The Dragon King's Heart

Florin's hands began to tremble as sweat trickled down his forehead. To give Kol clarity in his memories took a lot out of him. As things in Kol's mind go blurry again, Kol returned to the present, just as Florin falls backward. 

Kol caught Florin in his arms as he fell, carefully laying him down on the bed. 

"Are you alright?" Kol asked, concerned for his well-being. 

"I must apologize," Florin said as he laid back down, "I was not able to hold the spell for long. Were you able to see anything of use?"

Kol nodded. He described what he had seen, the people who looked to be his parents. Based on his vivid description, Florin hypothesized that the bakery in question was likely to be in the Sanguim's capital city. 

The cobblestone streets, the description of the buildings Kol had given, matched what Florin had seen in the capital. Kol grew quiet. Though he was excited to know that he had a chance to find his family, another question surfaced in his mind. 

Did they abandon him?

"Do vampires abandon their children for being hybrids?" Kol asked as he looked up at Florin. 

Surprised by his sudden question, the vampire prince had no answer to give. In the past, there was tension between vampires and hybrids. Hybrids were seen as second-class citizens in Sanguim. But that was all in the past. 

"No, they don't," Florin reassured him as he placed his hand on his. 

He did not think much of his action, nor did Kol. Florin felt the urge to help Kol as best he could. But right now, he still needed time to recuperate. Once he had regained his full strength, he would be able to help Kol. 

On the other hand, Laina was attempting to reconnect with Colette. After her return from Starfrost Mansion, Colette still refused to meet with her. Despite that, Laina did everything in her power to gain the young child's favor. 

After a lot of effort, coaxing, and bribery, Colette finally softened again. The Crown Princess still had no idea she had been played like a fiddle. On a warm summer day, Laina arranged for a fairy-themed garden party for Colette. 

Noble children from the noble families were invited into the Palace to participate and become Colette's playmates. Since Laina had already decided to take Colette in as her ward, she wanted to ensure the child had a bright future. 

Mingling with the children of the nobles not only allowed the child to socialize, it would also help build up Colette's reputation. Colette did not care for these activities, but she played along. Three tables were draped with white tablecloths and floral arrangements were combined to form a long dessert table. 

The Royal Kitchen had outdone themselves with the delectable desserts they had made. There were finger sandwiches in the shape of flowers and leaves, hand-painted sugar cookies, a macaron display, and even a chocolate fountain. 

The selection of cakes easily satisfied any sort of craving you might have. All the children were delighted with the options and so was Colette. She had a sweet tooth. Seeing all the beautifully designed desserts, she could not stop herself from trying every single one she could get her hands on. 

The adults sat at the larger tables while the children were entertained with various activities. Laina did not have much support from the Nobles of the High Court. But on such an occasion, they still turned up with their children in tow. 

They spoke cordially with Laina at the table, over piping hot tea and cakes. Laina knew they did not like her, they simply respected the authority she wielded. Colette grew bored of playing with the other children. 

She turned over to see Laina at the table, speaking to the nobles. An idea popped up in her mind. She wandered around the garden, searching for fresh flowers. She made sure no one saw her, as she wandered off to a secluded spot. 

An evil grin appeared across her face, "She'll notice I'm missing and come looking for me. That should be enough to guilt her."

Colette sat down on the grass and began to weave the flowers she had plucked together. As she did so, she kept an ear out for any commotion. It did not take long before Laina noticed Colette was missing from the other children. 

"Margaret," Laina called for her handmaid, "Have you seen Colette?"

"Your Highness, she's with the other chil-" Margaret turned over to look. She too could not seem to find Colette. 

"She's not there." 

Laina got up from her seat frantically. A sense of dread washed over her. She quickly called out for Colette, while Margaret gathered all available guards to collectively search for her. The Kinshearth Main Royal garden was huge, it even had its own maze. 

Laina's heart was pounding so loudly, she could almost hear her own heartbeat. Where could the child have gone? She wanted to join the search herself but Margaret insisted she stay put. 

"Don't worry, your Highness, I'm sure we'll find her," Margaret reassured her. 

She gestured over to the nobles and whispered, "It is best for the crown princess to keep her guests entertained."

Laina knew she meant well, and she trusted her handmaid. So she relented and returned to the company of the nobles. 

"Don't worry, your Highness, the child will turn up on her own," one of them remarked. 

"She probably just chased a butterfly into the hedge maze, they'll find her."

Laina smiled," You're probably right."

"Indeed. Well if she does go missing, all you need to do is get another ward. There is no lack of orphans to adopt anyways."

The other nobles agreed with their fellow but Laina was livid. Her eyebrows were arched, her eyes widened in surprise by the comment the noble had just made. 

"What is it that you are trying to imply? That Colette is replaceable?" Laina asked as she curled her hand into a fist.

"Your Highness, we don't mean any ill will. But the child is not your own blood, is she? Unless the rumors are…" the noble did not dare to continue. 

Laina slammed her hand down on the table, angered by the accusations and falsehood they were speaking. 

"How could you possibly speak of Colette in such a manner? She might not be of my blood but she is still a child. A living child! Her life is not any less valuable than the life of your child. How would you feel if I said the same about your daughter, Lady Rina?" Laina went off on them. 

She had not expected herself to explode like this. But there was no turning back now. She could see the expressions of the nobles growing dark. Soon it turned into anger. 

"Please do not compare my child, who is of noble blood, to that of a street urchin you decided to call your ward, your Highness," Lady Rina stood firm on her point.