Then her thoughts turned to Kae.
She saw in her mind’s eye the anguish on the huntress’s face, the tears that fell, the broken, desperate sound of her voice as she called her name. She saw how Kae fought, kicking and screaming against the holds on her arms, reaching towards Loren. She remembered the fear that she would never see Kae’s face again as she was dragged out of the throne room, and the heavy doors closed shut behind her.
Her vision cleared for a second, and she saw Haedria beneath her.
The queen was bleeding from a split lip, and her eyes were turning dark from bruises. She turned her head to the side once Loren had stopped, and spat blood out onto the stones. Haedria made a noise that Loren at first thought was a bubbling cough, but as she continued, she laughed.
The queen looked up from the ground at the princess, grinning with a bloodied mouth, and smiled.
“My, how feisty you are, my little dragon.” She said in a faint voice. “If only you were this feisty with me earlier, in my chambers. What fun we would have had, wouldn’t you agree?” she paused, spitting out more blood onto the ash-caked stones. “Where has this come from, I wonder? Was it because I tried to chain your dragon? Or perhaps, your precious hunter?”
The princess’s eyes went wide. The memory of Haedria grinning just as maliciously at her rose to the surface, only their roles were reversed. She was lying on her back, with the queen looking down at her. Loren began to scream before the rest of the memory could play out in her mind, before the memory of the queen could take hold of her again, forcing her into submission. She grabbed the queen by the front of her gown and shook her viciously, slamming Haedria’s head into the stone as hard as she could.
Loren got in only two strikes before a blur of bright red hair dashed towards her.
Seraphis flew at Loren, leaping through the air at her in a tackle, and pulled the princess off her sister. The warrior princess rolled to the ground with Loren gripped in her arms before throwing her bodily away and into the nearest wall. Seraphis panted as she stood, blood dripping from the gash above her eye. Her leather armor was slashed through in some places by Kaiten’s axe, her wounds leaking blood that fell to the stones in fat drops.
“Loren!” Kae cried as she rushed towards the princess. Loren had been knocked into the wall, shattering a firestone vase on a plinth as she did. She lay sprawled on the floor, dazed and struggling to raise herself. “Loren, are you alright?” Kae said softly, taking Loren by the arm.
The princess’s head snapped up, startled and confused like a forest deer scared by a noise. But once she realized it was Kae, Loren calmed. She nodded her head and leaned into the huntress, grateful for the help. “Yes.”
“You’ve been better, princess.”
“I can’t argue with that.” Loren muttered.
“Can we please leave now? You’ve beaten the queen’s face in, and I’d rather we not stick around when her sister finishes tending to her.”
The princess shook her head slowly, straightening up. The gold was still in her eyes, but Kae felt she was still herself. There was less of the unnatural confidence she knew to be the dragon magic, and more of Loren’s natural doubt and caution. The princess was careful when the path ahead was not perfectly clear, and now, even with the gold of the magic, she did not forge ahead as she would have before.
“Loren?”
“I’m sorry Kae, we’re not done yet. Do you remember who had the antidote?”
“Haedria gave it to Seraphis. She might still have it on her.”
Loren nodded. “Ma’trii and Cassendir?”
“Last I saw they were fighting.”
“Please go get them.” Loren paused and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes, focusing herself, and exhaled sharply. “Hurry, Kae. Before both of the Red Sisters notice you. Go and save them. Find the Warmaster and Spymaster, they might still be fighting as well. Have them order the soldiers back on my behalf.”
“What? What about you? Loren, I said I’m not leaving you.”
The princess grabbed Kae by the shoulders and looked her square in the eyes. Her tone was gentle but stern. “Kae, please. I love you. I don’t want you to die, I don’t want the Red Sisters to lay even a finger on you. And I need you right now, I’m not strong enough to do everything. Thank you for your courage and your support after so long, but I need you to leave me. Let me do what I need to, as the heir to Aldoran. Please, Kae.”
Kae stood there, stunned.
The huntress was suddenly aware of every tiny detail about herself. She stood an inch taller than Loren despite them being roughly the same age. She was lean from hunting while the princess was toned from proper training. She was a commoner, a no one, easily missed and forgotten. Loren was the heir to the throne of a kingdom, descended from ancestors blessed by the dragons. Yet here she was, asking Kae for help.
The huntress blinked slowly, her mind having ground to a halt after she realized what Loren had said. “You…You love me?”
“Kae! Yes!” Loren couldn’t help but smile despite her frustration. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you the whole time!”
A stunned, lopsided smile slowly crept onto Kae’s face. A movement caught Loren’s eye, a flash of bright and blood reds. The princess shook Kae hard, her grip on the huntress’s shoulders digging her nails through Kae’s
