Chapter Thirteen:

Chapter Thirteen:

The Past

"What is going on here?"

The voice was quiet with an edge to it. Firm. And it originated from the back of the room.

Rayne whirled, taking Selena with him and she saw. She finally saw. Saw the one whom Rayne would protect to his dying breath.

The Prince of Dragons appeared to be young. Young but older than Selena. Perhaps older than Rayne. His hair was black, like Rayne's, and his eyes were also black, shining quizzically. It was eerie, his gaze. As he came further into the hallway from the room in back the dragons came forward to crowd around him.

"My Lord, the witches-" one began.

"They come." Another said simply.

Selena stared at the dragon prince from Rayne's side, watched him as he stared from one dragon guard to another. And then he seemed to sense Selena's presence for he looked toward her. Selena burrowed further against Rayne, suddenly very afraid. Had Rayne ever told him the things she had thought of him? Did he know how much she blamed him for? What she held him accountable for? Rayne's arm was strong against her, if nothing else a bit comforting.

"Rayne." The prince said, summoning him. "Bring her."

She looked up at Rayne, wanting to say no. 'Please, no, don't make me go over there, I'm scared, don't make me go over there…' she said in her mind, wishing he could hear, only him.

But Rayne was pulling her, reassuring her gently with his amber eyes. And then the crowd of dragon guards were parting, allowing her to pass. She looked at them as she moved, felt their eyes on her. And when she looked up the Prince was before her, gazing down at her blankly.

Rayne stopped before the Prince.

Selena felt cold.

"Are you the one who has brought the news?" The Prince asked quietly.

Selena swallowed, trying to hold his gaze. "I am," She answered. And she realized she was receiving strange feelings from him. He wasn't looking down at her in disgust, the way most dragons and witches did. There was no malice in him that she could sense.

"Tell me." The Prince commanded.

And she wasn't afraid of him. Rayne's arm tightened once more around her and she felt the strength to speak. "The Witch Mother, of the small village not too far from here-"

"Hecate." The Prince nodded. "Witch Queen. I know who you speak of."

Selena blinked. "Yes. The Witch Queen." She echoed dumbly before shaking her head. "She comes. Armed with a spell to put the dragons to sleep. She wants to end it all. They're almost here."

The Prince was staring at her wordlessly. Then his gaze traveled toward Rayne and as if finally seeing his personal guardian he began to give orders. "We have to be ready for it. Rayne, take your soulmate and-"

A small voice rang out, cheerfully young in the Hall of the First House. "Brother!"

The Prince whirled as a side door opened and a small child came out, hesitating curiously when all eyes came to rest on her. A woman appeared behind the little girl, looking flustered. "I apologize, my Lord. The Princess-"

The little girl ran forward, small nimble body slipping around dragon guards and springing toward the Prince. He caught her in mid-leap, lifting her into his arms and cradling her tenderly to him. Selena stared at the little girl, stunned into silence. A princess. There had never been mention of a princess. Before the king had passed there had been mention of a younger brother to the prince but never a sister. She gazed at the child, her eyes running over the black hair that was so much like the Prince's and yet it was streaked through with blue, shimmering strands of cobalt blue. And the eyes were just as blue and wide, childishly innocent.

"Dayra." The Prince was saying sternly. "I have told you many times-"

The girls delicate expression of happiness slipped a bit as she wound her arms around the Prince's shoulders. "I was bored. There is nothing to do."

The prince nodded, laying a finger against her lips to silence her. "I know. I know." He said patiently. "But now is not a good time. I will come for you later. For now you need to go with Jana and do as she says. All right?"

The little girl's blue eyes widened and now the smile was gone. "You'll come visit me later?" she asked quietly. She glanced at Selena and Rayne, grip on the Prince tightening. Almost as if to declare her possession of him.

"Yes, I promise." The prince nodded, lifting his hand and threading his fingers through her soft blue-streaked black hair. "Later you will have me all to yourself and we'll do whatever you want to do. All right?"

The little girl suddenly beamed. "All right." She agreed. She allowed him to put her down but maintained a grip on his hand, her small one holding onto one of his long, slender fingers. "Remember." She said, "You promised to see me later."

The Prince smiled down at her. "I'll remember." He whispered to her.

The Present:

Chime opened her eyes and blinked. The sky over head was dark and there was a soft noise to her right, the gentle lapping of water. She blinked again, moving her body a bit and soreness washed over her. The dull pain in her side and the overall weakness in her entire frame. She had been lying on something hard and it had left a mark along her arm. She looked at the object sleepily.

