A Sprinkle of Stardust

Chapter 22 - Betrayal

A princess's graceful script lined the age-roughened pages Lyrani scanned with her quick eyes.

She had grown up hearing tales of royals, dragons, and magic. They had been so wondrous, and she had expected the story within Princess Livh's diary would be too. Unfortunately, it had been anything but.

The little golden book was filled with the musings of a naïve young woman and recollections of fleeting encounters with elves whose names Lyrani had never heard before. If there was any significance to these people and events, Lyrani didn't know what it was. She had been out of elven high society for too many years.

It was Queen Rayn's absence in the diary that stood out most to Lyrani. She didn't know much about daughters' relationships with their mothers, but she was sure that she would've been close with hers if she had lived.

Lyrani flipped through the pages, creating a gentle wind that blew her hair back from her face. She had yet to find a single mention of Queen Rayn.

It didn't seem right.

Queen Rayn had been a notoriously difficult person. Perhaps the relationship between her and Livh wasn't ideal, but surely there should be something, even if it was resentment or frustration.

Lyrani's eyelids were growing heavy when her skimming eyes snagged on a name.

Dundor.

It was like one of those smacks Lyrani's mathematics tutor used to give her on the back of her head to keep her awake during his lesson.

This had to be referring to ECISI's Lord Dundor. Lyrani didn't know of anyone from Irylen who shared his name.

At the briefing, Lord Dundor had mentioned that the last thing he wanted was to kill Livh's son. He had been so protective when she came to Irylen, more so than his assignment had required of him. He had mentioned going on a mission to Vlitavia many years ago, even though he avoided the palace like it was a sickness these days.

Lyrani pressed the heel of her hand against her temple. There were so many facts, all coming at her at once, and she had no clue how they all fitted together.

Lord Dundor must have known the princess. Why else would she have mentioned him in her diary? Not that that was necessarily of any importance. The princess seemed to have mentioned everyone she had ever met in her diary. The names drowned out the secrets of her life that Lyrani was trying so hard to fish out.

Lyrani was about to turn the page when the dark blue call-crystal lying on her nightstand glowed.

The answers would have to wait. She tapped the crystal's glimmering surface three times.

A freckled, tear-stained face appeared in the air above the crystal. "Lyrani?"

She gasped, holding the crystal closer to her. "Dessie? What's the matter?"

Lyrani's friends never called her during missions unless there was an emergency. Something must be very wrong.

"It's on fire, Lyrani! Everything is burning. Omiane—" Dessie dissolved into sobs. Her tears streaked through the dirt smeared on her face.

Lyrani wished more than anything that she could be with her best friend, but she had to settle for long distance support.

"Dessie, slow down," said Lyrani, her voice soothing. "What happened?"

"There was a dragon. A scarletwing, I think. It flew over the forest market and torched everything. I don't know whether Omiane got out of the boutique." Dessie wiped her eyes with the edge of her pinafore.