Chapter 18
Eighteen
The bell echoed in the cavern, but he barely heard it as the dragon flew overhead, its large form a looming shadow, showcasing the monstrosity they were about to face. Kryth stormed away, no doubt running somewhere he would be safe with a view of the cavern.
Jasyn took a stance as he pulled the sword from his sheath, but his legs were heavy, like roots had clawed their way around his ankles and held him down.
None of the competitors wore armor, as it would be too constricting for climbing.
The dragon perched itself on a ledge, its reddish-brown scales gleaming in the sun from the spotlight above it.
Its amber eyes practically shone as the beast assessed the space.
Jasyn didn’t have time to admire it, because before he could blink, the dragon dove from its spot.
The competitors scattered, and Jasyn ran behind a boulder to cover himself, sheathing his sword.
Heat scorched the area, and he knew the dragon would not take it easy on them.
Jasyn thought back to his siblings, how scared they must have been, of his father, who had been thrown across this very cavern.
He wondered how many people would die today.
Someone shouted, the sound loud in his ears. But it was the way it quickly became silent again that had Jasyn gripping the hilt of his sword tighter.
He couldn’t hide for long, but he took the advantageous position he was in to let his eyes scour.
There were numerous ledges climbing high up the walls.
The Heart could be on one of those. He’d need to find a way to get up to each of them, or at least one at the highest point to be able to look down.
There were some ropes he could use to hoist himself up, but he reconsidered that option. After all, rope burned.
Jasyn crawled away from the boulder and saw the dragon was on the same ledge again, waiting. Unlike the participants, the dragon seemed to be in no rush. It would gladly drag this out, causing the tension to build.
Jasyn wondered if the Heart was right on that ledge, the dragon protecting the precious ruby. There was no guarantee, and Jasyn would rather search lower before committing to the high climb, but…
As if hearing Jasyn’s doubts, the dragon practically snapped its attention to Jasyn. With widened eyes, Jasyn took a step back, uncomfortable with the scrutiny.
“Watch it, prince.” One of the competitors shoved him, running toward one of the walls. She was lithe, easily hauling herself upwards using the small pockets within the rock. Jasyn watched in awe at the technique.
Others took her lead, following on other sides of the cavern, like they trusted she knew something.
Jasyn had his eyes on the dragon again. It seemed to be focused on itself now, so this would be the time to attempt something. Instead of going up, Jasyn decided to go down into the crater. If the dragon attacked, there at least wouldn’t be a big fall below him.
The terrain was steep, and he almost tumbled too many times, but he wouldn’t stop. He had one goal in mind: the Heart, the Heart, the Heart. He repeated it in his head like it was his own heartbeat, pumping the adrenaline through his veins.
A yell reached his ear, and he had to watch the woman who had been stealthy and quick fall. It seemed so fast, but he had no doubt the journey down must have felt like hours. The crunch of bones crackled in his ears. The cohort of ten original competitors were now down to eight.
The crater in the cavern kept going down, hiding spots peppering its walls. He brought out some of his light into his hands, allowing him to get a better look.
There was a tight alcove in one section, and Jasyn crawled inside to inspect its depths.
It didn’t lead far, and there was no Heart to be found.
Jasyn took a moment to sulk in disappointment.
Of course it wouldn’t be that easy. With it being such a tight fit, Jasyn had to move backwards, exposing himself in ways he didn’t like. He nudged himself out quickly.
Still hidden from view, Jasyn looked up again to see the dragon beginning its vicious attacks on the competitors.
One of them was on a ledge, sword in one hand and flames in the other.
He swiped the sword as the dragon got closer to him, but the action only resulted in him stepping too far off the ledge.
He slipped, and Jasyn winced as the man fell off, barely able to grasp the rock to stop him from falling.
The competitor hung there, but with one hand occupied with the sword, he wouldn’t be able to swing himself back to safety.
Even from a distance, Jasyn could see the competitor contemplating his next move.
He let go of the sword, but it was fruitless, because the dragon flew by, causing the competitor to lose his grip.
Jasyn closed his eyes this time, unable to stomach the sight of another death.
He took that as his cue to move. This wouldn’t end until someone killed the dragon and got the Heart.
“You,” said a voice Jasyn dreaded hearing.
Jasyn put up the one hand not holding a sword in surrender. “Bron.”
