Ablaze

Chapter 3

                                                                                           Kalai

I paced in my spacious bedchamber, back and forth, like a caged dragon. My thoughts were in a reel. After my conversation with my oldest sister, I got even more and more troubled. I must do something to save our brother! I couldn’t just let him die in the hands of a mad dragon shifter, could I? What if Inadi’s elite warriors were already too late? Or what if they themselves got into a trap and couldn’t come back to Doragon to even deliver the news?

“Aww!” I didn’t notice I already bumped into my big four-poster bed, hitting my knee and forehead against the hard steel. I furiously rubbed my knee and forehead at the same time using both hands, wincing.

Haalash bumped her head against the steel foot of my bed. The foot was designed like a dragon’s claw, and the bed’s mattress was covered by a soft material of pastel blue color.

“Ouch! That hurt!”

I couldn’t help but snort. “Why did you intentionally bump yourself?” I asked her, rolling my eyes.

“I never experienced bumping my head. It does hurt. Now I know it must hurt you, too, Princess Kalai,” she explained in a hissing tone, as usual.

I shook my head. My eyes darted to the right, where a wide window that could allow my massive dragon self to fly through was open. The thin curtains were pushed aside, and night was already upon us in a few minutes. The horizon was tinged with pink, blue, lavender and orange that it looked beautiful but what I felt was so gloomy.

The wind blew harsher, making me shiver for some reason. Maybe because of the fear for my brother, that’s why I suddenly felt the chill.

I turned around when I heard a loud knock on the door. “Come in!” I answered. I could already feel who it was behind the door.

Farinkka, my second oldest sister, seemed to glide toward me. Her voluptuous body was covered by a black cloth from shoulders to toe. I knew she was barefooted at the moment since there was no sight of footwear that peeked from underneath her clothing as she walked. Well, anyway, she always preferred to not use any footwear, wanting to feel the ground.

She flicked her fingers, and maids came into my private chamber with trays of food in their hands. Then I watched my sister materialize a bronze table through magic. The table stood next to the window, and she made the maids arrange everything on it before she turned to me with a toothless smile.

“Now, my youngest sister, let’s enjoy the food, shall we?”

I looked at her with confusion, taking note of the yummy smell of each dish. “Why are we eating all by ourselves, Farinkka?” I followed her to the table where she procured a couple of chairs. Meanwhile, Haalash climbed on my body to settle around my left wrist.

Farinkka gently pushed me down to sit before she did, too. The palace maids disappeared when she nimbly waved a hand. As the wide double doors closed, she leaned closer to me. Easy for her to do since we sat side by side, and we both faced the open window. The breeze made the curtains dance, and the night air carried the soothing scent of the flowers from the garden, mixed with her own rose-vanilla scent.

“I already asked Inadi’s permission that we’ll be absent at the dining hall. She’ll be having a meal with our two sisters and her consorts there, as usual.”

“Why?”

“I know how sad you are lately because of our brother. Or is my chosen word just an understatement to how you feel right now?” Her soft voice was unsure. Her dark blue eyes that went well with her dark skin searched mine.

Farinkka was always a gentle soul, although she usually had her own world. It was a surprise she came to me like this tonight.

Even though as shifters, we could see clearly at night, I summoned my powers to magically materialize the sconces in my bedchamber. White and golden lights bathed the entire place that it was like daytime. I could clearly see my sister’s beautiful features—the curly dark lashes, the soft lines of her long nose, the redness of her plump lips and her chubby cheeks.

“I’m very worried, Farinkka. I must do something!”

“Then, you should!” she agreed readily.

My lips parted slightly. I didn’t know she’d even suggest it.

Farinkka gave me a small smile and held my hand. “You’re brave, you’re talented and you trained well. Among us all sisters, you’re the strongest, Kalai. If you think you can save our brother, I think you can do it without any single doubt.”

My heart swelled at her words. “But…”

She slowly shook her head. “I know we’ve been protected all this time our whole life, Kalai. Inadi has always done her duty to us and to the realm. However, I do think that we must go out, to the outside world, to the one outside this seemingly boundless fortress! Oh, I just wish that we’re not like prisoners.”

“What?” My brows furrowed as I stared at her in disbelief.

“I always wanted to go out but I’m afraid, sister. And if you do, I’d be happy to help you get past the guards, without their or Inadi’s knowledge.” She paused for a moment. “Oh! I didn’t need to do that. I know you can do it all by yourself with your strong powers and all—”

I suddenly hugged her, and she gasped. I wasn’t a hugger, but I did feel like hugging her right now. The back of my eyes grew hot, and I blinked back the tears. “Thank you for being supportive to me, Farinkka. I did need a little nudge to finalize my decision. And I know we sisters are not that close but we do love each other in our own way. That family always comes first for us.” I looked at her face with an awkward smile.

“I do agree with that. If I could only help you with the rescue of our brother, I would. But I don’t want to give Inadi another headache. You are enough.” Her voice was regretful, and I did understand her point.

“Just take care of them while I’m gone,” I softly asked of her.

***

Dressed in a guard’s uniform and hair in a ponytail, I quickly slipped out of my castle.

“Where are you going, Kal?” Davroz demanded.

I stopped in my tracks and looked over my shoulder. I found him wearing his usual uniform and walking toward me like a hunter that was somehow anxious of his prey. I caught him by the neck and pushed him to the wall before I stuck myself against it, next to him. I could feel the heat that emanated from his body and his ragged breathing.

