Topaz had been to the royal palace roughly a billion times with her mother Moonstone, but today was the first time that Topaz had been presented before the court. It was one thing to work alongside her mother, which ultimately meant being bossed around by her, and it was quite another to be introduced to King Carnelian and his son Prince Agrelite.

  As she stood in the line of waiting dragon maidens, Topaz took in the King and the Prince. They were both primarily gold in color, the color of the royal line, but King Carnelian's scales were tipped with inky black on his head, arms, and legs; he was grand in stature, a bold and imposing male even in his current state. Agrelite, on the other claw, was tipped with a striking purple. He sat in the chair with one leg hanging over the side, looking as bored as could be. He was rather handsome, despite being a smallscale- a dragon would couldn't transform into their true, massive, dangerous form.

  Still, being a prince would more than make up for that. At least, that's what Moonstone said. Topaz had never though much about getting married. Her mother always said that she would take care of that. Topaz should have guessed that her mother meant for her to marry the Prince.

  Topaz had met with him a number of times. He might be handsome, and a prince, but she thought he was a hothead. In fact, he seemed like a spoiled brat. His mother, the late Queen Amber, had died a number of years ago. At first, Topaz was all but certain that her mother would try to marry King Carnelian, but instead Moonstone did what she did best. She pulled strings when no one was paying attention. Besides, the King would never accept another mate after his wife died.

  That was something the King and the Prince had in common, grief over the Queen. Though, it manifested in different ways between them. Topaz was well aware of the gossip of the court, as often Moonstone employed her to keep the rumor mill grinding. Agrelite was like a stubborn fledgling- moody, quick to anger, and often throwing a glorified temper tantrum. King Canelian, however, just seemed resigned. It was like someone turned off the light in him when the Queen died, and Agrelite was given all of those suppressed emotions. Carnelian shrunk where Agrelite threw a punch.

  He was a thorn in Moonstone's side too. Topaz didn't think that her mother particularly wanted to be his mother in law, let alone a grandmother to their brood, but rather she wanted to control the Prince. To keep him on a leash- and Topaz would be the leash.

  There were worse lots in life.

  The Prince was slumped in his chair, arms folded, and scowling as the dragon maidens were marched before him. Moonstone stepped out from between the thrones and made the maidens bow. Topaz swept a deep, practiced bow before them, bringing her green and blue scaled head low to the dark stone floor.

  "Your Majesties," Moonstone purred, her voice velvety and rich. She did not bow. "King Carnelian, as we've discussed on numerous occasions, there is great necessity in preparing for the future of the royal bloodline. As Prince Agrelite-"

  "Grel," the Prince interrupted. "Just call me Grel."

  "As your son," said Moonstone with a pointed glare at the Prince, "is your only heir, it is incumbent upon us to secure the best possible bride for him."

  "Fat chance, hot pants," said Agrelite. "I'm not marrying any of them."

  "Agrelite," sighed the long suffering King, "can you please act appropriately for court?"

  The prince leapt from his seat, and did an exaggerated bow before his father. "Oh excuse me, Your Excellency." He turned to Moonstone, dropping down onto one knee and extending his claw to take Moonstone's. Carnelian sighed again. "Fattest of chances, Hottest of Pants-es. I shan't wed even one single dragon maiden. I know them not. Of more import- I love them not."

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  Moonstone slipped out from his grip, and used the chance to take hold of Topaz. She yanked her daughter over and put Topaz's blue tipped claws in Grel's grasp.

  "Certainly you've met my lovely daughter Topaz? We're a part of a minor noble house, you know, but noble nonetheless. She can transform at will, so you know her genetics are strong and old. She is also a skilled harp player, dancer, military strategist, and is trained in speech, etiquette, and diplomacy. Oh, and she excels in espionage and subterfuge."

  "I also dabble in poison making and alchemical studies," said Topaz, smiling with practiced ease. "Pleased to be met by you, Sire."

