CHAPTER 43
“The dragon scales are a reflection of the magic that is from the Sky Realm. The Realm known as Ekane, the closest Realm to the Gods, is filled with magic that no other Realm has. Once darkness fills the sky, the huntress marks will show in the night, revealing their weakness.” - Book of Azure
MY LIPS PART OPEN AS a gut-wrenching scream erupts from deep within me.
The Fireninze and I explode into the air with a swift jump, her powerful hooves pounding off the cliff's edge with a force that sends us soaring over the gap between the mountain cliffs. I feel as if we are flying through the air, suspended in a breathtaking moment before crashing down onto the other side, barely making it. Rocks bounce side to side against the cliff’s edges, echoing down until they slam into the water.
My chest slams against the back of her neck, almost knocking the air completely out of me.
Through her flames, I catch sight of the lights that guide us, shifting paths towards the mountains that lead us out of Eekatia. I know we are about to head into the Desert of Death.
Once this is over, if the Queen dares to speak to me again, I’ll grab her by the throat and watch her burn for what she put Florian through… yet again.
More than anything, I want to show the Royals that a woman can do exactly what a man can do. If not, more.
If not, better.
I despise them for thinking I am less than a damn man.
I am a damn Queen.
As we sprint, I catch sight of a bluish hue behind us. One of the chosen on the horse of ice is close behind me. I can feel the wind around me turning to frost as tiny snowflakes float in the air.
The Fireninze senses it, her head flailing wildly before hot steam singes the air, creating clouds of scorching wind that surrounds us.
Instantly, the snow melts, allowing warmth to melt back into my body.
I grip her mane tight, the fire curling around my fingertips while we take a sharp turn around the mountain, her back hooves digging into the gravel at the edge of the cliff.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t finish what I started!” a man shouts. A soft, wicked laugh escapes his lips that echoes in the wind.
Damn it. Dryden.
He might be more foolish than Skydance.
I glance over my shoulder, watching Dryden grip the midnight-black reigns of his Iycekazie before giving the horse a stern kick against its side.
Behind him, Koen is in view. Sprinting around the sharp turn of the mountain cliff, doing everything in his power to catch up to us.
“You shall pay for the lives of the men!” Dryden’s voice cuts through the air, sending a nasty shiver down my spine.
“What men!” I shout. My throat is drying out.
“The men of the sea! You burned them all, didn’t you!” I hear his violent screams over the sounds of the horses hooves, and I know he is talking about the men that came to the room to kill me.
I glance over my shoulder to holler back towards him, but a damn dagger soars through the air, slicing my cheek. A subtle wince escapes my lips, but I keep my hands wrapped in the flames of my horse's mane.
He’s going to regret that.
“Dryden! It is against the chosen ways to attack another!” I hear Koen yell. “If you think about doing that again, it’ll be the last thing you ever do! Do you understand!”
I hold my hand over my hair as I glance towards the two of them riding behind me. My body lifts and falls, completely in sync with the Fireninze. But as I hold my gaze towards them, the lush, green grass turns to sand and I know, we have entered the Desert of Death.
The last place I ever wanted to return.
Dirt mixed in with the golden, rust sand kicks up behind my horse, making it almost impossible to see Koen and Dryden behind me.
But as soon as I turn to grip the flames with both of my hands, another dagger hits directly into my back, piercing my skin. I let out a raging, violent scream as I claw at my shoulder to try and get it out.
“I’m not afraid of you!” I hear Dryden let out a shrieking yell.
Well, that’s his first mistake.
I pull back on my horse’s mane, the fire flowing between my fingertips. Her hooves slide into the sand, digging deeper until we are fully stopped.
Screw this.
Why run when I can burn?
I throw my leg over her body, my boots slamming into the sand as it kicks up all around me. I shift until I’m standing directly in front of my Fireninze and wait for this stupid man to make his way to me.
Fire flickers from my palms, tickling at my fingertips as I wait for him to come for me.
“Are you sure about this?” Her nose pushes against my back. My rapid heart rate is slowing down. This is the first time I have heard her communicate since the bonding.
“They need to learn I am not afraid to use the dragons or the curse,” I sigh. “If only I can remember what my damn gift was from the Gods. I need the stones.”
“Quit wasting time then.” She breathes out hot steam, kicking her front hoof. “You need it in order to take her down.”
“My sister?”
Dryden comes into view on his ice horse before the Fireninze can respond, pulling back his reins swiftly as soon as he sees me.
