Chapter Three
Thonis
As soon as the king, queen, prince and prince’s mate returned from their meeting and learned about the protestors who had managed to slip through human security, Indulf had everybody return to Byrelmore. It was earlier than they’d intended, but Indulf wasn’t going to risk his young son and grandchildren. If protestors could slip through, then so could people with much more malevolent intentions.
Thonis didn’t like leaving Katrina behind, but she consistently refused invitations to leave Earth, and he wouldn’t be able to protect her well when he couldn’t shift. So, he returned to Byrelmore to replenish his flames. It was only a week later that thoughts of Katrina and the danger she might be in grew to be too much.
He nervously approached the king’s study, where he knew Indulf and Warmund would be discussing the possibility of moving the portals, or perhaps buying up that whole neighborhood to build a more secure facility around it. He knew what Indulf thought about this, but things were changing. Maybe the humans of Earth didn’t know she was his daughter, but that didn’t mean she was safe. The protestors could still come after her as a human with connections to the royal family.
A knock on the door was answered by Warmund, glaring at him, but the prince gestured him in. It wasn’t as though they had ever been friends, but Thonis had been in Warmund’s class when they were growing up and trained how to fight.
Indulf looked up from a map he had spread over his desk. “You still have a week before your flames are completely replenished. You can return to Earth then.”
Thonis wasn’t surprised that the king assumed he had come to request an early transfer. He’d done it plenty of times before. “That’s not why I’m here.”
“Then what is it?”
Thonis swallowed, hesitating. Dark circles smudged under Indulf’s eyes, and Warmund looked no better. They were probably as worried about Katrina as he was. But what he had to say was too important to ignore. “It’s Katrina.”
Warmund’s scowl deepened.
“When Erik spat sparks the last time we were there, I thought I saw something in her. A glow. And there’s more,” he continued, knowing that it wasn’t enough to convince the king of his point of view. “I have been noticing other changes in her. She has been acting more like a dragon lately. Taking risks, being restless in confined spaces. She told me that she has been feeling like she has more energy and is stronger in body.”
Warmund’s scowl disappeared and he straightened. His eyes brightened. “Penny started to develop her magic before she came to Byrelmore due to her proximity to the portals. Maybe Wildref—I mean Katrina—is doing the same thing. Maybe her dragon is being awakened by the magic leaking from Byrelmore to Earth.”
Thonis nodded, relieved that he at least understood. “Exactly. That’s what I thought. And if she is starting to develop her flames that means she might be able to shift sooner or later. In order for her to understand—”
“You are going to argue that now is the time to tell her?” Indulf slumped into the chair behind his desk, looking even more exhausted.
“Of course.” Warmund turned to him. “If she is going to go through that change, she needs to understand what is happening with her body. I can only imagine how terrifying it will be otherwise. Father, you always said that if it becomes a necessity—”
“Is it, though?”
Warmund shut his mouth.
Thonis stepped forward. “I believe that she is starting to develop her flames.”
“And I would love it if she did.” Indulf steepled his fingers and studied Thonis for a long moment. “I made the choice not to tell her because I didn’t think it fair to her. Because she has a life she loves and parents she loves. I’ve asked her in the past and she doesn’t have any desire to get to know her biological parents. Am I supposed to tell her when she doesn’t want to know, only for her to learn that her mother is dead?”
Thonis’ heart sank. But she needs to know! “I have talked to her recently, and she was open to the idea of her biological parents seeking her out.”
Warmund walked to the window and looked out, not saying a word now.
“I would have to hear her say that myself,” Indulf said, his voice thick. His expression was torn as he looked down at his hands. After a moment, he nodded and looked up again. “I know you’re going to suggest that it’s a matter of safety that she knows. And perhaps it will get to that point. For now, my orders remain the same. Katrina is not told.”
Thonis opened his mouth, ready to argue his point.
“However.”
Thonis closed his mouth and forced himself to be patient.