A box with familiar symbols on it.

She blinked once more as she realized she understood the writing on it. The box of dragon scrolls. Her mouth came open as she remembered what had transpired, the day's events. And with the memories came a sharp sense of betrayal, a sorrowful pain as she realized that once again a friend had let her down. She clenched her jaw, rising, and felt the weakness follow her. It seemed to be a part of her. She had hoped before losing consciousness along the beach that the spell would go away as she slept.

But hadn't the dragons been sleeping for thirty thousand years?

Now she would have to wander around for the rest of her life weakened. The thought made her pull up short. Oh, Goddess. Countless years hiding from the Night World, hoping to escape them with her body nearly human, her senses and black energy hampered. She saw it all as it would be, from this day forth.

And she realized she would never make it.

Those damn tears almost welled up again. She closed her eyes to blink them back. She needed someone to blame, someone to focus her anger on because she knew that saying it wasn't fair wouldn't make her feel any better or accomplish anything. But no. She wouldn't cry. She hadn't cried in sorrow since the day Rayne had been to put to sleep beside his prince. Not even after everything Hellewise had promised her. She hadn't cried, sobbed, in so long that she wondered if perhaps there was something wrong with her, if she had forgotten how to.

There was nothing wrong with her. Nothing but the fact that her damn powers were at half strength because of a damn witch and a spell that refused to stay in the past where it belonged. She felt the beginnings of her rage and she wanted to turn it on someone. Who else but the Prince? She could always blame the prince…

"Dayra, I have told you many times-"

Chime looked out over the water, unseeing eyes focusing on the white reflection of the moon. And her anger melted away because she remembered that on that day she had seen a different side to the prince. Had seen his first side and it had been tender, loving toward family and friends. What had happened to Dayra? She hadn't been put to sleep, she had been too young. Had she been killed after all? No, she had started the Drache line, Galen Drache was the latest of her line of dragon and shifter blood. But after that? Had she been cursed to the same eternal sleep her brother had been punished with?

He had loved her. The Prince had loved the little girl. It had been evident, obvious on his face. The way he had allowed her to maintain her grip on his finger and how he would have promised her the world for a smile. It made Chime's anger toward him lessen further.

She looked at the dragon scrolls. Soon enough, but not here. She had to stop thinking because thinking wouldn't get her out of her problem now. Now she had to move, and keep moving until she was safe, far, far away. With a wince and a groan she rose to her feet, clutching the box that held the answers she needed. And she began to trudge, heading for the lights of the city.

Thea stared at the far wall of the room she was in, hands clasped in her lap. She was still in Iliana's sanctuary being held until she was questioned. Thierry had arrived an hour before and Mother Cybele would soon be arriving also. She cringed inwardly. She was going to die.

A soft knock at the door made her look up slowly. "Who is it?"

The door was pushed open and her dark cousin peeked in. "Thea? It's me." Blaise said quietly, a sad look on her face. Rarely did Blaise show emotion but Thea's sorrow seemed to be affecting everyone. Her cousin managed a sympathetic smile and held out a long, lean arm to her. "They want to talk to you downstairs."

Thea stood up in one movement, anger painting red spots in her cheeks. "Who wants to speak to me?" she demanded stonily.

Blaise's lips tightened into a line. "So far only Thierry. Mother Cybele will be here shortly. Right now Thierry wants to have a word with you."

Thea stormed toward the door, wrenching it from her cousin's grasp. "They will not have words with me." She said darkly, staring her cousin in her widening gray eyes. "I will have words with them." And then she brushed passed her cousin, marching herself toward the staircase. She didn't need Blaise to tell her where the meeting was. She already knew.

Thierry was inspecting the new window when Thea entered the kitchen. Keller was beside him, murmuring quietly but he seemed oblivious to her presence, running his fingers over the glass thoughtfully. Galen and Nissa stood to the side, quietly watching Thierry. Winnie was at the table, slouched far into her seat, a smirk on her face.

Iliana was in the corner of the room, looking lost and wounded in a chair. And Rashel and Quinn surrounded her, playing the part of bodyguards.

Thea looked about, glaring as Blaise came up behind her quietly.

Thierry seemed to sense her immediately. He turned from the window, looking down at his fingertips. "Sit down, Thea." He ordered and while the tone was soft his words were not. He expected to be obeyed and when he raised his eyes to the witch there was no doubt that he was waiting for her to do as he had asked.

Thea stared back coolly but did as she was told, sinking into a chair at the table beside Winnie. The red-curled witch glanced at her cautiously but she turned her eyes away.

