Traitor of the SeaWings

Chapter 3: The Summer Palace

Andromeda pulled and pulled on the chain around her neck. The harder she pulled the tighter it became. I'll get you back for this you no good lying evil headed ghoul. Andromeda thought savagely as she fingered the chain. She thought about what Waterscales had said. "My mom would have made it so it can't be broken." But then, didn't she come in and brake it? What did she do? Andromeda strained her brain to try and remember but nothing came to mind. Then it hit her. Didn't she yank it? Andromeda grasped the chain and pulled hard on it.

 She hit her head on the floor with the force of her strength but when she got back up, the chain was broken. Yes! She thought. She ran across the room to the mouth of the cave. She saw the tiny figures of Waterscales and the two grow female dragons. She bolted out of the cave and swam after them as hard as she could. But she was to slow because a moment later the 3 figures dived into what looked like the ground. 

She stopped swimming for a moment and fell to the ground. It was too late. Just then there was a flashing light in front of Andromeda. She looked up to see another SeaWing swimming in front of her. It took her a moment to realize it was Neptune. 

"Neptune!" She felt warmer as her scales formed the words. She went to hug her friend. The purple dragonet hugged her back and asked; "What are you doing all the way out here?" 

"I was trying to swim after Waterscale and his mom!" She answered. She didn't tell Neptune about the part of her fight her own "mom". "They went to the Summer Palace to punish Waterscale but he didn't do anything!" Neptune didn't say anything for a moment then lit up her scales. 

"I think I might know where the Summer Palace is. I can take you there if you want." Neptune smirked when she lit up her scales. Andromeda knew that she couldn't hear Neptune's real voice but she was sure if she could it would be bursting with pride. 

"And how do you know where it is?" Andromeda questioned.

"Unlike you." Neptune started. "I actually have a mother who wants me to learn."

"Yeah yeah," Andromeda said. "I get it. So where is the Summer Palace?" Neptune pointed to a big hole in the ground that was a little to their right. 

"There." She said simply. Andromeda swam to it and looked back at Neptune. 

"You coming?" She asked. 

"I don't want to get in trouble." Neptune shrugged. "Just go into the hole and a current will basically bring you there." 

"Cool, thanks, Neptune!" Andromeda waved. Then she dived head first into the hole. Neptune was right, there was a current, a strong one. Andromeda wanted to yell out but when she opened her mouth water poured in! She paddled so she could go even faster, she even started to flap her wings! Then she was swept up and she bonked her head on the cave ceiling. She was in a breathing chamber. So, other dragons must come here to, I mean, I knew our SandWing alley had to come too I guess. 

She didn't need to take a breath. SeaWings could breathe underwater. She dove in and started to paddle again. Her legs were screaming in protest, she was very tired. But she knew if she wanted to save Waterscale she had to keep swimming. Then someone or something grabbed her tail. 

She whipped around to see who it was. It was another SeaWing. This one was huge and pea green. The dragon pulled Andromeda out of the water and hung her upside-down. Andromeda shivered, she knew who this dragon was. It was Shark. 

"What are you doing here?" He growled. They didn't need to use Aquatic because they were in a breathing pocket but this one was bigger. "What are you doing here?" He asked again.

"I wanted to see Queen Coral." Andromeda squeaked. This was one of the very first times Andromeda had used her voice. Maybe the second. One time Andromed's "mother" had taken her out of the ocean to show her the world. "Get a good look." She had said. "Because this is one of the last times you'll ever see this place." It wasn't pretty at all. There were dead dragons laying across the islands and Pyrrhia. And it was gray ever Andromeda looked. "Why are there dead dragons everywhere?" Andromeda had asked. Then her mother had said; "Sweets, there's a war going on."  After that they had plunged back into the water and Andromeda had never seen the surface again. 

"Well, you can't." Shark spat at Andromeda's face. "She's in the Deep Palace. You have to go home."

"Please, please, please!" Andromeda begged. "It's really important!" Shark shook his head. 

"I'll take you to the Palace but only because I'm gonna put you in the next current home." He growled. Andromeda nodded sadly and Shark put her down. He then swam in front of Andromeda. "Keep up." He said in his deep voice. "Or else you'll be stuck here." He lit up his scales so Andromeda could see where he was. But as they were swimming Andromeda noticed that it was still very hard to stay close. Then he suddenly dived down and Andromeda almost hit her head on the wall. 

"Here we are," Shark grumbled. Andromeda stood up and looked around. It was awesome. There was a canopy of vines which Andromeda guessed was for protecting the SeaWings. The palace was huge and was made out of white marble. There was a deck on each level so dragons could land on it. And around the main entrance of the Summer Palace was rubies encrusted on sides. Before Andromeda could investigate more, Shark pulled her away and to another current that was leading back to Andromeda's home. 
"You just follow the current home," Shark grumbled. "Don't ever come back here." 

"Andromeda?" Asked a voice from behind them. Andromeda turned around to see Waterscale sandwiched between his mother and the SeaWing that claimed to be Andromeda's mother.

"Waterscale! How are you?" Andromeda asked as she wiggled out of Sharks grip and went to hug her friend. 

"I'm fine. The queen will be back in a few minutes. We're just waiting." Waterscale said sadly. 

"I thought I told you to stay back in the cave." Andromeda mother growled. "Why are you here." 

"Because I don't take orders from meanies," Andromeda said as she stuck her tongue out. "I'm here because I want to tell the truth about what happened with Waterscale and I also want to ask the queen a question." 

Just then there was a huge roaring from all the dragons around them laying on the beach and ledges. Andromeda turned to one of the currents and Queen Coral came walking out. She waved to a few out the dragons and nodded at others. Behind her was a little dragonet that looked younger than Andromeda who was attached to a seaweed vest that Queen Coral was wearing. Queen Coral had dark blue scales and had pearls tied around her wings, horns, and neck. The little dragon did also. 

"Now, today I have a busy day." The queen roared over the crowd. "I can only meet with one group of SeaWings. Who should I chose?" Waterscale's mother ran up and bowed to the queen. 

"We have something most important." She said. "Please take us." Queen Coral nodded at her and motioned for them to follow. As they were walking in the Summer Palace, Andromeda saw emeralds the size of dragon claws encrusted on the floor. Once they were in the throne room, Andromeda saw two thrones, each had rubies, emeralds, and diamonds place around the edges. Queen Coral sat down in the bigger one and the smaller dragon attached to Queen Coral sat down in the smaller one. 

"Now, what do you need from your queen?" Queen Coral asked. 

"This dragon." Waterscale's mother said pushing Waterscale towards the queen. "He broke into the Summer Palace so he could spy on your guards." Waterscale shook his head quickly as the queen looked down at him. 

"Well, he's just a dragonet." The queen mused. "He didn't mean anything by it. It's not like he's in the Talons of Peace or working with Webs, is it?" Who was Webs? And what were the Talons of Peace?  I thought. But the queen continued. "We'll forget punishment this time but you might want to be more careful next time dragonet." Waterscale's mother was about to protest along with Andromeda's but the queen waved her talons. "Anything else?"

"Yes, actually." Andromeda said stepping forward. The queen peered down at her as Andromeda's mother hissed softly. Andromeda raised her wings so the queen could see the royal patterns. "Queen Coral-" Andromeda started. "I think I'm the missing Princess."