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No more waiting. It’s time for action.

Chapter Fifty-Four

The amphitheater thrums as the crowd chants, the stands packed with bodies as I head for the middle of the arena to start the fight. Over the stands, throngs of Tirenese people fly and hover, waiting to see what will happen with their monarchs. Alicorns dot the skies, and people from various kingdoms jostle for a good view.

The dragons are visibly absent. Though Lark sent them away because of Ziva’s threats, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re somewhere nearby but out of sight.

Through the roars of the crowd, Lark moves with the dignity of a queen and the resolve of a warrior, each step bringing her closer to our shared destiny. Her golden eyes lock onto mine with an intensity that steals my breath.

She’s fucking magnificent.

In this moment, with thousands of eyes upon us and deities looming from their crystal-lined dais, I can think only of how much has changed since we met. How Lark has transformed from a sharp-tongued fledgling to a queen who faces gods without flinching. A woman who stands toe-to-toe with the universe itself and refuses to bow. The spark that once flickered inside her has spread into a raging inferno.

Pride that borders on pain swells in my chest.

I’ve known warriors, kings, men and women who commanded respect through fear or birthright. But Lark commands it through the sheer force of who she is.

And she chose me. Despite my betrayal. Despite our foundation being built on lies. Despite all my fuck ups. She still chose me.

We meet in the center of the arena where the weapon rack of beautiful blades forged by divine hands glints in the morning light, each imbued with power matching our magical affinities.

Tools of slaughter dressed as gifts.

A glaive of ice, a long swordlike blade attached to a pole as long as my wingspan and marked with Rivlan’s sigil, catches the sun, gleaming with deadly intent.

Its power calls to mine.

Repulsed and angry, my magic flares before I can control it. There’s a twitch along Lark’s jaw that lets me know she’s just as disgusted. She turns away from the weapons, raising her face to the gods.

I turn with her, ignoring the rack.

Zeru rises to his feet, sending the Devoted huddled on the stands below the gods into a fanatic frenzy of fawning. Stars dance around him in a dazzling display of power. The other gods lean forward, waiting for him to say or do something.

They have no idea what’s coming.

A strange sensation creeps over me, raising the hairs on the back of my neck. As if someone’s watching us. Which is weird, because everyone is watching us. We’re putting on a show for the entire world.

Goose bumps cover Lark’s arms, and she casts a subtle glance at me. She feels it too.

“We need to get Zeru to admit why we’re all here.” I hope the gods can’t hear me shouting over the roar of the crowd.

Lark’s lips curl into a smile that’s both beautiful and dangerous, her eyes alight with malicious intent. “Then let’s piss him off. Gods hate it when their toys don’t behave.”

We survey the stands, our hands clasped tightly together. I feel the weight of divine attention pressing down on us from the raised dais. Zeru’s starlight gaze burns with impatience. Rivlan, dressed in a flowing white tunic and white breeches, tracks our every move, features so tense he could be chiseled from stone. Ziva’s charcoal black eyes watch Lark with an emotion I can’t quite parse.

I lift my foot and kick the weapon rack over with a single decisive motion. Sacred weapons clatter across the dirt, their metallic song echoing through the now silent arena.

The crowd’s collective intake of breath feels like a physical force against my skin.

“We won’t be playing your game!” I point directly at Zeru, abandoning all pretense of reverence. “This spectacle is built on lies and threats.”

Zeru pulsates with anger, his form fluctuating between a golden human appearance and glimpses of his cosmic reality, a being of stars and void, ancient beyond comprehension. “The covenant dictates⁠—”

“That covenant is between gods.” My nerves tingle with reckless satisfaction at the shock that flutters across his perfect features as I cut him off. “No human signed it. We’re not bound by your arrangements.”

“You came willingly.” Stars swirl around Zeru like a mane. “Champions must be willing participants. That is the law.”

“Willing, my ass.” Lark’s laugh is sharp enough to cut glass. “You threatened to sink Tirene beneath the waves if we refused. You threatened to kill every man, woman, and child in the palace. Every animal, including my beloved dragons. You said you’d erase us from existence, including the island itself. That’s the only reason we’re here today.”