The rest of the day passes in a blur. I wish there was something more I could do, some way I could help, but I'm useless. It doesn't feel fair for Lantana to bear the weight of the festival on her own. But who am I to complain?

  The sun and moon are approaching position, evident by the droves of dragons gathering in the courtyard. I'm not sure what makes this eclipse so special. Alcina rattled off something about dragon magic and the flow of power through the land when I asked.

  I make my way through the castle, feeling a bit overdressed. I'm not sure what I'm doing. But like there’s some magnetic force pulling me towards her, I search for Lantana again.

  It’s just—I don’t know, I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s love, maybe it’s lust, maybe it’s something in between. I just need to be near her. I need to hear her voice one last time before the festival. I need to look at her, as if I’m checking to make sure she’s real and not some figment of my wildest fantasies.

  The door to the throne room is slightly ajar. When I peak in, it's pristine, not a note of the mess that was once there. Lantana is pacing slowly around the room, while Jayle quite blasphemously lounges on the throne. The dragon-sized seat makes him look tiny by comparison in his bipedal form.

  "You’re just running your mind in circles,” he says. “Look at how much you’ve practiced! You’ll do great, I’m sure.”

  She rubs her eyes and stops pacing. “You’ve never studied magic, Jayle. You don’t know that.”

  “So? Alcina knows what she’s talking about, and she says you’ll be fine.” When he spots me, he raises an eyebrow and hops off the throne. "Well, I’d better do my last security sweep. Don’t stress yourself out.” He strides out of the room, winks at me, and closes the door behind him. What a freak.

  "Um…" I open my mouth, but don't know what to say.

  She whips around. "Ashura!" Then, she breathes an odd sigh. I can feel her devouring me with her eyes. "That looks really good on you."

  "Thanks," I reply automatically. I try not to think too hard about her words and about her wandering gaze as I walk closer. I should say something encouraging! But what can I say that hasn't already been said?

  I stop in front of her.

  "Do you need something?" She tilts her head.

  "Try to think about a calming place," I blurt out.

  "Pardon?"

  "When you're nervous," I continue. "Um, you probably already knew that, but it works well for me, so I thought…maybe you could…" my words peter out.

  Her face is thoughtful. "A calming place." She sighs, her tail twitching behind her. "I wish I was swimming right now. I love swimming."

  "Imagine yourself swimming someplace safe, then. Focus on the sensation. Think about what you can feel, hear, and smell." What am I saying? I'm just repeating what I do with the garden exercise. What if it doesn't work for her?

  She nods and closes her eyes. Her ears rotate, as if trying to listen for a noise that isn't there. "M-hmm. What next?"

  "Stay there as long as you need to."

  For several minutes, she stands in silence, eyes closed. Her tail slowly stops twitching, and the stress lines in her face soften. With nothing else to do, my mind locks on her dress, tracing the silver patterns and frills.

  The colors complement her features so well, highlighting her striking horns and eyes and making her skin seem even richer than before. My eyes draw up, then down, taking more of her in. Not just the colors, but the way her fur balances the outfit, the way her dragon features contrast the almost dainty design in an interesting way, the way she’s shaped...

  Finally, she opens her eyes. "I feel a little better."

  I nod. Without really thinking, I start talking. "I know you’re not fond of this dress, but it looks beautiful on you."

  She blinks. "You—you like it?"

  I shut my mouth. Why is my brain so scrambled right now? I barged in and demanded she imagine something, then complimented the dress she hates. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to speak out of line." I bow my head.

  After a moment, she says, "You're not out of line."

  I don't look up at her. "Sorry. Seeing you so worried—I wish I could do more for you. I'm not very good at comforting people."

  "You're apologizing again…"

  My feet anchor to the floor. Heat blossoms in my face, and my lungs grow taut, exhaling every last bit of air until they’re empty. Am I about to panic?

  The Queen reaches out with her hand. Then, delicately, she places two of her claws beneath my chin and tilts my head up.

  Her face is close to mine. Too close. But I don't want to push her away. I want to lose myself in her eyes, to let this fire under my skin burn me inside and out.

