Shadows Over Arcadia Chapter 26: 26. Jade's Duty

Read chapter 26 of Shadows Over Arcadia by Zacheas on NovelPedia.

26. Jade's Duty I am Jade, 10 years old, and I am a Mage who serves my tribe of Kobold as the Dragon Priestess. https://shadowsoverarcadia.com/api/storage/objects/uploads/375d2676-954a-4a2d-b23f-f0fae787f13b I hurry down the east tunnel of the hatchery wing, my claws rapidly clattering against the cold stone floor. My breath comes quick and heavy, but I don’t slow down. The tunnel twists and turns, its walls smooth and seamless, magically hewn from the cavern my tribe calls home. I rush past numerous junctions and stone archways leading to various chambers, the steady glow of light crystals lining the walls casting soft, dim light over my path. My long white and grey ceremonial robes feel too restrictive, ill-fitted for running, but I push forward. Head Priestess Skeera would certainly disapprove. She always says that running is unbecoming of a Dragon Priestess. But who cares what she thinks? Priestess Skeera has a lot of rigid opinions about how a priestess should behave, but they can all be summed up by a single rule, “no fun allowed”. A personal life? Out of the question. In her mind, every moment of my existence should be dedicated to catering to the chaotic whims of the wild, irresponsible, rude and violent princess. Stealing baked sweet root from the kitchen and sneaking off to eat a quick snack with one of my old clutchmates under the guise of fetching supplies? Definitely forbidden. Fortunately, I've never been particularly good at following stupid rules. I reach the door of Hatchery Chamber two and tap on it with my clawed foot, my hands occupied holding two plates stacked with warm sweet roots. "Morning, Priestess Jade," comes a familiar voice. I turn just in time to see Lady Yrix, one of the senior minders, passing by with her usual air of self-importance. Like most other kobolds, she is at least a head taller than me, but her scales are pale red, faded by her advanced age, while mine are bright emerald green. She doesn’t stop, but she does slow down just enough to give me a judging glance. "What brings you by here… again?" she asks, her tone clearly implying that I am not where I’m supposed to be. "Official Dragon Priestess business," I lie smoothly, flashing a big, toothy grin. Tsk . I distinctly hear the disapproving click of her tongue as she turns and continues down the corridor. I narrow my eyes, watching the stuck-up old hag scuttle off. She should focus on minding her own scales. At three years old, I began my apprenticeship as a mage, the job I actually wanted. It didn’t take long to realize I had a natural talent for mana control and spellcraft. By the time I was four, I was outperforming apprentices three years my senior. At five, I passed the mage trials, becoming the youngest apprentice to ever graduate as a full-fledged mage. If I had been allowed to continue my studies in earnest, I have no doubt I could have reached the rank of master within two more years. But the tribal council had other plans. They decided that the tribe needed a Dragon Priestess more than they needed a master mage. “It’s an honor,” they told me. They said that caring for the dragons was our tribe’s most sacred duty and that my natural talents with magic were precisely why I had been chosen. The door to the hatchery creaks open, revealing the familiar pale blue scales, short horns, and bright teal eyes of my friend Rithka. The moment she sees me, her expression lights up. “Jadey! It’s good to see you!” she chirps excitedly, stepping back to let me inside. “I haven’t seen you in forever!” “I know! I’ve missed you!” I say, slipping into the room. “And I brought you a snack.” Rithka’s nostrils flare as she inhales the sweet aroma. Her eyes immediately track the plate in my hands, her tail twitching with anticipation. “Mmmmmm…” she hums, her voice practically dripping with longing. “That smells divine.” I settle into one of the four wooden chairs surrounding the sturdy stone table near the left side of the entryway. This part of the h