Page 80 of Oath of Rebellion

Leopol searched the room, pointing and demanding, "Open the drawers. Move the bookshelf. What about here?"

Knox did as he asked, curious on what they were looking for. Finally, Leopol was on his hands and knees, searching each crack and brick on the fireplace.

"There," he said, moving back. "This brick is different. Move it."

Knox pulled the brick out and a small ring with a green emerald rolled onto the floor. He picked it up, turning it over in his hand.

"Put it on, dragon," Leopol said softly.

Knox frowned, the emerald and gold shining in the faint light. It was too small to fit his giant, calloused hands, but he did as instructed anyway. He slid the ring down his third finger, and it somehow grew to fit him.

"Tap the gem three times," Leopol said.

Knox tapped, and a brilliant flash of green light lit the room. Knox closed his eyes, and when he opened them, more ghosts were striding through the room. It was as if they had been transported back in time to observe the room.

Eirwyn's hand found his, and she held him tightly as they watched.

"We don't have time. We have to go now," a familiar old woman in a druid's cloak said, holding his egg in her hands and rocking it gently. "We have to protect the heir."

A beautiful woman with long thick hair spun on her heels, her full silk skirt billowing around her ankles. "I will not abandon my home. I am duty bound to protect it while he's gone. Feralt said he'll return, and so I will wait for him."

"But the heir–"

"Take him with you. It'll be safer that way."

"But my queen–"

"Do as I say," the woman's green eyes shone with unshed tears as she took the egg into her arms. She leaned close to it and murmured, "I'm sorry, my love. But I might not be there when you come into this world. Your papa is off fighting for our people, and I might need to protect the forest while he's gone. Grow strong and brave, my son."

Her voice broke on a sob, and she thrust the egg to the old druid woman. The figures sped up, and another flash of brilliant green filled the room.

Then the beautiful woman stood in a garden, staring up at the sky as figures fought above. Small dragons ridden by humans carrying spears and magic fireballs swarmed around a brilliant green dragon four times bigger than the others.

One spear struck through the throat of the big green dragon, narrowly avoiding a gold necklace with a single emerald in the center that hung around its neck. But the spear struck true, and the dragon fell to the ground. The woman screamed and rushed over to where he landed, tears streaming down her face.

The small dragons dove, but the woman stood over the green dragon and lifted her hands. Her cry of grief sent a green shock wave through the ground and sky. Magic wrapped around her and shot through the forest. Knox somehow knew that was the magic protections that had created all the dangers in the forest.

Her magic hit some eagles had been nesting nearby, and their chicks grew to a similar size as the small dragons with riders above. The eagles attacked the riders, easily maneuvering to avoid the spears.

The ground began to shake and lightning ripped through the sky. Trees around the castle grew twice as tall. Servants ran out of the castle and down the road, the thorns of the helroses closing the gap and tearing their clothing. The last of them stopped, turning to stare at the woman and dragon.

It was the old druid woman. She clutched the egg to her chest, then turned and raced into the forest. The helroses closed the gap behind her, then grew up, up, up to encircle the entire castle. The ground formed roots, and vines and they wrapped around the woman and the dragon, creating a cocoon around them.

Another flash of light left Knox blinking, grasping Eirwyn's hand tightly just to have something to anchor to. When he looked around, he was outside the mansion near the front stairs. There was a circular drive that led to a road and the helrose hedge. In the center of the drive was an oak grove.

The largest oak in the middle of the circular grove stood over a massive boulder, the gold and emerald necklace embedded within it. He stared, and Leopol appeared next to him.

"Those are my parents. The egg that the old druid took away... that was me," Knox said, his throat closing with emotion.

"You really are a dragon," Eirwyn said in awe.

He nodded, his eyes taking in the grove. This was where he came from. This was his home.

Leopol said, "Those were the drakin and their riders, the Hunters. I saw–they killed me." His voice was shaky and upset as he stared toward a corner of the drive. Knox hadn't seen that part of the vision, but maybe it only showed him what he was supposed to see.

Knox tensed at the mention of the Hunters, his mind going to Scarlet. He worried whether she was safe or if the king realized the heart was the wrong one.

Leopol interrupted his thoughts. "King Feralt kept meticulous records in his office. When you're ready, find me there, your majesty."

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