  But I can’t move, other than a tremble in my hands. The warmth in my face becomes sweltering. With each passing second, my chest grows tighter, burning for some reason other than passion.

  I don’t understand. It’s like I’ve come to warm myself by a fire, but the flame licked out and set my forest ablaze. It’s blinding, confusing, too hot, and I can’t breathe.

  How long has she been staring at me? How long have her claws stayed against my skin? Every second that passes stretches longer than the last.

  "You know," she says, "I appreciate what you do, even if you think it isn't much." Her voice is low, almost a whisper, and she tilts her head ever so slightly. "But I do wish you wouldn't wear out your sorries now. You'll need to save them for when we're married."

  Married. With that word, I could collapse into her. But I don’t know if it’s because I know she’ll catch me, or if my very being has simply shattered, having no other choice.

  The Queen pulls her hand away and steps back. And the moment is over. "Um, I need to go to the stage," she rushes. Her ears flatten. "I'll see you outside." She paces out of the room, leaving me alone.

  I clutch my chest. That whole time, I hadn’t been breathing. Is that why it hurts so much?

  The realization hits me as I walk out of the throne room, dazed and still catching my breath.

  I should have kissed her. I should have given her something to think about, something to savor. But I couldn't.

  My mind repeats the moment over and over again as I make my way outside. Dragons have completely flooded the court. Standing on the grass, climbing the plant walls, sitting on balconies, they're everywhere. There’s even more down over the hill and in the forest. I have to fight and push my way through the crowd. Since everyone is taller than me, it's impossible to see where anything is.

  Maybe I’ll lose myself here for a while. Disappear in the chaos before I can think too hard about what happened.

  "Little prince?" I recognize that voice. I turn around to see Marnie of all dragons walking toward me. A younger dragon with dark fur trails behind her, his eyes shifting uneasily. "You look lost."

  "I can't be lost if there's nowhere I'm supposed to be," I say dimly.

  "But how will you see The Queen and the eclipse from here?" She looks genuinely concerned, making me regret my retort. She turns and points to her right. "You should go to the magical study. It's blocked off from civilians right now, but I'm sure they will let you in."

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  That's not a bad idea. At least it will be less chaotic. "T-thank you," I say. "I'll do that."

  She smiles and waves. "Don't get trampled, little prince!"

  I duck my head and fight through the crowd until the top of the tower shows above everyone else’s heads. I stumble out and in front of the door, which is secured by two guards.

  My back straightens, but I can’t smooth over the shake in my voice. "M-may I enter the study?"

  "Of course, Prince." They bow to me one after another and push the door open.

  I climb the stairs, one by one. It feels like I’ve been sprinting, exhaustion weighing on every muscle in my body. At the top, several familiar voices echo from inside.

  “I think I see her! No, false alarm. Someone else. What’s taking her so long? Doesn’t the eclipse start soon?”

  “Don’t worry. The Queen is never late.”

  I peek inside. Jayle and Alcina are looking out of a wide-open window. Jayle leans so far out he might topple down with a stray breeze. Alcina is next to him, stiff by comparison. Weirdly, she has her tail wrapped around one of her legs. Is that something dragons do to stop twitching?

  “Ah, you’re probably right. She knows what she’s doing.”

  For a long second, Alcina doesn’t say anything. “Do you really think so?”

  “Well, you said it first. And I trust your judgment.”

  I step into the room. Alcina’s ear twitches, and instantly she glances back at me. “Oh. Prince. Here for a better view?” She steps away from Jayle and unwinds her tail from her leg. Am I crazy, or did her tone of voice change? Does she sound disappointed?

  “Ashura!” Jayle bellows. He throws his arms out, almost smacking Alcina by accident. “You’re here just in time! The eclipse is about to start.”

  I walk to the window and peer out, standing between Jayle and Alcina. All I can see are droves of dragons beneath us, various shades of brown and gray and black bobbing around each other, trying not to bump one another with their antlers. But no silver yet.

  “Sooo? What did you two talk about?” Jayle nudges me.

  “What?”

  “Don’t be coy. You know, you can tell me anything. Was there flirting involved? Perhaps a little peck on the lips?”

  “Jayle!” Alcina’s voice cracks. “Stop it!”

