The Dragon King’s Baby

Chapter 10

Gert appeared in the hallway outside of Kalea’s nursery. She’d been watching over the nursery for two weeks, keeping careful notes of nap times, feeding times, when Addie and Seathan sat with her, and what time they left her for the night. They had one of those walkie-talkie things that let them know when the baby cried through the night.

Gert had noted that the child woke between one and two and again around five before waking up for the morning at seven. They didn’t have a nurse, apparently; Addie or Seathan came in to feed the baby themselves. Gert was surprised; royalty in the wizard kingdom paid women to take care of their children.

A fairy popped in occasionally, one of Addie’s friends, and Gert couldn’t nail down a schedule for her. But she wasn’t worried. Between the hours of three and five, the baby was alone five out of seven nights. She had turned herself invisible and watched as Addie fed the child, cooing and singing intermittently. Gert’s lip curled in derision; she had no interest in babies or a husband or anything of the sort. Her life was dedicated to King Eckhart.

Gert watched as Addie laid the baby back in her crib, smirking as the new mom kissed the baby’s forehead as she snoozed, then lifted the rail to prevent her from falling out of the bed. Addie checked the walker-talkie thing, speaking into it. Gert had to step closer so she could hear. Addie had said ‘I love you,’ apparently hoping her husband was awake to hear her. The human giggled at her silliness, and Gert rolled her eyes. What an idiot, she thought.

When the door closed behind Addie, Gert reappeared and moved on silent feet to the crib. She had decided to take the child out of the castle and drop her in the moat. The creatures there, although she had no idea what they were, would take care of the child. She would never be found, and no suspicion would fall on Eckhart or the wizard kingdom. Eckhart had wanted to take credit for the death, but Gert, after much arguing and discussion and broken tables, had convinced him that the other kingdoms would turn against them if he did so. He couldn’t afford the other kings and queen to hate him.

After waiting another thirty minutes to make sure Addie had gone back to sleep, Gert looked down into the crib, frowning at the child as she breathed the sweet breaths of sleep. She reached down and lifted the child into her arms, cradling her so that she didn’t wake and make any noise. She smells weird, Gert thought to herself, grimacing at the sickeningly sweet scent the baby exuded.

As she turned to go into the hallway to disappear so Addie or Seathan wouldn’t hear the small pop created by the pressure, the door opened and Poppy, the little fairy, flitted in and closed the door. She hadn’t seen Gert, so Gert magicked herself and the baby invisible and waited for the uproar to begin. When Poppy started yelling for help, she could disappear and no one would hear her.

But Poppy froze when she turned. Witches could not magic themselves invisible to the eyes of a fairy without a special spell. Gert made eye contact and realized her mistake, but before she could disappear, Poppy blinked and the baby flew to her. Kalea woke with the sudden jolt and screamed in anger at having been awakened. Poppy blinked again, and Gert could not move nor perform any silent spells.

As noises rang out in the hallway, Gert’s only thought was Dammit.

*****

Addie held Kalea close to her body, tears streaming down her face at the idea of what could have happened to her daughter. Seathan paced in front of the witch, whom Poppy still held frozen with her magic, her little arms folded across her chest and her eyes narrowed at the offending person in her sight. She recounted her tale to Conall and the head of security, who was devastated by this break-in and near kidnapping.

“I walked in to check on Kalea. This witch attempted to render herself invisible, but fairies are always able to see an invisible witch.” Poppy smirked at the witch, whose name she did not know. “I took the baby from her and froze her before she could move. She didn’t even have time to speak.”

Addie sighed and took Poppy’s hand. “I’m so grateful you were here, Poppy. I hate to think what she might have done to my baby.”

“That is the question, isn’t it?” Seathan mused, his voice dangerously quiet. He stepped in front of the witch and stared at her. She didn’t flinch; she couldn’t because she was frozen. She maintained eye contact, completely fearless, as far as Seathan could tell.

“Who is she?” Addie asked.

“She is Eckhart’s right hand,” Conall answered.

“Then that must mean Eckhart sent her,” Seathan answered. His eyes hadn’t left the woman since he’d walked in the room. “Poppy, can you keep her here but allow her to speak?”

Poppy smiled. “Of course, Seathan.” She blinked and Gert’s head and face regained the ability to move.

The witch glared at Poppy. “You’re not allowed to use your magic against witches, you little shit.”

Poppy laughed. “That law exists only in your kingdom, moron. Why do you think the other royals have close, personal relationships with fairies?”

“I’ll have your head mounted above my fireplace, bi*ch,” Gert commented as if she were discussing something as annoying as gum on her shoes.

“Enough, Gert,” Seathan said.

When she looked at him, she smiled. “Hello, Seathan. What a pleasure to see you again.”

Seathan took a deep breath to control his anger. The need to shift and kill this woman was pressing against his heart like a hammer. Addie touched his arm, calming him further, though he did not take his eyes off the witch.

“Hello, Gert,” Seathan replied after a moment of silence. “So does the right hand of the king mean kidnapping?” Gert refused to answer, silently staring at Seathan, a smirk on her face. Seathan returned her smile. “Silence won’t protect you.”

Gert smirked again. “I need no protection. The only crime you’re sure I’ve committed is breaking and entering. I was only holding the baby for a moment.” She turned her eyes on Addie and sarcastically said, “She’s positively precious.”

Addie’s temper broke. She handed the baby to Jeanne, who had just walked in, and walked over to Gert. She lifted her hand as if to slap her. Gert only stared at her. With hand in the air, Addie said, “Tell the truth, witch. Were you going to kidnap my baby?” Gert stared at her. Addie let her hand fly, snapping Gert’s head to the side and leaving a red hand print on her cheek. “What were your intentions?”

Gert let out a menacing chuckle and looked at Seathan. “She has more balls than you do, obviously.” Gert eyed Addie. “Have your little fairy release me. I’ll tell you the truth.”

“No.”

Gert rolled her eyes. “Just my arms then. I’m dying.”

“Why should we believe that you’ll tell us?”

“Because I’m screwed regardless. If I go back without having accomplished my mission, Eckhart will kill me.”

Seathan and Conall exchanged a glance. Seathan asked, “How do you know that?”

“Because he told me.” Seathan looked at Poppy and nodded. Gert flexed her shoulders and rolled her arms in their sockets. “Thank you.”

Addie glared at her. “So?”