CHAPTER 10
“The Darklands were once a place where the descendants of the Gods, known as the Fallen Embers, would train to hunt. A beautiful place filled with flowers, rolling hills, and magic. But, overtime, after a descendant betrayed the Gods, the land was scorched by fire.” - Book of Azure
WE LEFT THE ICE NATION.
Thank the Gods here in this Realm we made it out before my left arm froze.
Unsure how Koen’s mother ever survived in this suit.
The ride outside of the castle walls was pure torture and I had to snuggle my face into Koen’s back, which was worse than the cold wind that whipped at my bare skin.
Even though the heat radiating from his skin helped ease the pain, I was annoyed that I had to be that close to him.
And I’m sure he enjoyed every minute of it, knowing I was unamused by him flexing his abs every few minutes.
As Koen warned me before leaving, I stay locked onto his body no matter how many times I want to let go.
Especially when he glances over his shoulder at me with a smirk along his face I am begging to slap off.
My mind is constantly replaying our first encounter, back in the field of ash. He is the reason for all of this.
And now I have to see his face for no telling how long.
Florian has been riding ahead of us, tugging on the silver reins side to side as he leads us through the desert.
Every movement makes me flinch, fear creeping through my body as each rock gets kicked from the horses’ hooves.
I am unsure if we would make it out alive this time if the sand dragons hear us.
“Normally, the sand dragons are never in pairs, let alone packs.” Florian’s golden hair catches the wind as he yanks his horse, the icy coat glistening like a mirror under the blazing sun. Each movement reflects shards of a nacre light.
Despite the heat surrounding us, the horses remain unaffected. As Koen explained, these majestic beings aren't truly made of ice, they symbolize the heart of the God of their Realm.
“Something must be wrong for them to want to attack in a pack like that.” Koen scans the open space of the sandy desert.
“I think we are in the clear, now.” Florian’s eyes narrow. “We are almost to the border.”
“Is that where the Queen is?” A loose strand tickles my cheek from a gust of wind, and sand irritates my eyes.
Koen nods, his muscles shift under my fingertips as he turns to look back towards me. “Yes. You’ll meet the Queen soon enough.”
“And what about our agreement?”
He nods, a subtle scuff escapes his lips. “You’re right.” He clears his throat. “You sure you’ll be able to keep up?”
“Just explain.” I hit the side of his arm, his solid muscle aching my hand once again. “And then, as promised, silence for the rest of the trip so I don’t have to hear you speak again.”
Koen deeply exhales. “As I was saying, centuries ago, the year the Deskyiara bloodline was killed off in a deadly battle between the Darklands and the rest of our Realms, out near the Northwest Shores of Wyreienn, which is far up north past the waterfall. Do you remember seeing that when you rode into the Realm?”
I nod.
“Good. Imagine that waterfall, flowing with the brightest teal water you have ever seen, where fish leap up and plunge back into the streams that would flow through our Realm with grace. That was our life before our Realm froze. Our life before the battle.” Koen sighs.
“I remember as a boy before the curses broke out, swimming there almost every day with Florian. You remember that, brother?”
“Feels like a lifetime ago.” Florian sighs as he trots beside us.
“That it does.” Koen clears his throat before continuing.
“After the battle and the fall of King Deskyiara. A thunderous roar broke through the clouds, lightning whipping in the sky. The Gods were angry. A massive stone fell from the ash pillows up above and was perfectly placed on the hill that overlooks the ocean in our realm. The impact trembled throughout our lands, golden light sparkled in our skies, and silence took over.”
“Are the stones the curse?” My brows narrow as I clench his body tighter when we take a sharp turn.
“No. Not at all.” He grunts, yanking his horse to the side to avoid a dead tree that had fallen over.
“It was then said, our four leaders at the time marched their way up to the stone and when they arrived, five eggs were laying flawlessly along the grounds of the boulder covered in ash. Five eggs, for five Realms. Each egg, placed directly under a marking that connected from the top of the stone to the bottom and beamed a red hue. Each marking was of a unique pattern, but all aligned straight to the eggs.”
Florian cuts in. “They were massive and dark as the midnight sky just like the stone but with the golden markings wrapping around each egg. Each leader picked one up, besides the Kingdom of Eekatia who took two due to the Darklands being forbidden to have one, but not knowing what was sleeping inside, they brought it back to their realms.”
