He clucks his tongue.“I suggest you focus on your own predicament, my dear. The other students’ whereabouts is not your concern. When you arrived at Shadowbone, I couldn’t believe my good fortune, even more so when it became clear you had no memory of your mates or what you experienced here. We decided to watch and see how far the academy could push you. To observe how you interacted with your mates and see if you could gain their trust. That relationship would be useful when we finally used you against them.”
I grind my jaw, even as the bile starts to climb up my throat.“I won’t let you hurt them.”
His lips curl up even more.“Perhaps. But first, let us see how this plays out, shall we? If the prophecy is correct and you truly are destined to destroy your mates and end the war, let’s see how you escape the queen’s wrath.”
My gaze flicks from the queen and then back to Professor Yevar.“She doesn’t know about you, does she?”
“Who? Our fanatical ruler? Mmmm, no dear. Her mind could not comprehend what we’re trying to accomplish.”
“We’re? Who’s we?”I look at the other originals, but they’re all staring back at me with the same hard expression. If anyone is working with him, they’re not giving themselves away just yet.
Professor Yevar doesn’t reply. He simply smiles smugly as he watches me.
“It’s him!” I shout, trying to gesture to Professor Yevar with my head because shadows are binding my arms to my sides. “He’s the one who’s behind everything!”
The queen who had been watching her soldiers assemble, narrows her eyes at me. “That’s enough!” she hisses, and one of her shadows wraps around my mouth to silence me.
My mates fight harder against the shadows binding them, and the queen fixes them with an angry stare as she struggles to restrain them, drawing on the power of the other originals. “I’m doing this for your own good and for all the realms,” she says coldly to my mates.
Professor Yevar winks at me from his position behind her.
“Warriors of Kiru,” Queen Krosia calls out, using her magic to amplify her voice. “The games are over! I had thought the students were ready, but it’s clear their minds would be still too weak to resist the Xalgrith. A handful of the strongest competitors will accompany me back to the palace and gain their immortality. As for the rest, they will return to Shadowbone and finish their training.” She looks behind her to Professors Lankin and Yevar, and Professor Yevar dips his head like he’s dutifully agreeing with her statement. The queen doesn’t seem to notice the hint of a smile playing on his lips.
“Now, you may be wondering why I have captured this particular student, especially after her impressive display of…perseverance,” Queen Krosia says with distaste.
The warriors stay silent, listening to her every word.
Pacing in front of me and my mates, she continues. “You see, we live by the prophecy set by the oracle. We die by it. But there’s more that you must know. Another prophecy was made, specifically for these four before me.” She indicates to Knox and the others who are kneeling on the sand, still bound and gagged by shadows, and she goes on to recite, “When the time comes to close the fold, four must stand against the bitter cold. Only onecan make you break, beware the bond of your beloved mate.” She pauses then, letting the words sink in before explaining, “These four are destined to close the fold that connects our realm to the realm of the Xalgrith, and this student is destined to be their downfall.”
She points at me, and I cringe, suddenly feeling like I’m the villain in this story. “I had suspected before now, but after witnessing their lack of control and display of emotion in relation to this student, it cannot be denied. She is their fated mate.”
Gasps and shocked whispers come from some of the originals and warriors.
The queen’s gaze connects with mine, and I wonder if she knows that the curse on me has been broken. She turns her attention to my mates. “Even knowing what they do, these four were willing to let her walk amongst us, free to roam the shadow realm. They were willing to let their mate gain her immortality and become even stronger, and an even greater threat to us.”
The crowd starts to turn now, as they realize what she’s saying. Their surprised features morph to anger as they understand I’m the one putting everything they’ve fought for at risk. All their sacrifices. All the blood spilled and the horrors they’ve seen.
“Which is why I must be the one to stop this before she grows more powerful and fulfills her destiny,” the queen continues. “It’s why she must beexecuted.”
A ringing starts in my ears. I’m not sure where I was expecting this to go. I mean, I’ve known it was bad news for the queen to find out that I’m fated to Thane and the others, but it’s not until she announces my execution that I really realize how much trouble I’m in.
My mates struggle harder against their binds, their eyes wild and frantic, and their power pulsing but unable to break free ofthe queen’s shadows. Not when the other originals are providing their power as well. Xena and a couple of the other originals look mildly sympathetic, but no one tries to help. No one disagrees with the queen’s decision. Not when I’m a threat to the war effort.
A howl cuts through the arena, and I spot Bonfang, Arizak, Kazer, and Rinoc as they step from shadows, prowling onto the sand toward us, no doubt answering the calls of their bonded, but the other originals send out their beasts, and so do a number of the warriors lining the arena. My mates’ creatures are soon surrounded by a small army of beasts to keep them contained. Bonfang and the others attack, but the queen sends out more power, restraining them as well. Sweat beads on her forehead, and I see the strain as she draws even more power from the warriors in the stands to replenish herself.
I’m not sure how, but Knox gets his mouth free of his gag. “If you kill her, when the time comes, we’ll refuse to close the fold,” he says, his voice icy.
The queen stares calmly at him, not at all fazed by his comment. “You wouldn’t forsake all these people and all the realms,” she says, stretching her arms wide and gesturing to the thousands of warriors in the stands. She seems so certain, and it’s obvious she doesn’t know Knox like I do. He’ll make the world burn and damn the realms if she takes me.
Instead of disagreeing with her, Knox puts forward a suggestion. “Send her back to the human realm. Wipe her memory if you must. She will not harm anyone there.”
No.I want to live, but I’ve only just gotten my memories back. I can’t lose them again.
The queen pretends to consider it, even as she uses her shadows to gag him again. “If I did that, the threat would remain,” she tells him. “For all we know, the Xalgrith could have spies capture her and use her against you.”
Professor Yevar winks at me again, and I shiver, trying and failing to speak against the shadow muffling my mouth. It’s too ridiculous. He’s right behind her. How long has the professor been working against the queen, right under her nose?
“No, this is the best way,” Queen Krosia says. “You four have not yet bonded with your mate. You will recover. And I believe in time you will see this is for the best.”
