Mistlyn

Chapter 2: Eggs

"I don't want to do this anymore," I screamed.

"Just keep incubating those Eggs and you'll be fine," King Rexon growled at me. "Stupid Humans," he said, moving away from me, his thick tail thumping on the cave floor. "I still don't know how you became your own race," he muttered to himself.

You can't make me stay here forever!" I yelled at him.

He kept walking. "Not forever," he said in a voice that grated on my ears, "Only until those Eggs hatch."

He stopped before leaving the cave mouth. "And don't even think about breaking those Eggs. I'll pluck your eyes out if you do and feed them to the vultures."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and shifted my weight over the two Eggs beneath me. They glowed from my warmth.

"I'm not even a Hardone," I said, "I'm just a Human girl."

But the Hardone King was gone.

I curled myself in a ball, making sure the Eggs were warm. The last thing I wanted was to have my eyes fed to the vultures.

The nest was wet from my crying. I was far away from home, away from all of my friends.

Curling up tighter in the Egg nest, I wondered where Sahria was. I hadn't seen her since we got to the Hardone Palace two months ago. We were put into separate prison cells until I was brought here, to sit on Eggs. I hoped she wasn't too cold, alone in the dark prison. I hoped she was still alive.

Turning on my stomach, I flopped my arm over the edge of the nest, letting my fingers skim the dirt of the floor. Rexon had to put me in a cold cave with dirt walls and floor, all because of these two Eggs. He could have at least put me in a room in the palace, I thought.

I shifted over the Eggs, curling my legs back underneath me. The Eggs felt hard and lumpy under me. I was tempted to pick them up and throw them against the cave wall.

"How are you making out?" a soft voice called out. Farsooth the Skeleton came into the cave. His dry and yellowed bones creaked as he moved towards me.

"Fine as I can be," I mumbled.

"Fine like a twine?" he said, grinning.

I didn't say anything but looked at him with bored eyes.

"Why so glum? Farsooth said, kneeling by the nest, his knees creaking.

"I'm away from home, I don't know where Sahria is, or even how she's doing. And I'm so bored in this place. All I do is sit on these stupid Eggs all day, like a chicken. And I'm always so cold."

"Well," Farsooth grinned, "I have some good news. I found your friend Sahria."

My head perked up. "How is she?" I grabbed Farsooth's bony hand, my heart thumping, waiting for the bad news.

"Fine," he said, "She's a dancer now."

"A dancer?"

The skeleton nodded. "She's a dancer in King Rexon's Court, and she looks as happy as she can be. She's even made friends with King Rexon's youngest son."

I screwed up my face in disgust and Farsooth laughed. "Here," he handed me a piece of paper, "She told me to give this to you."

Grabbing the sheet I quickly unfolded it, eager to read what Sahria wrote.

Mistlyn,

I miss you so much. I wish I could see you but they lock me up when I'm not dancing. Farsooth told me you sit on Eggs all day. At least I get to move around every few days, when I dance. Poor you.

I've been making friends. His name is Nexor and he's the King's son. Now I know you're probably making that face you always make when you hear something you don't like, but Nexor's nice. He even told me he's going to try to sneak me out to see you! He said he will even try to make you a dancer once the Eggs hatch. I hope he does. I miss you so much! Farsooth tells me you're bored, and lonely. I wish I could see you right now, give you a hug. But other than that, he says, you're fine. Fine like a twine, as he says. I miss you, but I have to go. They're calling me to dance.

-Sahria

"So?" Farsooth said.

"So what?"

"So...what did she say?"

I gave him the note. "I might become a dancer," I half-smiled. "That's the only way I could be with her again."

"Dancer is good," the skeleton grinned. "It'll get you out of the nest."

"Farsooth," I said in a weak voice, "When the Eggs hatch, what will happen to me?"

The skeleton looked away, his neck cracking as it turned. "I don't know," he said.

"Are you lying to me? You're lying to me, aren't you?"

"Well," he said, "Maybe they'll let you stay."

"You mean they'll kill me when the Eggs hatch."

"Not necessarily," he still didn't look at me.

"But probably."

Farsooth stood up. "I have to go now. I'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded, knowing I had to find a way out. The Eggs were due any day now.

The Eggs vibrated under me and I shifted. I thought about letting them get cold, so they'd die. But then Rexon's angry face ghosted into my mind and I shook the idea away. He'd probably just throw me into the dungeons or a fresh grave. I cringed at the thought.

He had already yelled at me and threw a bone at my head when I let the Eggs get a little cold one time. I didn't want that happening again.

Curling the Eggs tight against my abdomen, I fell asleep. The only comforts were the thick blanket Farsooth had given me once and Sahria's note. I fell asleep in the hard nest, the sounds of ghosts moaning all around me. The cave was full of them.