Thierry came forward, dark eyes shining. She looked at him and she couldn't read anything in those black orbs, couldn't distinguish the pupils from the irises. It scared her to no end.

"Thea," he began, pausing before her, several feet away, "I have heard five different versions of what happened yesterday. Now I want to hear yours. From the beginning." He said gently.

Thea stared at him, eyes narrowed. "Now you want to hear mine." She echoed and she cocked her head at him. "And what good will that do me, Thierry?" she asked boldly, anger simmering under the surface. "I still went against the witches to help a dragon. What can I possibly tell you anyway that you don't already know?"

Thierry leaned down, placing his hands on the table top and exhaled, shoulders falling. He paused, didn't move and the tension in the room only grew. Thea wondered what he would do. Was he the type of person to become violent? She doubted it but there was much inside him that she didn't know and that she probably would never know. She stared at him, goosebumps rising on her arms.

Then, in one swift movement he grabbed the back of a table chair and spun it around, straddling it comfortably. Thea watched him wide-eyed as he rested his arms along the back of the chair and then turned those dark eyes on her. "How about you just tell me the truth?" he shrugged.

From the corner Iliana's eyes flew to Thea, fingers pressed to her small mouth.

"The truth." Thea stated. She pulled her head back a bit. "You want the truth?"

Thierry shrugged again wordlessly.

Thea smirked. "All right, then. The truth." She slapped her knees and then sprang to her feet, alarming everyone in the room except Thierry who stayed in the exact same position he had put himself in. His eyes followed her patiently as she held up her hands and began. "I came with Chime to this sanctuary because we wanted information on the resting places of the dragons." Her hand came up immediately as Winnie moved to speak, "And it was me who suggested coming to Iliana for the information. Chime would never even have been at Thierry's if Blaise and I hadn't saved her from Mother Cybele's henchmen, but that's not the point, is it?" she waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, "of course not. Moving on, Chime and I arrived and were welcomed by just about all."

Winnie exhaled loudly, a dark look crossing her face.

Thea continued, ignoring her, "Keller explained how the alarm system worked. The dragon scrolls arrived and Winnie looked them over. By the time Chime and I came down Winnie had already discovered that Azhdeha had been Chime's father, a fact Chime herself had not known. And obviously she switched to defense because everybody was moving in on her. She happened to demonstrate her power and Winnie started casting that sleep spell on her." Thea paused, frowning slightly. "I think it affected her because she seemed hurt but she wasn't put to sleep." She sighed. "She used her black power, fogged up the room and, I guess, knocked Nissa out."

"Taking her place along the way." Winnie murmured.

Thea turned a searing glare on her. "I really can't say I'm surprised she did that." She looked at Thierry again, "Keller ordered Winnie to give the scrolls to Nissa, who was actually Chime, and like a second after everyone ran off it turned out to be Chime."

Thierry was gazing at her intently. "And what did she say?"

Thea stared at him for another moment before scowling. "That she trusted me. Had trusted me." She answered and she shook her head, chuckling. Through the laughter tears began to rise and she swiped at them angrily, taking a step back and falling into her chair heavily. "Hellewise always put the sake of the witches before friendships and love." She whispered.

Winnie lunged forward, sitting up straight in her chair. "And why is that so bad? Hellewise was our savior!"

Thea's head snapped up to look at her, tears rolling down her cheeks. "And to what extent did she take her duties? Putting the dragons to sleep but keeping Selena awake. You see it as mercy, don't you?" she demanded, frame trembling, "don't you?!"

"She didn't deserve even that." Winnie said in a low voice, face dark. "They were dragons, Thea. They played with us as if we were toys. Killed our people, hunted us. Our deaths meant nothing-"

"You weren't there!" Thea shouted, voice nearly cracking. "You weren't there, Winnie! Stop acting like it was all done to you!"

Winnie recoiled, stunned into silence.

Blaise took a step forward and placed a gentle hand on her cousin's shoulder, face sorrowful.

Thea exhaled, shrinking into her chair. She lifted her hands to wipe at her cheeks, rubbing at her skin roughly. "I see both sides." She said softly. "As a direct daughter of Hellewise I understand the anger of the witches. I understand that what they lived through can not ever be made up to them." She sighed wearily, "But I also understand Chime. I lived her life with her, through her memories." She shook her head, staring at her lap, "And you were too quick to judge, Winnie. Too quick."

Keller came forward. "She was Azhdeha's daughter, Thea." She reminded the witch gently.

Thea continued to shake her head. The fight seemed to have gone out of her, leaving behind nothing but the husk of a person in its place.

