PREFACE: This is the second and final part of this 9000 word story set in my SBS world. If you missed part 1 (or want to refresh your memory) you can find it here.
Alhindra found the archivist where she’d left him—sitting in a chair at the library, looking dejected.
She tossed the book onto the table, where it landed with a thud, making her friend jump. He looked up, blinking at her.
“What? Alhindra? Back already? What is going on?”
The thief pointed at the book.
His eyes fell on the cover and went wide when he recognized it for what it was.
“You found it!” He ran his fingers lovingly across its surface. “And it’s not even damaged!”
“It was Hrovar,” she said. “He had this too.”
She gently unstrapped the egg from its makeshift sling and laid it on the table in front of the old man.
His eyes went wide when he saw it.
“It can’t be!”
“What now?”
“And you say the thief had this?”
“Yes.”
“You wouldn’t happen to know what spell he was trying to cast?”
Without a word, she snatched the book up and flipped through the pages until she recognized the images. Turning the book in her hands, she shoved it into Garhel’s.
He gasped when he saw the contents.
“Oh dear, oh my! It’s a good thing you interrupted him.”
“Why? What was he doing?”
He slammed the book shut and put it down on the table with trembling hands. His eyes returned to the egg.
“Do you know what that is, child? It’s a dragon egg.”
“There haven’t been dragons for thousands of years, Garhel.”
“And that’s about how old that thing is,” he responded with a nod.
“Assuming they ever even really existed.”
“Oh, but they did! There’s strong evidence of that in our books. The legends say someday they will wake up and return.”
“Nothing about laying eggs, then?”
He grimaced. “Don’t mock the legends, child! They have a disturbing tendency to hold truths. Regardless, this is a dragon egg.” He reached out hesitantly, and promptly moved his hand back after touching its surface. “And it’s close to hatching, too.”
“You’ve touched many dragon eggs?” asked the thief.
“Don’t be ridiculous! Of course I haven’t! But I’ve read enough about them to know this one’s close to hatching. Besides, the spell would be useless if it weren’t.”
“What spell?”
He pointed at the book. “The one he wanted to cast allows to transfer one’s being into another living creature. I can only imagine he wanted to possess the unborn dragon while it was at its weakest.”
“Why would anyone want to do that?” she asked with a frown.
“Imagine how much power an evil man could wield in the body of such a fierce beast! There is no telling what horrendous acts he would have committed. We cannot allow him to try again! Take the egg and hide it somewhere safe, where ones such as he could never find it. As for the book, I will have it locked in the vault, where only accredited librarians can access it.”
“Can’t you put the egg in there too?”
He recoiled at the suggestion. “No! It’s only for books. Besides, imagine the dragon hatching while it was in there. It would be a terrible thing to do to such a creature!”
The thief mumbled. “I hadn’t thought of that.” She grabbed the egg and wrapped it up again. “Fine. I’ll figure something out.”
She tossed the sling over her shoulder and headed out.
***
Where could one hide a dragon egg? That was a thorny question, one Alhindra had no answer to. It’d have to be in an open space—that much was clear—so the dragon, once born, could easily fly off to freedom. This made it even more challenging, however, since it would make it easier to spot and retrieve.
She glanced up, wondering if a roof might work. Few people ever went up there. Then again, many in her line of work did, and she wouldn’t want one of them to stumble upon it.
Her thoughts were interrupted as a group of youths rushed past her, cheering and giggling.
“That lady was so pretty! I bet she’d make fine-looking children.”
The words sent a chill down her spine as she remembered what those men had told her.
“They’re here! Oh, no!”
Even as this realization hit her, an idea popped into her head, and a big grin formed on her lips.
“The Queen wants a unique gift, does she?”
Alhindra glanced at the egg, then broke into a sprint. If her plan was to work, she needed to reach the palace as soon as possible. This time, she would go in through the front gate, but that required some adjustments.
When she got home, she put the egg down on her bed and pulled some old dresses out of her wardrobe. She hadn’t worn any of these in ages, ever since she’d cut ties with her family.
