CHAPTER 33 #3
My throat tightens, staring at Queen Antivianna who walks casually in with her petite hands crossed together.
Her smokey dress, filled with intricate patterns of crystals, sparkles as she moves in towards me.
She clears her throat as her eyes widen, catching sight of the man dead beside me and the room filled with ash.
“I suppose I missed all the action.” Her chin rises, more symbols by the language of the flames are now marked along her chest. “I sent you here to protect you, not to have you kill off the rest of the contestants.”
“They asked for it,” I hiss, my jaw locking tightly as I reach for the dagger against my hip.
She notices my movement, as well as Kaine, who reaches for his as well.
“You do know you don’t need a dagger to kill me, right?” Her eyes squint mischievously. “I’m not here to take your head for what you have done. I want you to finish in the games.”
Her rosy lips pull into a sly grin. “You have the people of the Realms curious about you.”
“Because of what happened in the first battle game?” I take a seat on my bed, dusting the ash off. “Have they never seen a woman do such a thing?”
“They’ve never seen anyone do such a thing.”
“Why are you here?” I mutter, my fingers digging into the mattress as Kaine leans against my door frame. His hand tightly grips his dagger just in case.
He called me… Queen.
Yet I feel nothing more than a killer, as Klayra said.
“Because I have overheard the rumors about you being the last Deskyiara.” She walks across the room, her dress flicking the ash in the air. “I’d like to see if that is true.”
“And if it is?” Kaine snarls, crossing his arms across his chest.
“Then I suppose my time as Queen shall be over.” Her finger glides along my bookshelf, rubbing the filth and dirt that has been there for no telling how long. “The oracles feared you might be her. I wonder if they have been right all along, and I have been nothing but blind to it.”
Kaine scuffs, tossing his head back. “And you think she would believe you would give her the crown that easily?”
My heart beats against my chest, sucking in deep breaths as my eyes close for a brief moment.
“I would never stand a chance against her.” I can hear her heels tap against the floor, making her way over to the door.
“However, if the Realms do not believe she is the true Queen, they will not follow her. This has always been in the written ways of Azure. I shall reign, until the true Queen rises. If they do not follow her, I fear the darkness will come, and there is no return from that.”
My eyes widen, glaring at her in the door frame next to Kaine. “Why would you allow this?”
“I follow the Gods.” She clears her throat. “However, my daughter does not, and I cannot allow her to reign over the Realms. The oracles have no prediction on who will win the war that is to come. They still cannot see you, Serene. I don’t understand why.”
“You’d betray Skie like that?” Kaine scuffs, letting a breathy cackle escape his lips. “Yeah right. I don’t believe that shit.”
“Who said anything about Skie?” She cocks her head to the side, grinning ear to ear before elegantly walking out the door.
“I shall see you two soon. Prove to the Realms who you are Serene, you must ride the four. You must be unstoppable against what is to come. I know your father, King Deskyiara, would want you to rise.”
“I don’t remember you from before,” I say. “How do I know you are not lying? How did you know my father?”
“Time will show you.” She nods, turning her body away. “Don’t let the games win. Show the Gods why they chose you.”
Kaine whips his gaze towards me as the Queen leaves, his thick brows pulling inward as he casually walks over to me. I tighten my laces, staring right back at him with the same, “what the hell,” expression.
“I don’t believe anything she said.” His voice drops to a whisper. “Something feels off. She has wanted Skie to take over with Florian since she was a young girl. Skie is her only daughter.”
My head shakes as I give my laces one last violent tug. “I’ll just have to keep my guard up, as always. She wouldn’t be the first to try and kill me for who I am.”
“But you heard her, she knows she doesn’t stand a chance against you.”
I steady my breathing. “Which means… she wouldn’t be the one to try and do it.”
He rubs his head behind his neck, shifting to walk back out of the room. “Go train, Ren. Show them who the hell you are when you ride that horse today.”
I shakily laugh, my teeth biting my bottom lip. “Let’s hope the Gods are on my side today.” I push off the bed. “But I need you to do something.”
“Anything.” He nods.
“I need Theon to get the book of Azure, hidden inside the Queen’s chamber. I need to know what is inside it.” I walk beside him, shifting my body to let my back rest against the doorframe. “I need to know if there is anything about my curse, anything about what happened the day I…”
I hold my breath, the painful memories jolting back inside me like lightning whipping in the sky.
“The day of the battle?” His voice heightens. “You think the Gods left a book for us to understand?”
I swallow, clearing my throat before I nod and force a smile.
“Yeah, I do.”
He scratches his chin as he exhales deeply. “I am going to have to owe Theon big time for this.”
“Oh, I am sure he will give you hell for asking.” My lips form a tight smile, imagining Theon going on and on about this. “But tell him it’s for me.”
“And he’ll do it with no questions asked.”
“Like how you killed that man for me?”
“Without even thinking twice.” His shoulder lifts, a cocky grin painting along his lips. “And I’d do it again. In a heartbeat.”
I cross my arms, feeling the indentation of the frame digging into my back as I stare at the damn mess that is in my room. “Now what to do with his body.”