Autumnal Equinox

It was past midnight and Mother was snoring gently. I watched her sleep, unable to do so myself. The cool breeze felt nice on my dry scales and I lifted my wings. Deciding sleep just wouldn’t happen, I flew out the window, glancing back at my mother once again.

Ever since I had seen the room I was curious about it. I flew around the tower and down through a window in the kitchens. I landed on the floor gently and walked to the secret passage I had witnessed a servant go through the night I searched for more intruders. It was open just a crack and I wriggled through it.

The hallway was long with many doors branching off. At the far end, it started to descend and I flew again, flapping my wings gently and only when necessary. When I got to the end, a scream floated up from below. I hesitated but continued my flight.

“I said who else was with you?” I heard the voice of the queen snap.

“I was alone,” a man was crying. “I swear it!”

“Lies,” she hissed and I poked my head around the corner.

What I saw made me feel ill. A man was strapped to a table. The queen stood beside him, her face stone cold. A man in a hooded robe stood on the other side, a whip in his hand. With a nod from the queen, he brought the whip swishing through the air again and slapping onto the man’s bare chest. When the man continued to deny having anyone with him, the hooded man lifted a dagger.

The man sobbed harder.

“Please,” he begged but the hooded man drove the dagger into his arm. “It was just me!”

“Then who are you working for?”

I listened closely.

“Rorick,” he rasped and my eyes widened. “His name is Rorick.”

I left before I could hear or see anything else they did to the poor man. I flew as fast as my wings could carry me, being careful to make sure the door was how it had been before I came. When I got back to Mother’s room, she was still sleeping soundly.

I stared at the plush blue pillow on the window sill that had been made for me. I hissed and sent a jet of flames at it, burning it quickly. I then curled up on the pillow beside Mother’s head and waited until she woke up.

-

I yawned and stretched, my hand colliding with something scaly.

“Pen!” I gasped as the dragon shook his head in shock. “I’m sorry! I didn’t realize you were here? Why aren’t you-?” I frowned at the window sill. The pillow was gone. All that remained was a charred spot. “Did you burn your pillow?”

Mother, I witnessed something most disturbing last night. I stared at him. I hadn’t even realized he had left the room. The man that tried to kidnap the queen was being tortured.

“Someone was torturing him?” I whispered, my eyes wide.

A hooded man and… and the queen. My stomach lurched and he continued. The man they are looking for is named-

“Time to wake up,” Sylvia said, walking in. “Oh. You’re already awake.”

“Yes,” I said quickly and smiled. “What do we have planned for today?”

“Your parents wish to spend the day with you,” Sylvia answered, helping me into my dress.

I looked at Pen. He floated onto my shoulder. I was glad Sylvia was getting better around him. At least she didn’t jump every time she saw him. She accompanied me to the dining hall and I hesitated before sitting down. The queen was sitting at the head of the table with a huge grin on her face. She was looking very smug.

“So, have you decided on what colors you wanted?” she asked me and Logan.

“Blue,” I said and he nodded in agreement.

“Just blue?” We nodded again. “What shade?”

“Moonglow flower,” I whispered, meeting his eyes and he smiled.

“Are you feeling all right?” my mother asked. “You haven’t eaten a bite of your breakfast.”

“Neither has Pen,” my father observed quietly and I put my hands in my lap.

They took the hint and they finished their meal in silence. I waited, starting to get more and more nervous as time passed. Pen licked my cheek once and I scratched the bottom of his chin absently. When my parents were finally finished eating, I led them out into the gardens without saying anything to Logan and Harriet.

“What’s going on?” my mother asked but I shook my head until we were well out of sight and out of earshot.

I pulled them to a stone bench and took a deep breath. Gulping, I told them what Pen had said this morning. My mother covered her mouth in horror.

“Who was the man working for?” my father whispered and I looked at Pen.

Mother, it is Rorick.

“Rorick?” I repeated in a hoarse voice.

The last thing I remember is my parents and Pendragon yelling my name then the world went black.

--

I woke but didn’t open my eyes right away. I was in someone’s arms and the air was cold. A heavy weight on my chest told me that Pendragon was curled there.

“Pen, the door,” a voice that I recognized as Logan’s whispered.

The weight lifted from my chest and I heard the flapping of wings. A door swung open and I was carried in. Logan set me down on the bed and sat beside me. I kept my eyes closed, though, not wanting to face reality. That is, until Logan spoke again.

“Pen, tell me again what happened.”

How many times must I tell you?

I sat up, startling the two. I was in Logan’s room and I jumped off the bed, stumbling as the world tilted.

“You need to be careful, Autumn,” Logan said, getting up to help me.

“Don’t touch me,” I snapped and he bit his lip. “How long?”

“Since we went to the Moonglow glade,” he mumbled.

I glared at Pen. “Did you know of this?”

No, Mother.

“How is this possible? You did not imprint with him.”

Pen fluttered onto my shoulder and looked at Logan.

You tell her, Logan.

“She’ll believe it only if you say it,” he mumbled.

“Someone better tell me now!” I yelled.

Mother, he is your soul mate.

Silence followed his words and I stared at Logan. His face was a little pink as he rubbed the back of his neck. I turned my neck to stare at Pen, wondering if this was a lie. He seemed to understand because he bumped his head against the side of mine gently.

You know I would never lie to you, Mother.

I sat back down on the bed. Logan hesitated, obviously not sure what to do. I closed my eyes and took a steadying breath.

“Did you tell him what you saw and heard?” I asked Pen.

Yes.

I looked at Logan. “I had no idea that room existed,” Logan said, sitting beside me. “I don’t know how to talk to my mother about it.”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t,” I whispered.

“Your parents are speaking with my mother now,” he told me. “They are telling her they heard a rumor.”

“Do you think she’ll figure it out?”

He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t think so. Is Rorick the man you spoke of?”

I nodded and turned to Pendragon. “I thought he died that night.”

As did I. I checked him before they took him away. He did not have a pulse.

“Then how is this possible?”

The three of us sat in thoughtful silence until someone knocked on the door. I jumped as Logan opened it. The queen and my parents came in. My parents were both pale and pulled me into a hug.

“How are you feeling?” my mother asked.

“I’m fine,” I whispered. “Just a little… overwhelmed.”

“We have doubled our guards,” the queen said. “If anyone tries to come in here again, we will stop them.”

“Did they know we were here?” I asked but my father shook his head. I scoffed. “If they didn’t before, they definitely do now.”

“Queen Harriet, there has been an accident in the kitchens,” a servant said at the door.

“Excuse me,” she said and left.

“Logan, the door,” I murmured and he hurried to it. “Mother, Father, I do not feel safe here.”

“I know,” my mother said but I interrupted her.

“I want to leave and bring Logan with me.”

“What do you mean?” my father asked as everyone stared at me.

“I don’t trust her,” I whispered, glancing at the door. “And this whole situation is making me so confused.”

“We can’t just leave,” my mother said, pulling me into a hug. “You’ll be safe. I promise.”

I couldn’t help but doubt that. I remained silent, though, and the four of us stood as thunder rumbled outside. Pen flew onto my shoulders as I looked out the window, listening to the rain fall.