"SHAME!" Marcus roared, his voice echoing down the hallway. His hand lashed out, striking Elsie hard across the cheek. She staggered back, clutching her burning face. But Marcus wasn't finished. He shoved her violently to the ground before her bedroom door, then slammed his foot against the doorframe as if he meant to shatter it.
Marcus growled, his face flushed with anger. He grabbed Elsie by the collar, lifting her off the ground. His amber eyes flashed, piercing Elsie's tear-filled gaze. "Weak," he hissed, his voice rough. "You are the weakest, Larousse."
He shoved Elsie back against the wall. "You should've killed her," Marcus snarled, gesturing vaguely. "That girl – you were supposed to end her!"
Elsie's hands were clenched, the veins on her wrists bulging. She was breathing heavily, her chest tight. "I always keep my word, Father," she whispered, her voice trembling with anger. Her amber eyes blazed with excitement as she remembered pulling out the dagger hidden under her shoe and slitting Tatjana's tongue just as the girl was about to gloat about winning the dragon egg. The first time, there had been a thrill, a surge of excitement. But now, Elsie also felt a regret. Tatjana could never brag again.
Marcus clenched his fists, the veins in his neck bulging. He breathed heavily, his eyes blazing as he glared at Elsie. "What an ignorant child!" he growled, his voice thick with frustration. His hand tightened around Elsie's shoulder, ready to shove her away.
Just as Marcus reached for Elsie, a pair of large hands clamped down on his wrist. He yelped, startled, and looked up into the furious eyes of Prince Mason, who had materialized seemingly out of thin air. "Release her," Mason demanded, his voice a frigid command.
Marcus strained against Mason's iron grip, but it wouldn't budge. He bowed his head low, barely concealing his fury. "Forgive me, Your Highness," he ground out, his voice rough. "It appears you've chosen an unfortunate moment for your visit."
Mason sneered. "What a delightful spectacle! Watching a general publicly humiliate his daughter?" he spat. He looked at Elsie, then back at Marcus, his eyes hardening. "You think I'm ignorant of your infamy, Sir Larrouse? You're renowned for your volatile temper and the cruel treatment of your daughters."
Marcus gritted his teeth. He longed to fire back at Mason, but arguing with a prince was a fool's errand. He could only sink lower in his chair, simmering with rage.
Mason seized Marcus' arm, halting his retreat. His eyes narrowed as he leveled a chilling gaze at Marcus. "Treat Elsie well, Sir Larousse," he hissed, the words laced with a potent threat. The air in the hallway thickened with an unspoken tension.
Elsie watched her father and Mason lock eyes, her heart hammering against her ribs. An icy and profound shiver snaked through the pavilion's hallway. Marcus nodded curtly, his gaze unwavering on Mason.
Mason smiled slightly, leaning down until his face almost brushed Marcus's ear. "One day," he murmured, his voice dropping to a low, meaningful tone, "Elsie may become part of the kingdom."
Without waiting for a reply, Mason pulled Elsie towards him, gripping her waist. Elsie didn't dare look at her father. As they left the hallway, Elsie glanced back. Marcus remained rooted to the spot, his face flushed with anger.
"Dad's going to lose it this time," she muttered.
Elsie gulped. A sudden shove from behind sent her reeling, and she slammed into the bronze-gilded dragon statue that stood majestically in the Mason pavilion's back garden. The prince regarded her with eyes the color of a summer sky as if he sensed the fear she desperately tried to conceal.
"What do you want, Prince Mason?" Elsie asked, striving for calm politeness while resisting the urge to snap back at his rudeness. She turned away as the prince closed the distance between them. Elsie's heart leaped into her throat as Prince Mason advanced. Her breath hitched as her chin was roughly tilted upwards. Their eyes met, but beneath the surface of his gaze, Elsie glimpsed a burning anger.
"Two mistakes, Larousse?" the prince sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Her heart pounded in her ears, drowning out everything else, but Elsie remained calm. "No," she said, her voice husky with defiance. "I've done nothing wrong, Your Highness."
"Mason growled, his fists clenched in his pockets. He barely resisted the urge to punch the girl standing before him. "You cost me the Harvesting Competition. And then…"
"Elsie," Titus called, bowing respectfully to Prince Mason. "Lady Skornicki wants to see you."
Elsie blinked, her mind reeling. Lady Skornicki? Which one? Was it Tatjana, the girl whose words could cut like a whip, or her mother, Lady Mia, who always exuded refined grace? "Now, Elsie," Titus pleaded, his voice firm.
Elsie said goodbye to Prince Mason, her voice a little hesitant. He watched her go, a curious expression on his face. Walking beside Titus, she trudged towards the Skornicki family pavilion. The cool noon breeze did little to calm her nerves.
"Do you know what they want?" she asked Titus.
