Part Three: The Assassin

"Animus cursed?" Victory questioned as she and Arious limped towards the healers' hall in the Island palace ", Wouldn't Archunter know if he was animus cursed?"

"Maybe not-" Arious shrugged and swept past the doors into the healers' hall, swinging his head from side to side, searching for the night dragon "- But I want to find out. Then we can go talk to Wavetamer."

"I don't think Wavetamer would curse Swampdweller or Archunter..." Victory interjected ", She's only known them for a little bit, and even if Grandfather is right-"

"You know he's right-" Arious said, a little softer than before, reaching his wing out to her and nudging her shoulder "-I just don't think you want to admit it."

The hybrid sighed, shaking her head ", She's not that kind of dragon Arious."

"Victory-" Arious sighed and turned to face her "- You don't know her as well as you think. You haven't seen her in years. She could be someone you don't know."

Victory almost snapped at her, her heart clenching in her chest, but he was right. She could see the little sister she knew from when she was no larger than a five-year-old, playing and laughing as if she didn't have a care in the world. Victory remembered being like that too, swimming like seahorses with nothing but joy and speed, and their brother.

But that had changed when they were only six.

Puffin didn't let Victory see her siblings or mother anymore and she lost them. In more ways than one, but she had lost them.

Victory glanced up at the skywing, scanning his eyes, searching for intent. It was not in his best interest to accuse the seawing princess of anything, not in her kingdom. So why was he intent on believing that Wavetamer could do this to her friends? Because Swampdweller and Archunter are his friends too.

It was a sudden realization that struck her with the force of a bolt of lightning. Victory sighed, lowering her head, and started forward, her bandaged leg causing her to wince in pain.

"Let's go-" She sighed. They moved along the halls, a set of guards opened the doors to the Healer's Hall, bowing their heads as the two royal dragons stepped in. The welcoming scent of lavender and mint hit Victory's nose, something she knew reduced stress and promoted relaxation in the doctors and patients alike. It smelled like being wrapped in a warm, comforting blanket. The hall in the seaside palace was one of relaxation and comfort, invigorating scents that provided respite and mending, a perfect place to rest and recharge.

The smells grew stronger as Victory and Arious walked deeper into the hall, bowing their heads to each bed as they searched for their nightwing friend. Victory reached out, lifting a blanket from one of the many cots, only to find a pale blue-grey seawing with pale grey eyes staring back at her. She jolted, whispering apologies to the seawing, and stepped back. The seawing, who looked about her age, had a patch of faint pink forming on his snout and he only smiled as she stepped back, closing his eyes and adjusting the blanket over his head.

Victory continued, instead of lifting blankets she looked for any other sign of the dragon she was looking for. 

"Over here-" She heard Arious mutter, poking his head around a set of large leaf-palm curtains. She stepped toward him, tupping her head back toward the doors.

She could run out the doors, go find her sister, and beg her for answers.

There had to be something else besides Wavetamer using magic, right? More than anything, Victory wanted to believe that, she wanted to think that her sister knew better. But there was her Grandfather's eye, how sad he looked when he accused his granddaughter, and she couldn't ignore that.

"Victory-" Arious hissed again, waving her over with the tip of his wing. She followed, starting toward him with her head low and her eyes scanning the cots.

"Find him?" Victory asked as she poked her head behind the palm leaves, her voice low and soothing as she could make it.

"Yes-" The skywing answered her, tossing a blanket from the back of their deep green nightwing friend "- He's not keen on getting up. Archunter- Wake up- The Princess is here."

Victory felt her heart leap in her chest as he spoke. Princess. That is what she was, a princess, not just logically but to him. Archunter let out a groan, rolling on his side on his cot and glaring at them, his green eyes seemed duller since the last time she saw him. The hybrid dragoness moved toward her friend, slipping her wing under his chin.

"Oh moons-" She sighed, tipping his head to the side ", Archunter."

"Shut up," The nightwing grumbled "- Too loud."

Arious rolled his eyes and lowered his head to their friend, staring at him with interest and intent. "Archunter-"

"What-" The nightwing snapped, wincing as Victory slowly placed his head back on the cot.

"Don't snap at me, Nightwing-" Arious snorted, flicking the deep-colored dragon with his wing and leaning back "- Swampdweller's in prison and we need your help."

That seemed to interest the night dragon, his ears perked up and he looked between the dragons. His eyes flew between them, before lingering on Victory and stepping off his cot. Victory reached her wings out to catch him, but he held up his talon, stopping her. Victory took a step back, wincing on her injured leg.

Archunter didn't seem surprised by her wounds, or ask about her eight-day absence. He must have known, that a prophet who can't properly see might see the right thing by accident, or something similar to the right thing.

"Yeah..." Archunter snorted, something close to a laugh ", I know. Somewhat. I know what you know too"

"Why didn't you tell her-" Arious snapped at the night dragon, throwing out a wing to exaggerate his point. "We could have solved everything, Archunter if you would have just told us."

"Told you want?" The night dragon snipped back, rising from his cot and reaching up to touch his temple.

"Arious-" Victory started, but the dragon of the sky cut her off, flame huffing from his nose.

"You should have told us that Wavetamer animus cursed you!" Arious roared at the night dragon, his wings flaring. "We could have helped you! Victory could have had her take the curse off you!!"

"What are you talking about?" Archunter asked, his voice filled with confusion, the look that ran across his snout wasn't hurt. Victory cocked her head at him, unable to read the looks that crossed his face. "I- I don't- Wavetamer didn't curse me."

Arious started back, his golden eyes wide with shock, "What?"

Archunter glanced at Victory, and she could see the mix of fear and panic in his eyes. She knew that look, she had seen it many times in the mirror in the Ice Palace, but on her face. It was the face that held a secret. Arious opened his jaws to speak, but Victory held out her wing, silencing him. To his credit, the skywing silenced himself, drawing his wings close to his side and glaring at the night dragon.

"Archunter," Victory coxed the calm into her voice ", What's going on? You didn't seem surprised by us asking."

"More like demanding-" Archunter huffed, glancing at Arious with a bitter look on his snout.

"Please-" She whispered, flaring her wing across his back and leaning into the night dragon ", We have to help Swampdweller- Help my sister."

"Victory-" Archunter sighed, a whine in his voice ", You won't- You're not going to like anything I have to say. I don't- I would hate to damage our friendship with the truth."

"I deserve honesty," Victory sighed, resting her head against his neck ", Even if I don't like it. Don't I deserve the truth?"

Archunter closed his shimmering green eyes, letting out a breath of air as he leaned into her, his wing overlapping with hers as they crossed each other's backs. Victory sighed into her friend. How much did she want to hear the truth? Did she want to know what he was sure she wouldn't like? 

Did she have much choice?

"You do..." Archunter agreed, straightening and flaring his wings ever so slightly as he removed himself from his cot "... But can we eat first? Maybe have a cup of tea? I haven't eaten since the ball."

"You and me both," Victory smiled hesitantly ", I'll have a balcony set up for us."