Davroz was about to speak when Haalash jumped on him and shoved her tail inside his mouth, hissing at him, while his protest became like a gurgle.

“Ssss!” Haalash fizzed.

A few patrol guards in human form marched by, following the stone path toward the main castle. I relaxed when they didn’t notice us.

“I have to go now!” I told him.

“What? Without carrying anything?” he protested after getting Haalash out of his mouth, hurling her to the far side of the bushes. The poor creature whimpered and hissed before crawling back fast to settle around my wrist. “What about me? Were you going to leave me and face your mother’s wrath? I’d be lucky if I’d have my limbs intact and remained attached to my body, Kal!” Davroz added.

“Ah, just shut up! If you want to come, then come! But I’m not accountable for your life, Davroz,” I warned him.

“Of course. It’s the other way around,” he pointed out and spat, mumbling about Haalash’s bitter tail.

We crouched and sneaked, following the line of bushes and other plants. I thought we’d be in plain view from the guards that hovered above the fortress, but I did think of using my cloaking powers now, which was not perfect by the way. It’d make us invisible, hopefully, and stay undetected until we’d reach my brother’s castle where a secret portal was.

I took a deep breath, murmuring the spell as I raised a hand and moved it in circles toward the left. The motion resulted into a white rectangular shimmering portal. It was like throbbing, and a gentle cool whoosh erupted against my face. I turned to Davroz before I made a step. He held me back, his hand firm around my arm.

“I have to go first to ensure there’s no surprise on the other side,” he suggested with an alert aura.

“Fine! I’ll follow in a second.” I looked around, to make sure the guards wouldn’t notice the portal was opened while Davroz crossed to the other side.

A few meters away, I saw Farinkka with Jhantra waving at me. I took a deep breath, nodding to them, and entered the portal. If the guards detected the opening of it, they would think it was my two sisters that tried to get through it, and the whole thing would be dismissed. Inadi would learn my being missing in at least a day, which would give me and Davroz a head start.

The portal’s coolness wrapped around my body, making my skin tingle. I could hear a gentle whirring sound in my ears for a moment or two until I was transported to a dark place.

“Kal! Come here!” Davroz’s voice was very low and urgent. “There are guards around!” I felt him beside me, and he grabbed my wrist.

Two Red Dragons spotted us, looking fierce. They roared and blew red hot fire. If we were not fast enough to dodge by jumping and rolling down the cold ground, we would have been singed, to say the least. Worst case scenario, we would have been toast! In human form, we shifters were almost mortal and ordinary, extremely vulnerable to dragons’ attacks. One of the perks of being a dragon shifter though was that we could heal. Still, I’d prefer to not get hurt.

“They don’t recognize me dressed up and looking like this, do they?” I asked Davroz as our booted feet pounded the icy ground.

“Princess Kalai, your question is plainly vapid,” Haalash butted in, hissing a laugh. She peered behind us as Davroz and I kept running and evading the Red Dragons’ fires. The commotion already alarmed the other guards up above as well.

It didn’t occur to me there were guards at the entrance-exit portals outside the palace at all. How stupid of me! Besides, the guards outside the entire palace grounds hadn’t seen any of the royals’ faces. The only thing that could make them recognize us was through our royal red tattoo—our family emblem—on our left ankle, which we actually don’t flaunt around, especially outside the fortress. It was tattooed by magic since we were hatchlings. I could still remember the process was quite exhilarating for some reason.

“To the trees!” Davroz shouted with a hurried tone. “Once there, we go through the nearest village. We’ll be safe there.”

Right. The dragon guards wouldn’t attack our villages. They would just hunt us down in their human form instead. Not very appealing to be hunted down by our own Red Dragon guards but it couldn’t be helped. They thought we were intruders.

Two dragons were above us, blowing red fires, separating me from Davroz. He went to the left, whereas I went to the right. Nonetheless, the guards continued their chase until we were safe in the thick trees. We heard a loud whistle, suggesting that the guards in their human form were still on us.

Great!

“This is exciting!” Haalash remarked. Her reddish green eyes seemed to glow in the dark.

“Shut up, Haalash!” I hissed at her.

“Kal! Where are you?” I heard Davroz’s voice in a hard tone. I knew he was worried I might have been caught or something. Worst, hurt. He hated the idea that he wasn’t going to be able to protect me, given his deep sense of duty.

Haalash made a distinctive hissing sound, which he recognized instantly. That way, I didn’t have to talk and alert our chasers. He looked relieved upon seeing me hiding behind a gigantic blue-violet tree. Above us, the Red Dragons were surveying the clearing, where we could possibly appear.

“Let’s go,” I said in a whisper.

We both froze when two figures came out of nowhere, one in front of us and the other behind us. We hadn’t noticed them until then. Their stealth powers must have hidden them well. It was outstanding.

“One more step will give us the reason to give away your location to the Doragon guards.” The one behind us spoke. His deep husky voice seemed to send a weird vibration in my every cell, leaving my body on high. It was definitely odd.

I slowly turned to see who in the freaking smoke this impudent creature was!

My golden eyes then clashed with a pair of white-silver ones—the most fascinating eyes of a dragon shifter that I’d ever seen, sending my heart in a wild hum…