The Cursed Queen (Dragon’s Curse #1)

Sera

I couldn't sleep at all last night. Andriel saying that I may have been poisoning myself this whole time, was wreaking havoc in my head. Could he be right? Was my mother lying and drugging me the whole time? While I'd love to fool myself into thinking she would never do something like that, I had to remember this was the same woman imprisoning dragon shifters. There was no telling what she was capable of.

If I wasn't thinking of Andriel, I was being assaulted by the dreams I continued to have every night.

An anguished roar, the rattling of chains, and the whistling of the wind.

A dragon's roar, I realized. One that was crying in pain. I could never see its face, or what was wrong with it. My surroundings were always too dark for me to see. The sounds it made always tugged at my heartstrings, causing tears to fill my eyes. Was it another shifter? If so, who was it? And why did it feel so familiar?

I awoke right when Vivienne stepped inside with my breakfast. We exchanged greetings and pleasantries while I ate, andthen she left with the empty plates, leaving behind the deadly medicine in question. Like Andriel requested, I didn't drink it, even when the urgency in my brain compelled me to do so. I resisted. Though it hadn't been confirmed yet, I knew Andriel's assumption of the medicine was true. I could feel it in my core.

Walking over to my nightstand, I picked up the bottle and held it up in front of me like a snake ready to bite me if I leaned in too close. I hated drinking the contents for as long as I could remember. So much so that I considered letting the curse take me if it meant never drinking the horrendous liquid again. It always made me feel worse before well enough to carry on with the rest of my day. I set it back on the nightstand, refraining myself from smashing the glass bottle. I'd deliver it to Andriel tonight when I would see him. For now, I had my duties that needed to be fulfilled.

I quickly dressed in a long maroon velvet dress with sheer long sleeves and gold trimmings embroidered into the design. After getting cleaned up and dressed for the day, I walked out of my bedchamber and off to the throne room, where my mother would expect me. I did my best to feign my sluggish state while passing by servants along the way. A few druid knights bowed in respect when I passed them, but some wore sneered expressions on their faces, thinking I wouldn't notice. They deemed me unfit for the tiara currently adorning my head.

I could've easily called them out for their hateful expression, but more pressing matters required my attention.

After walking down several flights of stairs without the need to catch my breath, I motioned to the guards in front of the double doors to let me inside. They graciously stepped aside, and I pushed my way inside. My mother wasn't alone. She was huddled on the dais with the rest of the council. The council consisted of her advisor, Clyde, the two heads of the druid army, Aizen and Enzo—twin brothers who'd shown great potential as warriors from an early age—and the four elders who helped my mother rule the druid region of Atheynia. It was because of their expertise and trust in my mother's leadership that the Zeffari Kingdom reigned as the most powerful magic kingdom in Iferia.

My mother looked up right when the doors opened and brightened when she spotted me, her arms outstretched for me to approach. "There she is. Our lovely princess!"

Something told me I wouldn't like where this was going, but I remained impassive as I walked towards the council. Reluctantly, I reached out and rested my hand on my mother's.

"Mother, what is this?" I asked, my eyes wavering towards the many faces that surrounded me. They couldn't have known of my secret meetings with Virgil to see Andriel, could they?

Mother brushed off my question with a flick of her wrist. "Oh, worry not, phina. Tell me, child, how are you feeling today?"

"Much of the usual, tired and a little dizzy," I lied, my body slouching for added effects.

Mother pouted and spoke like I was still an infant. "I know, darling. It must be so difficult to be such a fragile flower. Well, at least you're beautiful. Although, not as beautiful as me."

The council agreed with her, which had me gritting my teeth.

Mother must've seen the anger on my face and laughed. "phina, honestly, I was only yanking your chain. No need to look so offended. Now then, we have more important matters to discuss."

"And what would that be, Mother?" I asked.

