Authors: Emma Taylor
Stacie felt her skin burning and then briefly tearing as the wings pierced and burst from her skin. She barely felt it. She was pulsing with adrenaline. Now they spread outward. She could feel each bone of the wings with even more precision than she could feel her own fingers. Every movement of the elongating appendages was alive to her. She could even feel the fine, skin-like material that stretched across them. Something in her screamed.
Flap! Flap!
She knew who it was. It was the Queen.
And yes
I
am the Queen but I am also not the Queen. I am also somebody else. The Queen and I are the same and yet not the same.
She was falling, just like her dream had told her she would. But now, she infused her wings with energy. People in the streets below gasped and pointed. She arced upwards, along a skyscraper, toward the clouds. Perhaps it was strange that it didn’t feel strange. But she had done this so many times in her dreams. The only difference now was that it was really happening. She flapped her wings again and again, soaring higher and higher.
She wasn’t flying anywhere in particular, just away; away from mean, bitter men and small-minded lives. She wanted to soar into another existence. That was when she saw them, coming toward her. She wondered why they were shirtless for a moment until she realized that her shirt had fallen away. Her wings had obliterated them.
Joshua reached her first. Daniel-Ragnar circled above them. “Follow us,” Joshua shouted, through the wind and the air. “Okay?”
“Okay!” Stacie shouted in return.
Joshua dived downward, and Stacie and Daniel followed. It all felt so natural, like flying was her normal mode of transportation and walking was the abnormal part. She followed Joshua closely, weaving through the clouds. He was leading them away from the city, further and further away until the city was just a mess of gas and clouds and vaguely visible steel structures in the background. They flew over suburbs, over towns, and then they were soaring over an open sky, with only a few cars punctuating the dusty, bare landscape. Her wings were tired, much like when her legs became tired after too much running, but she didn’t want to stop. She wanted to fly with these men, these
Drakes
, forever.
Finally, Joshua dove down toward the earth, toward a big mansion-type house. Daniel flew close to her, their wings almost touching. She thought she would be repulsed at that sight; a human man with bat-like wings jutting from his back. But she wasn’t. She liked how strong they looked. They could carry him anywhere. She hoped hers looked that strong soon. Right now, they looked raw and new.
“Be careful on the landing,” Daniel shouted. He must’ve seen a flicker of worry in her face. “Watch me!”
She hovered above the ground, flapping her wings steadily, and watched as Daniel slowly lowered himself to the earth with softer and softer flaps. Joshua had already landed, and was standing beside the house watching them. Stacie took a deep breath, her lungs feeling clearer and freer now that she was in the open, away from the city, in wide-open space. Then she began to flap her wings, slowly.
It was an awkward moment. In the end, she had to let herself drop a few feet. She nearly sprained her ankle, but on the whole she was okay. She walked toward the house, to where Joshua and Daniel stood, and stared at them for a moment. There were no words, at least no words that she was aware of, that could adequately describe the intensity of emotion within her.
Joshua looked at her, smiled, and began to laugh. After a moment, Daniel laughed along with him. And then Stacie burst into laughter. It was crazy and surreal and alien, but Stacie felt at home. She fell against Joshua and he put his arms around her. Then Daniel stepped up behind her and wrapped her in his arms, too.
The three of them stood like that for a long time, and only went inside as the sun began to set.
“So,” Joshua said, “what do you want to do?”
The three of them were sitting around a table in the house. It had been four days since her flight from the city. Her wings were safely tucked into her back-sacs. It sounded disgusting when Joshua first explained it to her, but she found it to be much more dignified; the wings folded into her back, so they were almost invisible.
Well, you certainly didn’t notice them on Joshua or Ragnar on a
certain
night.
They had just finished three steaks and were sharing a glass of wine. It turned out Joshua’s dad had been very rich, and had left Joshua a sizable inheritance, hence the lavish meals, expensive cars and many other luxuries.
They wanted something from her now. They wanted to know if she was going to go with them, west. West to the dragons, so she could be officially recognized by the Council of Scales. Or was she going to return to the city, to her old life, to her call-center job and her apartment? Did she want to be a Queen or did she want to be a drone?
“I think we all know the answer to that,” she said.
Dragons were not like humans, Stacie had learned. Their emotions were quicker and more intense. She had bonded with these men faster over the past four days than many humans would in four years. It was an almost telepathic bonding, formed over secret looks and held hands and frantic lovemaking. It was the kind of bonding only Queens and Drakes have access to.
“I want to be a Queen,” she said, feeling strong as hell.
And I will be. I will be a Queen of the skies. I will be a Queen and Joshua and Daniel will be my Drakes. Yes, Stacie Simmons, you have done alright for yourself.
“I saw them!” the boy shouted, excited.
The waitress rolled her eyes. “Three dragons, Tobe, really?”