Holding them up in the light, she sifted through the selection, velvet and lace sliding through her fingers like forgotten memories. Most were too fine, too loud—relics of a girl she no longer was. Then she found it: a gown of deep forest green, simple at first glance, but with a quiet elegance that held its own. The fabric was soft and fluid, catching light in a way that made it seem richer than it was. The bodice fit close, embroidered with a faint pattern of leaves in dark thread, barely noticeable unless you stood near. Sleeves brushed her wrists, and the skirt flowed with a weight that suggested purpose.
Glancing at the egg, she shook her head. She needed something nicer than cloths if she was going to take it into the palace. Rummaging through her room, she found a finely crafted box with emerald jewels—another remnant of bygone days. She emptied its contents and slid the egg in. It fit perfectly.
But now she had another issue, she realized. A lady would not carry something like this herself. Frustrated, she paced back and forth, thinking quickly, then snapped her fingers. She hurried to the door and looked around. Spotting a group of boys she knew, she called out to them. They ran up to her, some of them whistling at the sight.
“Oh, you look all pretty, Lhin!”
“Thanks. I need help, guys. Do any of you have fine clothes you can wear for a few hours?”
The boys scratched their heads, looking at each other with puzzled looks.
“Uhm, I suppose I could put on my brother’s uniform,” said one kid. “Not sure it’ll fit, though.”
She frowned, thinking. “He’s a soldier, isn’t he?”
“Yeah.”
“Hmm. There’s a thought. Where is he right now?”
“I don’t know. Probably patrolling the streets.”
She felt the frustration coming back.
“Alright, change of plans. Can you guys go out and find me two soldiers? People you know, preferably, as they’ll be more likely to follow you. Tell them a lady needs their help and is willing to pay for their services.”
“What kind of help?”
“To carry something heavy to the palace. And this is urgent, guys!”
They hurried off and she went back inside, fuming. The egg itself wasn’t so heavy, but the box was. She could have gone out looking for men, but she didn’t want to risk dirtying the dress.
She fell into a chair and waited.
***
When the knock came, she jumped out of her chair and hurried to the door.
Two men stood there, with the kids watching from behind.
The soldiers looked her up and down appraisingly.
“Wouldn’t have expected to see a dress like this in this part of town,” said the taller one.
“That does look really nice,” said the other.
She didn’t have the time—or patience—for small talk, so she went straight to the point.
“Thanks, guys, but this is an emergency. I need your help to carry a box to the palace. I’ll pay you for your service, of course.”
She held up a fat purse and handed it over to the tall one.
He opened it, glanced inside, and nodded.
“This is quite generous.”
“I’ll give you another just like that one once we’re done, but you’ll have to stick with me until the end.”
The other grimaced. “We do have duties, you know?”
She grunted. “Come on, guys! I’ll make it worth your while.”
He looked her up and down again. “Yeah? How?”
She snapped her fingers to draw their attention away from her outfit.
“Hey! Stay focused, will you?” She took a deep breath. “Alright, here’s the deal. I’ll give you a third purse, just like that one, and I’ll owe you a favor—one each. And by favor, I mean, well, I can get you any material item you want.”
“Any?” They looked at each other. “Does this mean what I think it means?”
“I think it does.”
“Yes, any. I’m good at what I do. So, do we have a deal?”
They sighed. “Alright, I guess we can’t say no to a pretty lady in need, can we?”
“Great!”
She opened the door wider and pointed at the box, which she had placed on a table near the entrance.
“This is it.”
They each grabbed one end and held it up.
“That’s not so bad,” said the tall one. “Could probably have done it alone.”
“Hey, I want my share too!” said the other.
“No bickering,” she said. “You’ll both be paid. Now just follow me.”
She walked out, and the children gathered around her.
“Hey, Lhin! Where are you going?”
“Can we come too?”
“You look pretty!”
They all talked at the same time, and she waved them off.
“Shoo! I need space. I’ll tell you all about it later, I promise, but I need to hurry right now.”
The group reluctantly dispersed as the three walked off.
