Haedria gazed at Kae, eyes half-lidded. She had the air of disinterest, as if the huntress was no more than a bug. “Who is this?” she asked Hamilcar.
“No idea, Your Grace.” The bandit grunted. “We caught the lot of them travelling by merchant cart from Killias, the border town to the north. They were on their way to Hardwick. The princess, this one, a mage, and a wolf.”
“A strange group, aren’t you.” Haedria mused. She looked Kae up and down, mostly disinterested. She completely passed over Cassendir. “We could keep this girl as well. I don’t care what you decide to do with the mage.”
“Sister, If I may. We may find use for the mage.” Seraphis cut in. “We could have him manage the libraries or the infirmary.”
The queen looked to her sister, body tensed like a cat about to spring. “Another mage, sister? In my castle?” her tone was icy. “What use do we have for another mage, when I am already the Fourth Daughter? Seraphis, my dear, do not toy with me.”
The warrior-princess bowed her head immediately. She took a step back, submissive. “My apologies, sister. I only hoped to ease your burden.”
“Oh, Seraphis.” Haedria tutted. “Always so kind and noble. I love that so dearly about you. However, what to do with the spares can be decided later. For now, we have a much more important prize. The crown princess of Aldoran has graced us with her presence.” The queen’s smile was predatory. She slowly traced the lines of Loren’s jaw to her neck, then down to rest on the center of the dragon pendant. “I welcome you, Loren Elisis Cyrael, Daughter of Dragons, to Sagna.”
Loren screamed. She screamed, bucking and thrashing, howling as if being burned alive. The princess was in pain yet could not move. Haedria’s finger stayed loosely on her pendant, undisturbed.
“Loren!” Kae screamed back. She made to run towards the princess, to charge at her and get her away from Haedria, but Seraphis stepped between them and held the huntress back. The vast throne room was silent save for the haunting screams of yet another of Haedria’s playthings, and Kae’s desperate cries for the princess.
“What are you doing to her? Stop it! Stop it, please!” Kae screamed. She struggled against Seraphis’s hold, but she was still bound, and the Sagnian princess was strong. Through eyes blurry with tears, she saw Seraphis’s grim, disappointed expression. “Seraphis, stop her!” Kae called. Her captor didn’t move.
After a few agonizing seconds, the screaming stopped. Loren collapsed to the ground, panting and shaking. With a soft chuckle, Haedria moved behind the princess and placed a hand on the ropes binding her wrists. A small flame leapt between the cords of rope, burning through it quickly and freeing Loren.
“Quite amazing, isn’t it?” Haedria said with a smile. She began to walk back to her throne. “Just a touch of torture, some light screaming, and my… What fascinating things you can learn.”
Seraphis cut Kae’s binds before letting her go, and the huntress almost fell in her haste. Kae rushed to Loren’s side, turning over the princess with shaking hands. There were no burns on Loren’s skin at all.
“What? What happened?” Kae muttered as she pulled Loren into her lap. The princess was sweating and shaking, wincing at Kae pulling at her. The huntress looked back to the queen. “What did you do?”
“I’ve improved her, you could say.” Haedria smiled. “It is as with Seraphis’s hounds. Before you start training a pet, they must have a collar. Am I not correct, dear sister?”
Seraphis grimly nodded. She sighed and turned away from the huntress’s pleading looks. She took her place beside her queen, her hand on the hilt of her sword. From Seraphis’s fidgeting, Kae saw the dark markings on her wrists and the reddish, burned skin around them. Frantic, the huntress took Loren’s hand and turned it over.
Markings began to appear on Loren’s skin. They started as faint outlines, a small discoloration of her own skin tone. Then they began to darken rapidly by several shades until they formed the swirling mage markings identical to Haedria’s. The markings encircled both of Loren’s wrists as well as her neck, nestling just behind the dragon pendant.
The queen took her place at her throne again. “Magic is a wonderful thing, wouldn’t you say? A simple touch on a magic artifact, so many years ago, would ensure that the princess come to me. That her mind would be so taken by the urge to cross the mountain, to doggedly continue her journey, till she came to my very door step.”
“What are you talking about?” Kae said. She didn’t let go of Loren. “You poisoned the queen! That’s why we’re here!”
“Oh yes, I did. Basilisk venom. I have the antidote right here. Seraphis my dear, if you would be so kind?” Haedria held out a small glass vial to Seraphis, who stepped forward and took it immediately. “Now then. The assassination attempt was what started you on your journey, but why would the crown princess, the heir to the throne, come alone? Where are the armies storming my gates? What could possibly have clouded her mind to common sense?”
Kae’s eyes widened. “The dragon magic.”
“Pride, greed, and the desire for more.” Haedria chuckled. “All values I quite enjoy. Now get up, Loren! You’ve rested for far too long.”
The mage markings of the queen glowed with a red-orange light, flickering like burning coals beneath her skin. It was as if the woman herself was made of firestone. In response, the new markings around Loren’s wrists began to burn. The princess’s eyes flashed open and she gasped, pitching forward and gripping at her wrists. The magic felt like shackles of flame, burning metal being pressed against her skin. She looked up at Kae with