My arms hang at my sides, fingers stretching wide as my eyes narrow into slits.
I will wield my dragons out here and burn this man to the ground if it comes down to it.
I don’t listen to the Queen. I don’t care if it’s forbidden for me to burn him to the ground during the race, I will do it.
His brows pull inward, and he hops off of his horse with one swift motion, tilting his head to the side.
“Are you really this stupid?” My head tilts, watching his hands yank out two more daggers from his sheath around his waist. “I suppose you are.”
Koen sprints up to us, hopping off his horse, and runs.
“You can’t!” Koen’s eyes widen, catching sight of the two of us ready to kill one another. “They want you dead. If you kill a chosen, they will kill you.”
“And if I don’t kill him, he will kill me.” My eyes lock to Koens.
“She shouldn’t be here! This is a disgrace to the ways of Azure!” Dryden lunges forward, slicing his dagger in the air as Koen blocks him, allowing the dagger to pierce his shoulder. The rage that is coursing through my veins makes me forget the pain radiating from the dagger in my back.
Koen doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t make a sound.
His nostrils just flare as the veins on his neck bulge. His jaw ticks.
He’s pissed.
With his other hand, Koen grabs Dyrden’s neck, gripping it so tightly his skin flushes to red within seconds. Veins bulge from both Koen’s hand and Dryden’s face.
Dryden does everything in his power to remove Koen’s tight grip, but it’s useless. He begins to claw at Koen’s suit, hitting him repeatedly to let go.
But Koen isn’t phased. He squeezes tighter, pulling Dryden’s body closer to his as he watches his eyes flutter back.
“That is the last mistake you will ever make.” Koen’s voice drops to a deep growl, nose inches away from Dryden's. “My woman. My rules. I won’t follow the chosen ways when it comes to protecting her. They can kill me for this, because it’ll be worth it to watch your life drain away any second.”
I should want this. Yet, I don’t.
“Koen, stop.” I shut my eyes, almost regretting the decision to tell him this.
Koen glances over towards me, the dagger still in his shoulder as blood trickles down his onyx suit. I can feel the open wound from my cheek burn with the wind that kicks up the sand, blood trickling down towards my chin.
“We need every warrior we can get for what is to come.” I inhale deeply, eyes locking onto Dryden’s. “If you dare try to come after me again, I will burn you myself. Do you understand?”
Dryden’s nostrils flare for a split moment before he relaxes and gives us a nod.
“Good,” I breathe out, catching sight of the other chosen galloping towards us as Koen releases Dryden.
He falls to the ground, holding his neck as he coughs for air.
I notice the horses of the air, their wings shaking, almost as if they are dusting the sand from their coats as they trot towards us.
Those who ride the Lasyius are not allowed to fly, they must stay on land during the race.
Kaine and Theon stride towards me, their hair catching in the wind that begins to stir up the rusty sand.
“Why am I not surprised to see you here with Koen?” Theon teases, hanging over his horse towards me as he circles around us. “Damn, what happened to your face?”
My brows pull inward, glaring at him. “I’m over you.” My back arches, feeling the dagger in my skin at an impossible location for me to yank out myself.
Theon lets out a soft chuckle before he hops off. His horse's white wings stretch wide before pulling them back closely towards its body.
“Want me to rip it out?” Theon casually walks up behind me.
“Please, it’s driving me crazy.”
“On the count of three.” He steadies himself, legs widening, and I nod.
He lets out a deep breath, hands wrapping around the dagger. “One… Tw—”
And he yanks it out before finishing.
I hiss, pulling my lips tightly in a firm line, turning to watch him wipe off my blood against his pants before handing it to me.
“The Queen will know we stopped.” Kaine lands on the ground, tossing his hair out of his face. “We should be continuing.”
“What is she going to do?” Death snarls, crossing his arms across his masculine chest. “Kill off the chosen? She needs us.”
“He isn’t wrong.” I glance towards the chosen, all eight of them here. Dryden is still on his knees, coughing.
But as I go to walk towards my horse, the ground beneath us begins to tremble. My heart falls to my feet and I know, the dragons know we are here.
I shouldn't have stopped. I put us in danger.
The ground beneath us rolls like waves while dirt and rocks fling into the air. I inhale, tasting the grit of the sand particles that are now mixed in with the air. They are here.
They are surrounding us.
We have no escape.
What the hell did I do?