Sasha was irritated.

“Esmeralda, give me another one.”

Esmeralda put down a pint and a scrambled egg.

“You know, since I lost Aiden I could really need some extra help. I happen to notice you seem to be in need of some work.”

“What do you have? It better be fast work.”

“It is fast and well paid. I have some really tuff one as well.” Esmeralda cleaned the bar, bending closer lowering her voice. “I’ve been asked to report when you show up.”

“Who?”

“People I can’t refuse and well paid indeed. The question is if you want to run away before I send the message or if you stay?”

“Elias?”

“Yeah, and his mother. I would rather run than to meet the queen. I´m just giving you heads up since you are you.”

“Is the courier already on the way?”

“No, she is waiting at the backdoor. So, how do you want it?”

“I will eat my egg. Then you can tell Elias to meet me where I painted his body in purple.”

“And the queen?”

“Say what you have to say. I understand. And Esmeralda, please give Elias the instructions on what orders you need. I am restless.”

“No one wants a restless Sasha”, Esmeralda chuckled. “Last time it happen the priest had to work overtime.”

“I gave them fair warning.”

“Yeah, and they had gotten in Isaak’s hair for too long.”

Sasha could go back to her mother and Ivy, but she dreaded it. Waiting in the cottage would have been even worse. That’s the reason she was sitting in the café, eating a cinnamon bun and listening to Evelina. Waiting for Elias to find her.

“So, what do you think? Am I too old?”

“You are the perfect age”, Sasha confirmed. “And I might have someone that could help you out, finding a place to stay. Showing you around.”

“What if they won’t have me?”

“Evelina, you are a clever witch, and you have the maturity the younger are missing. I promise you the only problem you will have is to choose your speciality.”

She could not ask Greg for more favours, but she would anyhow, and he would agree. Evelina had years to catch up and she would have the perfect introduction if Greg mentored her. He was a genie, and Sasha knew first-hand the gain of his supervision.

“Have you never regretted not going to school?” Evelina asked, looking at her cup of tea, as if it could answer her questions.

Sasha heard the sound of the door opening. She forced a smile upon seeing the familiar face. She hoped Elias would not make a scene at the bakery  for leaving him behind with her mother, Ivy and Isaak.

“I do have a better teacher than they could give me”, she said to Evelina, nodding towards the door.

Evelina turned around, glancing towards the door and whispering.

“The prince?”

“Yes”, Sasha said. “He made me volunteer to be his pupil, quite adamant about the subject.”

Silently Sasha was happy Evelina was there, her adoration would force Elias to behave. 

“Sasha”, Elias said and pulled out a chair. He looked from her to Evelina. His eyes were unreadable but his smile never faltered, the voice rich as chocolate. “And you are?”

“Evelina. My oldest friend”, Sasha said. “If you don’t treat her well I will kill you.”

“Sasha!” Evelina gasped, her hand trying to cover her chock. “He is the prince”, she hissed.

“And here I was afraid you had gotten yourself into trouble”,Elias mocked. “Glad to see you are alive and kicking.”

“Well, enough small talk. Did you get the list?” Sasha asked.

“Yes”, Elias said, picking a paper up from his pocket and reluctantly handing it over to Sasha. “I have some considerations though.”

Sasha eyed the list. This was not a problem. It was just five ingredients, of which three would be as easy as to get grocery shopping. The last two was a bit of a stretch though. Those would be quite rare. Putting all of the ingredients together Sasha would guess Esmeralda saw a business in love potions.

“This will be fun”, Sasha said waving with the piece of paper.

“I have a stipulation if I am going to help you”, Elias said and snapped the list back. He took a bite from her cinnamon bun, the approving sound getting Evelina to go up fetching another one.

“Who said anything about needing help?” 

She didn’t want to do this with him. She really would prefer being alone, she bet he wanted an explanation she wasn’t ready to give.

“I can give you some slack from the queen’s men, if you agree to work with me.” He rocked the chair. “Mother would send her torpedoes if you go solo.”

“Are you trying to bribe me?” 

He tried to corner her and the smile on Elias face was the one of someone knowing he had sealed the deal.

“It would be very beneficial working with me Sasha. I would make it worth the deal.” 

He leaned in closer, the yellow in his eyes both promising and threatening. 

“I got you a cinnamon and some tea, my Prince”, Evelina interrupted.

“Thank you”, Elias said, smiling warmly at Evelina. “They taste like heaven.”

“I can see the benefit of getting rid of the queens men”, Sasha reluctantly said sipping her tea as she studied Elias and Evelina. “What’s the catch?”

“Well, maybe that is something better discussed with no ladies in the room”, Elias said. “You owe me.”

Sasha rolled her eyes. Elias just smiled towards Evelina.

