Page 33 of The Gold Dragon Prince
“No!” Saoirse shouted, as if I were some sort of mangy dog trying to take a tasty morsel from her. “I found it, it’s mine!”
“You didn’t find it, you took it from me! I birthed it,” I insisted, brushing my fingers across my egg once more before Saoirse used magic to push me back so hard that I slammed into the corridor wall.
I was momentarily stunned and I half expected Saoirse to leave me there. Instead, she marched over to me, grabbed the front of my shirt, and dragged me away from the wall with surprising strength.
“Where is your father? How do I reach him to inform him that his kingdom and this world are now mine?” she demanded.
I blinked at her, still a little stunned, then glanced around. The hallway was familiar. Very familiar. We were in my father’s castle.
I wasn’t really surprised. Saoirse had done exactly as she’d said she’d do and would continue to do so. Shewanted to use me as a bargaining chip in her efforts to steal more power. My father didn’t care about me so it wouldn’t work, which meant I had no reason to delay or mislead her. The sooner Saoirse had her plans foiled, however that happened, the better.
I looked around, trying to judge the time of day, since time moved differently in the magical world and my father’s world. As near as I could tell, it was morning.
“He’s probably in his throne room,” I said, breathing fast and thinking faster. “He holds court every morning because he likes to see the people of his kingdom groveling for him.”
Saoirse narrowed her eyes at me. “If you’re lying to me, I’ll crush you.”
I’d no doubt she meant it literally. However pretty and refined the woman could pretend to be when she wanted to, she was a powerful and evil sorceress.
And she still held my baby.
“Give me the egg to carry,” I said, making the demand as bravely as I could. “It’s mine. It needs me.”
Saoirse laughed. “If I give it to you, you’ll try to run off. I don’t want to waste time destroying you.”
“I won’t run,” I said. “Where would I run to? Your magic is too powerful for me to escape.” I figured there was no harm in a little flattery if it meant I could have my baby in my arms again. “Just let me hold it and I’ll follow you. I’ll show you where my father’s throne room is, and I’ll…I’ll even help you overthrow him.”
Saoirse narrowed her eyes even more.
“My father doesn’t like me much,” I added in the hope it would sway her. “Please. Just let me hold my egg. I’ll give you anything you want, do whatever you want.”
That was probably the wrong promise to make, especially since it sparked consideration in Saoirse’s eyes.
“Alright,” she said, thrusting my egg into my chest. I immediately closed my arms around it and let out a sharp sound of relief. I also burst into tears. “You’d better follow me and do exactly what I say, though, or I’ll smash you both.”
I wasn’t about to argue with her. I barely heard what she said. As soon as my egg was in my arms, pressed tightly against my heart, all I could think about was the sweet, innocent love and trust emanating from it and the feeling that I needed to give my life to keep my baby safe.
“Now,” Saoirse said, taking a step back and looking up and down the hallway. “Which way to King Freslik?”
I swallowed, dragging my attention away from the instinct to care for my sweet baby. “That way,” I said, nodding down the hall.
“Come,” Saoirse commanded. She held her head up and started down the hall as if she already owned the castle.
I followed her. I intended to remain true to my promise to stay by her side, if only to see what would happen and whether there was anything I could do to defeat her.
“Gildur, if you can hear me or feel me, we need you,” I whispered aloud and shouted through our bond.
My dragon was still in the magical world. I could feel him there. Our bond was still intact, but it was so stretched and thin that it felt like I was shouting down a long, echoey well. I also had the vague sense that my beloved had moved somehow, that he was no longer where I’d left him. I hoped that meant he was on his way to rescue me and our egg.
“Halt! Who are you and what business do you have here?” One of the castle guards stepped forward, trying to block Saoirse from striding up to the open doors to myfather’s throne room. Already, I could see the usual crowd of sycophantic nobles packing the room, and I could just see my father sitting atop his ostentatious throne on a dais at the other end of the room.
“I’ve no need to explain myself to the likes of you,” Saoirse said, barely slowing down, despite the thick guard blocking her way. “I am your new queen,” she added, then made a sweeping motion.
The guards in front of the door immediately fell away, like a strong wind had blown them over. A few of the nobles near the door noticed, but it wasn’t until Saoirse strode into the throne room, pushing more people aside as she cleared a path straight to the throne, that they realized they were in the presence of a great power.
“…don’t care if you have to sell your firstborn child to pay the tax,” Father was telling some unfortunate merchant on his knees before the throne, “all taxes must be paid. If you do not give me what I am owed immediately, maybe I will take your firstborn—” He glanced up as the commotion in the room grew too loud to ignore. “What is the meaning of this?” he demanded as Saoirse marched up to him, me trailing her.
“King Freslik,” Saoirse addressed him. “Your pitiful reign is over. You will step down at once and hand your crown and your authority over to me. If not, you will be destroyed.”
