Page 117 of Dragon Me Through Space

“Both,” Zeke answered. “The ceremony will be performed in the city square and will be broadcast to the entire planet.”

“Were the Games⁠—”

“Yes,” Zeke answered before I finished asking my question.

Great, so everyone had seen what happened to me and would see the Vicky debacle today. I really hoped I was making the right decision. The last thing I wanted was to be constantly on edge because people thought I was weak.

We walked for what felt like an hour down so many alleyways in the city that I was completely turned around before finally making it to the city square. In the middle of the square was a platform where the High King and Queen sat in wooden thrones with Vicky on her knees at the bottom of the steps before them with her hands bound in front of her. A huge crowd was gathered all around the platform and I could see drones filming everything.

“Deep breath,” Preston whispered as his expressionless mask slid on. “We’ll be right next to the platform, nearest you, and will protect you if anything happens.”

I nodded, ascended the steps past Vicky without looking at her, and stopped just before the thrones the High King and Queen sat on.

“Congratulations to Princess Xoe for winning the Games,” High King Alaric said, his voice carrying throughout the area by some type of amplification device. “You showed exemplary skill.” He waited a moment for the applause to stop. “Present the princess with her prize,” he ordered.

Two guards approached with a small chest. They opened the lid to reveal shiny, glittering credits. Normally, I would have been ecstatic to receive it, but now that I was here, I knew that money wasn’t an issue for me.

“How will you punish this female for her treachery during the Games?” High Queen Seraphyne asked.

“Thank you for your congratulations,” I replied and dipped my head to them. Raising my head and turning to face Vicky, I said, “During the Games, we lost four of our precious Dragonkin females. This loss was unwarranted and devastating. I do not wish to lose another female, despite the severity of her crime. Therefore, I request that you allow for her to be banished from the planet, never allowed to return. I also request that the prize money I received be distributed evenly between the orphanages.”

Many gasped and began murmuring to each other in surprise.

“A compassionate heart is the sign of a good ruler,” High Queen Seraphyne said. The crowd silenced as soon as she began to speak. “Your empathy and desire to help our population will not be forgotten.”

“As you desire, Princess, the prize money will be distributed to the orphanages and this female shall be banished off-planet, never allowed to return again,” High King Alaric announced.

I turned to face Vicky, who knelt in front of me with her hands clasped in her lap.

“Any last words or thanks to the princess who is allowing you to live?” High King Alaric asked her.

She looked up at me, a huge smile on her face, and said, “You’re too kindhearted. It will be your downfall.”

My brows rose at her audacity, but as she leapt up, her hands extended towards my throat, I realized my error.

I’d assumed she was bound, that the guards had properly secured her, but the ropes fell away as she moved. Someone had helped her fake being tied up.

I knocked her hand away, but my second mistake was assuming she was trying to choke me.

Her hand wrapped around the locket hanging from my neck, the locket with the power inside to bind the princes and the one who opened it together. The one I had put off activating because of the permanent magical connection it created and had partially forgotten about since arriving here.

She smiled devilishly as she turned towards the four princes who had leapt onto the stage when she’d moved towards me.

“No!” I screamed, realizing that she was going to open the locket, to bind the princes to herself.

Preston’s eyes widened as he realized her intent as well, but we were all too close and yet unable to stop it.

Her nail dug into the locket and she pried it open before I could stop her.

A blinding light exploded from the locket and an explosion of power hit all of us, knocking us all off of our feet.

My fear caused my blood to pound in my ears and I couldn’t hear anything over it.

Rolling up to my knees, I choked down a breath and turned towards the princes.

All four of the princes had fallen to their knees with their heads bowed.

No. No! I couldn’t lose them like this. I couldn’t lose these four to this female.