Chapter 4 – A Secret Older Than Kingdoms

SERENA

"Elara, what is this?" I asked again. My voice came out higher than normal. "Am I dying? Is this part of the dragon thing?"

The old witch moved fast for her age. She grabbed my wrist gently but firmly and looked at the glowing veins. Her face went pale.

"No, child. You are not dying. This is your power waking up more. But it is too soon. You should not be showing this yet."

She dropped my hand and started moving around the small room, grabbing jars and herbs like she was in a hurry. I followed her, still holding my hands out in front of me like they might bite me.

"You said I need to be patient," I reminded her.

"But I cannot just sit here while my body does crazy things. Tell me something. Anything. You said I was never an ordinary orphan. What did you mean by that?"

Elara stopped. She turned slowly and looked at me for a long moment.

"Alright," she said finally. "I will tell you one thing. Only one. You were never an ordinary orphan, Serena. You were hidden. Someone took you from your real family when you were just a baby and made sure no one would find you. That is all I can say right now."

My heart skipped. "Hidden? From who? Who was my family? Were they witches? Or... dragons?"

She shook her head hard. "No more questions. Knowing too much will paint a bigger target on your back.

The people who want you gone are already moving. Finish your food and rest. We will talk again when it is safer."

I wanted to argue. I had a million questions fighting to come out of my mouth. But the look on her face stopped me.

She was scared. Really scared. So I sat back down and forced myself to eat the rest of the bread. The glow in my hands slowly faded, but I could still feel it under my skin, waiting.

Just when I started to feel a little calmer, a loud crash came from outside the cave. Stones rattled. The crystals on the walls flickered.

Elara froze. "They found us.”

"Who found us?" I jumped up. My body tensed, ready to run even though I did not know where to go.

"Assassins," she said. She grabbed a small pouch from the table and pushed it into my hands.

"Take this. Stay behind me."

The door, or what I thought was the entrance, burst open. Three men in dark cloaks rushed in.

Their eyes glowed with magic. One carried a sword that looked like it was made from shadow. Another had knives that shimmered with poison.

"There she is," the leader growled. He pointed straight at me. "The girl with the dragon blood."

Elara stepped in front of me. She raised her hands and whispered words I did not understand.

A wall of green light appeared between us and the attackers. "You will not touch her," she said. Her voice was strong, nothing like the tired old woman from before.

The assassins laughed. The one with the shadow sword swung it hard. The green wall cracked.

"Old witch," he said. "Your time is up. The girl belongs to us now."

I looked around for something to fight with. There was nothing. No weapons. Just herbs and books. My hands started glowing again, brighter this time.

"Stay back!" I screamed. I did not know what I was doing, but I pushed my hands forward anyway.

A small burst of energy shot out. It was not much, but it hit one of the assassins in the chest and knocked him into the wall. He groaned and slid down.

The leader looked surprised for a second, then smiled.

"She is strong already. Good. The master will be pleased."

They attacked harder. Elara's magic wall broke completely. She fought with everything she had, throwing spells that made the air crackle. But there were three of them and only one of her. One assassin got past her and came straight for me.

I backed up until my back hit the cave wall. My heart was racing.

"Leave me alone," I said. "I did not ask for any of this."

He grabbed my arm. His grip was painful. "You do not understand what you are, girl. But you will. Come quietly and maybe we will let the old woman live."

Elara cried out. One of the other assassins had cut her side. Blood ran down her dress. She still kept fighting though.

"Run, Serena," she gasped. "Find Mooncrest Academy."

The assassin holding me laughed. He pulled me closer.

"There is no running, Your Majesty."

Your Majesty.

The words hit me like a slap. I stared at him.

"What did you just call me?"

He grinned, showing sharp teeth. "Your Majesty. That is what you are. Or what you will be. Now move."