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I offer the two awakened dragons one last smile before Mina leads the mother and daughter upstairs, leaving me to decide my next moves.
I don’t go back to my chambers to rest. My mind is alive and buzzing with thoughts of Malix and the work I can do here while he’s gone. Although the fatigue hasn’t hit, I don’t go back to the cellar to awaken more dragons. It would be a foolish task to do on my own.
Instead, I go to my garden.
My watering can is where I last left it, perched by the well. I fill it and start on the north side where budding roses have begun to bloom. It’s a small victory, but a victory all the same. I like seeing my efforts come to fruition.
Tending to the garden here is easier. It’s maybe the soil or air or…something. Things grow faster here. More vibrant and beautiful. There’s so much beauty in this kingdom and I haven’t even seen half of it.
As I water my rose bushes, my mind wanders to Grym Hollow. How the town appears so picturesque, but where secrets run deep. To be honest, it was stifling there. Some people are meant for small towns, but I’m not one of them. There was never any change and no one ever let you forget your past, no matter how far you ran from it.
My sister thrived in the small town. She had friends, far more than I ever had, even when my parents were alive and when I didn’t push people away. She was—still is—popular, despite half the town knowing my boyfriend cheated on me with my sister. The townspeople enjoyed rationalizing the second-most traumatic incident of my life by blaming their infidelity on my declining mental health.
It must be so much easier now that I’m not there to remind her every day of what she took from me. Not that I ever said anything to her about it, no, just my presence was enough to remind her of their betrayal. Perhaps this deal brought peace to more than just me. She gets to have her perfect family and I get to…
Fall in love all over again.
It’s new and fragile and completely scary, but it's there, budding like the roses are. And if I’m not completely wrong with reading people, I think Malix feels the same way.
“My Queen.”
The voice jolts me back to now and I spin. My heart immediately drops at the two approaching figures.
Aeron and Otis.
Don’t show fear. They are part of my husband’s council and while my husband isn’t here they would defer to me. Though Malix did mention Aracelia could handle most of the day-to-day happenings.
“Lord Aeron. Lord Otis. What can I do for you?” And how can I get you the fuck away from me?
Aeron smiles, though it reminds me of a lion who just found a herd of zebras. “We were in the dining hall when we heard Mina speaking to a mother and daughter. Ones you just awakened.”
I nod, though there isn’t a question in his statement.
“You are getting stronger, My Queen. You hardly look put out at all.”
I’m not sure whether his words are praise or an insult to my appearance, all the same, I smile. “Thank you. I’m glad I was able to bring a daughter and mother back to one another.”
“Yes, it is quite a sweet reunion,” Aeron says, though he seems disinterested. “How are you feeling?”
If this is a trap, I’m not sure how to navigate it. Something feels off about the two men. Aeron being Aeron isn’t a surprise, but the way Otis squirms under my gaze and how he can’t quite meet my eyes has me on edge.
“I feel fine,” I say slowly. “So, I decided to tend to my garden.”
“Yes, we see that.”
“We want to know why you are tending to your garden and not awakening more dragons,” Otis blurts, words tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them. Aeron huffs, clearly annoyed with his partner.
So much for subtlety.
I bristle at his tone and clear accusation. “It’s not safe for me to push myself. Malix or Mina should be there in case anything goes south. I also promised my husband,” I emphasize to remind them of our places, “that I would not overexert myself in his absence.”
“If it is a chaperone you need, then Otis and I would gladly offer our help,” Aeron says.
I do my best not to roll my eyes, but I don’t think I’m successful. It’s the same song and dance over and over again and frankly, I’m getting tired of it.
“That won’t be necessary. Mina is a great companion, and we will awaken more tomorrow. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to watering.” With all the effort I can muster, I turn my back on the councilman and his lackey.
I expect the conversation to be over. I want the conversation to be over, but the two dragons can’t take my no for an answer.