"Your future, Princess phina," said Arlor, one of the four elders. As druids aged slowly, it was impossible to tell how old they were. They could range from several decades to a few centuries. Arlor had to have had hundreds of years under his belt. He was bald at the top of his head, his pale complexion wrinkled and leathery with a long, stringy grey beard. He wore a velvet plum-colored robe embroidered with a field of vines. The flow of his magic was strong enough to have my body shivering.

I frowned at the old man. "What about my future? I would be crowned queen after my birthday."

"I'm afraid not," Mother countered, clenching her hands together in front of her, trying to look sad but failing to pull it off.

Her words gave a high-pitched ringing in my ears. "What are you talking about?"

"phina, it is with a heavy heart that we, the counsel of Atheynia, must inform you that you will not be crowned as Queen of the Zeffari Kingdom after your birthday. We feel with your frail physical condition and weak state of magic, you're in no condition to govern all druid kind."

I gaped at my mother, looking from her to all the faces of the counsel who deemed me unfit to rule our kingdom. They all averted their eyes so as not to meet mine. Except for my mother, who kept a grin on her face as if unbothered by the news.

"This is outrageous," I shouted. "It has always been planned for me to take over as queen in your place after my twenty-first birthday!"

Mother pouted again. "I know, darling. And you worked so hard to prove yourself ready to assume the responsibility that comes with being, well, me," she says with a mocking giggle. "But it really is for the best. You wouldn't want to let down all of Atheynia because you weren't strong enough to protect them, would you?"

I so desperately wanted to rage at my mother. To tell her I didn't feel as weak as she perceived me to be since I didn't take my faux medication. I wanted to test my magic right this second to prove to myself and everyone here that I was far from inadequate. To prove that I could protect the druids of Atheynia, but I did none of that. If I did, they'd demand answers. I was supposed to act as if nothing was different about me. That I was still the fragile princess with no talent.

"Who will take my place, then? Who will rule?" I muttered my question, not needing to pretend to be disappointed.

Mother smiled victoriously. "I will continue to reign. Honestly, I was not ready to retire. I'm still in my prime and can continue to rule as I have done."

So that was what this was about. Mother wanted to continue being queen. She hated the idea of me taking the crown from her when I came of age. Thinking about the bottle in my bedchamber, I put the pieces together.

"If that's what you feel is best, Mother," I forced the words out, though they felt like acid on my tongue.

"That's my girl. I'm glad you could understand." Mother patted my arm in a sad display of affection. "Don't worry. Mother will continue to look after you. After all, it's not as if you have a chance of marriage either. In your state, I doubt you could even bear children."

It was getting harder and harder to hold my tongue. How I managed not to cry out my rage at every single one of them was a mystery to myself, but somehow, I held it all in.

I started to speak up, but cleared my throat when I felt a sliver of my anger seeping through. "Whatever you feel is best, Mother."

"I know it must be disappointing for you, Princess," Clyde, Mother's advisor, spoke up next.

He was a lean druid, with long brown hair, strips of it braided, jade green eyes, and a narrow-pointed nose. To me, he always resembled a vulture, and carried himself as such, always picking at the remains of destruction my mother caused. Anything to make her look good in the eyes of the public. I always despised him.

"A little," I spoke truthfully, my fingers twitching at my sides, wishing I could display my ire. I imagined him spontaneously combusting into a volley of flames. My imagination was so vivid I could almost smell the smoke of an open flame. "But if it's for the good of the kingdom, then who am I to object to what you all think is best?"

"That's good to hear. Rest assured, we still plan on making your birthday celebration the best—"

"Clyde, you're on fire!" Aizen cried out as actual smoke began billowing.

We all backed away in surprise when a corner of Clyde's robe caught on fire. Clyde, in a frantic haste, stomped on the burning fabric to snuff out the flames. At first it seemed as if it would never extinguish, but then he muttered an enchantment, and within seconds, the flames died out. I was still left standing there with my mouth hung open like a fish in desperate need of oxygen, wondering what had happened. I imagined Clyde catching fire, but to see it happen... Did I do that?

