Page 43 of Kingdoms of Tides and Twilight

The deeper she descended into the enormous cavern system, the temperature cooled significantly. Yet Cressida didn’t feel the cold. Her own ambition rested on her shoulders like a cloak, protecting her from the elements and sealing in her determination. She moved quickly through the damp space, ignoring the moist walls and the occasional rat scurrying along the uneven stone pathway. It had taken her all of two seconds to use her magic to transport her to the sublevels, but the entrance into the cavern was protected from any magical activity. While it was the most secure place in the entire Shadow Realm, the journey to the bottom of the caverns annoyed her. She moved past a set of guards, one of six pairs set up along the passage. Both men, clad in full armor, tipped their heads when they noticed their queen passing. She ignored them, absorbed in her own thoughts.

Fate-bound. Of course. How had she missed it? She thought of Snowden’s desperation to save her and his act of selflessness during their bargaining in the Sunset Land. It all made sense now. To think she lusted after the fool, when all along he was bound to that pathetic girl. She was disgusted at the implications of it all.

The path continued downward and she picked up the pace. Her foot landed in a wet puddle and she looked up, seeing moisture drip from a stalactite in the cave ceiling. The satin covering her shoe absorbed the murky water and the wet sensation against her foot made her mood even fouler.

She was irritated that Sion hadn’t been obeying her commands. She was furious that her idiot servants had managed to let the girl escape again. She was enraged that Snowden and the girl were fated. It complicated her plans even more than her escape had. And even more infuriating was the injury on her thigh. She managed to hide it from everyone, but the large gash on her thigh wasn’t healing despite using her magic and a variety of ointments. It worried her more than she even admitted to herself. At least her seamstress hadn’t asked questions when she requested the slits on her dresses sewn up. Cressida cringed when she realized she’d have to glamour it from Sion when he was between her legs tonight. It was easy enough, but during the height of passion it was hard to keep control of her magic, especially when rage boiled inside her.

After what seemed like forever, she was getting close. The smell of rotten flesh hit her nostrils, and she could just hear the sounds of their roars from behind the heavy iron doors. Cressida quickened her pace, seeing the well-lit space ahead. She emerged from the tunnel passageway into a large antechamber, with four guards flanking the edges of the cave walls. Another two stood at the doors, their eyes unmoving as they bowed their heads in reverence. As if they were completely below her notice, she didn't even acknowledge them as they opened the heavy doors, both men straining under the significant weight.

She entered as soon as a sliver small enough for her to pass through emerged. Clear glass made up a large dome in the majestic cavern, pushing out towards the walls and containing her precious pets.

The largest dragon snorted the second it saw her coming over. His maroon body was covered in thick plates of scales and he sat regally on his hind legs. His leathery wings rested at his side and blood-red talons perched against the dirt of the dome floor. The dragon moved his neck slowly down to the ground, and Cressida peered into its orange eye.

“Hello Brutus,” she cooed, eyeing the dragon. He had grown even larger since she had last been down here. His belly bore scars from his last battle, but Cressida was pleased to see they faded from his tough skin, leaving behind leathery tracks.

His mate, Belinia came towards the edge of the dome and she flapped her wings and she moved quickly to Brutus’s side. Her purple scales were iridescent and shimmered underneath the torches in the room. She was much larger than Brutus, and she sneered her teeth at Cressida, hot breath fogging up the glass as her crimson eyes narrowed. Unlike Brutus, her middle was unscathed.

A deep chuckle nearly made Cressida jump. Travers ambled towards her, his white hair oily and stringy across his face. At nearly one-hundred and thirty years old, he stopped caring about his appearance long ago. Cressida hated the old coot, but there was no one who knew dragons better, and it was Travers who helped bring them to this world and cared for them.

“She still hates you,” Travers commented, looking Belinia straight in the eye. The dragon flapped her wings again in annoyance and bore her teeth at Cressida.

“She resents you for the loyalty and favor Brutus has shown you.” He patted a bit of dust off of his leather tunic, and it landed too near Cressida’s hem. She grasped the hem out of the way, repulsed by the torn and filthy garments Travers wore. He refused to wear the clothes of her realm and instead wore the same leather garb he traveled with from his own world. His leggings were made up of some kind of rough animal hide, and his worn leather boots were permanently stained with ebony dragon dung. He whistled absentmindedly as he moved closer to the dome’s edge, and Belinia turned her attention to him. The large ivory spikes on her back lie flat at once, like a dog lowering its heckles for their owner. A deep contented growl entered her throat as the weathered old man peered at her affectionately.

The smallest of the dragons, a teal male, hung back on the outskirts, farthest away from the pair. The color of his scales transitioned in the light, like a slick oil spill in the sunlight.

“Berline,” Travers called, trying to rouse him. The slumbering dragon just snorted and kept his head down. The only movement he made was a tantalizingly slow swish of his spiked tail.

“He’s the stubborn one of the lot,” Travers said to Cressida, flicking his dirty thumb towards the drowsy juvenile. “I keep telling you, you can’t keep them confined here all day. They will turn on you, especially Belinia.”

At the mention of her name, Belinia roared. The sound was so intense and guttural that Cressida almost covered her ears as the vibrations bounced throughout the cave.

“I know this tunnel system leads out to the fallen Sun Realm. It would be easy enough to let them stretch their wings and legs there.” He motioned to the other iron door on the far side of the enclosure. “Plus there’s plenty of prey in the valley between our lands for them to hunt.”

“Are you an idiot? Do you think I’d ever take a chance of letting them roam free? They belong to me.”

“They belong to no one. The sooner you realize that, the better chance you have of Belinia and Berline warming up to you.”

“I don't need them to be loyal,” she spat, glaring into the old man’s dark eyes. “I just need them to do their job. Besides, their glass cage is the only thing protecting the climate. If they are free for too long, they’ll disrupt the balances even further than they already have. I still want this world to be livable, even after I’d taken all the magic.”

Travers shook his head. “They don’t belong here. I’ve told you that before.”

“You seemed fine with it when I offered to trade you some of my magic for your assistance.”

Travers looked at her long and hard before moving on. “Well, you better find a way to make peace with her. Belinia will have even more reason to be possessive of her family. Berline will have a sibling soon enough.”

Cressida’s eyes flashed with delight. She frantically looked around the dome, and sure enough, there it was. The nest was dug deep into the dirt, and just a shallow wall rose up around the egg. It was deep purple and scaled, the twin of Belinia’s skin. Cressida longed to go into the dome and cradle it, but she knew it was unwise when Belinia still detested her. Plus, based on the size, she guessed she would be unable to lift it.

“Why didn’t you summon me immediately?” she asked, the irritation evident in her tone.

“I just saw it a couple of hours ago. Hasn’t been here long, I’m guessing she laid it in the middle of the night. Should hatch within the next fortnight.”

“Wonderful.” Cressida’s eyes glowed as she stared at the dragons, their scales reflecting in her pupils. Four dragons. She would have the fiercest army and was already the most powerful force within this world. Even without the girl’s powers, the entire fae population would kneel before her, and soon.

Chapter Twenty-Four

“Wake up, Little Fawn.”

Renya groaned, pulling the fur over her head as consciousness reluctantly returned. Her entire body throbbed, a testament to the grueling training session with Phillippe. Every muscle felt as if it had been stretched to its limit, then pummeled for good measure. She attempted to roll over, but even that small movement sent a wave of discomfort through her side.

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