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The wyvern flapped its wings, sending dirt and gravel in every direction. “Fight, Elowyn. Save us.”
It flew off in a blink, and I shielded my eyes, looking up when Talon’s body slammed into mine. He twisted around to shield me and unsheathed his sword—blasting gold magic from his other palm, sending half a dozen guards to the other side of the arena, rendering them unconscious.
“Run!” Talon demanded as he fought against the six remaining guards.
I didn’t wait.
I did exactly as he said and took off in the opposite direction, ducking and weaving as steel blades sliced through the air, missing my neck by mere inches. It was impossible to know who was who in the frenzy of bodies—I could only hope none of the blood splattered on the ground was Talon’s as I ran.
And ran.
I was almost to the exit when a guard grabbed me by my hair and pulled me back. His hot breath on my cheek burned like acid.
No, I was too close.
There were only a few more feet to go, and I’d be damned if I didn’t make it out alive.
Ignoring the searing pain that ripped through my scalp, I twisted in his grip and kicked him as hard as I could between the legs.
He doubled over with a growl, and I kneed him in the nose, cartilage crunching under the force. I quickly flipped over and crawled away, trying to catch my breath—refocus—when a dozen more guards began their descent from the observation deck above.
Digging my nails into my palm, I breathlessly watched Talon take on the last two guards. With one swift, final motion, he drove his elbows into their skulls and rushed to my side, getting to me just in time before the other guards closed in.
He hooked an arm around my waist and dragged me toward the exit.
We were running too fast. I couldn’t match his strides. The arena blurred past at a dizzying rate, as did the golden courtyard and the labyrinth of trees and shrubs once we entered the forest.
I didn’t know where Talon was taking me. Nor did I care. I just wanted to go home. Wanted my freedom. Yet I found myself consumed with an unsettling paranoia, that I wouldn’t live long enough to see it happen.
We reached a small bubbling creek deep within the forest and Talon finally slowed, dropping his hands to his knees.
“Fuck!” he yelled at the ground. Every emotion flashed across his face when he finally stood, dragging a palm down his pale face. I’d never seen him so unnerved. He was usually a pillar of strength, yet his foundation was cracking. My stomach tightened at the sight.
“What the hell is going on, Talon?” I took a sharp inhale through my nose, trying but failing to catch my breath. “Why are they chasing us like we’re a threat?”
“Because you are.” Talon paced the forest ground, muttering to himself—the words barely audible. “How are we going to get through the wards?”
My body went ice cold, and I leaned against a tree to keep the crushing dread that slammed into my chest from knocking me over. “I’m sorry, what? What do you mean, we can’t get past the wards?”
Talon took a controlled breath to regain his composure and took my hands in his. I wanted his gesture to comfort me—to provide a semblance of reassurance—but the warmth his touch usually provided only left me cold.
“I promise I’ll explain everything later, but we need to keep going. You’re not safe here.” His eyes pleaded for me to understand, but I didn’t. I couldn’t. The only thing I understood was the bubbling frustration that turned my vision black and had me on the verge of exploding.
I ripped my hands away from his and stepped back, shoving my palms into my eyes to quell the darkness that threatened to spill over. “Dammit Talon, just tell me! Why can’t I leave? Stars, I’m so sick of no one saying what they truly mean! I just want to go home! The king said the last one living would be set free, yeah?” I held out my hands and looked around the forest. “I don’t see anyone else here, do you? I swear on everything I love I’m not leaving until?—”
“You’re the fabled princess,” Talon blurted. He rubbed his hand along his slacked jaw as if he regretted speaking the words aloud. “Fuck, I’m so sorry. I tried to protect you, but King Harkin figured it out, and if I don’t get you out of here, he’ll kill you.”
My mouth fell open, but I forgot how to speak. Forgot how to breathe, even. I don’t think I was. “No. No, that’s impossible.” I blanched, recalling my mother's words all those moons ago:
“We had a secret love affair child—the stars weren’t in our favor. It’s been for your own good to know as little as possible.”
The world spun under my feet, attempting to throw me off its axis. The heir to an entire kingdom? I barely scraped by during the trials, yet there were people counting on me to liberate them from their tyrannical dictator? I couldn’t. How? I didn’t have magic. I had nothing except fool’s luck.
“I know it’s hard to believe.” Talon's eyes pleaded with mine, but I looked away, unable to stomach the pity that coated them. “I wish there was another way for you to find out, but you need to understand how much danger you’re in. You’re part faerie, Elowyn. A halfling. To the court, you’re an abomination, but to King Harkin—a threat to his throne.”
A halfling. It didn’t make sense, and yet it explained everything. Like every missing part of myself snapped into place, as if I’d found the missing answers to all my questions.
My ability to talk to animals.