There were different roads leading to the palace. If she had been alone, she would have taken the speediest—but that would have taken her through some seedy parts of town, and that was not an option while wearing these clothes... soldiers or no soldiers. Instead, she walked the streets that crossed the wealthier neighborhoods.
At their pace, it took twenty minutes to reach their destination. All the while, Alhindra was growing increasingly restless and apprehensive. Would she be too late? How far into the reception had they gotten? Surely, they would only have started... It had only been a couple of hours since the nobles had arrived.
When they finally reached the palace, the guards took one look at them and nodded, letting them through.
She walked the halls like she owned them, head held high, and intent on her purpose, though her heart was beating fast.
They reached the throne room, where all the nobles had assembled. She was relieved to see they were still busy making presentations.
She took a deep breath and melted into the crowd.
***
It would not have been proper for her to come forward yet. She was alone. These other women had all come with large retinues and were being introduced by their parents or siblings. Best to wait until they were all done, so she could outshine them all.
The Queen, sitting on her throne, clapped her hands, and the room went quiet.
“Now that everyone has arrived and been properly introduced, we shall commence the proceedings immediately.” She turned to look at those of her court who had come to watch. “As you know, I have requested that anyone who wishes to marry my son should come bearing gifts. Special gifts. Unique gifts. The most unique of all shall win his hand.” Her eyes turned to the visiting nobles. “So, which of you shall go first?”
An old man with a gray beard, wearing the blue stripes of the Eastern city of Namar, stepped forward and bowed.
“My Queen, I have come bearing the prettiest and most unique gifts of all. Behold!”
He turned and waved to his servants, who came forth with a small box. The man picked it up, opened it, and turned it toward the monarch, inclining it so she could see what it held.
The Queen blinked as she looked at it, unimpressed.
“A flower?”
The man turned, making sure everyone in the audience could see it too while he responded.
“Ah! A flower, yes, but not any flower. This is the snow flower. It only sprouts once a decade, when the weather is coldest, on the peaks of Mount Arvast. My men had to risk their lives, facing the harshest of storms, to pluck this beauty from the ground where it held fast.”
Alhindra held back a snicker. His men indeed. This fellow would not have left the comforts of his palace for all the gold in the world. Granted, he was here now, but there was little risk in that.
“Thank you, Lord Manvar. We shall consider your proposition.”
The old one bowed again, then stepped back, handing the box with the flower to his servants.
A younger man came forward, bringing a smile to the Queen’s lips.
“Prince Garvath. What does your family have to offer?”
Alhindra straightened, her interest piqued. She’d always liked the heir of Vorth.
The man bowed. “My Queen, I am delighted to make this proposition in the name of my father—who, as you know, was too ill to make the trip.” He held up his hands as he spun to look at the whole audience while he spoke. “For generations, the Atispars were known as the most skilled and hard-working jewelers in the kingdom. Even after we came to power, we maintained the tradition. My brother—who is with us today.” He turned and pointed at a young bearded man, who bowed at the mention. “My brother, I say, is the best in this respect. He far surpasses all who came before him. This is no boast, it is fact. And he took it upon himself, at the request of our father, to forge the most spectacular and unique gift of all. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you... the Everglow!”
Even as he spoke the name, his brother opened a velvet-lined box. Inside nestled a gem unlike any crafted by mortal men. At first glance, it seemed like a teardrop of frozen starlight—clear, but pulsing softly with color from within. Hints of violet, gold, and deep ocean blue shimmered just beneath the surface, shifting with every tilt like a storm trapped in crystal. Set in a delicate frame of silver vines, the jewel’s edges were smooth but asymmetrical, as if it had grown rather than been cut. No one could quite say what it was—diamond, opal, something older—but it drew the eye like a whispered secret, impossible to ignore. The kind of gift that wasn’t just beautiful... but unforgettable.
Mutters rippled through the crowd as everyone gaped—Alhindra included. She would have loved to snatch that beauty up, if only for herself. Maybe she would do just that. Later. But, for now, she needed to remain focused.
The Queen was clearly pleased as a smile crept up her lips.
