The Curse's Breath

Chapter Twenty

Celni sat cross-legged on the couch drumming the cushion with her fingers and staring at the painting on the far wall. The purple tulips in the painting waved gently in a field shadowed by a dark gray sky. How could the flowers stay so calm in the midst of a storm? She needed their secret.

Lately she felt like living her life was like watching a movie that was set on double speed. How had things gotten so crazy so fast?

Sylvia, her slave dragon, came padding in pushing a cart with a tray full of food on top. She stopped when the cart was in front of Celni and dipped her head. "Here's your lunch, miss."

Celni gave the dragon a nod as she reached out for the mug of tea, cupping it in her hands and taking a sip. She watched as the venom dragon picked up her dirty training clothes with her teeth. Sylvia then slipped the tip of her tail between the loops of Celni's boot laces and lifted them into the air. She began to pad out of the room. Celni's eyes trailed down her neck spines to her bare back.

"Did it hurt when they took your wings off?"

Sylvia stopped dead in her tracks. She looked back at Celni, mouth full of dirty clothes and eyes wide.

"Put the clothes down, they can wait."

The young dragon did so rather hesitantly. Her eyes were still wide and her ears were plastered back to her neck. She stared at Celni mutely.

"It's okay, you can tell me. Be honest," Celni coaxed. She met Sylvia's gaze, her own eyes pleading. "Please. I want to know."

Sylvia looked around the room, as if looking for someone to help her. Finally she gave a small sigh and hung her head. "It... it was the worst pain I ever felt."

"I'm sorry," Celni murmured. "That must have been awful."

"It was." Sylvia's eyes glistened in the dim light. "I don't know why it had to be done. I wouldn't have tried to escape." She was silent, and then whispered, "I would do anything to get my wings back."

"I know don't know what I would do with two of my limbs missing," Celni admitted. She could see Sylvia opening up more.

"It's awful. I feel trapped, chained to the ground." Sylvia said. "I don't—"

"How dare you talk to my daughter!" The yell shook the room with its intensity. Reinej stood in the hallway, his shadowed shoulders almost filling the space. His eyes were blazing with fury.

Sylvia's claws scratched against the floor as she turned around to see him. "I'm so sorry sir! I didn't mean to, she just asked and so I answered and—"

"It is not your place!" Reinej bellowed, stepping forward. "Your job is to serve her, not to share your opinions!"

Her body shook, but somehow she mustered to say a few words. "They're not opinions! They're truths!"

"Your death will be the only truth here!" he yelled. He grabbed Sylvia by the throat and hoisted her into the air.

"Dad, no!" Celni screamed, leaping forward to clutch his arm.

Sylvia's eyes were wild. She tried to swipe at him, but her claws couldn't catch anything.

"Please! Let her go!" Celni cried. "It was my fault! I asked her to talk!"

His jaw clenched. Finally, he let Sylvia go. She fell to the floor with a loud thud.

"Leave!" Reinej shouted at her.

The venom dragon scrambled for a foothold before racing out of the room.

"What is your problem?" Celni shouted. "She was just answering questions, it wasn't her fault!"