The prince stood up, and everyone took a step back, except for Lord Dritan and Fala.
"It's a sign from the goddess herself. Three brothers. Three cliftolights. They will be the ones to face them,thatis how I shall choose myso-calledguardian," the prince spoke, declaring it as if it was his decision to make.
Klarc looked pleased.
Fala stepped in. "Theywill die."
"Then they are not worthy," he answered back without pause.
"Your Highness, with respect. You must forgive my brother and his ego. He thinks too highly—"
"The decision has been made." The prince dropped back onto the couch, ignoring Braze.
"You do not know—" Dritan had caught Fala's arm and whispered in her ear.
"It'stoolate. The prince knows exactly what he's doing,he wants themdead," Dritan said the last part in lower octaves. Adrion coyly grinned, his gifted hearing caught Dritan’s words. Adrion wanted the goddess blessed dead. And if one of them could defeat a cliftolight. Then maybe he would choose a warrior today after-all.
"The show may commence," he instructed, although he couldn't help but think about the 'lousy girl' who had the power to kill three cliftolights. Perhaps they had trained the cliftolights.
Who knows what these freaks are capable of.
Chapter 14
Heavenly Fire: Part 2
Morana
My hand trembled while I applied red pigment to my eyes. The act of adorning colour onto my face used to calm me and now I'm stroking red eye make-up to represent the colour of the eyes of my enemy along with golden dust to represent an entire vicious kingdom. Yet the only thing vicious here was my reflection, a blazing stare that shone with anger, anger that went well with the dark red colouring and deep umber of my eyes.
Every movement I made, the gold sequins on my clothing attire would jingle. The tunic was close to being impractical, it almost felt like a golden heap of cloth. Those behind me sensed my ire.
"I can't do this," I whispered.
"Only yourself and Ezra had bad blood with the king," Dezimus stated with a hushed voice. The darkness in my mind began to swim, arising from its slumber and from the slumber came the little girl who haunted me. The girl who ruined everything. The girl the king hated.
The girl I killed.
"The thing that sits there is a spawn from the bastard himself. They can't let her go out there,” Ezra argued.
"Quiet, fool," Dezimus growled and looked around consciously. "There's Apollon guards swarming the whole arena, mind your tongue," he ordered.
It was nearly time for the performance to start. It was Dritan's three goddess blessed warriors who'd be showing off their skills in combat. Those fools put a bitter name on goddess blessed. Klarc was egotistical, self-righteous and an idiot. My anger seemed to grow while wondering if Fala had known all along.
She wouldn't ... she cares... she knows most out of everyone what this means for me.
An uneasy feeling settled over me as I thought of Red and Kya sitting among thenotoriousguests.
"Why would the bloody crown Prince of Apollo need a bodyguard anyways?" Ezra spat.
"He is royalty, why let him have to waste his powers when someone can do it for him." Elijah played with the tip of his hilt nervously as he spoke.
"Quieter," Dezimus growled, his paranoia becoming evident. Ezra grit his teeth and Elijah huffed.
"It's because there's nothing unique about the prince. They say he lacks the old blood from which his ancestors had descended. His immediate family has a bit more of the blood but the prince has the least. The power you feel radiating from him is onlya spec compared to what, his father—the king—has," Dezimus whispered.
"How do you know?" Dezimus ignored Ezra's question and the secrets within me were quietened from further discussing what Dezimus had just revealed. I silently watched my reflection, the scented oil they gave me for my performance smelled too sweet, too rich. It was overwhelming and beginning to give me a headache.
It would serve some use.
