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1
Rhuron
“Your meeting with the seer is in five minutes, your majesty,” my assistant, Karr, noted. I shucked off my coat and pulled on another one. I didn’t want to give a bad impression. This woman could craft a life for me that few were afforded.
“Has she already arrived?”
“Yes, sir.”
I nodded and threw off the new jacket to try another.
We were a dying breed.
When I was taught about extinct species growing up, and my tutors labored over the importance of keeping life going on Earth, my own species of shifter was almost always brought up. I felt like I was always on the edge of vanishing, just moments away from everything I knew and loved being forgotten without anyone on the outside even knowing.
We used to rule most of the world.
The wings that carried us to those heights broke, and now we lived as fearful lizards in craggy mountains and caves.
Hidden away from anyone who might threaten us, from anything that could put our species at risk.
Pulling the collar of my shirt tightly, I buttoned it and examined myself.
I had to set an example for the kingdom I would someday rule and ensure that my species wouldn’t end.
Turning, I felt my new coat billow out away from my hips. The imperial sash was tightly knotted at my waist, but I tightened it more as I walked. Appearances were everything.
Even if everyone in the kingdom knew that things were falling apart, I had to look like we were still prospering to preserve their sense of hope. With fewer and fewer births every year, our workforce was aging. The dozens of thousands that had once lived in this mountain had dwindled down to a mere eight thousand.
Just as hungry, just as eager for a good life, despite how few could actually work to provide that.
My boots clicked as I walked from corridor to corridor.
Karr followed quietly behind, working on his tablet, a shadow among the myriad of others.
I calmed my nerves, soothing away the thoughts that wrinkled my mind like creases under a hot iron. She was here to help, I just had to accept that help.
I couldn’t let her know what heavy weight was on this meeting.
Stopping at the door, I paid no mind to the four steps it took for Karr to walk past and open it. Formalities must always be followed.
“Announcing Prince Rhuron of Crystal Glass, first of the sons of King Everglast, second of his name.” Karr’s voice rose and carried naturally into the conference hall. An older woman, the only person in the room, fixed me with a stern stare as she rose from her seat and nodded a bow to me.
“Miss, the proper greeting is—”
“That’s enough, Karr. Wait outside,” I flicked my hand dismissively to him as I walked past. The last thing I needed was him correcting the manners of the woman who was going to deliver my future bride to me. He closed the door quickly, leaving us alone in the large room.
Usually this room was for meetings with elders and the atmosphere was thick with robust debate.
Instead it was just this strange woman.
She dressed in a suit that was absolutely black, so dark it was almost absorbing the surrounding light, with a pastel blue blouse underneath. Her gray hair was pulled away from pitch black eyes and deep red wrinkled lips portraying an enigmatic smile.
Someone who might be dangerous if I let her be.
Pushing those thoughts aside, I tried to focus on the task at hand.
“Thank you for meeting with me,” I offered her. She only sat down after I took the majestic seat.
