“Help!” she cries out, staring at Koen.
I hold my hand over my mouth, trying not to let out the laugh that is sitting in my throat. I shouldn’t have done it, not in front of the Royals, but damn, I needed that.
“I bet you have been dying to do that.” Kaine prances beside me, leaning over with his lips, grinning wide.
Koen rolls his eyes back towards me, knowing exactly what I did. “You are fine, Lykia.” He hops off of his horse, beating his boot against the fire as it dies out.
Lykia’s face flushes red. Her finger points towards me as she screams. “You! You did this!”
My lips pull downward, tossing my hands up before I hold my breath so I don’t let this laugh escape. “I did no such thing.” My lips pull between my teeth. “Could have been a fire ember from my horse's mane.” I lift my shoulders, shrugging despitefully towards her.
Her eyes widen, and she snaps her gaze towards the Queen. “She used her curse against another Royal. You should take her head for disobeying the word of the throne!”
“I should take yours for even threatening her life.” Koen’s voice drops to a violent growl and he leans towards her, gripping the reins tightly in his hands before he hops back up on his ice horse. “I’d watch your tongue.”
Her thin brows lift upward in pure rage. “Do I need to end her life myself then?”
He leans closer, inches away from her face. “You wouldn’t dare. Not in front of the Royals.”
Her lip curls upward in a snarl, glancing between Koen’s death glare and mine.
She lets out a loud scuff, shifting on her heels as she walks towards Skie who still helps Florian to his feet.
I’m going to make them pay for hurting him. I vow this to the Gods.
Three Lasyiuses soar from the sky, the golden light trickling between their wings as the wind tosses leaves and sticks in the air.
“We must head to the Darklands, it’s time for the final game.” The Queen gracefully walks over to her horse, grabbing the Light Stone from the golden satchel that wraps around the horse's body.
She begins to walk in the middle, holding the stone against her chest as it pulses with life. The golden hues highlight the language of the flames along her skin.
“I thought only a Royal could travel through the stone? Unless they have a pendant?” A brow of mine lifts, watching the Queen’s eyes slowly meet mine.
“Look at your suits. All of you have the symbol of the chosen marked against your chest.” She takes a deep breath, lips curling into a smirk that makes the insides of my stomach roll. “Time to see who shall be our champion this year.”
Within a matter of a heartbeat, a light brighter than a thousand suns beams from the Light Stone. Then, all I see is white.
MY EYES BLUR, HANDS STILL gripping tightly around my Fireninze’s neck. A buzzing sound as if bees are inside my head vibrates through my ears.
All of the chosen are here, as well as the Royals who were at the race. The horses, unphased by the travel, begin to follow naturally behind the Queen. The wings of her horse, white as snow, spread wide before curling back beside its body.
As my horse follows, my shoulders slump over in agony. My body feels weak. Drained. Especially from the memories.
I still don’t have them all, and I need Klayra to get the stones so I can understand everything. Unravel the memories that have been hidden from me. Taken from me.
The sounds of horses' hooves beating against the charred ground beneath us echoes in the silence. I catch sight of crimson-red lava coursing through the dried cracks of the ground, spreading out like veins. A chill runs down my spine as I hold in my breath.
If this is the lava that can kill a Deskyiara, I might be screwed.
If Koen uses his gift against me, I might be screwed.
I suck in a trembling breath, noticing Theon and Kaine galloping up towards me on each side.
Kaine lets go of his golden reins and starts to braid his hair, revealing his long and pointed ears. “You ready for this, Ren?”
My head tilts to the side before rubbing my lips firmly together in rage. “The Queen isn’t letting me fight.”
Theon lets out a frustrated sigh. “Of course she wouldn’t. I think she fears you would win, and there will be no Realm to gift the Light Stone to.”
