Wings of Fire: Chasing Embers

2. Honeybee

Honeybee rested his head on his paws, his barbed tail curled neatly beside him as the prince stared out across SandWing territory. His blue gaze flickered toward the Scorpion Den, a tiny black speck among the painted navy and violet horizon. The wind buffeted Honeybee's frill back and he muttered a curse, scrunching up his nose and turning to enter the room.

Thundering pawsteps was the first thing he heard, and a chorus of angry hisses and snarls. Prince Honeybee stopped in his tracks, watching with wide eyes as his sisters played tug-of-war with a pretty diamond earring.

"No, it's mine!" Oasis snapped, trying to snag the jewelry out of her twin's talons. In return Kara snapped threateningly at her sister's paw.

"I had it first!" Kara growled, ripping the earring away and holding it protectively close to her chest. "I won't hesitate to send Ghar after you! You know how-"

"Oh, Ghar!" Oasis snorted. "Right, the boyfriend that only uses you for your wealth! How sweet, but I wouldn't bother, I can't wait to rip his teeth out and throw him through the window, it'll be a true treat to watch!"

"How DARE you? He's just as good as any other-"

Gulping, Honeybee scooted away from his two twin sisters, inching towards the door every few seconds to make sure he would be able to leave. It would be a narrow escape if possible, but the prince knew he didn't want to be in here with these bickering snakes. If he was dragged in it would end without mercy, those two were the meanest dragons he'd ever met.

"HEY! Where do you think you're going?!" Honeybee froze, staring at his two little sisters. Side by side, they were impossible to tell apart- both a beautiful golden color with sharp eyes, curved horns, and long snouts. The only real way to see the difference was to look at their eyes in the sunlight. Oasis's sky hue was only a tinge lighter.

"Um." Honeybee beckoned toward the door. "Away?"

"I don't think so, you need to sort this out! Since Oasis can't deal with the fact that I'm a minute older!" sneered Kara.

"Hey! Mom got it for me, remember?" Oasis shoved her twin back. "Don't act all high and mighty, you're the laughingstock of the SandWings!"

"Well that's just lack of knowledge, obviously Honeybee has no place in this kingdom!" Kara glared at him and the prince shrunk away. "After all, he can't do anything right, except mess everything up! It's almost impressive how much he's hated here."

Honeybee felt darkness stir inside his chest, his eyes flashing with grief. The ugly truth was something that he preferred to overlook, but it seemed everyone else in his family was intent on reminding him he was a gender-mistake.

"Well if he's such an idiot then why should he sort the earring out between us?!" Oasis seethed. "It's MINE!"

"No, it's MINE!"

"No, MINE!"

"NO-"

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"

Silence filled the room in an instant. Honeybee's muscles stiffened, cold dread trickling down his spine. He curled his wings in tighter, the prince slowly turning his head toward the doorway. A shadow fell over the room, a line of smoke swirling out of the dragon's flaring nostrils, her black eyes like two new moons glowing against a barren desert. She squared her shoulders, her barbed tail dangerously exposed as her claws ticked the marble floor. Honeybee didn't dare speak.

Remember when I said my sisters were the two meanest dragons I knew? Yeah, that was a lie. My mother is the meanest dragon I know.

Queen Onyx glared at all three of her children, a completely different atmosphere filling the place as she stepped inside. Her black eyes flicked down to the diamond earring, a scowl forming on her muzzle.