Iliana lowered her hands to her lap. "She was his daughter." She said faintly.

All eyes flew to her, Thea raising her head. She stared at the Witch Child, feeling a small twinge of hope, praying that she wasn't the only one on Chime's side.

Iliana blinked slowly, eyes trained on the floor before her. "But she didn't know. Selena didn't know she was Azhdeha's daughter. And after we turned on her she knew she had to escape." Her shoulders slumped and she raised her hands to her face, covering her eyes. "Wherever Selena is…I am sorry."

Thierry looked from Iliana to Thea and finally to Winnie. He clasped his hands together with a weary exhalation of breath and he began to rub them thoughtfully. "It's obvious where she's going." He said after a moment.

Thea chuckled again, a snort escaping her.

Blaise came forward, her hand leaving Thea's shoulders to allow her to cross her arms over her chest. "All right, stupid question, please forgive my ignorance." She said with a smirk. "Where is she going?"

Thierry glanced at her. "The First House of Dragons, of course." He answered.

Thea looked at him, eyes widening. "It still stands?" she whispered in disbelief.

The Night Lord nodded. "Under the cover of a museum. Over the years it has been renovated. But most, not all, of the old dragon writing is gone. The Aryans, later the Persians, used it as a temple to their Gods and to this day it stands because it is one of the biggest pieces to the past, to the beginning of human civilizations without the Night World."

Thea seemed to be searching her memory. "Persians. Middle East. The First House is in the Middle East."

"Iran, actually." Thierry said. "It's a museum but it's owned by the witches. So they can watch over it, I would guess." He shrugged.

Iliana was shaking her head. "They're going to kill her." She said softly, purple eyes tilted sadly. "She's going to walk right into it because of her soulmate, because she'll want to wake him."

"She has the spell to do it." Keller said with a lift of her eyebrows.

"But she can't use it. She isn't a witch." Winnie said flatly.

Thea turned a glare on her once more, feeling the fight inside her well up. "But she's a dangerous dragon, right, Winnie? She'll do just about anything to get her way?"

A loud chime cut the red-haired witch from retorting.

Galen came off the wall in a smooth movement. "My guess would be that the Mother has arrived. Nissa?" he looked toward the vampire and motioned with his head.

Together the vampire and shape-shifter left the room, heading for the front door.

Thierry sighed, leaning forward in his chair. "If it makes you feel any better, Thea, you're not the only one in trouble."

Thea looked at him and felt like an utter fool. It was all her fault. He had made her swear that should she be caught she knew nothing of him, nothing of Daybreak. And now he was going to face her punishment with her. Her confusion was replaced by regret. "I'm so sorry, Thierry. For dragging you into this." She said gently.

Thierry motioned away her apology as the red bulb in the corner of the room began to blink. The group was silent, all eyes on the light, the only sounds being the gentle breathing and the soft tapping of Rashel's bokken against the floor.

And then the bulb ceased to blink and there were voices in the hallway.

Thea closed her eyes tightly, fighting down the fear that was knotting inside her stomach. Blaise's hand gripped her shoulder once more, squeezing it, and Thea clutched at it tightly as if it were her lifeline. A fine trembling rose, her skin prickling.

An older woman entered the room, a slender curly-haired young man at her side. Galen and Nissa followed, the shape-shifter putting a key back in his pocket.

"Thierry." The woman said with a nod and she looked around the room, scanned every face. "Everyone. Unity. Please, explain to me what has happened."

Winnie rose automatically. "Unity, Mother Cybele." She greeted the woman respectfully, motioning to the seat she had vacated. "Sit. Please."

The woman nodded again, by way of thanks, and she sat, plump body settling into the chair. Her eyes flew to Thea sitting close by and she frowned slightly. "Something is wrong, isn't it?" she asked slowly.

Winnie's lips tightened into a firm line, hands clasping before her. She glanced toward Thierry, obviously looking to him to begin the explanations. But Thierry was staring at Mother Cybele strangely.

Iliana sat up with an impatient sigh. It was obvious, if no one else was going to open their mouth she would. "The dragon escaped." She said simply.

The Mother of Witches looked toward the Witch Child and blinked. Her mouth parted as she leaned forward a bit but no words seemed to make it passed her lips. Instead she blinked again and finally said, "What?"

Thierry's eyes narrowed and he looked smug, the slightest bit. "The dragon, Cybele." He repeated. "The dragon you sent vampires after. She escaped."

Mother Cybele shook her head quizzically, looking at him with a startled frown. "What dragon?"