“That is quite the present. Thank you, Prince Garvath. You have done your family honor. You may step aside now.” She looked to her right, where a contingent wearing the purple colors of the North waited anxiously. “Lord Farran, would you like to go next?”
The man she had addressed—a portly fellow with thinning hair—stepped forward and bowed.
“It would be my greatest honor, Your Majesty.” He straightened and cleared his throat, throwing a glance at the smirking Garvath. “While I’ll gladly admit this gem is of utmost magnificence, it does not attain the uniqueness of what we have brought.”
The Queen quirked a brow. “No?”
The man shifted, casting glances at the crowd. “Of course, I do not mean to belittle such craftsmanship, but what is done by man can be done once again. And thus, by its nature, it is not truly unique as it could be reproduced.” When he noticed the angered look on the two brothers, he waved his hands. “That is not to say that anyone could do it! But, you, my prince, who are so gifted with your hands, could certainly make another if you wished to.” Having successfully placated the Atispars, he turned to face the queen again. “What I offer, however, could not be reproduced in a million years. For it is the last of its kind. And the day it dies, there will never be another like it again.”
He clapped his hands, and two purple-clad men lifted a large cage covered with a veil, brought it forth, and set it down next to their lord.
Farran grabbed the veil and pulled it off with a sudden jerk, revealing inside a small monkey with bright red fur streaked with yellow and white stripes.
Alhindra looked around to watch how people reacted and frowned when she realized her beloved Therin was nowhere to be seen. How could she have missed that? All this was for him; how could he not be here?
She leaned toward the man standing in front of her and tapped on his shoulder. The fellow turned and blinked at her.
“Yes? What is it, then?”
“I’m surprised not to see Prince Therin. Do you know where he is?”
“You must have arrived late,” he responded in a chiding tone. “The Queen warned he could not attend. He does not feel well, is what she said. Now hush! I want to hear about the monkey.”
Odd. He seemed fine last I saw him, she thought. No matter. I bet he’ll feel great when I tell him I’ve swayed his mother.
She grinned at the thought, turning her attention back to the cage.
The monkey was unusually quiet. It just sat there, looking around, and glancing at the crowd as the Lord Regent told his story.
“—in the ruins beneath Hulun. We nursed it back to health, and it has been with us ever since.”
The Queen’s expression was unreadable, though her words were clear enough.
“Does it do anything?”
Farran seemed taken aback by the question.
“Do anything, Your Majesty?”
She waved her hand, gesturing toward the creature.
“It’s just sitting there, staring at us. Is that all it does?”
The Lord Regent looked back and forth between the monarch and the monkey, clearly at a loss for words.
“But, my queen, it is the last of its kind!”
“So you’ve already said.”
“And look how beautiful its coat is! Have you ever seen such vivid colors?”
The Queen nodded. “Very well. The Crown thanks you for this gift, Lord Farran. You may step aside.” She turned to the last group. “We shall now hear what the West has to offer. Lord Sadirash?”
A large man with brown skin and white hair stepped up to the throne and bowed. There was no faltering in his voice when he spoke.
“Your Majesty does us a great honor today, and we can only respond in kind. Thus, I took it upon myself to commission the most wondrous gift of all. It is well known across the kingdom that the greatest and most powerful casters live in my city. It is understandable, of course, because Narwhel has the only casting academy in our nation. And so I went to the academy and asked its most brilliant scholars to conceive a magic item like none that was ever made before.” He glanced at Farran. “Before my colleague disputes how unique this gift truly is, I would point out that it is the product of ten of the most powerful casters to have ever lived. Not only that, but its nature is intrinsically linked to the time when it was made—the weather, the environment, the texture of the soil... Needless to say, it would be impossible to reproduce, even if the same ten casters were to try again. The result, by necessity, would be different.”
The Queen’s interest was piqued. She straightened in her seat and nodded.
“And what is this wonderful item, pray tell?”
Sadirash smiled as he pulled a black wooden wand from his belt and held it up in front of her.
“This, my queen. It may not look like much, but Therin’s Law is imbued with such power it could bring a monarch to their knees.” When he saw her quirked brow, he smiled. “Except you, of course. It is so designed as to only respond to the ruler of Namadia and to shield them from ill-intentioned spells.”
