SAKALA
My horrible day just kept getting worse. Not only was I being forced to compete in the Draken Games before I wanted to, but I’d also had a run-in with stupid Fane and his stupid friends. At least he’d allowed me to get away, but I knew that was more to save his own skin than mine.
Ass.
I’d won the game, but I couldn’t prove it if the witnesses had been scared away. He was always cheating like that.
“Kala! Kala!”
The moment I crossed the threshold of our home, my little sister reached for me, her purple eyes alight with joy. I sighed and picked her up, holding her against my hip. Kavni was still a drakling at only four years old, but our mother was busy working with the fighters. She was an expert drill sergeant, and many respected her. When I was born, everyone had expected I would follow in her footsteps.
I refused adamantly. I’d seen what my mother’s long absences had done to my sister. My mother wasn’t the one who had to stay up with Kavni when she had nightmares, after all.
“You look tired, Kala.”
I glanced up as our father entered from the kitchen, a towel over his shoulder. He worked from home as a translator and scholar, working on missives for the king or decoding ancient texts.
It made him happy, but he was frequently lost in his own little world as well. Sometimes his mental absence was worse than our mother’s physical absence.
I couldn’t complain. I had a good home and a respected family. Even if I didn’t want to become a famed warrior like our mother or wasn’t as smart as our father, I would still have opportunities because of my connections.
“I’m fine. Kavni is the one who hasn’t been sleeping,” I complained. Father flinched, and I immediately regretted my choice of words. I hated how guilty they made me feel.
“Go to bed early tonight. I will stay up with her if needed,” he insisted. His purple covered his entire body from head to toe instead of shifting to a darker color below the waist like most other drakens.
I smiled wearily, not wanting to fight. Father may try, but we both knew he’d end up getting engrossed in another text and completely forget about the existence of any other drakens around him, including Kavni.
And me.
That was why I had to enter the Draken Games. I couldn’t do this anymore. The sirens had rejected me for the third time, albeit gently, citing my youth and inexperience. I hated their pity. I hated their soft smiles. A female draken had three choices: warrior, siren, or mother.
They all seemed like differently constructed cages to me.
I wanted to be alone. What would it be like to be only responsible for myself? My fights with Prince Fane were the only times I felt like I was living life on my terms—plus, he was just so fun to rile up.
Entering the Draken Games was the shakeup I needed. I didn’t intend on finding a mate. I intended on beating everyone and proving I was just as strong a warrior as my mother and that I could take care of myself. The males weren’t allowed to mate with us unless they beat us first—so I wouldn’t lose. Then my parents and everyone would be forced to acknowledge I was independent and could take care of myself. I wouldn’t be forced to choose between the three futures I didn’t want.
After that? Who knew? I’d like to see the continent of Dorea and travel. It was unheard of for an unmated female to be allowed out on her own, though.
That was why I needed to prove I was the best.
Prince Fane was one of the best fighters in the kingdom, thanks to having the best tutors and soldiers available. I knew growing up that if I could hold my own with him, I’d have a fair shot at anyone else.
And tomorrow I'll finally have my chance.
“Dinner?” I shouted after Father, realizing the sun had almost set. He rummaged around in the cupboards, knocking over pots and pans with clangs and mutters. Sighing, I entered the kitchen.
“There’s some bread I got from the market yesterday, and some salted meat and cheese that should still be good,” I pointed out.
“Ah, yes, good. Sandwiches,” Father hummed, mostly to himself.
We assembled them together, and I called in Kavni from our front room. She trotted in happily, then wrinkled her nose when she saw what was on the table.
“Sandwiches again? But I thought—”
“When will Mother be home tonight?” I cut overtop of Kavni, shooting her a glare. She stuck her lip out at me, but sat down without another word of complaint. Her gaze fell to the woven mat in front of her, but eventually snatched a sandwich from the small pile in the center of the table.
“Who knows? I imagine later than normal, with all the preparations for the courtship games tomorrow,” Father responded, not really interested. Why would he be?
I swallowed heavily. “I have a lot of errands to run tomorrow. I’m going to drop Kavni off with Nama and her draklings for some playtime. Then you won’t have to be bothered.”
Father glanced up from his sandwich, beaming. “Why, thank you, Sakala; that’s very thoughtful. You’ll make an amazing mate and mother someday.”
I should preen at the praise, but I drew inwards, feeling more trapped than ever.
