As I giggled at him and stroked a finger down his glossy back to settle him, I noticed Ryman’s city guards at their usual posts. Suddenly my good mood vanished, and I lowered my head, unwilling to catch their attention. By now, they would’ve heard what I’d done to their colleagues.
I was nearing the central district, contemplating finding a place for lunch, when I saw a young man striding up the middle of the road. His long dark hair fell around his face like a curtain, but it couldn’t hide his eyes. I stopped dead in my tracks, time slowing down.
“Phoenix.” I breathed.
~Chapter Sixteen~
He looked up, though he couldn’t possibly have heard me. Our eyes met through the crowd of people, and I saw his mouth fall open slightly.
“Sky.” He mouthed, and then I was pushing, shoving through the crowd to get to him. I saw him doing the same, people complaining loudly, but he wasn’t taking any notice.
We were but a few metres apart, reaching for each other, when I heard someone yell. Phoenix broke eye contact with me, seeing the guard at the same time I did, just before the guard slammed into him. I froze in my tracks as the people around me shrieked and began to clamber out of the way; they’d lived under Ryman’s oppressive rule long enough to know to get out of the way of an arrest.
“No,” I said softly, but the three guards pinning Phoenix to the ground didn’t hear me. “NO!” Fire raced down my arms to my fingertips. Those closest to me started trying even harder to leave the scene. I extended the flames of my right hand to the guard closest to me, plucking him from the ground and tossing him into a nearby cabbage cart. A second was thrown through the window of the nearest building. The third managed to get a block up before my fire could reach him, but I smashed through it like frail glass and sent him flying.
“Phoenix!” I reached him a second later, pulling him to his feet. “What are you… why are they… how are you here?”
“I’m not supposed to be,” he said, taking my face in his hands. “But I couldn’t stay away from you any longer. They’re attacking me because there’s still a reward out for my arrest. I was exiled, remember?” Suddenly he was looking over me. I turned, breaking out of his hold. A small army of city guards were descending upon us.
I closed my eyes. I couldn’t fight that many without revealing what I was. Nor could I guarantee the safety of any I had to fight, and I didn’t want my reign to begin with me injuring my subordinates.
I took a deep breath and opened my eyes.
“Stop,” I commanded.
“Sky, don’t-”
I ignored Phoenix behind me. The guards had barely slowed their step.
“Stop in the name of the Queen.” I said louder.
One of the guards smirked.
“We don’t have a Queen.” He told me. His friends sniggered.
“You do now.” I replied, and with that, I conjured a ring of white flames to protect myself and Phoenix. The flames roared higher than the crowd, burning hot and bright. Several people screamed and reared back from them. Most of the guards took a step back. I saw one hold his ground through the flickering fire.
“We will not arrest him,” the guard called, of whom I could see very little. “But you will understand that you will need to be questioned by the Governor.”
“You mean he’ll contest my claim.” I responded, my heart beating frantically.
The guard didn’t reply for a second. When he did, I heard only amusement in his tone.
“Yes, probably.”
I twisted, looking back over my shoulder at Phoenix.
“What do you think?” I asked. “Go ahead,” he replied. “The Governor can only stall for so long before accepting you as the Queen. It has to happen at some point.”
“What do you think they mean by ‘question’?” “They will want to see if you indeed have the power of the Queen. This could be an exhibition or trial by combat.”
I knew which one Ryman would pick, though I hoped he’d pick combat. I desperately wanted to kick his sorry arse all the way to the portcullis.
I lowered my arms, letting the flames sink into the pavement. I was surprised to see the guard who’d been speaking to us was the amber magic guard who’d been part of the team attempting to arrest Seff. The other guards surrounded us and though I flinched, didn’t make any move to arrest either of us. Instead, we were marched back up the high road from whence I’d come. Phoenix stood at my shoulder, and carefully slipped his fingers through mine.
