Senna

  Cold wind cut sharp through the last remnants of twisted, shadowed dreams.

  “Senna.”

  Vence’s voice threaded with the wind, caressing her consciousness light like a feather.

  She stirred, disoriented as the world poured back in. Her mind was slow and groggy as it slowly registered her surroundings. There was warmth at her back. A broad chest and a thick arm braced securely around her waist.

  They weren’t in the cottage. The air smelled fresh and sweet. And slightly salty?

  Sudden motion jarred them and her eyes snapped open, suddenly alert. The night sky consumed them, the silvery moon at their backs. She looked around and down swallowing hard as she remembered they were flying. The sea was far below, horizon blending with the black night sky. Ribbons of moonlight reflected back, sparkling beautifully as Zenith soared high above. Something about the endless dark of sky meeting sea made something twist in her stomach. She felt utterly insignificant in the vastness of the dark.

  Zenith’s wings beat in slow, powerful strokes, keeping them steady. Vence’s arm tightened when she tensed, likely trying to protect her from slipping. She grasped Zenith’s mane tighter.

  “You slept for quite some time,” Vence said quietly, close to her ear. “Dracocia is in sight.”

  She straightened, squinting into the distance, trying to ignore the pit in her stomach as she gazed into the endless darkness once more. Her back ached from the crooked posture sleeping while riding required. Her limbs felt heavy and exhausted.

  All of that melted away as the scene before her grew.

  What began as a line of golden sparkles along the horizon quickly grew into something spectacularly more.

  A broad shape slowly rose along the dark horizon. Land pushed upward from the sea in jagged peaks, like the spine of some ancient creature that had slept beneath the waves for centuries, now risen. Bathed in bright moonlight, a sprawling golden city emerged, its details growing clearer with every wing beat they traveled. Senna’s eyes widened and jaw fell open, unable to believe what was appearing before her. For a moment, she wondered if she might still be dreaming.

  She only knew she was awake because she’d never be able to dream up something as beautiful as the crown city of Dracocia. As she looked, each sight stole her breath anew.

  Along impossibly tall cliffs, high above the crashing sea, a city shimmered. It didn’t glow with rough torchlight or fires like she’d known back home. This light was different. It was steady and gentle and glowed in a multitude of soft muted tones. Most windows poured a soft white gold, others had dazzling crystal blues, purples and oranges. It was like a rainbow of light bathed the structures and streets, making the entire city look ethereal and otherworldly.

  Thousands of tiny windows, each glowing with their unique shades, dotted the cliff face like fallen stars.

  The entire city had been carved into the mountains themselves. Buildings rose directly from the stone, likely carved straight from the original lay of the mountain. Spires of all shapes and sizes topped buildings, spiraling toward the sky like frozen flames. Columns curved and braided around one another in intricate lattices. Silver, bronze, gold and darker metals she couldn’t name caught the moonlight. Delicate, narrow bridges arched between structures at dizzying heights. Stairways were carved straight into the sheer rock, up the mountain, weaving between buildings and down cliffs.

  The city didn’t simply sit atop the cliff. It cascaded down it in glowing layers that seemed to defy gravity itself. Balcanies spilled outward from the stone like shelves of light. Senna realized that the city not only sat atop the mountain but was carved beneath the surface. However impossibly vast it seemed from above was only a small fraction of its true size, hidden within the stone. The thought of trying to transverse it made her head spin.

  “This is the capital?” She managed to whisper as they soared overhead, heading for the heart of the city and the tallest part of the mountain range.

  “Yes,” Vence replied, voice heavy with something she couldn’t place. “Home.”

  “I don’t belong here,” she whispered, staring down at two tiny figures crossing a bridge below.

  “Humans aren’t explicitly permitted in Dracocia, nevermind within the crown city of Diantha,” Vence said with a sigh. “Protocols have become stricter since the disappearances. Your arrival will not be warmly welcomed.”

  “Then why bring me?” Senna asked, turning to face Vence in alarm. Cold struck through her chest.

  “I have a plan,” he replied. “But it will require trust and it will not be easy.”

  Trust.

