two.
I’ve decided what I have to do next. I will fix my mistake before it ends the world. My dragon must live…and so must they.
“We’re leaving. This life for you is over.”
Kyrell pulls the quilts off me, his whisper feeling louder than it is in the darkness. I blink at the light as he sets a lamp next to my bedside.
I grin, pulling him into a hug and not caring about the consequences. “You’re back. I’ve missed you,” I express.
He hugs me back but then he pulls away, lifting my face. His magic spreads across my body, healing the bruises he finds. “You don’t look well. I’m so sorry I couldn’t get back.” He lowers his hands to mine. “The prince used my power on his new experiments, and I’m guessing he has been careful enough with you so I wouldn’t need to come. I believe he saw how disgusted I was and the fact that I clearly care about you.” He sighs. “I was never leaving you here, and we are leaving. Get up.”
“What are you talking about?” I shake my head.
“We’re going. Now.” He pulls me from the bed, but I yank my hands from his. “The king is coming here tomorrow. The prince is distracted tonight but this will be your last chance. There isn’t time to tell you everything, but I promise this is the only chance we have to get out. I’ve made sure everything will—”
“Like last time?” My voice is hollow, as empty as I feel. “I don’t want this birth year to be even worse by losing you. It feels like a joke that I’ve just turned twenty-two and you’re doing this. I’m not trying to escape with you again. You’ll end up getting killed, and I cannot live with that. I can barely live with myself as it is!” My voice breaks and tears fall too fast between us.
He cups both of my cheeks, holding my gaze. I know he cares about me, loves me—I can see it—but this is too risky. “I lost the love of my life that night, and there will never be anyone else for me. If I don’t keep trying, he died for nothing. I made a vow to the deities that I would get you out of this life. You’re my best friend and you need a chance of living in this miserable world where not everyone ever gets a chance. You need a life out of here, to be that bright and fucking amazing person I know is there in your soul.”
I sob, clasping his arms. “I can’t—” I can barely get the words out. “I’m broken, used, and I should be dead!”
“You are not any of those things. You’re special and you’re my best friend.” Tears fall from his eyes. “You don’t need to be his blood slave. I’m not having that be your life, so we’re going to escape. There is a boat waiting for you to the south, and you’ve only got to get to it. Promise me when I get you out of this castle that you’ll do that if I’m not with you. I know a way out, a secret passageway of tunnels above the castle ceilings. You’re going to go that way with me, okay?”
My body shakes. “I can’t. Please don’t expect me to be brave. I am not. I’m not you!” I whisper. “You’re so full of hope and life, and you want more from the world. I just want to die!”
“You’re not a very good liar, at least not to me.” His voice is gentle. “You are brave like your mother and fierce like your father was rumoured to be. I’ve planned this for months and months, knowing that you are more than strong enough to break out. I believe in you, even if you don’t believe in yourself. Lewin and my mother wanted you to escape just as much as I did.”
“He will kill me if he catches me trying to escape again. He would kill you first to punish me.” I can’t risk him. He is all I have left. “This would be madness. Just madness.”
