Page 82 of Beneath Scales and Shadows
“Speak,” Ignis commanded, his tail lashing behind him. “It’s been a long day and Ember says you have information about Coal that may help us with our plans.”
“Yes, I wanted to make sure you were prepared for whatever mission you were about to disembark on with all the information I could provide you.” The prince moved to a small table where maps had been spread out. “Your spy is being held in the eastern dungeon—not the regular prison cells, but a special section my sister had converted for her... experiments.”
Sora approached the table, studying the castle layout. “These are remarkably detailed.”
“I’ve had twenty-seven years to memorize every passage and chamber,” the prince replied. “Including the ones my family doesn’t want outsiders to know about.”
“What are they doing to Coal?” she asked quietly, tapping her finger on the eastern dungeon on the map.
The prince’s expression darkened. “The essence extraction is... methodical. They leave only enough each day to keep him alive for the next. The process is designed to last weeks.”
Ember growled from her position by the door, the sound visceral with pain. “Why? What could they possibly gain by prolonging it?”
“Potency,” the prince answered, unable to meet her eyes. “The shadow alchemists discovered that essence harvested from conscious, suffering subjects yields more powerful results. The weapons are stronger, the corruption deeper.”
Sora’s stomach churned. Through their bond, she felt Ignis’s rage building, threatening to consume rational thought.
“So, to confirm before we make any agreements with you, you want us to help you usurp the throne,” Ignis summarized, wings shifting with skepticism. “In exchange for peace?”
“Like you, I want to restore balance to Celestoria,” the prince insisted. “End the harvesting. Withdraw forces from dragon territories. Return to the old ways of coexistence.”
Sora studied him, searching for deception. After years of evaluating historical accounts for authenticity, she’d developed a keen sense for inconsistencies. The prince’s story contained none of the telltale signs of fabrication—no convenient gaps, no overly perfect explanations.
Sora exchanged a glance with Ignis, their bond humming with shared assessment. The prince was terrified but sincere—whether that sincerity would last beyond his immediate danger remained uncertain.
“We’ll accept your offer,” she said finally. “In the meantime, continue detailing everything you know about Coal’s imprisonment, and whoever else they have captured. We’ll use it in our plans to extract everyone.”
They left the prince with Ember watching over him, moving silently through the corridors toward their chambers. Sora could feel Ignis processing the information, weighing options, calculating risks.
“You believe him,” he observed, not a question but an acknowledgment of what he sensed through their bond.
“I believe he’s terrified of his sister’s plans,” she clarified. “And of us. Fear makes for unreliable alliances but useful temporary arrangements. He would be foolish to betray us.”
“His knowledge of the castle could prove invaluable,” Ignis admitted as they reached their chambers. “But trusting a Celestorian royal feels like embracing a venomous serpent.”
“Which couldn’t hurt you,” Sora pointed out. “How could a snake bite through your scales?”
“Fine.” He gave her a playful look, eyes glinting with mischief. “It’s like sharing a bed with a human.”
“Hey!” Sora gasped, giving him a playful shove. “I’ll make you eat those words.”
She darted into the bathing chamber, tossing a playful glare over her shoulder.
She couldn’t wait to wash away the tension of the day. The hot springs beckoned with their mineral-rich waters and soothing steam. She shed her clothes without hesitation, aware of Ignis watching from the doorway.
“We don’t have to trust him,” she said, sinking into the steaming pool with a small sigh of relief. “We just have to use him. Once this is over, you can decide what you want to do with them.”
Ignis joined her, his scaled form displacing water as he settled onto the submerged ledge. “The risk remains considerable but it’s not like we have any other choice,” he said, wings creating gentle currents in the pool. “Especially if you still insist on being part of the rescue.”
“I’m not asking to lead the charge,” she countered, moving closer until their legs brushed beneath the water. “I’m also not foolish enough to believe I could, but I have skills you need. I worked in the castle, and have this body’s memories. I understand human tactics, castle architecture, guard psychology. I can help plan this properly.”
His tail curled around her underwater, the contact sending pleasant shivers up her spine. “Your tactical mind is not in question,” he conceded. “But the thought of you anywhere near that castle again...”
The water lapped against her collarbone as she shifted to face him directly. “I chose this,” she reminded him, reaching up to trace the scales along his jaw. “I chose you. That means standing beside you, not being protected like some fragiletreasure.”
His crimson eyes darkened at the word as he caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm that sent heat coursing through her veins. “You are my treasure,” he rumbled. “The most precious thing in my hoard.”
She leaned into his embrace. “Tomorrow, we’ll use our connection as insurance.”