The horse beneath us scuffs as if he can hear the story they speak about.
“Nights and days passed with no movement from them. When hope felt lost and rumors started to spread about the Gods punishing the Realms, cracks started to show.” Koen’s voice drops to a deep growl, as if telling a scary bedtime story.
I roll my eyes, glancing towards Florian.
Florian pats his horse on his neck. “They are a gift from the Gods. Life from the Gods.”
“Our four Realms were chosen that day to protect the people. And we have done just that. Four kinds are living among us now, and the ones we ride on are known as Nivalesies, the horse of frozen water. These horses came from the skies. Hand crafted by our Gods. Our leaders welcomed them into our lands and we welcomed them with open arms. Little did the people of the Realms know that these mystical creatures came to help protect us from the Darklands. The Gods knew something wicked was brewing within the Realms.”
“I thought there were five eggs? For five different kinds?” I question.
“We had no idea at the time, but the ruler of the Darklands stole one from the Kingdom of Eekatia. We have no idea what hatched from that specific egg.” Koen shakes his head, as if remembering what the Darklands took from the Kingdom is sparking up old anger within him.
“The fall of the Deskyiara bloodline was only the start of it all.” Florian leans over, grabs a water bag from his satchel, and tosses it to Koen.
“When the Wailing Mother cursed the lands once the daughters of the Royals were either taken or killed, that's when hell broke loose. Almost all of our lands were scorched with fire, we were certain our Realms would burn to ash.”
“But they didn’t. However, all of the Royal children are now marked with a curse, but the lands that were once filled with peace are filled with dragons that…
at a time, were never there.” Koen tilts his head back, chugging the water.
I get mesmerized by a small drop falling from his bottom lip, down his chin to his neck.
The water rolling over his veins in a fluid motion.
I rip my gaze away. Snap out of it.
“Our duty to the Realm is to protect the people from the dragons and to one day take down the Wailing Mother to break the curses once and for all.”
“A Wailing Mother?” I hesitantly say, grabbing the water sack from Koen and taking a long swig, quenching my thirst. “What does that mean?”
Koen kicks Zeei to ride faster as we approach a golden, shimmering, transparent wall.
“They believe she was Queen Deskyiara, wife of the King, who suffered from a broken heart of losing her daughters. Some say she turned into a banshee and cursed all the Royals so that their children and grandchildren to come will bear a curse. Which is why the battle games take place, to one day end it once and for all. However, now, the Royals are marked, showing what curse they are haunted with.”
“But since Koen is a bastard—” Florian deeply teases.
“You know I hate that word.” Koen grabs the water bag from my hand and throws it at Florian, who almost drops it.
“It's true though. Since he is not born from two Royal parents, he is a soul who has no curse.”
“What curse do you have?” My gaze lingers on Florian as his eyes soften.
“We don’t speak of it.” Florian removes his eyes from mine, whipping the reins before yelling out to Koen. “Race you, brother.”
Koen yanks the midnight reins, almost sparking an electricity through Zeei.
The turquoise lights sparkle beneath his skin, radiating throughout his body before taking off at full speed.
My body lurches backwards, my finger sliding off Koen’s body.
Shit. But as soon as I think I can’t hold on much longer, Koen grabs my hand, yanking me forward.
My body thrusts into his back, my chest vibrating with agony as his steel-like body takes the breath out of me.
“Damn it, Koen.” I grunt at the impact.
“What did I tell you?” He glances back towards me, our bodies rising and falling in sync as Zeei whips through the desert, catching up to Florian.
His chestnut strands have fallen from his messy bun and now sway in his face.
His emerald eyes sparkle with a teasing amusement before he gives a slight smirk.
“And you said you never go back on your word!” I scuff. My thighs burn in pain with each contact of the saddle beneath us. His eyes linger on me, as if he can see right-through me and feel everything I am feeling. And I hate it.
“Quit looking at me!” I snap at him, my nose squinting with rage.
His dimple begins to show, his white teeth beaming brightly before he turns his head and kicks Zeei.
I turn my head back, staring at the desert one last time, praying that this will be the last time I ever look at this dryland.
When finally, the translucent wall is now in view and lush green grass meets the sand. Warmth. The perfect amount of warmth.
“You are protected by the walls of Eekatia now.” Koen breathes deeply. “Time for you to meet the Queen of Azure.”