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Set after
Dragonwatch
⟢ Kendra & Ronodin & Seth ⟣
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Kendra and Seth discover Ronodin's most embarrassing secret—he's a natural blonde.

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With years of peace under their belt, the  Knights of Dawn moved toward rehabilitation for certain enemies. Ronodin  quickly weaseled his way into a position at Fablehaven, and although  many complained, his presence kept the preserve interesting. At least,  he seemed to think so. After all, anyone would be lucky to be graced  with his presence.

The plastic gloves crinkled as Ronodin spread  the black dye across his light grown-in roots. "Damn it. I wish my hair  grew slower."

Kendra laughed. "I can't believe you're a fake."

She leaned against the bathroom mirror from her perch on the counter. Fondness tugged at her smile.

Ronodin  scoffed and straightened. A fake? How rude. The little dye brush that  came in the dye box stood tall in his hand as he gestured to her. "I  have never lied about my hair color."

"No, but it was always implied that you were dark-haired due to your darkness."  Kendra accentuated the last word with a spooky tone. "Because, really?  Platinum blonde? You're basically Bracken at this point."

"Shut  up. And he's literally my cousin, Kendra. If one were thinking  correctly." He paused his application to send her a raised eyebrow. "It  would make sense that relatives look alike."

Kendra shook her head. "But, see, you're a unicorn. You shouldn't have to abide by such rules."

"You act like we don't have genetics."

"Fairies look radically different from their parents."

"Fairies are different and weird. And annoying."

Kendra clutched her pearls. "Ronodin. This aggression—so unlike you."

"I am never asking you for help ever again."

"Hey, can I text Seth?"

Ronodin furrowed his eyebrows. "Text him what?"

"That you're blonde."

"Why?"

"I thought it wasn't a big deal?" Kendra batted her eyelashes.

Ronodin narrowed his eyes. "Fine. Tell him. It's not like I care," he muttered.

Ronodin  set his paintbrush down and surveyed his handiwork. His roots were  mostly covered, but he couldn't see the back of his head that well.  "Kendra, could you—"

The door burst open. Once the young shadow charmer caught his breath, he pointed and laughed at Ronodin. The disrespect.

Ronodin rolled his eyes. "I could smite all of you."

"Ronodin, you're literally Bracken now," Seth guffawed.

"Why  did both of you say that?" Ronodin threw up his hands, forgetting he  had the brush in his hand. A glob flew off the bristles and straight  onto Kendra's hair. "Oh, Kendra, I'm so sorry—"

She merely used it to slick a few strands of hair. "Now I'll have a dark streak. Does this mean I'm a dark unicorn now?"

"Yeah,  Ronodin, did you dye your hair before or after you corrupted your  horns?" Seth teased. "Did the blonde just not go with your brand  anymore?"

"Out." Ronodin pointed to the door.

"Oh, you know  what, Kendra?" Seth hopped up on the counter beside her. Those two  together were absoltuely terrifying. Ronodin would know—he's been a  victim of their terrorism together. "I bet Bracken knows."

"You—shut—I hate you," Ronodin finally settled on. He turned back to the mirror. "Now, can someone get the back?"

"I can." Kendra hopped off the counter and grabbed the brush. "The back of your head?"

"Yeah."

Seth's phone rang several times before his call connected. "Bracken, you're covering your camera."

"What?"  Ronodin's younger cousin's voice sounded tinny through the phone  speakers. Oh, great. They put the most technologically illiterate being  on the phone. At least Ronodin knew how to use TikTok. "What camera?"

"The camera—oh, Bracken now I can only see half your face—nope, that's worse—"

Kendra laughed at their antics and slapped more black dye onto his scalp. "How long are you going to leave this on for?"

"I guess until my next shower."

Kendra's work stopped. "What?"

Ronodin turned to face her aghast countenance. "Are you okay?"

"Can I see the box?"

Ronodin  gestured to the box on the counter. He took the brush from her and  continued adding more dye. She grabbed the packaging and scanned the  text.

Seth slapped his head as he sat on the counter. "Bracken, you've muted yourself. Click the button with the—Oh, and he hung up."

Kendra lowered the box with a horrified expression. "This is only supposed to be left on for 30 minutes."

He  inspected her handiwork using a handheld mirror to reflect the back of  his head on the bathroom mirror. She got most of the spots pretty well.  He might need to bribe a fairy to do a second coat. "So?"

"So? How has your hair not fallen out yet?" Kendra put down the box. "How are you alive?"

"Manipulation  and cruelty on my part, mostly." As Ronodin reflected, he realized most  of his close scrapes had been solved by sacrifice. Sacrifice of other  people of course—not him. "I also read a self-help book a long time  ago—'The Prince,' I think. By some Italian guy."