  Grel yanked his claw away from hers. "That is quite the skill set, Lady Topaz. Does the Lapidary Kingdom truly need them?" He had pointedly ignored the comment about Topaz's transformative ability. Moonstone's own claw flew to her chest in affront, the sleeve of her ivory robe fluttering.

  "Your Highness, how could you be so small minded as to assume otherwise? There are threats at every turn, wolves at every door." She came in close to Grel, leaned in and spoke in a low voice, slipping a conspiratorial arm around his neck. "The magic is growing weaker, harder to control. Revolution brews under conditions like this. You need to secure a genetically superior wife, and produce an equally superior heir, so that our Kingdom feels stable. In the meantime, you need someone who will watch your back. No offense to the other females, but you don't want a soft, delicate, fragile bride. You need a strong, independent, fierce partner to watch from the shadows."

  "Topaz is a lovely maiden," mused Carnelian out loud, filling the silence created by Moonstone's whispering. "Her pedigree is outstanding, and her manners are impeccable. You could learn a thing or two."

  Grel seethed, and slipped out from under Moonstone's arm. "What if there was another way to fix the Magic Drought?"

  All the maidens, except Topaz, gasped. Those were forbidden words.

  "Prince Agrelite," said the King tersely, "now is not the time."

  "When will it be the time?" Agrelite bit back, his anger building. "There never seems to be time with you!"

  "You've been in the catacombs again, haven't you?" Accused Moonstone. For a moment, her face was a mask of white hot rage. Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, it vanished. "This had better not be about that supposed LOVELOCK book again."

  "Agrelite, we've been over this," bemoaned the King. He sounded weary. "Your grandmother never wrote any book. If she did, then we would have it in the royal library. We have everything Ruby ever wrote about her life. That is the end of the story."

  "But the letter-" Tried Agrelite.

  "There was one letter from Spice Rack City addressed to her, yes, a long, long, looooong time ago," said Moonstone, trying to regain control. Her voice had put on conviviality. "But one letter does not a book make."

  "That's because the rest of the letters are in the damn capital city!" Agrelite slipped out from his father's reaching grasp. He was standing now, anger clear across his golden-purple face. "All I need is one pair of glasses, an Alchemist's globe, 10 minutes and I could solve all of our magic problems for all time!"

  "Agrelite!" The King snapped. Now he sounded angry too. The Prince only puffed up more, his rage making him seem bigger than he was. "We've been over this. You are forbidden from leaving the Lapidary Kingdom! All dragons are forbidden! It is the only way to keep us safe."

  "Dragons are a thing of myth outside this kingdom," offered Moonstone, taking her place beside the King who slumped back into his throne. "The dangers are untold and numerous if you leave. Even in a human disguise. The glasses aren't perfect, you know. They can fall off, illusions break in fire, and they have a limited charge. And an Alchemist's globe is unreliable transportation. Spice Rack City is on the other side of Salt entirely, safely away from us."

  "What do you think would happen if you got caught?" Asked Carnelian. His voice sounded raw, tired. He hand his claws down his face. "It's not worth the risk, my son. I will not have you hung up on the wall of some human hunter."

  Agrelite was shaking with rage, but his voice was quiet. Hurt. "Why don't you ever trust me?"

  "Agrelite..." The King reached out again, his own anger doused, but the prince pulled back again. In fact, he turned around and began to walk away. "Where do you think you're going?"

  "Don't pretend like you care," the Prince called over his shoulder as he marched toward the double doors. "Pick whichever maiden you want, because that's what you were going to do anyway, but know I'm never going to love her. I'll hate her just to spite you."

  The door to the throne room slammed behind him, leaving them all in silence. The King dragged another claw down his face again, then looked at Topaz, who had been watching the whole thing unfold with silent interest. He offered her a weak smile. She noticed that his gemstone laden crown looked rather heavy.

  "Welcome to the family."