“Very well”, Sasha said and rose. She gave her friend a hug.  “I will be back in a week Evelina. I want you to meet someone that can help you decide on which education to pursue.”

“Shall we?” Elias said and took Sasha under the arm. “Let’s finish off that list.”

When they went outside the door Sasha saw not one of Elias men’s. She had expected guards, but there were only the local townspeople curiously looking at them.

“Dare to meet me without your wannabes?”

“I guessed Esmeralda's list was one preferable handled without my people involved.”

“So you are in?”

“If it means I can keep an eye on you it’s a fair deal.”

“Nah, you missed me that much Elias? Did you?” Sasha felt the emptiness in her stomach, the orb was gone and she was playing with fire. Still she couldn’t help herself.

“I have promised three people so far to keep you alive. It looks like either you are popular or just keen on getting into trouble.”

“And which do you think it is?”

Elias stopped. He looked at her, planting his hands around her waist.

“You are a lier, a thief and a killer.” His eyes had a mad gleam in them. “I think you are trouble Sasha. And I have missed trouble.”

“I am trouble that will collect the finest ingredients for brewing a love potion. On Esmeralda's behalf”, she hurriedly added. Sasha took half a step backwards, but Elias took a step forward, his hands still lying lose around her. Sasha shook her head and looked confounded at him. “Now, tell me what the catch is.” 

And tell her why he was all sweet and not a word about Isaak.

“Lets assume we make a deal, then you owe me a favour.  I help you get off the queens list”, Elias said. “So, should we start with the something that gets it burning inside?”

She didn’t like to bend, and she didn’t need a team. If she would have, her old team where at her disposal at Isaaks place. 

“The dragon breath and the holy water is the easy part. I would prefer the ingredient of anticipation.” Sasha looked at Esmeraldas list. It would keep her occupied for a week. 

“The anticipation?” Elias asked “You really like that don’t you?” Elias was bending closer, his breath caressing her neck, the lips almost touching her ears. “Or we wait with that until the end, my dear rebel?”

Sasha involuntarily leaned in. 

He let her go, chuckling when he saw her red cheeks. Sasha closed her fists. She could give him the dragon breath without haste. She could  roast him. He deserved it.

“We take the night of the witches and collect the mushrooms only growing in the full moon”, Sasha said reluctantly not knowing how she would handle him. 

She looked at him. He seemed to have taken her silence as an agreement to work together with him. He behaved volatile, the teasing gone, now a perfect  controlled surface with simmering feelings underneath. Yes, she would gain from his help and she wanted to get rid of the queens soldiers, but she was not sure the price would be worth it in the end.

“Are you game for it?” Elias asked. “The night of the witches are not for players.”

“I am game”, Sasha said sternly.

“I would have preferred the youth in the mountains, and bring in help for the night of the witches”, Elias commented sighing.

“Might be, but it is full moon tonight, and I don’t like waiting.”

“Well, I counted on that”, Elias said. “So impatient.”

“Do you prefer pink next time or shall we go with light green?” Sasha lashed out. 

“All things good comes to the ones who waits”, Elias said.

He put his hands in her back and started to walk.

“Are you sure the queen will let us go?”

“She is very eager to have me train you. Just keep quiet and let me do the talking.”

“Just… Stop Elias.”

“What is it?”

He was too cooperative, too smooth and they weren’t a team. Only her and Ivy were a team. 

“I need to know, what about Isaak and Ivy? And what do you want in return for covering for me again? What are you really telling the queen?”

“That is a lot of questions. Let’s walk with me to the stable, and we discuss it then?” Elias said.

“I have no reason to have faith in you”, Sasha wasn’t moving. “I will not walk into the castle.”

“You had trust enough in me to ask me to come to the bakery. Don’t play games with me Sasha. If you didn’t trust me you wouldn’t be here.”

Elias was right. If Elias wasn’t to be trusted Ivy would have warned her long time ago. Still, walking back to the castle was a completely new level of trust. She may trust him, but she didn’t trust he could handle the queen and the king. Elias sighed.

“Just rest assure I need your help with something. I have a very real reason for keeping you alive, outside of you being entertaining.”

“And that is?”

“Well, since the rumours soon are out that Isaak is single, every woman in the town will want to buy love potions from Esmeralda. I guess it will be quite lucrative to work with you.”

He wasn’t answering her questions. Instead he tried to get her confused.

“I don’t need you. Let the queen try to catch me Elias. I have outsmarted both of you before.”

 

“Ok Sasha. Here is the deal. I will get both Ivy and Isaak off the hook, as well. All you have to do is to help me with a favour.”

She was tempted. 

“Which is?”

“You know the queen want to make you strong. I will ensure you get the magic next time to be able to search for some information I need.”

Sasha pondered. He was promising her Isaak and Ivys freedom for some information. That couldn’t be that bad? Could it?

