More Than A Princess

A half dragon

Callan was speeding like a demon on fire. After his ominous reply, he had remained steadfastly silent as he manoeuvred his vehicle. Until finally, they came to a stop at a clearing. There were no tall buildings around. It looked like an ancient village with squat muddy looking houses with thatched roof. 

“Wait here,” he told them. He turned around at stared at them. “I mean it. DO NOT get down from the car,” he said.

He got down and locked the car door. He added a spell to make sure they can’t escape. He doesn’t want them meddling with what he had to do. He had just received a tip off about the murder at Ristorante Dornie. He had put out a cryptic message among the librarians for information on the murder and one of them had heard something about it. But he can’t tell him about it over the phone. 

It was too dangerous. 

This librarian is not a Norm. He is a halfling. Half dragon, half norm. He looked like a Norm but has more powers with the power to shape shift easily. Callan walked up to one of the houses, marked with an X, and knocked on the door.

A tall imposing man with flowing long white hair opened the door. His golden eyes looked furtively around before resting on Callan. He noticed the three humans locked in Callan’s car. 

“Come in, we can’t be seen talking outside,” he said.

Callan followed him inside. Sevda Acron is a librarian at the Elits city. He was neither a Norm nor an Elit but considered a powerful being due to his dragon blood and his powers. That was why he was allowed in the Elits city and yet, he chose to live among his own kind. The village of halflings. He was not the only half norm half dragon although he was easily the most powerful among them. He also has a strong distrust of travellers from other dimensions. Legend has it, he has eaten a few humans from other worlds who had crossed him. Callan didn’t want to risk any of the two royals and the handmaiden offending Sevda. Half dragons are immune to any of the JorvTown laws and both the Norms and Elits normally stay far away from them. 

“You were spotted at the Ristorante right after the murders, the police has put out an alert with descriptions of you and the woman who was with you, the dark haired one in your car,” Sevda told him. 

Callan was not surprised. He had fully expected that. In fact, he had divined that earlier but now Sevda has confirmed it. He is running out of time. If he didn’t track down the actual killer soon, he will be arrested, his magic stripped and he will be thrown into the Wasteland. While there is no capital punishment in JorvTown, there is banishment and that is worse than death. He could not imagine a life without magic in the Wasteland where wild things and criminals roam freely, each fighting for survival in their own savage manner. 

“Do you have a way of tracing the Elit who did it? I have an image of what she looked like but I couldn’t locate her identity, I was blocked by someone more powerful,” he looked at Sevda hopefully. The half dragon is powerful and he might just have a way to help him out of this predicament. He hoped Sevda didn’t request for something he could never give in return for his help. 

“She has blazing red hair and a long lineage of strong powerful magic,” Sevda said. “It would not be easy to point the police to her, she has covered her tracks perfectly,”

“Why would an Elit kill? There were at least a dozen victims who were murdered that day,” Callan wondered to himself. “I mean, if it was a Norm, I would understand. Killing a dozen other Elits and Norms meant harnessing all of their magic and power, this would enable them to escape to another world before they were caught,”

“It is not as simple as you thought,” Sevda replied tacitly. “There are other reasons for murder, other more compelling reasons than power,” he added mysteriously. 

Callan is confused. As far as he knows, power is one of the most compelling reasons for anyone to do anything. Why else would anyone commit such a m******e?

“Sometimes, they enjoyed it,” Sevda said, answering his unasked question, matter-of-factly. 

Callan cleared his throat uneasily. It was one thing to try to track down a power-crazy Elit but it was quite another thing to track down a bloodthirsty one who enjoyed killing. 

“So, what is your advice, what should I do?” he asked Sevda. He is at wits’ end. How do you trace an all-powerful murderous Elit? She is probably safe and sound, enjoying her luxurious life in Elit town and he has no way of entering Elit town without sounding the alarm. The police are already trying to trace him and trying to cross to the Elit town will only hasten his arrest. 

Sevda gave him an unreadable look. 

“I can help you,” he offered. His offer hangs in the air. There was something about his offer that sounded slightly suspicious. But Callan trusted him. Sevda is one of the trusted librarians who would never betray a fellow librarian. At least, that’s what he thought. 

“At what costs?” Callan finally asked. 

“You introduce me to that otherworld human with dark hair in your vehicle and give me some alone time with the human,” he replied.

Callan was taken aback. He did not expect that at all. Sevda was interested in Lyvia? Alone time? He couldn’t imagine what Lyvia would do. She would probably attack Sevda. She did have a temper and a violent streak. He was more afraid for Sevda than he was for her. 

“Urm. She’s not mine to give. I will surely introduce you but the alone time is purely up to her,” he said.

Sevda laughed in reply. Callan eyed him uneasily. What is going on? 

“No, not that female human, I meant the male one,” he finally said. 

Callan sighed in relief. Oh. He meant the prince whathisname. He had no issues with that at all. Heck, Sevda can devour him whole for all he cared. He wondered if Sevda’s interest was the romantic kind or he was hungry? You can never be sure with a halfling. 

“The s****l kind,” Sevda replied his curious thoughts, an amused expression on his chiseled face, his golden eyes glinting. 

Callan wanted to slap himself. He never could get used to halfling’s mind reading abilities. It was a good thing, he wasn’t thinking any nasty offensive thoughts. 

“That in itself is offensive but I am feeling magnanimous, lead the way, I want to meet the ravishing human,” Sevda said.

The walked to the front door together and went out. The three humans are still trapped in Callan’s car. The princess was kicking at the door furiously while her handmaiden appeared worried next to her. The prince was staring at her in awe. 

He waved. The door unlocked and sprang open, Lyvia spilled out of it. Sevda chuckled at the scene before him. Lyvia got up and brushed off the dirt from her clothes, spluttering. Her handmaiden followed her out daintily while the dark haired prince got out from the other side. He smoothened his hair and stood there regally, posing. 

“What is the meaning of this? How could you lock us in the car?!? We could have suffocated!” Lyvia was spluttering as she stomped up to them, not in the least bothered by Sevda towering above her. He is easily seven feet tall with a muscular frame. He is a sight to behold with his flowing white hair, chiselled features and glowing golden eyes. 

“Calm down, meet Sevda, he will be helping us,” Callan tried to calm Lyvia. She stopped, suddenly realising the majestic good looks of the halfling. Jinna was hiding behind her, suitably awed. 

Prince Henry did not seem to notice. He walked right up to them and stared up at Sevda.

“Well hello. So, you will be helping us eh? Are you some kind of a guard? A knight perhaps?Where is your armour?” he asked, scrutinising Sevda’s plain clothes. 

Sevda looked down at the human he had fixed his interest in. He looked even more interesting up close. He would definitely enjoy some time with this one, although he would prefer him to be quieter and not so pompous. He could imagine a few satisfying scenarios with this one. 

“This will do. I shall help you and you know what I want,” he told Callan, without taking his eyes off Henry. 

Callan swallowed. The prince wasn’t exactly his to give either but heck, who cares. He won’t miss that pompous arrogant royal. 

“Sure, deal,” he extended his hand to shake with Sevda. Sevda stared at his hand for a moment before taking it and shaking it. 

“Then, shall we go? I know where we can enter Elit town unnoticed,” he said.