Nadine

8. Why?

"Are you really doing this, miss? It's only been a week since the attack."

"Yes, he's going away. I want to ask him why before he leaves. Why did he attack me? Why does he hate me? What did I do that was bad? I have so many questions. I have to see him before he goes to Galhurst with Dracul."

"Who will be with you? I worry for your safety."

"8 guards and Tre. I'll be fine Mary."

She puts the final pins in the veil. "Be careful little miss. He's a wicked man."

Me and Tre get to the room. Guards surround it and my brother is sitting at one end of a table. I sit down at the other. Tre sits beside me.

"You look well."

"Yes all of my stab wounds and broken bones healed well. Thank you for noticing." I can feel Tre tense up.

My brother sits back in his chair. "Can we move past this?"

"No. You tried to kill me."

He looks right into my eyes. "What do you want?" He is so cold.

"You're not the one who was done wrong to. You tried to kill her Clay. You are supposed to be one of the people protecting her. You're nothing but a coward. A coward who is only getting a second chance because he is the king's son." I rub Tre's arm and try to get him to calm down. "Answer her questions so we can leave."

"I want to know why?"

"Because you're always so perfect. Everyone's favorite. Your whole life is planned out. Marriage, kids, palace. The future king and queen right here at the table with me. So happy for you both. And then there's me. Never as good as my perfect sister. I snapped. I really wanted to show off my dragon. The fact that I got it before you was amazing. Mom and dad were so proud of me. But you had to step into yours like it was nothing. I worked for years sister. You didn't even know you had a dragon. The second you saw mine, you treated it like it was nothing and so easy to do. I got so mad."

"Clay you are 40 years younger than me. It was amazing that you got it so young."

"Yea and if you'd have known about it you would have yours 60 years ago."

Tre hits the table and stands up. "That's enough. This coward is trying to make himself into the victim."

"You can hear forever in that dungeon Tre."

"YOU BEAT UP A GIRL BECAUSE SHE GOT HER DRAGON! YOU ARE A LAME COWARD! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE AND DO NOT COME BACK!"

"Sure thing, future king. Did you want me to kiss that imaginary ring on your finger before I go?"

Tre gets a wicked smile. "When that ring goes on my finger, you will..."

"ENOUGH! I have had it. I wanted to know why you tried to kill me. I have the reason now. You are jealous. You believe you will never be as good as me." I look in Clay's eyes. "But it was never a competition. You were supposed to be my brother and I your sister. We're supposed to be happy for each other and help each other. Not this. You really broke my heart Clay."

"I have so much rage sister. It came out. It seemed like all that work I put into my dragon meant nothing. And once I hit you, I couldn't stop." He takes a drink of blood. "I know you can't forgive me. I won't ask you too. I'll go to Galhurst so you don't have to worry about me doing it again. But please know that I don't hate you. That was the rage talking. I love you as a brother loves a sister. I will always do what I can to protect you. Maybe in time we will speak again."

I stand up. "Thank you for your honesty."

Right after I say it the guards push both me and Tre out of the room. I don't know what is going on and guards are running everywhere. I hear someone say 'river.'

"I heard something about the river." I grab Tre and drag him with me. "What is going on Tre?"

"No idea princess." He picks me up and speeds us to the river.

Once we stop I immediately see my mother in the hands of a werewolf. She is so scared. I can see the fear in her eyes. There are so many guards there and all the advisors and my dad. No one knows what to do.

The werewolf is one bite away from killing her. She can't move at all and he has his mouth around her throat. Every time one of the guards tries to get closer he bites down a little more. It's horrible to watch. I feel Tre grab on to me as I start to fall. I try to scream but "momma" comes out more like a whisper.

I try to run to her but he holds on tighter. I can't move. I try to fight him off but I can't. "Let me go!"

"You know I can't."

"Momma!" I start to cry. "Tre, let me go!"

"No."

I watch as my father drops to knees with tears on his face. "Take me instead. Don't hurt her. Please. Please. She's innocent. Just kill me now."

I scream, "NOOOO!" at the top of my lungs. I am using all my power to try and get away from Tre, but it's not working. The werewolf looks at my father and then to me. Tre pins me to the ground with his knee and pulls his sword out in one swift motion. "Keep your head down princess. I will not let him get to you."

The werewolf looks back at my father and releases my mother's throat. "Maybe I'll take the girl instead."

That is all it takes. He releases my mother long enough that Dracul and Gunner both disassemble his body completely. Dipak catches my momma before she hits the ground. The werewolf's head and one of it's arms land in front of her.

Tre releases me. I hear his sword get sheathed while I'm running towards my momma.

My father is still kneeling on the ground crying.

I get to my momma. She's not awake anymore.

Dipak is staring at me. "Is she ok princess?"

"GO NOW DIPAK!" I scream at him. I don't mean to but I can't stop crying and I'm so emotional.