As I feel my legs power through the ash, sprinting straight towards the beast, the mare starts galloping faster towards me, and I know this is when it is about to strike.
“When a Firerninze sees that you are not standing down, they will speed up, and their fire begins to ignite brighter. They are preparing to dive into you. This is when you slide.”
Koen warned me, and even if I hate him, I must listen to him.
The moment the front hooves lift from the ash below us, I slide my body under the beast, fire blasting around my body as I rub my hand along the warm, onyx belly and whip my reins around, pulling my body up. My leg now wraps around the mare's broad body as I hold onto the reins with one hand and quickly press the button on my band, activating our ride.
Connecting usas one.
The straps that will bond us swivel out of my band and connect to the blazing mane. As soon as they bond, the mare slams its hooves into the ground beneath us.
Everything around us is silent. My heart drops.
All I feel is the Fireninze’s stomach stretching out and sinking in as she breathes.
As I hold my breath, her body shifts down.
The horse is about to buck.
My fingertips dig into the reins. I tense, and my insides begin to knot. The horse's muscles start to move within its legs as my body starts to slowly sink into the back, and then the mare ignites.
The mare flies through the arena, lifting her front and back legs repeatedly as she circles around.
“She isn’t going to make it!” Another man laughs and roars with others in the stadium as I pass by him.
I grasp tighter to the reins that have formed from my bracelets and focus on the mare's movements. The screams from the arena are now rumbling through my ears, but I must try to block them out. Stay focused. Stay calm. I cannot let them win.
My legs are squeezing around her broad belly tightly with each move, yet still I feel myself slipping. The mare is at full speed now, and no matter how much grip I have, it just doesn't seem enough to hold me there any longer. Ember sparks are flying everywhere, sparking a few dried-up sticks and leaves in the arena. This mare is going to burn this place to the ground.
With me in it.
The flames from her mane ignite more, billowing out with the wind, making it difficult to see where she is taking me. I know I am failing this ride.
I feel myself slipping away.
The sensation of my stomach dropping as she soars through the sky is almost too much to contain. Her hooves meet the ground every single time with an echoing thud, and I can’t help but know the Queen is in the audience watching me—disappointed.
Or pleased.
I’m sure Florian’s eyes are glued on me. He feels as if everyone’s life in this Realm depends on me.
But they shouldn't. He shouldn’t, but he believes the stones on my arms are more than just the dragons I wield, and I fear Queen Antivianna will use me until I die to find out what it means. But if that means I have the chance to save the people I love, I will do it.
My eyes are fixated on the Royals above. They are watching each leap and jump carefully. The mare moves so assertively, my eyes cannot keep up with what direction she is taking me.
I glance up high at the audience in between the flickering flames, all their eyes trained upon us both, but their roars are now faded to straight faces.
Then, my head is slammed straight against the back of the mare’s head, creating an impactful crash, and everything goes dark.
DISTANT FOOTSTEPS PIERCE MY RINGING eardrums as I roll onto my back and gaze at the now black sky above. Small raindrops begin to drop against my cheeks, sliding down my face as if they are tears. But they aren’t. I feel no pain… just pure rage.
Shit. I failed.
I begin to tune out the noises of chatter from the people of the arena and focus on the anger that is boiling within my body. My stomach begins to rage like a hurricane and burns with fire.
How did I fail?
But I’m alive.