“You’ll be fine,” he murmured. “No matter which the Governor picks. You are the Queen of Lotheria. The blood of the previous monarchs runs in your veins.” He glanced down at me, his eyes full of love. “And you are my Sky.”
My heart squeezed painfully, and tears brimmed in my eyes. I’d missed him more than I could bear. All I wanted was to spend the day with him, catching up on all the time we’d missed out on.
No way was I going to let Ryman take that from us. People openly stared as we were escorted back to the palace. Phoenix seemed thoroughly unimpressed with the city, which unnerved me for some reason. I had fallen in love with Castor in the short amount of time I’d been here. A lot of the time I felt as though this city was meant to be my home. Not Ar Cena, not the Academy, this city, with its people and its charms. I could only hope that the place would grow on him as we ruled.
“Governor Ryman is waiting for you in his chambers,” the amber eyed guard said. “Follow me.” We trailed obediently. Phoenix’s hand had grown sweaty, but I didn’t let it go. I didn’t want to ever let go. The other half of my soul was finally at my side. My heart was singing.
“Well well,” I’d never seen Ryman look so pleased with himself. “I was so hoping it’d come to this.” I met his amused gaze, as stony as the city wall. Suddenly I understood completely why Iain and Netalia had picked him to govern; he was an oppressor, and something about him, though diminished in size, demanded respect and power. Though he was a small, lumpy man, I got the feeling that his followers would continue thinking the sun shone out his behind until the very end until someone pointed them at the sky.
I hated that about him. “Were you now?” I replied, not letting my voice betray anything. Phoenix’s hand clenched slightly around mine. “I was expecting a governor who was reasonable and would step down from his station without a fuss, but hey,” I shrugged, letting go of Phoenix’s hand. “We can’t all have what we want.”
“Making a claim to a throne that has been vacant for a thousand years is huge responsibility,” one of his wormy little eyebrows twitched a bit and I think he was lifting it in derision. “Are you prepared to accept the consequences if I can prove that you’re lying?”
“I’m not lying,” I shot back. “How do you wish me to prove my claim to you?” I already knew that he’d pick an exhibition. I couldn’t imagine Ryman ever caring about something enough to leave his reinforced desk chair.
“Trial by combat,” he announced with a shrewd little smile, and suddenly I felt like I’d misjudged the situation completely.
~Chapter Sixteen~
“Trial by combat?” I repeated slowly, making sure that I’d heard him correctly. “You think you’ll best me?” “No, I think my championwill best you,” he replied smugly, settling back into his chair, his hands folded neatly on his protruding stomach. “Griffin is the Captain of the city guard. He should prove more than a match for you.”
Captain of the city guard? So this would be the man Eleanora replaced if she took up my offer. I was hardly surprised when the amber-eyed guard stepped forwards, amusement in his eyes.
I glanced at him quickly, taking in his stance and demeanour. His hands were loosely clasped behind his back, his brown hair pushed back out of his eyes and falling almost to his shoulders from a widow’s peak. I saw a man who had never lost before, and didn’t plan on relinquishing that title anytime soon.
I saw someone who would be hard to beat.
Finally.
“I accept your
challenge,” I said, turning back to Ryman. “What are the rules?”
Triumph sparked in his eyes. He thought he had me. “You’ll pick a second who will take over in the combat if you tire or die. The fight shall only be to the first knockout however.”
“Then why do I need a second in case of death?” “Well, my dear, accidents do happen.” Sympathy really didn’t work with this man. I wished again that he’d dobbed himself in for combat. “As the accused, you may not pick a champion and must fight in the trial yourself.”
I nodded, my heart beginning to beat a little faster in anticipation.
“Also, anything goes… I want to see this power you claim to have.”
I smiled for the first time since entering his office.
“Yes, sir.” I said, and meant it.
~ Clouds were beginning to roil over the city, but that hadn’t stopped Ryman from moving the trial to one of the outside courtyards. The weather was unusually warm and muggy, but I could almost taste the rain that was on the way. I was dressed in loose fitting breeches and a shirt which allowed full mobility. Griffin was dressed much the same.