“Yeah, really!”
“
OOohhhhhhh,
okay. And where were these
dragons
going?”
“West, Sissy, they were going west!”
“Right! Stop making up stories and let me get back to work.”
THE END
Bonus Story 18 of 20
Chapter 1
Roderick
I stood at the foot of my father’s throne and looked up through the circular window above. The light of the setting sun shone directly through it, haloing me in light. It was my time to step forward and be no more my father’s heir, but take up the throne as king of Avant.
“Rod, walk with me son,” my father’s gravelly voice sounded from behind me, and I was pulled from my reverie.
“Father, you named me yourself, you know I prefer Roderick,” I said.
I turned around to walk with him from the marble throne room and out into the courtyard. The cool season was chasing away the warmer weather across Avant, and soon the colors of the trees would change. It was the perfect season for taking the throne and I was certain that my father wanted to discuss my crowning ceremony.
“Roderick, I want to discuss your role as heir,” my father said. King Rylen, was a tall and statuesque male. He never spoke without deliberation and, therefore, always had wise things to say. He wasn’t one to waste your time with conversation. I had grown to know my father well in observing him over the years, while learning to become a great leader. He had not yet set the date for passing on the crown and I wondered why it took him this long even to speak with me on the matter.
“What of it father?” I asked, and he sighed as we slowly made our way around the perimeter of the diamond courtyard.
“Well I know you are expecting to take the throne soon, the court expects you to take the throne soon, as do the people, but Roderick…” he paused, and ran his hand through his shoulder-length silver hair. My father and I looked very much alike. We both had tall, impressive builds. I had the same sun-touched skin tone as him, and I had his diamond shaped face and angular features. My dirty blond hair and golden eyes were from my mother, whereas my father used to have brown hair before it all turned and his eyes were a piercing silver color. They were even more striking that his hair was silver as well.
“You know you have a strong personality, though it is not a bad thing. The people respect you, and you have proven yourself on many occasion. For the purpose of keeping our line in power, you must be able to produce an heir.” My father’s words weren’t what I had been expecting at all. I was shocked and that is not an easy feat for me.
“You question my… ability to… preform with a female?” I asked him slowly and incredulously.
“No, no, no. I question your ability to find a wife and keep one Roderick.” My father said bluntly, and I fell silent while I thought about what he said.
“In order for me to take the throne, you would have me first find a wife?” I asked and he nodded.
“Yes precisely. That way the people can see you aren’t a calculating and decisive brute who simply thinks with logic and has little time for personal connections or common courtesy,” my father said, blunt as always.
“I see what you mean father. And I suppose finding a wife would not be a waste. It is a necessary addition,” I said, and my father laughed while he shook his head at me fondly.
“Tonight, go and visit the taverns and dancing halls with your close generals and go with the intention of finding a woman!” he slapped me on the back once, and then laughed at me again before he turned to leave the courtyard in the direction of the main grounds.
I sighed quietly and then ground my teeth together. Finding a wife had been the last thing on my mind. My own father didn’t have to find a wife when he had been given the crown. Why was he forcing me to now?
“Ah, I hope you forgive me for overhearing that my lord, but I know just the dancing hall where women are plenty,” said the familiar voice of my closest friend and general of the first quarter, Kaden. He emerged from the shadows with his usual knowing smirk. He was in full uniform wearing slim, armored white pants with his official light grey jacket decorated with his rankings.
“Kaden you have an uncanny ability for overhearing,” I replied.
“It’s a gift really. So what do you say? You
do
want to be king, don’t you?” he asked. I supposed I did, so I needed to take the finding a wife business seriously.
“Fine, I will accompany you,” I said. Kaden clapped his arm against my shoulder in good humor.
“Wonderful, but no guards. The women will be wary to come onto you,” Kaden said. Kaden was by no means an ugly male. He had kingly good looks and bright amethyst colored eyes that drew plenty of females’ attention. I wondered often if that sometimes affected his intelligence.
“Precisely Kaden. Why would I want a person climbing onto me?” I asked, and he burst into laughter.
“I said
come
onto you. As in approaching you and introducing themselves with romantic intent. Honestly, how is it you’ve lived so long without knowledge of a female?” Kaden teased. I shrugged his arm off me in annoyance.
“I
have
knowledge of females. Courting them is the question,” I stated.
“No matter. That will all change after tonight. If you do not find yourself a wife, then you will at least find a woman to ‘court,’” he said.
Then saluted me before going on his way. I figured there must have been a meeting for the generals since he walked off in the direction of the council rooms. I wondered how things would go that night with Kaden, there was bound to be an adventure as long as I was letting him take me around.