  My face burns. And yet, for my pride, I manage to produce a snarky reply. “Wouldn’t you like to know, you little freak.”

  Jayle laughs, only having paused briefly when Alcina scolded him. “Okay, okay.” He looks out the window, and his eyes widen. “I think I see her!”

  We all lean out a little farther. Thankfully, she came in time to stop Jayle from seeing my deep frown. It’s in my mind now. What I should have done, what I should have said…over and over again. Ugh. I’m going to stab Jayle’s tail again next time we spar. Maybe if I’m lucky I can cut the darn thing off.

  Sure enough, I see a flash of her blue dress amongst the chaos. She walks up the makeshift stage, a simple raised platform overlooking the courtyard and the hill outside the castle grounds.

  A hush falls over the crowd below us. Now everyone is looking up at the sky. But my eyes are fixed on her.

  Lantana raises her arms. A chill falls over the courtyard. Her dress billows in a gust of wind, and she closes her eyes. The eclipse has begun.

  Her crystal necklaces begin to glow, giving off blue light in the steadily darkening courtyard. The magic stretches outward, wrapping around her arms, shining brighter by the moment. Standing on the stage, her arms outstretched, she’s never looked more regal.

  I’m looking at so much more than just a royal. This is the queen of the dragons, the ruler of Lereon-Siv and everything in it. And she has all the power she needs to back that up.

  "Ashura!" Jayle's voice is barely louder than a whisper. "Look!"

  I manage to tear my eyes away from her to look up at the sun. The magic of her spell has flowed upwards, forming a faint lattice of light above the courtyard and beyond. Past it, the moon crawls over the sun. A peculiar green ring crackles around the celestial bodies. As the sun eclipses, it shoots outward, green magic sparkling among the clouds. The crowd oohs and ahhs.

  My focus doesn't stay up there for long. I look at her again. Her arms are still raised, holding strong, but her brow is beginning to furrow from the weight of the spell.

  Is she going to make it? Even as the air around me crackles, even as I see strange colors raining down out of the corner of my eye, bouncing off and dissolving on the protective field, I watch her. I can't imagine what would happen if she wasn't here. Would the magic rain down in droves of fire and consume the crowd? Would it peter out, unable to channel correctly? Would the eclipse burn our eyes, blinding us?

  But Queen Lantana is here. And she's not failing. Even when the courtyard grows completely dark except for the sparkling magic, even as the air grows cold, she holds strong. Her arms never move an inch.

  I sigh and lean my head on my hand. She has never looked more beautiful, more powerful. I wish she was right next to me now, so maybe we could repeat what almost happened in the throne room.

  But that's assuming things would be different. That my body wouldn't malfunction again.

  Why am I like this?

  The magic slowly dims as light pours back into the courtyard. I look up at the eclipse in time to see the sun come back into full view. As soon as the last of the moon lets go of it, the lattice fades. When I look at Lantana, her arms have dropped. Despite her regal expression, I can tell she's gasping for breath.

  Cheers erupt from the crowd. She sways a little on stage and gives everyone a weak wave.

  "She looks like she's about to fall," Alcina says, alarmed. "We'd better go get her." She dashes down the hall.

  "Alcina's right." Jayle turns around, but pauses for a moment. "You should go to her room, Ashura. Meet us there."

  Her room? Why? I'm half expecting him to shoot me a wink or make another inappropriate remark, but he just runs after Alcina.

  I make it to her room before they do, able to weave through the slowly dispersing crowd. The air inside the comparatively empty halls is cool and easy to breathe. It’s unimpeded by the smell of sweaty fur, which permeated the courtyard. The scent of the ocean in Lantana’s room feels especially fresh after that. I'm not sure where they're going to take her, so I sit at one of the tables near her bookshelves.

  Even with all the books and scrolls pushed aside, the room is still a mess. I'm tempted to tidy up for her, but I don't want to overstep.

  The door opens, and the three of them walk in. Lantana has her arms around Alcina's and Jayle's shoulders. Her silver tail sags behind her, and her head bobs as if she’s struggling to stay awake.

