Page 41 of The Gold Dragon Prince
My brothers and I all stepped forward in awe. Gildur moved, and I suddenly remembered my love for him. I veered toward him, lifting our egg slightly, and let him fold me comfortingly in his arms when we met.
“I am eager to meet my grandchild,” the woman, Queen Gaia, said, her eyes bright with love. “But we must deal with the matter of the unfortunate traitor in our midst first.”
Everyone looked to Saoirse. Everyone but Saoirse, who stared hard at Gildur, as if he were the traitor. When she realized she was the one Queen Gaia spoke of, she gasped and stood straighter.
“I am no traitor, Your Greatest Majesty,” she said, feigning innocence. “I am but a humble subject who was led astray by…by a stranger from another world.” She glanced to Manfred.
Manfred was too busy gazing at Queen Gaia from where he stood by her side to notice Saoirse attempting to thrust the blame on him.
Queen Gaia wasn’t fooled in any case. Still smiling, she tilted her head to the side and said, “Now, Saoirse, you know that isn’t true,” as if Saoirse were a toddler who had thrown a fit.
“But it is true,” Saoirse insisted, her eyes darting wildly around, as if she would convince the rest of us in order to convince the queen. “I am but a simple sorceress who is more than happy to guide and protect the people of myestate.” She blinked and noticed Freddy and Alyce, then said, “Ask them!”
I reeled back at the way Saoirse would make demands of a queen.
Queen Gaia merely laughed as if it were a joke. “I have been enjoying the most delightful tea with these representatives from your estate,” she said. “They have told me a great many things that fit exactly with what I have observed myself.”
“You have…observed me?” Saoirse asked uncertainly.
“For your entire life, my dear,” the queen said. “I have observed the bad example your parents were for you, the anger and distrust they sowed in you. I have observed the myriad choices you were given throughout your life and the way you chose the path that would benefit only you instead of seeking the benefit of all. I have watched you increase your powers only to use them with ill intent. And I have watched your love of gold grow.”
The queen peeked subtly at Gildur, who bowed his head slightly.
“If you knew Saoirse was set against you from the start,” Gildur asked, “then why did you set me the task of observing her?”
“Because golds can be fickle, my darling,” the queen said, coming toward us and resting a hand on Gildur’s shoulder. She looked relatively small at a distance, but standing by Gildur’s and my side, she seemed to tower over us. “I wanted you to learn the true value of things by seeing goodness perverted for selfish reasons.”
“I—” Gildur shut his mouth over what he was about to say, a puzzled look creasing his face and confusion flowing to me through our bond.
“I will answer your questions in a moment, my darlingboy,” Queen Gaia said. She turned back to Saoirse and said, “First, we must find an appropriate punishment for this one.”
“Punishment?” Saoirse’s voice quivered with fear. “But I…I have done nothing wrong,” she said, completely unconvincingly.
Queen Gaia ignored her words and moved to stand in front of her. She surprised me by clasping Saoirse’s face in her hands and smiling at her. For a moment, she studied the woman intently, then said, “Yes. Yes, I believe that would be an appropriate consequence.”
She stepped back and gestured for Manfred to move to stand beside Saoirse.
“I have decided that you will live a long and useful life,” she said, clasping her hands in front of her and smiling at Saoirse and Manfred.
“That’s the punishment?” Leo whispered. “To set them free?”
“I don’t think that’s what it is at all,” Misha whispered in return.
I was certain the queen heard them, but she didn’t acknowledge their words.
“T-thank you, Your Greatest Majesty?” Saoirse was as confused as everyone else.
“I have decided that you will live a long and useful life,” the queen repeated, “in the world that Lord Manfred came from. Without any magic.”
The garden was silent for a moment.
Then Saoirse realized what her punishment was.
“You’re taking away my magic and banishing me to the cruel world?” she asked, her voice rising in tone and volume.
“You are free to go,” the queen said, raising her hand. Aswirling, iridescent portal appeared off to one side. “You will have health, strength, and the intelligence you already have. All of those things should be more than enough to build a useful life as a farmer or a shopkeeper, whichever you choose.”
“But I want my magic,” Saoirse said, bursting into tears. “I want to be rich and powerful.”
