The Curse's Breath

Chapter Fourteen

The sudden reappearance of light sliced at Celni's eyes. She winced while her vision adjusted. Torches with flickering blue flames lit the room with a dull, tinted light. Walls of stone were all around her, laced with intricate patterns and carvings. Square holes were chiseled out of both sides of the room, one filled with scrolls whose fringed edges showed signs of age. On the other wall the holes were filled with advanced human technology.

Celni frowned, anger stirring in the beginnings of a growl. So that's where all of their prototypes had disappeared to.

Her vision shifted to her right as she saw Chalen stepping away from her. The venom dragon was folding his wings neatly on his back, dipping his head toward her as did so. "My apologies, Miss Sotira. But precautions must be taken when bringing someone into our secret base."

Celni's ears twitched in annoyance. Of course. How could I be stupid enough to think they would just show it to me right away? She looked at Chalen. I have to gain their trust first. She gave him a fanged smile. "It's alright. I understand."

Chalen's gaze moved behind Celni. He brought one leg to his chest and tipped the front half of his body down to the ground. Celni tilted her head, confused. Was he... bowing?

"Our king, King Albaras," Chalen murmured.

Celni turned around to find the king staring at her dead in the eyes. She nearly jumped out of her scales. Do all dragons just appear like this? she muttered in her head. Then, panic rising, she realized she had her tail in plain sight. Quickly, she shoved it between her back legs before he could notice, masking the movement by bowing like Chalen had.

"Rise." the king said, his voice smooth and easy like a stream flowing through a forest. He moved to the front of the room where there was a large nest elegantly draped with large leaves and fragrant flowers and gracefully eased down onto it.

Celni stood again and got a better look at King Albaras. He was a water dragon with ocean blue scales and the trademark yellow electrical horns. He was tall and fit, but not as bulky as Chalen. Albaras's eyes were a seaweed green and held a calm but authoritative gaze as he looked at Celni.

Silence mixed thickly with the air. Was she supposed to speak first?

She cleared her throat. "It is an honor to meet you, King Albaras. My name is Sot--"

"I know." he said.

She frowned, and then tried again. "I'm here from the ea--"

"I know that as well," the king interrupted, his gaze unreadable.

Frustration rose in her stomach, and she couldn't help releasing a bit of sass. "Then what don't you know about me?"

Albaras rose so he was sitting up, his tail curling regally by his side. "I know who you are: Sotira, the mysterious ice dragon from the eastern lands. I do not have deaf ears to my people's gossip. However, I do not know why you are here in my land." His eyes were dark under the lighting of the room, causing a nervous chill to run up Celni's spine.

She shook her wings, trying to get rid of the feeling. She had to be confident--otherwise her lie would be found out. "There's a war going on in my land. It-it's horrible." She allowed a stutter of emotion to slip into her voice, hoping it would give her some credibility in his mind. After swallowing imaginary tears, Celni continued. "So many of my people are dying. We don't have the strength, the knowledge, to fight the humans." Celni bowed her head and scrunched all of her limbs closer to her body, making herself appear smaller. It was a sign of submission that she had seen displayed by many of the slave dragons when they were scolded by their owners. "That is why I am here before you, King Albaras. I beg of you that you would help your kin in the eastern lands."