“Ok,” I managed, my throat dry. I still caught the day’s heat in the red stone floor, and I closed my eyes as I soaked it in through the scales on my toes. The seasons were changing, and we’d likely have to light the fireplace tonight. If we had any wood. Perhaps I’d have to run out quickly before the market closed to get some.
I wondered what it would be like to get my own wood. Lots of drakens lived outside the city in the thicker jungles on the island, but they were mostly unmated males who were unstable and a danger to our younger, unmated females. That’s why we had warriors guard the perimeters.
“Do you plan on attending the Draken Games? After all your errands, that is,” Father asked mildly. He was at least trying to show an interest in what I was doing with my life.
“I’ll … be there,” I answered, wincing a bit.
“Any friends of yours competing? I imagine in a few years it will be your turn,” he offered jovially, absentmindedly eating his sandwich with gusto.
There was a big problem with this current line of questioning and my spontaneous decision to enter the Draken Games: my parents did not know.
“Er … I think Kebba is entering.” I mumbled, referring to our next-door neighbor’s daughter, two handfuls of seasons older than me.
“I wanna go!” Kavni screeched from her spot on the bench. I groaned as I took in the deconstructed sandwich debris all around her. I’d just cleaned the floor this morning.
I’d registered for the Draken Games this afternoon, just before the deadline. I hoped that by waiting, word wouldn’t reach my father or mother quickly enough for them to interfere. Not that they could; any unmated female could sign up. I was young, but still of the proper age. There was nothing they could technically do to stop me. The blood magick would compel me in the contract; one drop of my blood mixed in to seal my commitment. No one could stop me.
That didn’t mean it wouldn’t be explosive when they found out.
Father was engrossed in another book as he ate his sandwich, absentmindedly picking up the remnants and disappearing back into his study, book still in hand. I sighed at the mess on the table and just cleaned it up.
“Kala! Kala!” Kavni screeched happily, throwing a piece of crust across the table and hitting me in the forehead. “I want to go flying!”
I sighed at the same request she pitched at me every day, the same answer already on my lips. “You know you can’t fly without an adult draken around who’s met their majority. I don’t qualify yet.”
Soon, though.
“Not a draken if I can’t fly!” my sister wailed, acting as though I’d just threatened to hack her wings off.
I tutted, exasperated. “Don’t be ridiculous. Would a human be a draken if they suddenly sprouted wings and flew away?”
Kavni stopped her tantrum before it began, her little face scrunching up in disgust before a delighted laugh left her. “No! Wings don’t make a human a draken!’
I smiled as she proved my point. “Just so. Wings don’t make the draken either; not fully. Our intelligence, our bloodmagicks, and our community make us who we are.”
Kavni rolled her eyes at the boring, recited response.
I sensed I was quickly losing her. “Right. Let’s get you occupied first.”
I cleaned up Kavni and wiped her face, setting her down and carrying her to the front room and giving her a toy.
As I cleaned up the crumbs and put away the few extras, I made a list in my head of things I needed to get from the market before the games tomorrow. The games were sometimes a week-long commitment; I had to ensure there’d be supplies and food in the house to last the long. Mother was always working, and I don’t think it ever occurred to our father that venturing out of the house once in a while might be necessary for survival.
Wood to burn. Fresh meat. More bread. Cheese, milk, fresh water for baths, and maybe vegetables and fruits. If I cut up a bunch, then everyone can munch on salads for a few days.
My eyes were heavy, and I yawned, but there was still much to be done. I cursed as darkness settled over the town, and I darted straight out the kitchen window, bypassing the front door and snatching up my satchel on the way out. It was vulgar to fly out of windows, but if I missed the market, Kavni and Father wouldn’t eat. Mother usually ate at the palace.
My wings stayed tight to my back as I angled down and shot down the path, gliding as far down the street as possible until I landed and skidded down the dusty path. Older drakens huffed and grumbled at me, but I ignored them and ran toward the market.
What I’d told Kavni about our wings was the same canned response I heard from Dad over and over again. Not that I didn’t doubt its truth, I just disagreed slightly.
Wings were freedom. Wings were everything.
Flying let me escape from my responsibilities and woes. It kept me sane and grounded and at least gave me a tiny sliver of control in my life. Sure all that other stuff about traditions and community was true, but I didn’t really have much of a community. I hadn’t been accepted to a trade or a guild yet, and wasn’t too keen to enter motherhood just yet.
I wasn’t where that left me. If I had lost my wings, I lost the one part of my life I had figured out. Then where would I be?
“Don’t be closed. Don’t be closed. Don’t be closed.”
