The Dragon Prince’s Forbidden Affair
CHAPTER 25.5: A Chance Meeting

CHAPTER 25.5: A Chance Meeting

A middle-aged woman answered the door. “Oh. I didn’t expect any visitors. Can I help you?”

“I live on the outskirts of the town. It’s the house outside of the woods but close and there aren’t anyhouses near it. You’re the closest thing I have to a neighbor, so I thought I’d say hello.” I smiled.

“That’s nice, I’m Betty. Would you like to come in?” She stared at the feather Konn gave me since Iwore it as a necklace.

I walked in. “This is a nice place.” I put my sketch book down.

Betty sat down on the couch and gestured for me to sit next to her. “Where did you get that feather?”

I covered it. “A friend.”

She got up. “Don’t worry I’m not going to take it; I have plenty dragon feathers and scales.” She leanedover the side of the couch and pulled up a small chest and opened it.

I gasped. “Wow.” I looked at my feather. I knew it had to be Konn’s dragon feather. “Why are youshowing me?”

“Because you have one and you said you live close, I just moved in this morning. I’m not stupid, you’renot stupid. If I saw there was a house close, I wouldn’t have magically moved mine here.”

I chuckled nervously. “Yeah, it wasn’t here yesterday… My friend gave me this… I’m not sure why.”

“Dragons gift their feathers and scales for all kinds of reasons. Some do it as a thank you becausethey’re valuable. Some do it because they’ll want something in return and for some it’s a token ofaffection.” I wondered which one applied to me. “Humans are very rarely gifted dragon feathers andscales. Do you come from a family of witches?”

I shook my head. “I wish.”

“I can teach you witchcraft.” Betty offered.

“What? Why?” Could I really learn magic just like that?

“If a dragon trusted you with his feather, then I trust you. Us witches have a good sense of judgement.Come back in a week for lessons.”

For the next four years I learned witchcraft under her. She taught me all about the magical world and itshistory. I felt like I belonged there.

When I turned eighteen, I moved in with her, I was a live-in apprentice. I learned a lot and when I wasnineteen, she was ready to take me to the hidden world that was full of magical beings. “Mae, we needto be careful here as humans.”

I laughed. “You say we need to be careful in the outside world as witches too.”

Betty shrugged. “Exactly, we need to be careful in both worlds.” She looked at my feather necklace.“Don’t get your hopes up, the hidden world is vast Mae.”

I looked down at it. “I know…”

We spent the next few days visiting different magic shops. We stayed in a hotel in a mage kingdom. Isaw a few dragons flying but at a distance. I didn’t think any of them were Konain because I was surewhen I’d see him, I’d know.

I stared out the window. “Is Konain an average name for a dragon shifter?”

Betty sighed. “You want to look for him, don’t you? Konain is a name of high status, not the highest buta noble name. Do you remember anything about him?”

I thought back to that afternoon. “He was with his father and grandfather. I think his grandfather hadsome sort of power because he was able to see me hiding with what he called his third eye. He wasalso able to replace my house even though I gave poor instruction. They were looking for a gemstone, andI think. Konn said his best friend was a prince.”

Betty sat down in a chair. “It sounds like his grandfather was a holder and that would make theirkingdom the first Dragon Kingdom Wilwar. He should be still living in the castle.”

My eyes lit up. “Is it far from here Gram?” I called Betty Gram because I saw her as family. She didmore for me than my own family. She taught me not to knock my humanity. I would always say Iwanted to be a fairy or a mage, but she made me feel pride in being human.

“It is but you can portal there. I try to take as little portals as possible in my old age. You should go onyour own,” she suggested.

So, the next day I took a portal to Wilwar. There were a lot of places that would open portals for you,and they were called portal stops. I took the portal to the central city and walked the rest of the way tothe castle. I walked to the gates. “Do you have a written statement that you’ve been invited?” A guardasked.

I wasn’t sure if it was going to be a problem. “No… but I’m here to see a friend.”

“They’ll need to be present with you or you need to have them call ahead so your name is on the list ofapproved guests,” The guard explained.

I walked away then stopped and sat at the gates. I was surprised no one asked me to move. I waitedand watched everyone who went back and forth. I didn’t see Konn.

The next day I came back and this time I brought lunch. “Mrs.” A guard walked to me after a while. “Ioverheard you yesterday, who’s your friend?”

I stood up. “Konain, he goes by Konn.”

She definitely knew who I was talking about. “The Prince’s aid and son to the adviser?”

I nodded. “That’s him.”

“I can see if I can get him for you, he’s usually really busy but I promise I’ll come right back.” Sherushed off.

I was excited, if it weren’t for her, I’m not sure what I would have done. I waited around for another halfan hour. “Mae?”

I turned to see a man who was definitely the boy I spend an afternoon with as a little girl. “You didn’tforget.”

Konn looked concerned. “I said I wouldn’t but why are you here?”

“Yeah… I’m sorry if this is weird. I’m visiting from the outside world and I thought I’d come to see yousince never came back.” He probably never thought of me. “I can go, I just thought-“

He cut me off. “I’ll give you, my number. If you’re still around on my next off day we can catch up. I’mworking now and I don’t want to rush you.”

I took my phone out and gave it to him, so he’d put my number in it. I smiled when he handed myphone back to me. “I’ll see you soon.” I walked away and kept looking back. Each time I would lookback I could see him watching me leave.