Kendra paused for  a moment. Ronodin knew books were her thing so he let her do whatever  her brain was doing. In the meantime, he considered her words. Should he  wash the dye out after 30 minutes? That doesn't seem efficient. Why not  leave it on for the maximum amount of time? To let it really soak in.

He  did complete a cosmetology course back in the under realm, but that was  mostly about accentuating the most horrifying features of your face.  Still, he probably knew more than some mortal box of hair dye.

Kendra took a deep breath. "Ronodin, did the author of that little self help book happen to be called Machiavelli?"

"That's  it!" He snapped his fingers. Ah, Machiavelli. Back when books were  written in Vulgar Latin and were still good. "Wow, I should really read  more of his stuff."

Kendra's jaw dropped. "I—I have never met anyone like you before."

He preened. Although he obviously knew he was the best and super special, it felt good to hear it affirmed.

Seth  interrupted them by shoving Bracken's face into his. It seemed like his  cousin had finally figured out FaceTime. "Bracken said that you dyed  your hair before you did your horn stuff."

Phone Bracken grinned. "You know, there's a really funny story to go along with it too and—"

Ronodin pressed the end call button.

Seth pulled his arm back. Betrayal painted his face. "Dude."

"As much as I love our little rendezvous in this bathroom, I will not allow childhood stories of me to leak to the press."

"Ronodin,  what press? What are you even talking about?" Seth threw his arms up.  "I could have gotten a juicy story about you, but you took this from me.  Honestly, this might be a deal breaker. I don't even—" Seth pretended  to sniffle. "I don't even know if we can be friends anymore."

"Oh, good grief."

"Well, how young were you when you first started dyeing your hair?" Kendra asked. She returned to her seat on the counter.

"You  already know my answer has no value to you." Ronodin peeled off his  gloves and set them and his brush in the sink, flipping the faucet. "We  do not have the same concept of age."

"Oh my god, he was  definitely a pre-teen." Seth pretended to press an ear radio like a news  reporter. "This just in, Ronodin is not like other unicorns."

"What did your mom think?" Kendra asked.

"You're trying to get a story out of me. It's not happening," Ronodin said.

Seth positioned his finger over the call button on his phone. "I will call Bracken again."

Ronodin  rolled his eyes and dropped the box of hair dye into the trash. He  decided he would keep the dye on for at least a week so he could get his  money's worth. "You say that like he would know what button to press to  answer."

Seth pouted until some evil thought lit up his smile. "You know...I know Kendra has a certain contact that may know."

Kendra glared. "Seth, no."

"What?"  Ronodin rifled through the drawers to find some eyeliner. Kendra had to  have some. His look wasn't complete without it. Then, he would have to  try to hit Seth up for some black nail polish. Out of the two of them,  he was probably more likely to have it.

Seth sidled up next to  Kendra and blinked his eyelashes slowly with his hands intertwined in  front of him. Some sort of weird human ritual of begging. Ronodin  wouldn't know. He never begged.

Ronodin's eyes narrowed. Now, they  were keeping things from him. This was not fair and mean. "What are you  talking about? Tell me."

Kendra blinked owlishly at him, but Seth  had no qualms about spilling his suggestion. "A certain fairy queen and  your aunt who obviously has to have some form of baby pictures and  amazing stories of an emo teenage Ronodin."

As soon as the first words registered, Ronodin lunged for Seth. So, what? He wasn't perfect.

Seth  leaped off the counter and dashed out the door, delightful laughter  filling the hallway as he kept out of Ronodin's reach. The unicorn  continued the chase down the stairs and through the living room and  kitchen before Seth got on the other side of the dining table. They  matched each other's movements and reached a stalemate long enough for  Kendra to come down to spectate.

"Seth, I will literally make you wish that you were never born," Ronodin said.

"Promise?"

Ronodin  was never known for self-control. He chose the third option to get to  Seth: hopping on the table. He would finally get his revenge.

He was close, but Ruth must've heard the noise.

"Get off, now!" Her voice was strong and terrifying.

Sheepishly, Ronodin returned to the floor and used his sleeve to buff any footprints out of the table.

"Sorry, Ruth...Seth started it."

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The  next morning, as Seth woke up, checked his phone, and yawned, he  noticed something at the end of his bed. A thick, ornate golden book.  Curious, he scrambled to get a better look.

There was no note, but as soon as Seth opened it, he knew who it was from.

Inside,  dozens of pictures from Bracken and Ronodin's childhood lay pressed in  pockets and writing detailed the circumstances of each one.

Seth's smile could've blinded a bat.

This was the best present ever, and he intended to make incredible use of it.

He stuck his head out of his door.

"Oh, Ronny boy!"

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the end