I skidded in front of a market stall, the cloth already pulled down over the stall for the evening.
“Tekka! TEKKA!”
“Shout a little louder, why don’t you? Why do you always show up the moment I close shop?”
My shoulders slumped in relief as Tekka threw the cloth back over, scowling good-naturedly at me. She was one of the few female drakens close to my age, and we were friendly, but I wouldn’t call us good friends. Unlike me, she was happy to be mated and become a mother to as many crying draklings as possible. The very thought of having anyone else to care for made me cringe.
“Hurry then. How much and what?” she huffed, but her smile gave away her pleasure at seeing me. At least someone was happy to have me around besides Kavni.
“Uh … the usual staples. I’m going to be gone most of the week, so I need to make sure everyone is set up.”
Tekka’s jaw dropped, her white scales flashing in the dimming light. “You are not?” she gasped out.
I put a hand over her mouth, then withdrew it as she snapped her fangs at me. “Yell it a little louder so my parents find out, why don’t you?” I bared my own teeth.
“You didn’t,” she remarked again, her hands over her mouth in shock, but her voice at least a whisper.
Indignation flared through me. Was it really such a shocking thought to have me entering the games? “I did. Now, will you sell me what I need, or should I go somewhere else?”
Her wings puffed up with irritation. “You gonna actually pay me?”
All my fight deflated, like a pufferfish that had been stabbed with a dagger. “Er, well, you see …”
“Sakala. Your mother needs to know. I’m sure she’d release more of her palace funds if she knew.”
I cringed. The last thing I needed was my mother finding out that my father didn’t actually work or sell anything during the day…. The only reason he was supposed to be at home was to work as a transcriber copying documents for ceremonies or events or doing paid research for any other drakens needing help designing their next blood magick ritual.
Instead, he spent all day reading and dozing.
“You know I’ll pay you. I’m about to get a lot of money soon and—”
“From the Draken Games? You think you can win? Are you sure you’re not just still hurting from the sirens rejecting you?” Her voice rose an entire octave, and a few lingering shoppers turned their heads at us.
“Shut it!” I took a deep breath, willing myself to remain calm. The barb about the sirens stung. “Just … you know I always get you what you need. Do you want another ring or necklace? You liked the last one I made for you. Or I could tutor you again. I got the highest score on my last blood magick test. If you just—”
Tekka held up a hand, and I fell silent, embarrassed. She sighed. “We’ll figure something out.” She rummaged in her stall and started wrapping things for me, shaking her head the entire time. Awkward silence descended between us, tense and foreboding. Unable to stand it, I baited her with a topic I knew she couldn’t refuse.
“H-how’s the betrothal going? Fesso, right?”
As if the entire island didn’t know. Being an insular society meant everyone constantly knew everyone else’s business. But like I expected, Tekka’s face lit up like a torch as she set down one package for me, and then went to work on the next.
“Oh! Yes! He’s fantastic. He’s the strongest male wanting to mate this season, but he’s agreed to the betrothal. I’m so lucky. He could easily compete in the Draken Games and have his choice of eligible females, but he’s happy to agree to a betrothal instead. Do you know he’s the youngest draken to have completed over fifty blood magick rituals already?”
Of course I knew. Everyone knew. Draken youths weren’t allowed to complete any blood rituals on their own until they reached their majority, but Fesso was special. As the son of a blood magick Elder, they had given him special permission to start eight seasons ago.
“He’s taking me to the opening ceremony of the games,” Tekka confessed. Her face fell. “I guess I’ll see you there.”
I hefted up the packages and tucked them away in my satchel. “Yeah, I guess you will.”
I moved to go, but she stopped me with a hand on my upper arm. “Sakala. Why do you have to be so stubborn about everything? Not everyone is out to get you. You don’t have to prove yourself. It’s not like they’ve clamped your wings or anything.”
Anger burst into bloom under my skin, but I tamped it down. Tekka meant well, and she was helping to keep my family fed in trade, without her parents (who owned the shop) knowing about it.
“Not everyone is thrilled with a future of popping out draklings for Mr. Muscles and his blood,” I remarked wryly. “Some of us just want … freedom.”
Her delicate features twisted in confusion. “Freedom from what? You are free.”
I rolled my eyes. “Thanks again.” I lifted the satchel. “Let me know if any of your younger brothers need tutoring. I’ll do it for them.”
She sighed, nodding but smiling sadly. I ignored her pity. I didn’t want it, and I didn’t need it.
The walk back home took forever, each step weighing me down more than the last.