“And you named it Therin’s Law?”
“It only seemed fitting if it is to win his hand for my daughter.”
“And it would serve him once he ascended the throne?”
The Lord Regent of the West bowed. “Indeed, it would.”
The Queen smiled. “We are pleased. Many wonderful gifts have been brought before us. Now that we’ve seen them all, we shall—”
Alhindra’s heartbeat quickened as she shouted.
“There is one more to see!”
Many startled looks turned to her as she marched through the crowd, motioning for the two soldiers to follow her with the box.
The Queen frowned, not yet able to see her.
“Who is this? I thought all eligible ladies of the realm were accounted for.”
When Alhindra stepped out of the crowd, the monarch instantly recognized her. She jumped off her throne.
“Karpa!” she hissed.
“Alhindra is the name, Your Majesty. And what I bring you is truly unique. Even more so than Vorth’s sublime gem.” She smiled at the two princes as she walked past them. “For what I have, my queen, is, like the monkey, the last of its kind. However, it... well, it is not a monkey.” She smirked as she turned, lifted the lid, tilted the box, and swirled it around so everyone could see it. “It is a dragon’s egg.”
Gasps went through the crowd.
“That’s impossible!” cried out a man’s voice.
“Dragons have been extinct for thousands of years!” shouted another.
“It is close to hatching, too,” she added as she looked back at the Queen. “And with this gift, I humbly ask to be granted the hand of your son.”
Therin’s mother was fuming.
“Gift! Ha! You likely stole it. I should have you arrested and thrown into a cell!”
But she won’t do that, reflected the thief. She’s too scared of how my so-called family would react. Not that they would care what happened to me, but they’d jump at any opportunity to take a stab at her—and our dear queen knows that.
Alhindra crossed her arms as she held the older woman’s gaze.
“Is it or is it not more unique than any of the other gifts?” she asked defiantly. “Because if it is, then you owe me—”
“I owe you nothing!” The Queen stepped closer, lowering her voice so only the thief could hear her. “Your little games with my son are over, Karpa. I told him you were dead. Drowned in the Markanash. Even showed him a corpse that looked eerily like yours. He was quite convinced. Cried all his tears, if it’s any consolation. Now you shall leave and never set foot in this palace again if you don’t want to rot in a cell for the rest of your days! Get out of my sight! Now!”
She shouted the last word, and she saw guards coming closer, hands on their swords. All she could think of, though, was what she’d said about Therin. Could it be true? Could she have been so cruel?
This can’t be happening! I need to see him right away...
Swirling around, she snatched the egg out of the box—there was no way she was leaving it here after the way she had been treated—and ran toward the exit.
“Hey! What about our money?” one of the soldiers shouted.
“Come to my house tomorrow,” she said over her shoulder, never slowing down, “and you’ll get what I promised!”
She ran into the hall, then climbed the stairs two by two, heart beating fast.
I have to tell him it’s a lie. He must see me!
When she reached the prince’s room, she saw guards posted at the entrance and froze in her steps.
She wouldn’t get in through the front door, that much was clear.
No matter. She knew all the secrets of the palace. They could never keep her from seeing him!
She hurried down a side hall and stopped when she reached the portrait of Therin’s grandfather. Glancing around, she made sure she was alone before reaching out and pulling on one of the torches. The wall swung open, and Alhindra slipped through the opening, then closed it before making her way through the secret passage.
It was dark, but she knew the way by heart. Within seconds, she reached the panel that opened into the prince’s room and went in.
She froze and gasped when she saw him.
“Therin!”
He sat on the floor, eyes closed and back against the bed, an empty vial in his hand. It was turned sideways, and some of its contents had spilled out, staining the carpet. But what had taken her breath away was how pale he looked.
She hurried to his side, falling to her knees, and dropping the egg next to her so she could grab him with both hands.
“Therin! My love! It’s me! I’m here, I’m alive!”
She shook him, but he did not respond.
His skin was so cold.
That was when she noticed the note on the bed.
