Darkstalker

I thought the Rain Kingdom was bad.

Ha. The Mud Kingdom is worse. So. Much. Worse.

Even the flight here was dismal. Shadowhunter kept trying to squirm out of her sling, scratching and biting and twisting and clawing and nearly crashing Clearsight into a tree--even though she barely has the stamina to fly ten feet, let alone a three-day flight through what just had to be fog and pouring rain.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting the Mud Palace to be like. It's honestly kind of a terrible name, and a small part of me couldn't help but expect a mildly special mud shack or something. I mean, the MudWings don't exactly have the best reputation in the NightWing tribe for a reason.

But it's actually pretty awesome. Made of brick, just like your average castle, with some pretty beautiful paintings—some of them larger than I am—hung on the walls. Mostly I'm just grateful to get out of the mud, and away from Shadowhunter's growing obsession with throwing it at other dragons. (Specifically, Queen Vigilance.)

"King Salamander." Queen Vigilance doesn't bow, even though it's customary for a visiting tribe.

I expect some kind of visible sign of displeasure from King Salamander, but he doesn't look like he even notices. "Um. Yes. Your Majesty. Thank you so much for coming."

Clearsight exchanges an anxious glance at me. I can practically feel the stress radiating off her. I guess being a seer would probably make this even worse.

A tired-looking servant (or, I assume she's a servant anyway) whispers something in King Salamander's ear, her brows worried. He nods, just finally starting to remember.

"We are so honoured to have you in our kingdom," He reiterates. "While you're here, we promise to do everything we can to make it feel like home."

Queen Vigilance's face is made of stone.

***

"I hate feeling like this," Clearsight whispers. "Like..."

"A bargaining chip," I finish. "Yeah. I know. Me too."

Shadowhunter burbles, flapping her wings excitedly. I can tell she wants to play from the excited shockwaves of energy radiating off her mind, but I'm so tired I can barely move.

The sweeping curtains rustle in the late-night breeze. I can't sleep.

"We may as well explore this place," she sighs. "Since neither of us is going to sleep anyway. Come on, let's see if we can find somewhere to grab some coffee. You know, I've always wanted to visit the Mud Kingdom."

***

"The library here is amazing," Clearsight says, barely containing a grin.

"Really? Even compared to the one at the Night Palace?" I raise one eyebrow at her, sipping my coffee. It's so foggy you can't see that stars out the windows, and for some reason that unsettles me.

"Yeah. See? Look, read this one. We need to find out more about the king anyway." Clearsight rolls her eyes. "I didn't have any time to do research into what his potential weaknesses and strengths as an ally might be anyway. I mean, I know what his futures are like, but that's not really the same thing. Speaking of which, what kind of reading did you get on his mind?"

Shadowhunter nibbles at my tail. "Da-da?"

I sigh, brushing her off. "I'm sorry sweetie, we can't go flying right now. Mommy and Daddy have work we need to do."

She grumbles loudly. Clearsight rubs her temples.

"I don't know. He was... weird."

She tilts her head, setting down the ancient-looking scroll she's poring over. "How so?"

I rub my eyes, trying to mould my thoughts into something coherent. "He didn't really seem like he knew what he was doing. I don't know--he didn't feel like royalty somehow. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah," Clearsight says slowly. "I do."

"Like—all the other royalty I've met before have this... this air of, I don't know, authority. But Salamander felt... pretty much ordinary."

She sighs, giving her scroll a longing glance. "I'm gonna go and do some research. See if I can find any information on it. Call me if you find anything, okay?" She yawns, rubbing her eyes.

"Of course. Take your time. We still have, like, five hours until investigations tomorrow, and we should try to get some sleep."

Half an hour later, Clearsight calls me from the other end of this massive library, her voice faint and muffled through the shelves upon shelves of scrolls. "HONEY! COME HERE! I THINK I'VE FOUND SOMETHING!"

***

"Look at this." Clearsight points at a scroll spread out over a wooden reading table excitedly. (Sometimes, I think all those years spent holed up in the library never really left her.) "It's a detailed account of Queen Crane's death. Remember that plague we heard about a couple of months ago going through the Mud Kingdom? I knew that was significant, didn't I tell you?! So, you were kind of right about Salamander--he's not royalty at all. Him and Crane got married young by the sound of it, and so when she died, there weren't any heirs to take over, other than her siblings--but they aren't in line for the throne until after Salamander dies."

"So that's his weakness. He isn't really royalty, his wife just was." I grin. "Oh, that makes perfect sense--"

Clearsight winces. "I... I wouldn't exactly put it like that. I just thought it would help to understand him a little bit... but yes. That is correct. It... it actually looks like he came from one of the outer sectors of the Mud Kingdom. So he isn't even an aristocrat." She sighs, her shoulders slumping. "I don't know what we could offer him in exchange for an alliance, though. It's not like you can bring Crane back from the dead. Maybe I could offer my advice in helping him rule?"

The smile spreads wider across my snout. I grab the scroll from Clearsight, the fragments of an idea already starting to form in my mind.

"Lemme see that..."

***

I've had so much coffee my talons are still jittering from it. Clearsight and I didn't get any sleep last night, but it was worth it.

Because it all makes sense. I know how to get under this dragon's skin now.

"I'm sorry for being late," Salamander says with a sigh, sipping at what smells like coffee. It takes me a moment to realize how young he is—probably only 7 years old. "Um, so, thank you for coming here, I hope you're enjoying the hospitalities here in my kingdom."

One of his advisors clears his throat. "We understand you're here to ask for our alliance should the SeaWings declare war on your tribe."

"That is correct," Queen Vigilance says, frowning in distaste. I roll my eyes internally, giving her ten seconds to make a snide comment about the food.

"Elaborate."

Clearsight raises her talon anxiously, tail tapping against the floor. "Permission to speak?"

Queen Vigilance glowers at her, saying nothing. "Our shipments of animus touched goods are being attacked by the other tribes, threatening our ability to ship them to your kingdom. We come to you for an alliance."

Salamander rubs his temples. I wonder if he slept at all last night either.

"What would be in that for us?" Another one of Salamander's advisors intercepts, slamming his talon against the table.

"Could you give us Crane back?" Salamander asks at the same time.

Clearsight exchanges a glance with me. I' shoot her a look, as if to say, I've got this one.

"I'm sorry. But that won't be possible. The one thing my power can't do is bring back the dead. I'm incredibly sorry for your loss, Your Majesty." I pause, giving his mind a second to crumple and implode. "But I can make sure that no MudWing ever again dies of plague."

He furrows his brows. "But--is that really possible? Such a powerful spell? And what about your soul?"

Queen Vigilance shoots me a loathing glare, but I can't stop now, so... I guess, whatever.

"I know I can do it. The death of your wife will be avenged."

It's what she would want. Maybe you have no idea what you're doing in this throne, but she did, and you know she would have given anything to make sure her citizens never had to suffer like she did, he thinks, for the first time in a while a small gust of hope entering his mind, pushing him forward.

"Your Ma--" One of his advisors starts.

Salamander barely hears him. "Then I'll give your tribe my protection, my troops, whatever you need."

"Excellent," I can't help but smile. "Shall we draft an agreement?"

***

I sign on the line. Just like always. I scribble down the spell a couple times before whispering it under my breath, then saying it again-louder, firmer, bolder.

And just like that, with barely a flick of my talon, the world is changed. Yet again.