“Well, this isn’t the first letter,” I mutter out, unfolding the piece of paper.
Theon lets out an exaggerated gasp, clenching his chest as his voice is laced with a teasing snicker. “Oh my…” He tilts his head back. “Kaine, did you hear that? This isn’t the first letter he has written to Ren. Is Koen… actually in love?”
My eyes roll to the sky.
Kaine leans towards me, eyes trying to get a sneak into the words of what Koen has written. “I might vomit if I see him writing the wordlovein that letter.”
My eyes narrow, clutching the letter to my chest. “You two…” my brows rise, “leave.”
The Fireninze lifts her head, blowing hot steam out of her nostrils, making Kaine and Theon’s eyes widen.
“We will see you later.” Kaine lifts from the ground, reaching down to grab Theon’s hand and pulling him off of the ground with a grunt.
Theon flips his hair back, his braids whipping against his back. “Who do you think will win at tonight's race?” He elbows Kaine and begins to mock him. “Someone thought he was going to win last year and who ended up beating him…”
Kaine’s expression shifts to pure annoyance immediately. “Someone just cheated. You started first before anyone else.”
Theon’s hands lift. “I did no such thing.”
My knees pull to my chest, wrapping my arms around it with the note in hand. “What race?”
“The chosen eight always race the night before our final battle game.” Theon rests his arm against Kaine’s shoulder. “I won last year, smoking this guy right here.”
Kaine shoves Theon off as they laugh. “Just wait till this year. You are going down.”
My shoulders lift. “Why race? What’s the point in that?”
“It’s just for fun. We like to see who will lead us into the Darklands. Normally the one who wins the race is the one that the Queen will gift the Light Stone for us to make our way into the last battle game. The stone shines a light so bright, the darklings usually are weakened by it.” Theon crosses his arms. “And the one who kills the most darklings will be our champion, allowing the Light Stone to shine over the victor's Realm, protecting them from the curse for that year.”
I glance over my shoulder, catching sight of the fire horse resting, her head peaceful against the ground as the fire flickers gracefully in the wind.
“What Realm would be granted the Light Stone if I ended up being the champion?” My brows raise, noticing the both of them shrugging with the thought of it.
“I suppose the Queen will decide that.” Kaine grips Theon’s shoulder. “Let's go for another round in the sky.”
I forget this isn’t the first year some of these men are competing in the games. All I know is I will never return. I will never participate in the games again. I vow to myself that this year will be the last year it’ll ever take place.
I will stop the games…for good.
But as my eyes linger onto the two of them, watching them wrap their legs around the horses’ snow-white bodies, I realize every year they live. They never die in the games. Neither does Dryden, the son of the Sea King.
Ivker, Octavian, Zake, all have survived the games for ten years in a row.
Something doesn’t sit right.
My heart skips a beat as my mind rushes with the possibility of the Royals protecting their own in the games, or protecting who they want. But why?
That would mean the others stand no chance when the Royals compete and their lives are taken for what,nothing.
The wings of their horses stretch so wide, I wonder how they even have room to fly out of here.
But as their horses leap into the sky, gusting violent winds down towards me, I let my legs fall and stare at the note in my hand.
I close my eyes for a brief, breathless moment, bracing myself for the words Koen has written for me.
My fingers trace the edges with anticipation, my heart racing madly at the thought that his hands touched this very paper. That his fingers once delicately brushed across this letter, and Ibegin to wonder if this might be the closest I'll ever come to truly feeling him again. Which shatters my heart all over again.
My eyes linger on the paper for a few moments longer before opening it, and I pause once I read the words,Hello, my Spark.
