“I suppose the Queen doesn’t listen?” My shoulders rise and fall as I heavily breathe. “But why the damn bridge?”
“Because they want him to know that they control him,us…” He bites his lip, raising his head to the sky. “That he must go through torment every time in order to enter the palace and if he shifts when he isn’t supposed to shift, he will be executed. Suffering in exchange for life, a remembrance that theyown him.”
“What if other dragons show up and breathe fire?” My voice heightens, my hands tossing around in anger as my insides boil. “What if they just fly over the damn water?” I spit out questions left and right. Ineedanswers. Iwantanswers.
“No other dragon, no other shifter, knows the bridge is made from fire. There is a shield that wraps around this Kingdom you cannot see. Only a dragon's eye can see it.” He straightens his back, staring at the castle as ifhe can seethe shield. “It will kill a dragon. Scorching them to ash as they fly through it.”
“Take me to this damn Queen.” My nails dig into my palms.
He pushes off of Zeei, hovering over my body with rage etched into his features. “And do what, Serene? Are you going to march into that castle with guards posted at every entry and around the Queen at all times and tell her how mean she is? How wicked her ways are?”
He scuffs, an aggravated bellow coming deep within his throat. “And within seconds she will throw you into the battle games or worse, take your head at that very moment. See, you have this all wrong. We are not in control…she is.”
“I’m not afraid of the Queen.” I glare into his eyes as he takes a step forward, his hot breath beating against his face as his eyes fall to my lips.
“Then you are as stupid as the rest of them,” he growls. “Rule number one of surviving Azure,don’t piss off the Queen.”
WE RIDE OVER THE BRIDGE as I constantly gaze at Florian’s lifeless body.I know he is alive, but he has yet to wake. The bridge hisses and steam trickles along the surface. Raylune’s head bobs left and right in annoyance, knowingI am not hisrider. I am not Florian, and I pray to their Gods here that this horse doesn’t knock me off and I hit the scorching bridge below.I’d burn alive.My body would never withstand the heat that is coursing through this overpass.
Up ahead through the smoke, a woman with a long, emerald gown awaits us. Her waist-length, icy-white hair sways gently in the breeze with a multicolored stoned crown perfectly twisted around her head. Wings bellowing out from each side of the crown reflect the scorched bridge. As if fire is reflecting within the iridescent colors of the wings.
Eight guards are posted around her in charcoal, steel uniforms. Their eyes are the only part of their body we can see. Their spears, pointed towards us, black as night but with a ruby colored point.
One drips with fresh blood, as if he killed someone orsomethingjust moments ago.
“Koen.” She softly grins, holding out her arms as her sleeves cascade down to the ground. “How lovely it is you have returned. We have missed you.”
“Queen Antavianna,” Koen grunts. “I need to get my brother to the waters of Vitaei. He needs healing.”
She nods gracefully before gesturing for us to make our way through the guards, but pauses. “But now, who is she?”
When her head tilts, her icy strands fall from her neck and shoulders, revealing unique burned markings of patterns that begin at the edge of her hairline and continue down but are hidden by the sleeves of her dress.
“I didn’t see you coming?” The Queen's brow lifts, her eyes locking onto mine before whispering to one of the guards next to her. “May I ask who you are and why you are here in the Realm of Eekatia?”
“I see you went to the oracles?” Koen holds the reins tightly as Zeei becomes antsy. “I see you might be running out of room on your body? Should you stop soon?”
She grabs her hair, elegantly brushing the straight strands over her chest, hiding the markings along her skin. “I must know everything that will happen. Past, present, and future, for the protection of our Realm. You know that, Koen.”
Koen cocks his head to the side. “Then how come your oracles never sawhercoming?” A brow lifts. “Maybe they can’t see everything after all.”
The guards shift in position, jabbing their spears towards Koen and instead of fearing them, he shrugs his shoulders. As if this is nothing more than a game to him.This has all been a game.He doesn’t fear her. But he told me I should.
Or maybe,he is the one with a death wish?
“You know that is treason to spread false information about the oracles. They have saved us for many years.” She holds out her petite hand, ordering the guards to stand down. “I must see her skin. I need to see if she is marked with any curses before entering the Kingdom.”
“I am no Royal.” My eyes widen, scanning the eyes of everyone around me. “You want me to strip? Here?”
The Queen’s brows narrow. “Strip? On the bridge of fire?”
“She is asking if you want her to remove the clothing on her back out here and let everyone here see her bare body.” Koen clears his throat.
“I don’t need you speaking for me,” I growl under my breath, leaning over to Koen.
He glances towards me as I try my best to control Florian’s horse. I tighten the reins in my hands, knowing my body is bruised, marked with scabs, fresh wounds, and is layered with dirt. She couldn't possibly want me to remove my clothes in front of everyone.Right?
“She hasn’t seen a woman with long hair like a snowy winter day and with eyes of ice, has she?” The queen politely asks. “Before I have herstripin front of us, I'd like to know if she has stumbled across this woman?”