“If what you suspect is true and her proximity to the portals and magic is making her dragon emerge, then she does need to know.”
Warmund turned. “Father, I can—”
Indulf turned and Warmund cut off. “I know. If she is told, then you and I will be the ones to tell her. But we have to be certain first. I don’t want to put her through that confusion and upset if it’s not necessary. Next time the portals are opened, I’ll send Audiv to double-check your observations, Thonis. But Katrina is not to be told until I decide, alright?”
Thonis wanted to be able to say yes. He wanted to obey his king and assure him that he wouldn’t do anything against his wishes. But this was different. In most cases, Thonis knew that Indulf knew what he was doing. That he had the best for the kingdom in mind and would never do anything to jeopardize it. In this case, though, Thonis knew it was an emotional decision. He didn’t want to risk the relationship he had built with Katrina by telling her that he hadn’t told her the whole truth for almost six years now.
“I understand where you are coming from, but how it is fair to her? You don’t know what it’s like to have your flames die over there. You don’t know what it’s like to be without your dragon. You are denying her a part of who she is.”
“Thonis, mind your tongue,” Warmund growled. “You are speaking to your king.”
Thonis resisted the urge to glare at Warmund. The prince agreed with everything he was saying. Thonis knew it because he had heard the two arguing about it often enough. Warmund was just too eager to prove that he deserved the second chance Indulf gave him, eager to prove that he deserved the title of prince even though, as an illegitimate child, he was not in line for the throne.
“She is meant to be our princess and future queen,” Thonis started.
Indulf stood, towering over him. “She is happy. You don’t understand what that pressure would do to her. She can be carefree, she can have dreams. As soon as she is the heir to the throne, all that goes away. She can’t think about herself ever again, she has to constantly worry about the kingdom and image. It’s bad enough that my sons have to live with that kind of pressure, I’m not going to throw Katrina under the crushing weight of being my daughter.”
Thonis didn’t respond to that. As he thought—an emotional decision.
“Father.” Warmund put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. Whether comforting him, supporting him or something else, Thonis didn’t know. He might have a high place in the palace, but he wasn’t familiar with the royal family.
But if Katrina knew the truth, then maybe… Maybe what? Maybe I could sweep her off her feet and marry her? He scoffed at his own imagination. As if that would happen. But maybe he could at least tell her she was beautiful, and he wanted her. Something that just could not happen when he was lying to her over something this big.
Frustration started to build in his chest again, like hot hornets buzzing around. He ground his teeth together as his flames flickered a little higher. Pressure be damned—Katrina didn’t have to become the crown princess. She could give up that title in favor of little Erik well enough. And if it was too much pressure for her, why wasn’t it too much pressure for a five-year-old boy?
Thonis turned to Warmund, his hands clenched. “You agree with me. She should be told.”
Warmund’s nostrils flared.
“She deserves to make the choice for herself. Katrina or Wildref, human or dragon, princess or not. She should be given the chance to make her own choices. By denying her that choice, it’s—”
“I will support my father in his decision. Katrina will not be told until it becomes necessary to tell her.”
“But—”
Before Thonis could argue further, the ground started to shake. He reached to the desk, eyes widening, as he struggled to maintain his balance. The tremor was over in seconds and he glanced between the king and the prince. They looked shocked, and Indulf’s face grew grave.
“Thonis, go to the mages and find out what that was.”
Thonis wanted to stay and argue his case, but he had never felt a tremor like that before. The palace was built on solid bedrock. His jaw tightened, and he nodded once as he spun on his heel and headed out. Halfway down the corridor, another tremor ran under his feet. The whole building seemed to shake as bits of plaster fell from the ceiling. Another shaking, this one strong enough to throw him from his feet.
Cries came from both up and down the corridor. Several servants fell to their hands and knees as doors were thrown open or shut. Thonis covered the back of his neck as debris fell over him, his flames growing hotter, preparing to shift. Torches fell from their brackets and a tapestry caught fire.
What in blazes is happening?