No, I couldn't have. Even with a normal pool of magic, druids couldn't create or manipulate fire. That had to have been a coincidence, right?

While the elders and the twins fussed with Clyde and were left wondering how the fire started, Mother looked from Clyde to me. Her face was uncharacteristically neutral. I shrugged with a frightened stare, just as surprised as the others.

"phina, why don't you run along back to your bedchamber. I think we're done with this meeting, and I'm concerned that all this excitement will be bad for your health," Mother said.

Was she truly concerned about my health? It didn't seem like it, but I did want to leave.

"Yes, Mother." I bowed my head before turning and walking off.

I didn't bother to stop to talk to anyone. Not when my mind was traveling elsewhere, and my body moved on its own, instinctively heading back to the concealed privacy of my bedchamber. I didn't release the breath I'd been holding until my door was closed and I pressed my back against it. What happened back there? That fire. What could've caused it? It seemed to erupt on its own. It shouldn't have been possible, but I didn't think my mother could strip me of my duties to one day become queen, and that happened too.

Did I cause that fire?

I wanted to test it out, to know for sure if I had a hidden talent for conducting flames and never knew about. Only mages and fae were known to manipulate the elements. Witches and Wizards had spells to start fires, but couldn't control them.

What about me? Where did I fit into the spectrum?

I turned and faced the fireplace, my hand outstretched and focused on the block of wood inside. Magic had always been a failure for me growing up. No matter the instructor, or the means to coax my magic to the surface, it never worked. They were the first to tell me I was a failure. That I had no magic in my blood. My explosion from yesterday said differently.

I remembered the lessons vividly. How I needed to imagine my magic as a cup of water filling, and once it overflowed, I'd let it travel through the recesses of my body. I closed my eyes, imagining the flow of magic overflowing the cup, then going beyond to travel up my arm and into my hand. I envisioned the pile of wood, picturing it bursting into flames. Focusing hard on the sight in my mind's eye, I opened my eyes, expecting to have succeeded, only to groan when I saw no flames in the fireplace.

I cursed under my breath in defeat. Maybe it wasn't me, after all. Or maybe my magic wasn't strong enough yet? I hadn't been long since not taking the medicine, but if the fire was my doing, I should still be able to do it. Maybe I wasn't focusing on the right thing. Thinking back to being in that throne room, I recalled the emotions I felt. The feeling of outrage, of betrayal, of sorrow, and fear. Of how they were all taking away my duties because they found me incapable. Of the possibility that my mother would purposely drug me so she could continue ruling as queen. How I wished Clyde would burst into flames.

A warm haze began enveloping me. An embrace that comforted me, but also ready to fend off my enemies. My eyes trained on the wood, imagined it as Clyde and how I wanted it to burn. For a long moment, nothing happened. Then the smallest trail of smoke wisped from a corner. I pushed harder, channeling all my feelings and wishing for the flames to incinerate it all to ashes. A few moments later, it happened. The wood lit up with a mild explosion and was soon bathed in the dancing embers of destruction. I jumped back with a gasp, surprised at my success, until my initial shock morphed to joy.

By the gods above, I created fire!

I most certainly wasn't a weakling. I had the potential to do more than I ever thought possible.

After spending a good part of the morning extinguishing and reigniting the flames, I committed the feeling and motion to memory. I moved from the fireplace to my hand when I realized doing so wouldn't burn my flesh. Eventually, I stopped after the third hour when fatigue threatened to weigh me down. By then I had reasonable control of my fire, but I would later uncover the extent of it.

I jumped when I heard the earth-shattering roar of dragons coming from outside. My anguish over the dragons' health had me rushing to the window, looking out to see the dragon riders battalion doing their laps around the kingdom. Their sight once filled me with envious wonderment, a longing to become one of them. Now all it did was enrage me when I think about how the knights are forcing the dragons to do their bidding. I desperately wanted to go out there and order them to stop. It killed me having to stand here and do nothing while the dragons continued to suffer.