Bron looked feral, and Jasyn saw his sleeve had been burnt, revealing welted red skin beneath. Jasyn wondered if that was from the dragon or another competitor.
“There’s only one outcome here,” Bron warned.
“Esi will never forgive you if I end up dead.” Those were not the right words. Jasyn could now trust that Bron’s decision to enter the Undertaking was beyond Esi.
Bron snorted. “What gives you the right to say that? You barely know her. You’ve spent every waking minute with that fraud, Iskra.”
A low growl reverberated from the back of Jasyn’s throat, and he had no idea why he was defensive of a woman who had lied to him.
“What about Mych?”
“That was one night.” But the words sounded shallow from Bron’s lips, like he couldn’t even convince himself of the lie.
“It could be more.”
Jasyn knew, with the way Bron was stalking towards him, that no words would convince him to stop this madness.
Bron was on a mission, and Jasyn needed to learn what exactly was pushing him.
Jasyn tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword as Bron neared.
He stuck his blade out so Bron wouldn’t get too close.
“It doesn’t have to end this way,” Jasyn pleaded. “There is a reality in which we both come out alive.”
Bron circled him, and Jasyn had to turn to keep eyes on him. Bron’s sword was still, hand on the hilt, like he was assessing before he committed to the inevitable squabble.
“But there is only one outcome in which I end up king. And you need to be dead for the people to accept me as their new ruler.”
Finally, Bron unsheathed his blade, and Jasyn backed up to create distance between them. Bron smirked, but Jasyn didn’t care if he appeared cowardly for choosing to be strategic. He wanted to save his energy.
“Put down the sword,” Jasyn said, more harsh now. “Let’s both search for the Heart instead of acting on this petty fight you’ve concocted in your head.”
Those words hit some mark in Bron, because his sword came slashing toward Jasyn in quick, effortless moves, forcing Jasyn to back away further. Jasyn was on defense, but he expected nothing less when fighting a trained guard.
Jasyn blocked the attack, but Bron wasn’t discouraged.
He was smiling widely, hungry for this fight, while Jasyn could barely take a deep breath.
He had trained for years for the Undertaking, but it didn’t equip him for something so personal.
Being a prince should have clued him in on that possibility, but for most of his life, the idea of entering was never on the horizon.
It was always meant to be Jaymes, and when he died, Dahlia was to rule.
Jasyn heard a scream in the distance, and he winced at another death. He regretted being so distracted, because Bron started attacking in earnest, his movements nonstop and fast. Jasyn parried the oncoming thrust in his direction, and he managed to get a hit on Bron’s arm.
Bron grunted in pain as the slice hit the burn marks, and Jasyn used the moment to his advantage, re-centering himself. A shadow eclipsed them, but Jasyn refused to look up to see where the dragon headed. He just hoped it wasn’t towards them.
“You don’t deserve the crown,” Bron spat. “Prince Jaymes and Princess Dahlia should be here.”
Unlike Bron, Jasyn understood the tactic, and he wouldn’t let the words hit their intended mark.
Esi—or, he should say, Iskra—showed him how he could lead, how he was good at it if he built up his confidence.
He did deserve the crown, as long as he continued to rule with kindness.
With Iskra’s help, he could survive the throne and thrive on it.
“I can’t turn back time,” Jasyn said. “They’re gone, and now, I must push forward.”
Bron slashed again, his movements growing hurried. He wasn’t liking how the conversation was going, it seemed. It was making his moves frantic, and Jasyn had no choice but to keep his distance.
Jasyn hissed as Bron cut near his shoulder, the pain slicing across his whole body. He didn’t allow himself to look at the damage, because Bron kept advancing.
Without the onslaught, Jasyn had no time to analyze his next move. His only goal was to ensure neither of them got hurt.
In his desperation, Jasyn didn’t notice the hole in the ground. His ankle twisted, and he fell backwards. His body screamed at him as he hit the ground. He lost his grip on his sword, and Bron was on top of him in seconds.
Bron leaned down so he could whisper in Jasyn’s ear. “Perhaps these words will affect you then: I hope you are able to sleep at night after killing Iskra.”
At first, everything was a blur. Jasyn’s eyes moved wildly, trying to comprehend his statement, but it didn’t make sense until Bron clarified. His words pierced his heart more intensely than a sword ever could.
“Iskra is a dragon shifter, and you’ll need to kill her to get the Heart.”