  "I will get a pillow for you!" Jayle drops Lantana's arm, causing her to lean even more on the struggling Alcina. He steps away and transforms into his huge dragon form, then flies up to one of the platforms. Seconds later, a massive pillow from her sitting area comes crashing to the floor. It lands a few feet away from me with a thump, almost making me jump from my seat.

  Alcina helps Lantana to the pillow, where she promptly collapses, sinking into the fabric. "Let me get you some tea," Alcina says before pacing out of the room.

  I sit there for a long moment, not saying anything. Lantana is flat on her back, completely still. I’m not convinced she’s conscious.

  Jayle flies down and transforms right as he lands in yet another dramatic roll. He seems to enjoy doing that. “Is there anything else we can do for you, My Queen? Would you like food? Blankets? Entertainment?”

  She only says one word. “Quiet.”

  “Ah.” Jayle nods shortly. He whispers, “That, I can provide.” Then, he leaves, presumably to bar any more interruptions. Or to start one of his obnoxious schemes that involve having me and Lantana alone in a room together. I’m not sure which.

  “Ashura?” Her voice is delirious, and she brings the last vowel of my name higher than normal.

  I stand up and pace over. “I’m here.”

  Her eyes are closed, and she hasn’t moved an inch. “Oh. That’s good. I wasn’t hallucinating when I walked in.”

  Gingerly, I sit on the pillow beside her. Her faint scent wafts up as I draw near, present both on the pillow and with her. I trace her face with my eyes. She looks calm, but her lack of movement concerns me. “Are you okay?”

  “Tired,” she says. “What did you think of the spell?” She opens her eyes a little, and I can see the blue of her pupils.

  “It was amazing,” I say. “You didn’t falter once. You were…” I trail off, not quite finding the words. “You’re really something else.”

  Her mouth twinges up into a smile, and her tail moves ever so slightly. It’s not quite a flick or a tremble, but a slow sweep across the floor. I’ve been trying to get better at guessing what dragons are feeling based on their body language, but I’ve had limited success.

  “I’m sorry I left in such a hurry,” she says. “Before the festival.”

  Oh. “Don’t worry about it. You had to run to the stage, I understand.”

  “That’s not it.”

  I’m afraid to hear her next words. Did she see me hesitate? Pick up on my irrational emotions? Has she decided she doesn’t like me, after all? That I’m too unstable?

  “I was afraid…I was afraid you might distract me.”

  Oh no. “I’m so sorry,” I say. “I didn’t mean to cause an upset, or to make you worry. I apologize.”

  She gives me a concerned half grimace. “That was a compliment.”

  What? How could that possibly be a good thing? “I don’t understand. I can’t be pulling your attention away from your duties. That would make me a burden, and the last thing I want—”

  “Ashura, with all due respect, are you dense?” She finally moves, climbing with some effort to a sitting position. “I’m trying to tell you I’m attracted to you!”

  My mind goes blank.

  “Do you understand now?” She sighs and looks away, her ears rotating back and forth. A maroon undertone tints her face. “When we were there, together, alone...I wanted…” She looks at me, meeting my eyes with a piercing gaze. “I wanted you.”

  That confused feeling returns in full force. The sudden onslaught of heat, crawling and invading, and the inability to breathe. My mouth is sealed shut, refusing to utter any words.

  “I was afraid if we spent any more time together, during the ceremony, my mind would be clouded. Clouded by all the unspeakable things I wanted to—”

  Thank the skies Alcina walks in. She’s carrying a small cup of tea and hasn’t seemed to notice the tremendously tense atmosphere. The Queen stops talking and looks away.

  “Your tea, my Queen.” Alcina hands her the cup. “I see you’re feeling better already.”

  She nods and takes a sip.

  And yet, while my mind is halfway out the door, I can’t help but hesitate. Why do I want to escape this sensation? Is this what love is supposed to feel like?

  But it’s awful, it’s concerning. It reminds me too much of her, of those moments that had me similarly betrayed by my own feelings. Sharp fear dancing with sickly desire, a forest fire clouding my thoughts with smoke. This can’t be right. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it.

  What is wrong with me?

  “Ashura?” The Queen looks at me. “Did you have something to say?”

  I shake my head. Without another word, I stand up and walk out of the room.