  She trusted Vence but only so much. He saved her so he’d earned it. But this was something else entirely. She didn’t know what to expect here in this foreign world, so different from her life on the farm. Her stomach twisted painfully.

  Zenith tilted upward suddenly, climbing toward the highest peak. At the very crown of the mountain, cut directly into the summit itself, rose another structure above the rest. It was larger and brighter. Older.

  “What is that?” She whispered, eyes wide as she took in the sight.

  “The Arx,” Vence replied. “Citadel of Diantha and home of the king.”

  “You’re taking me to the dragonking?” She gasped, clinging onto Zenith desperately as they swept up the mountain.

  “I have no choice,” he said. “Anything else would be treason. There is no hiding things from my king.”

  She didn’t know what she expected. She had assumed he’d leave her somewhere, take care of his duties and they’d be on their way. It hadn’t occurred to her that she’d be required to have an audience with the king. Her heart began thundering in her chest.

  ‘Oh, Gods,’ she thought as she closed her eyes, dangerously close to letting her panic overwhelm her. She hadn’t realized how many questions she should have had before agreeing to this.

  Terraces and balconies jutted out from the structure and Zenith flew toward one, landing with a gentle thud. His hooves made an echoing clap against the stone. It was dark and empty, silence only marred by Zenith’s step and the wind whipped a flag above a huge archway that led into the fortress. As Senna peered around, movement caught her eye and she froze.

  Shadows, all around the terrace, began detaching from behind pillars and statues. Guards emerged from all sides, armored in gleaming metal that reflected the moonlight like liquid silver. They all bore the same symbols as the flag flapping above, with a dragon in flight in the middle. Above the dragon was a large symbol and beneath it, in three circles were three other symbols Senna didn’t recognize. She knew enough to recognize this was an emblem of the royal house.

  All the guards appeared human but she wasn’t fooled. They surrounded Zenith in seconds and Senna felt Vence detach himself from her, sliding from Zenith’s back with ease before turning to help her down. Her body was stiff and her legs ached but she manage to swing them to the side and slide off into Vence’s arms. Her knees nearly buckled and her legs shook but she managed to stand next to him as he let her go.

  Senna felt a burst of wind at her back and turned, watching as Zenith took off into the sky and disappeared in the next second, likely cloaked in magic once more. Dread coiled tightly in her chest. She was stuck here.

  The guards closed in and Vence stepped forward toward one huge one in particular. They clasped hands and the man bowed to Vence for a moment. “Glad to see you returned safely, General.”

  Vence turned toward Senna, his gaze sharp. She straightened.

  “She is my prisoner,” Vence said motioning toward her. “I require an audience immediately.”

  The guards turned and Vence walked toward her, wrapping his hand around her arm as if to drag her inside if needed. He gazed at her once more, for a few seconds too long, as if to say ‘play along,’ before turning her gently toward the massive archway. Senna went along, not seeing any other option.

  Prisoner.

  The word might as well have been a slap. The little trust she’d had in him cracked. Had he deceived her from the beginning?

  She searched his face for some sign or explanation but his expression was calm and controlled. He didn’t look at her and her stomach twisted harder than ever. She stooped against the pain but still he pulled her along. They marched through the gigantic stone archways into the castle proper.

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  The enormity of it overwhelmed her at first. Ceilings arched so high they disappeared into shadow. Pillars thicker than ancient trees lined the vast corridors. The floors were polished stone veined with metallic streaks that shimmered faintly under glowing orbs of pale yellow light from lanterns high above.

  Everything was carved with exquisite detail. Scales were etched into banisters. Spirals and elemental symbols worked into the very walls. It seemed excessive. Almost absurd in its scale.

  Until they reached the throne room.

  The doors alone were taller than any building Senna had ever seen. Carved into them and inlaid with gold was the scaled face and eyes of a dragon, staring down anyone who dared approach. The guards pulled the huge iron handles and the doors opened with a deep, echoing groan. The chamber beyond stole her breath.

  At the far end of the room, upon a massive dais carved from a single slab of dark stone, lay a dragon.

  A true dragon. Not a man altered to slightly resemble one, as Vence had done. A full sized, living, breathing dragon.