He grinned mysteriously and gave her a thumbs-up. "You did great!" he said, his voice full of pride.
Elsie frowned, confused. "What's great?" she repeated.
Titus chuckled. "Cutting out Tatjana's tongue, of course," he said.
Elsie burst out laughing. "You bastard!" she exclaimed.
Elsie's footsteps echoed away, swallowed by the solid wooden door, leaving Titus alone under the grey sky. Inside, the old building held its breath, an eerie silence enveloping Elsie. The smell of rotting wood, sharp and pungent, assaulted her nostrils as she climbed the creaking stone steps, one agonizing step at a time. Dark shadows danced and writhed across the walls, casting eerie shapes that seemed to watch her every move.
Darkness, broken only by the flickering of a single candle, greeted Lady Mia as she entered her study. The air was thick with the pungent scent of medicine and damp wood. In the corner, Tatjana sat, her face pale and a thick bandage wrapped around her mouth. Elsie's gaze met Tatjana's vacant stare, a chilling reminder of the night's tense events.
"See that?" Lady Mia gestured towards the table, where an object shimmered faintly in the candlelight. "The golden dragon egg. Just sitting there like it's nothing." She spoke in a rough and low voice, "Take it. Tatjana doesn't need it anymore."
Elsie looked doubtful. Lady Mia saw the hesitation in her eyes, so she was forced to take the golden dragon egg and press it into Elsie's chest. Lady Mia grimaced, waving her hands dismissively. "Tatjana cheated," she declared firmly, avoiding Elsie's gaze. "It's yours, Larousse."
Tatjana surged to her feet, ready to protest, but the words died in her throat. A low growl rumbled from deep within her, the only sound she could make. Her tongue felt like lead, useless. She glared at Lady Mia, a simmering rage boiling inside her. This was what she'd been dreading. With a frustrated clap of her hands, she signaled. From the shadows of the window, a figure emerged–someone cloaked in brown, its face obscured by a mask. It snatched the dragon egg from Elsie's grasp with a swift, silent move.
Elsie froze, stunned by the sudden turn of events. Lady Mia's smug smile confirmed it – she'd been set up from the beginning. "Damn it!" Elsie growled, "I should have seen your little game coming!" She glared at Tatjana. "My father was right. I should have killed you, not just silenced you!"
She sprinted after the thief, leaping from rooftop to rooftop in the chaotic marketplace. Just as she was closing in, a group of warriors arrived, escorting Princess Eloise Wentz, the legendary golden dragon rider.
As a soldier lunged, Elsie slipped off the rooftop. Below, Eloise caught the thief with a practiced grip, the sword with the golden dragon's head glinting in the air.
"So, Titus," Eloise began, her gaze fixed on the brown eyes peering out from behind his brown mask. "Did you have enough fun dragging your little sister into this mess?"
Elsie was startled. "Titus?"
Princess Eloise sliced the strap of Titus' mask with the tip of her sword, instantly revealing his face.
Elsie's jaw clenched, her amber eyes hardening in realization. Before she could even begin to bombard him with questions, Titus spoke.
"I did all this because I despised you, Elsie! I loathed you from the moment you were born," Titus spat, his voice rising. "Your birth cost my mother her life. It's only poetic justice that you experience all the misfortune in the world!"
Elsie was speechless. No words could adequately capture her response. Titus' confession felt like a chilling truth. It explained the cruel treatment she endured from her family, mirroring her father's abusive behavior.
Princess Eloise clutched her golden dragon egg fiercely. Then, she commanded the two soldiers, "Arrest the Larousse siblings."
"This dragon egg isn't going anywhere," Eloise declared, her voice booming over the throng of market-goers who had gathered to hear her. "No one deserves to possess it. This egg remains with its mother until it hatches and chooses its master."
Eloise instructed the soldier standing before Titus, "Bind his hands and feet." Turning back to Titus, she pronounced, "The Kingdom hereby suspends you, your green dragon, and your status as a dragon rider. You have violated the oath of a rider. As a consequence, you, along with your dragon, are indefinitely confined to the dungeon north of Vertex."
Titus nodded in agreement. "Yes, Your Highness." He bowed his head as the soldier, clad in gleaming silver armor, led him away.
Eloise strode over to Elsie, towering over the girl. "Look at me, Elsie Larousse," she commanded. Elsie raised her head, her eyes wide with apprehension. "You've neglected your duty twice, failing to guard that golden dragon egg. The dragon riders have passed judgment. Do you know what your punishment is?"
Elsie shook her head, her voice trembling slightly. "No, Your Highness. I… I don't know." She'd never even heard of a punishment for dragon riders.
Eloise let out a low chuckle. "You're tasked with feeding the sea serpents west of Vertex. Indefinitely."
Elsie blinked, completely bewildered. "Pardon?"
Eloise leaned closer and whispered. "Carry out your duties and… stay alive, Larousse."