This Kingdom is not hers. It is mine. It’s time for the Royals to finally see this.
“When you disobey the order of a Queen, you are disobeying the word of Azure. That will cause you your death!” Her voice booms, catching the attention of Skie next to her.
“You are no damn Queen.” I spit on the ground and kick the Fireninze’s side. “You will all burn for what you have done to the Realms.”
The hooves of the fire horse beat against the ground as we rush over the charred hills of the Darklands. I can hear the Queen scream for me to come back, but that only fuels the rage inside of me more. Lava courses in the cracks of the land as we leap over them. The fire crackles under the ground and hisses with each pound of my horse's hooves. The more we ride, the more the fire ignites from my horse's mane and tail. Brighter and more powerful than I have ever seen before. It’s as if she feels my power. My rage. My burning desire to kill the darklings.
They should have never hurt the people I love.
Tilly made a huge mistake.
Now she will burn for what she has done.
Kill them all.
I call out to my dragons, knowing the Royals will put me in a dungeon for this. Or they will try.
No shifter, no dragons, are allowed to live. Except Florian.
But I need them. They need us.
My dragons whip outward from my stones and soar overhead, spinning around as they fly ahead of us. I watch as the fire dragon begins to scorch a few darklings, the one of ice, freezing some just in time for Death to kill it.
The flames flourish off the Fireninze’s mane and tail, whipping against the wind as we reach the final hill. Her hooves dig into the side, leaping over the battlefield below us. We soar in the sky. Embers float in the wind as I let my hands stretch out, lifting my chin upward as my thighs clench tighter around her body. Fire ignites from my palms, scorching the air until herhooves beat against the ground. Black dirt kicks up in the air, startling the darklings as they screech. Their lengthy, pointed fingers block their faces by the light of our fire.
Some run to hide.
Good. They should.
We ride through, scorching darklings left and right. My fingers stretch wide, staring at the ground that burns as we run. The darklings catch fire as Theon and Kaine slice them in half. We all watch as their bodies disintegrate into ashes on the ground, the hooves of the Fireninze kicking the ash up in the air. A darkling pounces off of the mountainside, arms wide to attack me, but my hand swiftly grips its neck just in time. I bring it closer to my face, allowing my fingers to tighten around its neck and watch as the fire within it burns itself alive.
“You will all die by my flames,” I hiss, eyes widening as I heave with pure rage.
My fingers dig into its body until ash floats in the wind.
“What the hell are you doing!” Death rushes up to me, dirt smeared along his face and hair as he heaves. He hunches over, gripping his thighs as he catches his breath. Blood trickles down his face.
“Saving all of you!” My fingers flick fire, wielding a flame towards a darkling that charges after Theon. “There are too many!”
“She won’t look past this!”
“The Queen?” I scuff. “I could care less.”
“She will do everything in her power now to destroy you. And she will want everyone to watch it.” He coughs. “She will want the Realm to see your destruction. And she will want everyone to know she was the one who caused it. We need to take you to the sea now for safety!"
“I shall kill her first.” My palm flicks, fire blazing from my palm as a darkling runs up behind Death. “Get the chosen away from here!”
Death nods, rushing up to Theon and Kaine who fight off a few fire darklings. But no matter how many I burn, more keep rushing over the mountain cliff and climbing down the sides like spiders.
I slam my leg into the Fireninze, fear gripping at my chest as I see multiple darklings attacking Koen. I let out a raging scream that burns my throat. I can feel the heat of my body coursing through my skin, up my neck as the veins on my head pulse so tightly I feel as if it might explode.
We leap over the darklings, watching my dragons continue to attack the ones that crawl over the edge of the mountain. My heart freezes as I see the chosen climb on their horses, heading towards the Queen, but the guards that protect the Royals have their arrows pointed towards them. Their fingers rub against the string, ready to release them at any moment.
They don’t want them to leave.
The darklings pin Koen down to the ground, and I hear his grunts as he punches the one on top of him. With each hit, crimson-red blood slashes to the ground before he pushes its dead body off of him. More darklings surround the chosen on their horses, and my body trembles. Fear is consuming me.
How the hell am I supposed to save the people I love whenever there are those who want us dead surrounding us?