  He was enormous. Scales of deepest black that seemed to drink in the dim light of the lanterns. His wings were folded along his sides like huge cloaks. Claws as long as swords rested against the stone. His tail curled around the base of the dais and at the end was a wicked looking club. Spines, sharp and deadly, ran up his tail and along his spine. Huge, curling horns grew back on his head above piercing golden eyes that watched their approach. Thin ribbons of smoke rolled from his nostrils as he breathed.

  Suddenly the size of the castle made perfect sense. The horror stories from her childhood about the dragonking across the sea started pouring back in.

  Senna stopped in her tracks at the sight of him, unable to willingly lead herself to the death she was now sure would come. Vence tugged on her arm but her feet stayed planted in place.

  “You have to move,” he muttered, keeping his eyes on the huge dragon watching them. “The king doesn’t take kindly to waiting.”

  Senna reluctantly shuffled forward as her heart pounded, causing a roaring in her ears. She peered around the room, finding seats across from the dais that curved along the circumference and were elevated for viewing. There were a few people scattered among the seats but she was relieved to see them mostly empty.

  Senna turned back to the dais reluctantly as they reached the center of the room and stopped. She looked directly into the golden eyes above her and instantly regretted it. She tore her gaze away and looked to the side. She blinked, trying to take in what she was seeing.

  Seated beside the dais on a raised platform was a woman. She appeared human, long dark hair falling over her shoulders. Her belly was swollen with advanced pregnancy, the curve unmistakable beneath her flowing gown. The way she held herself and the subtle sheen of her skin told Senna this was no ordinary woman. She knew immediately that this was the queen, carrying the child of hope that Vence spoke about.

  “General Vence, returned from Carsil,” a guard stationed in front of the dais suddenly called, ripping Senna out of her thoughts of how such a pregnancy could be possible as her face reddened.

  “And his prisoner,” the guard finished, stepping back into place.

  Prisoner.

  That word again. It echoed around the hall. Her gaze flew to Vence again, waiting for him to deny it. The seconds ticked by as he stood rigid, staring at his king. He did not deny it.

  Fear surged hot and sharp. She had been a fool.

  The dragon’s gaze fixed upon her and a pressure filled her mind. A voice, vast and resonant, unfolded within her thoughts.

  ‘Why has a human, from Carsil no less, been brought into my city and our sacred citadel?’ The voice boomed through her mind, causing her body to jolt in surprise. She tensed, muscles freezing as she stared up at the huge creature looking down at them. She watched his lips draw back, sharp white teeth gleaming menacingly in the torchlight.

  “Your majesty,” Vense said aloud, stepping forward into a deep bow. “I saved her from a fate worse than death in Carsil. I believe she may be a lead in the investigation of the disappearances of our people.”

  Outrage exploded through the chamber. The few people who had come to witness now stood at the rails, glaring down at her. Voices rose around the room.

  All it took to silence them was one slam of the king’s tail against the stone.

  Senna stared at Vence in horror. A lead?

  “In the forest,” Vence continued, “I felt a strange surge of magic. It distracted me from my mission. I decided to investigate and saw her standing over the body of a man who no longer lived, his remains were nearly unrecognizable. At first, I thought she attacked unprovoked and was prepared to take her down if necessary.”

  Senna stepped back, eyes wide as her mind reeled. He saw her with Geo? A sob nearly choked up her throat.

  “But then, she broke down and cried over the body. I didn’t know what to think. She eventually got up and ran and I decided to follow her. The magic she’d produced was unfamiliar to me and extremely strong. Though, I admit I was perplexed. You don’t normally see women running free through the forest in Carsil.”

  The king’s eyes narrowed on her but he nodded for Vence to continue.

  “It didn’t take me long to realize she was being pursued and losing the race,” Vence continued. “Men were chasing her using hybrid beasts, the likes of which I’d never seen. Her outburst of power had been accidental and in defense. I decided, though it went against my direct mission, to help someone in need.”

  ‘How do you know she didn’t deserve punishment?’ The king’s voice boomed through their minds once more.