Chapter 2
The dancing hall was loud and dimly lit. I stood just behind the reserved partition and observed couples dancing on the large circular floor in the center of the large space. Surrounding the dance floor was seating and bars, on a raised upper level. Kaden was seated on a plush couch with two females, who were equally vying for his attention and each becoming bolder with their hands.
I shook my head and then stepped forward. The guards pulled back the partition so that I could walk freely through the rest of the hall. I decided to get a drink for myself and made my way to the nearest bar. People noticed who I was as I walked past them.
Is Prince Roderick actually visiting a dance hall?
No doubt I was the topic of multiple conversations in the room. I reached the half-circle shaped bar and took a seat between two females. They both glanced at me as I sat and lifted my finger for the attention of a spirit tend.
“You’re Prince Roderick.” her voice was nasally. Her tone was too nosy. I looked to the female on my right. She was pleasing enough; soft features, doe-like caramel colored eyes, and long, dark violet colored hair that fell down to a small, shapely waist. Her skin was the color of her eyes and made them appear striking.
“I am, and you are?” I tried for polite and she smiled at me enthusiastically. I found it odd and more unsettling than her voice.
“I am Chrysene,” she said. I gave her a nod of my head and a small smile. Thankfully, the spirit tend came to me then and I asked for the strongest drink she could come up with. Once she walked away from me, Chrysene spoke once more. “What brings you out and about tonight, my lord?” she asked. I glanced at her.
“Please, call me Roderick,” I said, and she perked up as if I had bestowed upon her a great gift.
“So, what brings you here tonight…
Roderick
?” she asked, as she leaned in too closely. I sighed. This female was a bit too eager for my taste.
“I am out with my First General out of obligation to a dare. I am sure you will want to go and gossip that bit of news. Off you go.” I dismissed her. She blinked at me in confusion for a moment, before she got up and stormed off.
“Well that was rude,” the other female sitting next to me spoke up, and her voice, thankfully, was not nasally or prying. I looked at her and realized she was more attractive than the first. With golden tanned skin, long wheat colored waves, and aquamarine eyes. Her features were vaguely feline, but beautiful none-the-less. I hoped she would be better at conversation than the last one.
“I’m sure you could tell that she was a gossip,” I said and she smirked.
“That I could. I am Verruka. It is a pleasure to be in your presence Prince Roderick,” she said, with a genuine curious smile. I inclined my head and took the glass the spirit tend offered to me with a slight bow. I took a sip, the liquid felt and tasted like fire. I liked it. “Have you been to dance yet?” Verruka asked me, and I looked at her and chuckled.
“I do not dance,” I stated. Verruka nodded slowly and took a sip from her own glass. I looked at what she was wearing, it was a tight dress the color of gold and it dipped low in the front to expose a portion of her breasts.
“Might I ask why you actually came to a dance hall then?” she asked. I took a longer drink of the fire in my glass.
“Because I was invited and I’ve never been,” I said. She finished her drink then stood abruptly.
“Well then, you must experience a dance hall for the first time properly! Come and dance with me!” She beckoned and I hesitated. I glanced over at Kaden and quickly turned my head back to Verruka. “It’s seems like your general friend is
quite
occupied. Come, I won’t bite, my lord,” she said.
She took my hand to pull me to the lower level of pulsing bodies moving to some sultry beat that was inherently sexual. Verruka slid her hands against my chest and I looked down at her, admittedly at a loss.
“Don’t worry, just move to the rhythm, Roderick,” she said. I took a deep breath. I was uncomfortable with the entire ordeal as it was. I removed Verruka’s hands from my chest. She looked up at me, squinting her eyes and forehead.
“I must go, excuse me,” I told her, and made my way back to the reserved area to tell one of the guards to inform Kaden that I had left. I was brought back to the palace in one of the official vehicles and made my way to the Royal Family wing.
I entered my suite and walked through the small parlor so I could get some air on the balcony. I found my mother seated on one of the chaises, reading a book, still in evening clothes.
“Mother. I…did not expect to find you here,” I said.
She smiled at me before getting up to kiss me on both cheeks. My mother was beautiful in an ethereal sense. She carried herself regally when appropriate and seemed to hardly age. Her golden eyes were bright with intelligence and she saw much when it came to my father and me. There was no female I held in higher regard than my mother.
“Yes well, I thought I would wait up for you, when you inevitably came back from the dance hall,” she said and smiled. I smirked. My mother knew me too well.
“You know I never found those places to be appealing,” I said.
“I think your father was wrong in how he told you to find a mate. Would you be open to my setting you up once or twice?” she asked and I hesitated.
“Roderick, your father will not bend. He wants you to find a wife. The people think you may be too logical and militaristic as a leader,” she said.
I pressed my lips together and then nodded. “Fine, you can set me up, but no one with a nasal voice,” I said, and she laughed.
“I promise.” she kissed me on the cheek once more before she picked up her book and silently left.