My friends, some of my old classmates, and my parents were watching on the sidelines, as well as all of the guards who’d been able to get off duty and some who hadn’t. Phoenix had been confined to a room in the castle lest he interfere.
“You will now point to the person you have chosen as your second.” Ryman announced from his chair which he’d had brought outside.
Griffin pointed to another guard. I pointed at Petre, who nodded slowly. I’d had ten minutes to discuss who would be my second with my friends. Theresa was out in the city, Dena at the hospital and my parents had arrived at the end of the discussion. Yasmin, Ispin, Petre and Rain had all offered to be my seconds, with Phoenix being told that he wasn’t allowed to volunteer. After a few minutes of
consideration, I chose Petre; his fighting style was similar to mine, and as the son of the Lord of Riverdoor, just his name held sway. Yasmin had been raring to fight, but when I told her that Ryman had named a champion and wouldn’t be fighting himself, her disappointment was clear. She still remembered the slight about her being human born, and wanted to make sure Ryman
remembered it too.
I stretched my muscles carefully, listening to Ryman repeat the rules for the benefit of those watching. I saw Jett standing on the edge of the courtyard, expressionless. He’d been more than annoyed when he’d arrived to find that I’d challenged the Governor’s rule without consulting him first, and no amount of explanation seemed to placate him. In the end I’d given up.
I turned and faced my competitor. Griffin was watching me closely as I warmed up, and I knew he was taking note of which hand I favoured and which leg I leant forward on; I’d been doing the same to him. It was crucial to know these things, as mages would prefer limbs to others for fighting. It would be my right hand and leg he would target, in the hope of crippling me and therefore slowing my response time to his attacks. I’d noticed that whilst he favoured his right hand also, it seemed to be his left leg that he relied most upon. I could only hope he hadn’t been concealing which side he preferred to confuse me.
“When the spark hits the ground, you will begin.” Ryman lifted his hand, conjuring a single spark that flared momentarily and then began to drift towards the ground.
A rumble of thunder boomed overhead as Griffin, the spectators and myself watched the path of the magic. It hit the ground, and faster than I could follow, Griffin whirled into action. A bolt of amber flames whipped towards me, and I only just got my shield up in time.
As the flames roared around the green bubble I’d managed to create, I realised that my besting Griffin in the lower districts that day had been a complete fluke. This man was trained in the art of combat, a fully fledged mage.
Concern suddenly bit deep. Had I overreached myself? A cracking brought my attention back to my shield. The flames were beginning to overcome it! I dropped the shield and rolled to the left, narrowly avoiding being roasted or sapped by the magic. As I got to my feet, I spun and kicked out, sending a wave of green fire towards Griffin. He jumped it easily, retaliating as I got to my feet. I ducked the wave of flames but as I stood and faced my opponent again, I caught only a glimpse of silver before the throwing knife hit me.
It grazed my cheek, leaving a searing line of fire across my cheekbone. Something hot trickled from the wound, and I didn’t need to check to know that it was blood.
He was using weapons. I chanced a glance at Ryman, who hadn’t mentioned anything about weapons. If he had, I would’ve had my swords down here in an instant.
“Oh yes, I did quite forget that little detail, didn’t I?” Ryman sneered, and I was suddenly more angry than I’d been in a while. He’d given his champion an unfair advantage. He meant for me to lose this fight.
Biting back a flood of expletives, I lashed out with a vine of prickly magic. Griffin deflected it with a lazy swat. I fought harder than I ever had in memory, but I knew I was significantly hampered by my lack of weaponry and completely outgunned by my opponent’s skill.
The fight continued, but it was clear to everyone watching, as well as myself, who was the more powerful mage. How could this be? I’d been so sure of myself, of my power. I’d never thought that I’d lose this battle.
“There’s a difference between power and skill,” Griffin told me loudly as I climbed back to my feet after a particularly nasty hit. “Sorry to prove that to you right at this moment, Your Majesty.”