  “I didn’t,” Vence admitted. “But she was emaciated and injured. She’d gotten a severe head injury at some point before her escape. I could tell by her dilated pupils it wasn’t fully healed. I snuck around behind her pursuers to listen. They were planning awful things for her. They spoke like they owned her, like she was property, as is common in Carsil. It seemed her only crime was trying to escape them before the accidental murder. I couldn’t stand for it.”

  The king watched him, contemplating. “How is this a lead in the disappearances?”

  “It may or may not be connected,” Vence said with a shrug. “But I thought her powers warranted investigation. She is unmarked. From what she had told me she has evaded the systems set in place and lived peacefully with her family until recently. She was never collected. Never auctioned. All female children in Carsil are cataloged and marked for trade. She slipped through their system. I believe there may be forces at play in Carsil beyond what we thought possible. Magic thought extinct may not be so.”

  The dragon’s gaze intensified along with the pressure in her mind.

  A guard stepped forward and grabbed her. She tried to pull away but he easily contained her. She tensed as his hand found the back of skull at the base of her neck. He rubbed his thumb along the skin there, through her hair.

  “Clear,” he said, releasing her once more. “No mark.”

  ‘Human, plead your case,’ came the dragon’s voice again, this time directed at her. All eyes turned to her once more.

  “I have no part in any disappearances,” she said, voice shaky and quieter than she meant it to be. She was terrified. “I know nothing of Dracocians. Just days ago I thought of them, all of you, nothing but myth and fairy tales.”

  Someone laughed from the seats behind them.

  “Please,” she went on. “I only wanted to escape my family. Vence offered to help me leave Carsil so I could finally be free. I don’t know anything about any powers. Something… Came over me when I tried to fight my brother off. I don’t understand how I did it. Please.”

  Tears had formed in Senna’s eyes by the end and another sob escaped her throat. She stared up at the huge dragon before her, now her judge and executioner.

  From the shadows near the dais, a figure stepped forward who Senna hadn’t noticed before. Cloaked entirely in black, face obscured by a gauzy black veil, Senna couldn’t see their features. Only their pale, wrinkled hands were visible.

  The figure moved closer until they were standing just an arm's length away. They didn’t say anything, just stood there. Though she couldn’t see their eyes, Senna felt them studying her through their veil. Goose prickles covered her skin and a chill ran down her spine. A cold sensation brushed her thoughts, like fingers rifling through pages.

  The cloaked figure gave a single, slow nod before turning away and disappearing into the shadows once more.

  “She speaks the truth,” someone stated from somewhere to the side. Senna couldn’t tear her eyes away from the dragon before her.

  The dragon’s eyes narrowed on her and then flickered to Vence. ‘Why bring her here in such uncertain times?’

  Vence didn’t hesitate. “If I didn’t she’d likely be dead or suffering. Besides that, her magic is one I’m unfamiliar with. If coaxed out, I thought it may be of use to us. It seems her powers lie in fire.”

  The crowd went silent. Even the pregnant queen leaned forward to get a better look at Senna.

  ‘Few mages can control fire and never as their first manifestation,’ the king’s voice boomed once more.

  “I felt it,” Vence argued. “I saw the charred remains on the forest floor. Nothing else could have done that. She is malnourished and has been for quite a long time. It’s possible her body never allowed her powers to develop as she was always in a weakened physical state, only manifesting in desperation.”

  ‘It is an interesting theory, general,’ the king said. ‘But a potentially dangerous one to test. Undeveloped powers are unpredictable. Usually volatile. I don’t have the resources to spare to help study nor develop them.’

  “I will take full responsibility for the girl,” Vence said, stepping forward with a hand on his heart. “Aside from my duties as general I will find the time to train her myself.”

  The king deliberated for a moment, staring down at Vence and then turning to look at his wife to the side.

  ‘Very well,’ the king said, voice returning to all once more. ‘She is permitted to stay under constant supervision of guards and then your guidance when you are free. You’ve seemed to acquire a curious pet, general. Congratulations.’

  Chuckles sounded from around the room.