My horror grew further when I spotted three familiar dragons in the mix. The ones from the stable, including Andriel. Somebody was mounted on my mate and riding him without a care in the world. I gritted my teeth so hard I was worried they'd shatter. It took everything in me to remind myself that I had to let it happen for now. That causing a scene would do more harm than good and could ruin any chance we had of setting the dragons free. A single tear fell from my eye, feeling helpless as I watched the dragons suffer.

I'd get them out of this. I swore it to the gods above. Failure was not an option.

––––––––

––––––––

I waited for the cover of nightfall before heading for the broom closet that hid the secret passageway Virgil showed me. Before going through it, I tested my use of magic by trying out the Nightvision Enchantment . It took a few tries, but suddenly the cloak of darkness surrounding me faded, and I could now see the closet in full clarity. I uttered a shriek of triumph. I practiced turning it on and off for another ten minutes before I felt confident in my ability, then pushed open the wall hiding the passageway.

Virgil waited for me at the stable, so I needn't worry about him. Once I had the exit closed off, I took off in a run, feeling the bottle of medicine in my knapsack slung over my shoulder. A whole day without the remedy in my system and I felt great. I felt stronger with every passing hour. The medicine was crippling me, but whether it was poison was something I'd unravel now.

Virgil stood outside the gate when I arrived, Andriel standing beside him, covering his nakedness with a long coat I assumed Virgil lent him.

"I brought it," I got out in between pants when I reached them. I pulled out the bottle and handed it to Andriel.

My mate wasted no time uncorking the bottle and took a sniff of the contents inside. His entire posture stiffened immediately.

His reaction left a chill running down my spine. "What is it?"

Andriel froze for a second before corking the bottle back. "Dragonsbane. I was right, this isn't medicine, Princess. They've been poisoning your magic with this."

Poison. I was drinking poison. Andriel was right. It all made sense now. There was no curse, was there? I didn't even need to wonder why my mother would have me drink this, since the answer had already revealed itself that morning. Mother wanted to continue being queen. With me out of the way, she could continue ruling. Everything fit into place.

"I'm not sick," I whispered, facing Virgil, who'd been worried about the curse since we were children.

My friend looked just as stunned as I did, his mouth slack-jawed.

"What exactly is dragonsbane?" I asked Andriel.

Andriel handed me the bottle. "Dragonsbane is a deadly plant that infects the magic within our body. Dissolving it like a puff of smoke, rendering the infected one unable to produce magic. For us dragons, it also means we're stuck in the form we currently take the minute we're infected. It's what the druid knights inject in us when we're not imprisoned in the cages."

"I saw them inject you," Virgil pointed out. "They never told us what's in those syringes, only that it was needed before riding a dragon."

"That's what they're giving us. It weakens our strength and renders our magic useless, which makes it easier for the riders to control us and conduct their magic into our flames for their use."

I quickly put the bottle back in my knapsack, then stepped closer to Andriel, my palms resting on his chest as I looked up at him. "I saw you were being used today. Are you all right?"

Andriel's expression brightened a tad, his hands going to my hips in response. "Worry not, my darling. I can handle it."

"I was the one who rode on Andriel," Virgil said, then quickly brought his hands up just as I was ready to yell at him. "And before you say anything, I had no choice. If I refused, not only would that bring questions I couldn't answer, but someone else would've ridden on Andriel instead. Better me than an eager knight who wouldn't hesitate to brainwash your mate. Besides, if we have any chance of escaping, I may need to ride on Andriel again."

I let Virgil's words run through my mind for a few moments before finally relenting and relaxing the tension in my body. I looked to Andriel, needing to see for myself that he was okay. He didn't seem to resent Virgil as far as I could tell, and Virgil understood the turmoil the dragons must've felt. If there were any knights that I could trust with Andriel, it would be him.

"Very well," I said. "We have a lot to discuss and plan out. We need to do it fast."