He turned the title into a jeer. I’d be angry if I could muster the strength. I didn’t answer, saving my strength. Thunder was more frequent overhead now, the wind was picking up and I could smell rain in the air. We were in for a storm. Griffin, apparently not noticing the weather or not caring, continued his assault. I blocked the worse of it, but I allowed the lesser ones to hit me, saving my strength.
What did I do now? I was the reincarnation of Queen Fleur, I was entitled to the throne. I wouldn’t have been called to duty otherwise. But beaten in combat... no one would take me seriously again. I ground my teeth in frustration.
I got up off the ground again, and glanced up just in time to see Griffin produce another throwing knife from somewhere. I watched him weigh it in his hand, and on the sidelines noticed Petre beginning to gear up to take over.
Thanks for the vote of confidence.
As he threw the knife, I conjured a shield in front of me, but my magic was weak and the knife broke right through it. I cried out in pain as the knife sunk deep into my right shoulder.
People were yelling now, mostly my classmates but some of the other spectators as well. Ignoring the fire in my shoulder that was threatening to send my vision spiralling, I looked over to Ryman. He looked steadily to me and then nodded in a ‘carry on’ motion.
I fell to my knees again, my left hand going to the knife. Agony was blazing from the wound, and my vision wobbled again.
“Don’t pull it out!” Rain was screaming from the sidelines. “Sky, don’t... DON’T!” I barely heard her through the fog of pain. My fingers grasped the hilt of the knife and the whole world tilted. Blood was thudding in my ears, but I could still hear the agonised scream that took me a moment to realise it was mine.
I pulled on the knife, desperate for some relief from the agony. The bloody blade clattered to the ground, my blood falling from it in little droplets. I experienced a split second of euphoria as my body recognised that the blade had been removed, but that was quickly replaced by the horror of feeling blood beginning to pump out of the open wound.
I now realised why Rain had been telling me not to take it out. I pressed my left hand to the wound, but I knew that I was bleeding out.
I needed urgent medical attention, but would that call off the duel? If so, I couldn’t take that risk. I needed to win this fight for the future of this country. I wouldn’t have been called to duty if there wasn’t a need for a ruling monarch.
Thun
der boomed overhead again, and suddenly I could feel the energy of the storm all around, just like I could sense magic in the air. With sudden inspiration, I stood, took my bloody hand away from my shoulder wound, and summoned the lightning.
~Chapter Seventeen~
Griffin hadn’t been expecting it, nor had anyone in the crowd. The bolt of pure lightning would’ve hit him square in the face had he not shielded in time. Even so, he was blasted back off the pretty courtyard and into the muddy grass. He lay still as his second ran over to him. My bleeding wound forgotten for a few glorious moments, I watched as they pronounced Griffin decidedly knocked out. I’d won.
In stunned silence, the courtyard knelt as one. I trembled for a second before stumbling.
Strong arms caught me before I could hit the ground. “You can bow and scrape later,” Yasmin was yelling at the kneelers. “Dustin, help me get her into the palace.” Dustin picked me up, one arm under my knees and the other supporting my head and neck. Rain had pulled her tunic off, leaving her under shirt on, pressing the wadded up material against the knife wound. I was dimly aware of crying out in protest as the pressure made the pain even worse. She ignored it, though I felt Dustin’s arms tremble below me.
I was dimly aware of being put down a short time later; I must’ve passed out as I was being carried in. I looked up to see Dena rolling up her sleeves before reaching down and removing the tunic from my shoulder. I felt dizzy as I saw how much of my blood was on it before she dropped it on the floor next to her.
Without saying a word, she lit a ball of blue fire in one palm and pressed it against the wound. I watched as though from a distance as the flames sunk inside my skin. Blood trickled out in rivulets, down my arm and onto the desk Dustin had laid me on. I could see him standing just behind Dena, arms folded with the knuckles of his right hand pressed against his lips. He saw me looking at him and turned away.
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