“Deal. If you safeguard Isaak and Ivy, help me with Esmeralda's list and gets me off the hook with the queen I will help you.” She was agreeing, but she would not go close to the queen. “But you go back by yourself and get us two horses. I will collect the rest of the stuff we need. I bet you can outsmart the queen all on your own. I am not going into the castle.”

“Can you handle things without killing my men until I am back?”

He had a point. If the queen was still looking for her, there was quite the risk she would accidentally end up in trouble. She was low profile, but that wouldn’t help her right now.

“I go down to the dragons and collect the dragon breath. Meet me there.”

Elias nodded. Sasha smiled, she would fit in quite right. The underground was the safest place for a monster. No one dared to enter the dragon´s world.

They parted ways just outside the castle walls. Sasha went the small path to the entrance of the labyrinth. Her mind was wandering. She was confused about her sister and Isaak. Sacha had been avoiding Ivy, not wanting her opinion on what she had asked Greg to do. Now she questioned that decision. As she questioned her choice not being honest with Elias. 

The ladder down was slippery. Sasha listened for other adventures, but heard no sound, neither of monster nor of human. She bet the king’s men were pretty tired of searching the labyrinth for her. Instead they were searching for Isaak. It left a foul taste in Sasha’s mouth.

The second ladder was dryer, and her path down to the dragons was smooth. The area was surprisingly free from monsters.

“Welcome my lady”, the hiss of one of the snakes teased her chin.

Before she had been afraid of the big creatures. Now the dragons left her with pleasure and a dull ache to fight. She knew they would let her ride her, and inside her was an urge to fly the heavens and burn the soil. There was a connection with the big black thing in front of her.

“You have been awaiting me?”

“I could feel your movements in the earth above, miles before you reached down here. And besides, the queen has asked us to guide you to her.”

“Thanks”, Sasha said. “But before we go. I have an empty bottle here. I would like to fill it with the breath of dragons. May I ask of your help? Please?”

The snake hissed and cleared his throat.

“I am an youngster and not that good on fire yet. Please place the bottle away from you and I will make a try.”

Sasha put down the bottle and took a closer look at the enormous dragon. He was black in skin, the scalar a greenish vibrancy. His head was the ones of a snake, but with wings behind the ears, and now he filled them up as he took in air. He looked like a big mean butterfly, and a tiny fire licked his tongue. Carefully he bended down towards the bottom of the tunnel and blew his fire inside Sashas bottle.

“I am pretty satisfied with that one”, he boosted. “I really got it under control this time.”

His blue eyes lit up, as he smiled towards her, and the complete skin started to crawl.

“What is happening?” Sasha asked.

“I am about to shift skin. As we grow older and more advanced in our magic, we decrease in size.”

“Congratulations”, Sasha said.

“Thanks. Now, if you follow me. The procedure will take a while, so I have time to walk you to the queen first.”

“I could make a lot of money on that skin”, Sasha said, putting her hand on the cold smooth surface and petting him. “Have any use of it when you are ready?”

“No, you can have it if you want to.”

“Thanks”

“Anything for the queen”, the snake said, turning left in a tunnel.

“The queen”, Sasha said and bowed. “Here we are.”

“I will be waiting at the entrance”, the young dragon said, turning around.

“Thank you.”

“Give me a rub and we are even.”

Sasha went into the tunnel, casting an eye backward looking at the young snake. He would make her rich.

The queen looked intently at her. Sasha smiled and bowed.

“Welcome”, the queen said and moved forward. She sniffed at Sasha, her head waving from side to side. Sasha felt almost hypnotised looking at the dancing movement of the dragons head.

“Thanks. I met one of your youngest.”

“Yes. We have not much time. Anna is on her way down here.”

“Anna? The queen is coming?”

“Yes. And as of now, I don’t want the two of you to meet.”

“Off that we agree.”

“I approve of the adventures you seek Sasha, but do remember this”, the queen moved forward, casting glances towards the tunnel behind her. “There might come a time when everything turns upside down, and you don’t know what to do. Come to me then.”

“I come to you now”, Sasha said. “Isaak is turning Ivy down in order to protect her. It will crush her.”

The dragon nodded, the smile in her eyes saying she already knew.

“The rouge will become the king”, she said. “And the king will become the villain.”

The dragon blew out a mist of hot air over Sasha. She could feel the tingling of magic brushing at her skin. It was the sweetest magic she had ever felt, it ingrained her soul, as if she was finally a complete puzzle. Sasha felt her eyes getting wet, the warmth and love within her trying to explode. She hugged the queen, wanting to say something, but knew the queen understood. 

“Go now baby princess. Hurry”, the queen said.

Sasha heard the footsteps of someone wearing high heels in the tunnels. She moved towards the shadows. With soft steps she went the same way as she came.

She would make the world turn upside down.