She snatched it up, and tears welled in her eyes as she read it.
Forgive me, Mother, for what I must do, but I cannot bear the thought of living one day without Alhindra. If she is gone, then I must go as well, so that we may be together again. Perhaps we shall find happiness now, far from the strictness and constraints of the court. Goodbye.
“No! Therin! What have you done!”
The note fell out of her hands as she wrapped her arms around the dead man’s neck, squeezing him tight against her, rocking his body, crying like she had never cried before.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the egg, and her eyes went wide.
***
There was a way to fix this, but she needed to act quickly.
First, she dragged Therin’s body into the secret passage to avoid anyone finding him and carrying him off where she couldn’t reach him. She snatched his note up—it’d be no good if someone found it before she was done—then grabbed the egg and closed the hidden panel behind her. Concerned that some might know about the secret opening, she took the prince deeper into the tunnels, wasting precious time, but everything else would be for naught if she couldn’t get to him when she needed to. She left the egg with him, as it would only hinder her, and she wouldn’t need it until she returned.
Once she was confident no one would find him, she rushed back to the library. She worried the book would already be in the vault as she climbed onto the roof and sneaked her way to the window Eben had used. Looking through the glass, she let out a sigh of relief when she saw it, resting on the same table where she’d last seen it. She guessed there must be a protocol to follow, and it might take time before it was locked up.
Alhindra felt a pang of guilt as she forced the window open, tied a rope to the edge, and climbed down. She’d sworn to Garhel that she’d never steal from him—and she had meant it, too! But it was either this or letting her love fall in his final sleep; and that, she was not willing to do. She couldn’t lose him!
She quickly flipped through the pages to make sure it was the right book and not some other one that looked like it, then went back up, pulled the rope up, and shut the window.
Half an hour later, she was back next to Therin’s body. She sat in the dark and dusty tunnel, her cheeks still wet from all her crying. The thief wiped the tears and lit some candles, placing them on the ground. She flipped to the page she remembered from before and read the text while she held the egg.
The thief had no idea what the words meant, but at least she could read them. She wasn’t sure if she was saying them right, but she didn’t care. She had to try!
The egg felt warmer than before. It even seemed to move for a few seconds, startling her.
Despite the incident, she held firm and kept reading until she had read the entire page. Then she fell quiet and stared at the egg.
It had stopped rocking, but there now was an odd gray glow around it. There was a similar one—albeit of a more bluish hue—surrounding her loved one.
She waited... and waited... until both glows finally faded.
Alhindra didn’t know if the spell had worked, but convinced herself that it had. That was her only hope!
She dragged Therin back to his room—she would not let his body rot in a dusty hall! He would get the proper burial he deserved. She made sure to leave the note on him. That awful woman deserved to know what she had done, how she had murdered her own son!
Except he was not really dead, she could feel it inside her heart. But that was only for her to know. Let them all think he was gone. Maybe now they could finally be together.
She took the egg, slipped out of the castle, and went back home. After leaving some money on the table for the soldiers and grabbing a bag to carry the egg more easily, she dropped the book at Garhel’s with a goodbye note, then headed out of town.
Alhindra was on her own now. She would find a place to live—in the forest, or in the mountains, it mattered little to her. There she would wait, however long it took.
Yes, she would wait for the egg to hatch.
And then, she and Therin could live happily ever after.
If you like my writing, please consider buying a copy of my novel, upgrading to a paid subscription, or making a Paypal or Ko-fi donation. As an independent author, any of these would help a lot!
Want to read more of my epic fantasy? Check out these stories:
The Fall of Vaeldur (a man attempts to save a creature from a life of servitude)
Throne of Dagoth (Thimmin and Kelle set out to steal the King’s throne… What?)
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Text (c) 2025 by Alex S. Garcia.
Header: royalty-free stock images, edited by me.
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Brilliant! A lovingly crafted tale of twists and turns.
absolutely love this story please let me know if you write a book continuing this storyline especially how she lived & where how long did she have to wait for the egg to hatch. & was Therin soul inside the dragon & so much more. Leona