  With that, the king stood to his full height, head nearly brushing the tall ceilings as he stepped down off the dais. The queen followed just behind, waddling down the stairs with the help of what looked to be a handmaiden.

  Senna breathed a sigh of relief, ignoring the obvious jab at her intelligence. Somehow she’d survived. Thanks to Vence.

  Guilt ran through her as she turned to Vence who was watching her with a blank expression.

  “Thank you,” she whispered, voice still trembling.

  He nodded and turned away. His voice came out cold when he spoke. “Follow me.”

  Senna scurried along behind him, not daring to stray a step behind. Everyone watched as they departed and she felt the eyes boring into her back until they rounded a corner and were out of sight.

  Vence marched them up, up and up. Then up some more. By the time they reached the floor of their destination, Senna was covered in a sheen of sweat and she was panting with the effort. Vence didn’t even look a little out of breath and he stood tall as they stopped in front of a tall set of doors.

  “This will be your quarters for the time being,” he said, gesturing to the doors. “My room is just down the hall so it will be easy for me to stay in contact with you.”

  Senna gaped at the door, the wood painted crimson and trimmed with gold. The molding and handles were also gold and it gleamed so brightly in the light she was sure it was made of solid metal. He reached out and pulled the doors open, motioning for her to go inside.

  She stepped in and halted in her tracks. It was less of a room and more of an entire house. It had a beautiful stone floor with lavish carpets thrown over them decoratively. There was a massive stone fireplace in the entrance room where they stood and a fire crackled merrily inside. Vence stepped inside behind her, pulling the doors closed. Senna whirled toward him, startled to find him standing so close.

  Once they were firmly shut his shoulders sagged and he sighed, still holding onto the door handles. Senna stepped to the side and watched him, brows furrowed.

  “Vence?” She said after a moment when he didn’t straighten.

  The sound of her voice seemed to wake him from his trance and he whirled toward her, eyes wide. “Senna, I’m so sorry about all of that. I knew it was going to be tough to get them to let you stay.”

  “So… You didn’t mean what you said? About anything?” She asked, unable to keep looking in his eyes as she asked.

  “I did,” he said, stepping closer to her. “I really meant that I think we can help you with your powers. I know you’re afraid what happened will happen again.”

  “So in the cabin,” she said, still unable to meet his gaze, “when you told me we had to come here.”

  “Only half true,” he admitted, crossing his arms. “I really did need to come here to check in. It is my duty. Sure, I could’ve just dropped you off somewhere on my way. I saw an opportunity.”

  “You saw an opportunity to use me for my powers,” she said, anger rising. “You didn’t do this to help me, you did it to help your people.”

  “No, Senna,” Vence said, his voice dropping low as his own anger came forth. “You don’t understand what untapped power like yours can do. Not to everyone else but to you. I saw an opportunity to help you.”

  She scoffed, turning toward the bedroom and a large, open balcony attached. “I trusted you,” she said, running her hands over her arms as she stared out at the night sky. “I just want to be free to live my life. I don’t want to be controlled and manipulated for matters that don’t concern me.”

  “Listen to me, Senna,” Vence said, placing a hand on her shoulder, voice softer now. “I swear to you I didn’t do this to trick you. I will help you get free but it’s not that easy. I didn’t tell you because I knew any mention of your powers would’ve scared you into refusing to come with me. But I swear on my life that I only intend to help you. I don’t plan to use you or allow anyone else to. What I said in the throne room was to keep you out of the dungeon and nothing more.”

  Senna didn’t respond as tears welled in her eyes, overwhelmed with everything that had transpired over the last days. When she didn’t respond, Vence’s hand slipped from her shoulder and he sighed. A few seconds later she heard the door open and shut with a click.

  She sat on a stone bench and stared at the stars, bright and clear overhead. The word mage, like a whisper, caressed her memory of the interrogation in the throne room. A word she’d refused to acknowledge and one she pushed away now like just thinking it would cause her powers to stir.

  The stars blurred as the tears she’d been struggling to hold back filled her eyes in earnest, finally spilling over and down her cheeks. She openly wept, resigned to her fate as the sky slowly lightened to day, revealing a new city below.