Page 69 of Heart of the Raven Prince

She seems less than convinced as she smirks and says, “There is no need for false confidence. You do not have to let his foolishness lead you to the grave. Let us call this game ended. Lochlan has even graciously offered to take you on as his personal Vessel.”

Cold fear strikes me like an arrow at the wolfish grin Lochlan flashes me, and this time I have no problem speaking up as I say, “I would rather fight.”

Pride radiates off Caden, and I feel the back of his hand brush mine again. Lochlan scowls at my response, but the queen merely shrugs.

“Very well.” Arawyn flicks her hand in a dismissive manner and opens a rift in front of me. This one leads into swirling darkness; one I cannot see through. "Let the game begin."

I stare at it for a beat.

“Scared?” she asks, holding back a laugh. I turn to her, looking at her with a face free of fear.

“What do you want me to do?”

Her smile falters; her eyes narrow on me. She quickly recovers when she says, “My task is simple. Retrieve the golden apple and bring it back.” Her fangs flash as she grins. “Do be quick about it though, I won’t keep the rift open forever. Once it closes, there will be no coming back.”

That’s it, that is all the information I get. Turning from the queen, I dare to look at Caden, holding his midnight gaze. I pull the bag off my shoulders and hand it to him, it’ll only slow me down. The court jeers around me, lobbing insults and hateful bets on how long I will last. Caden takes the bag I hand him, brushing his fingers over mine, the touch lingering for half a heartbeat as he drops his voice so only I can hear, and whispers, “Magnificent.”

“Tick tock, human,” Arawyn says, her voice bored. Facing the tunnel of darkness, I pull an arrow from the quiver and nock it. Then I push everything out. The fear over what Arawyn has planned, the hateful shouts from the court, and even Caden. Especially Caden. The way he looks at me like he wants to grab me and never let me go is something I cannot focus on right now. I shut it all out, and I cross the rift.

Shadows envelop me, and the first of my trials begins.

The bleeding eyes on the trees watch me as I slowly creep through the forest. It’s nearly identical to the one Caden and I had camped in this last week. Except these gray and white trees are covered in carved eyes that drip crimson sap. I wish that was the most disturbing part, but then I see the eyes blink. I can’t help but wonder if they are the many gazes of the queen’s court, watching and waiting for me to fail.

A branch snaps, the crack loud in the eerie silence of the woods. A chill sweeps down my spine, but I do not falter, or show any signs that I notice. I’m being followed, something I became aware of several minutes ago. The azure flame of my power is at the forefront of my mind as I hone in on the creature tracking me. I don’t hear the telltale signs that a beast is hunting me. No ragged breathing or low reverberating growls. I only hear the occasional snap of a twig, or skitter of a kicked stone. I have the strangest thought that it’s trying to get me to turn, to notice it.

I do neither.

The thicket of the woods is too dense where I am, and I’m hoping to lead the creature into a more wide-open space, somewhere I can have a chance at a clean shot. It’s impossible to tell how big or small the beast is, but the decaying energy that seeps off it is attempting to override my resolute calm. It doesn’t seem to want to attack me, and that alone unnerves me.

The creatures I battled with Caden were mindless beings, nothing but hunger and want, but this creature seems to be planning. Strategizing. Like it feeds off fear and is trying to let the meal stretch for as long as possible. The path bends and I come to a staggering halt when I see the road before me.

Four dire wolves block my way, eight glowing red eyes locked distinctly on me. Their jaws open, drool dripping from their fangs, and the biggest of the already massive creatures begins to emit a deep growl. I take a small, slow step backward, when my back collides with a firm object. It’s icy, and rigidly smooth, and I know it is the creature that was stalking me.

Daughter of the sun, we have waited so long for you.

The words fill my mind so loudly I wince. The voice is ancient, and malevolent, reminding me of the way Caden spoke when the queen was controlling him. Fear spikes in me, blind panic trying to control my limbs. One of the wolves takes a domineering step toward me, followed by another. I do not move.

Your blood will be sweet, but your screams will be sweeter.

The sound grates down my mind, clawing into my skin and burrowing into my senses. The pricking sensation of its power grips my throat, tightening as I struggle to take in a breath. I realize then that I’m frozen entirely, and not due to my own wild panic. Whatever creature is at my back is controlling me, freezing my limbs. I can’t turn; I can’t fire the arrow held at the ready in my bow. I can only watch as the wolves creep closer, and the dripping red eyes on the trees narrow in on my impending death.

We think we will start by breaking your bones. Their snapping is a song we will dance to. We will relish them splintering in our jaws.

The voices are many now—a whole chorus of demons chanting the words in my mind. A strangled noise tries to claw its way out of my throat, but I can’t get my lips to move to let the whimpered scream free.

I’m going to die.

There is no denying it. No outrunning it. Under the watchful eyes of the queen and her court, I am going to be torn apart by her creations. Another casualty of this war that was always destined to end in her victory. A single tear wells in my eye and drips a lone path down my cheek.

Her fear. Oh, we love the sweet taste of her fear. What a weak little human, what a worthless daughter of the sun.

“No.”

I don’t know how I manage it, but I am able to push through the all-consuming terror that this being of darkness is flooding my mind with. When that demonic horde called me weak, I could think of nothing but the pride in Caden’s eyes moments before he kissed me. The burning rage of my magic snaps the hold these beasts have over me as I say loud enough for the whole forest to hear, “I am not weak. I am magnificent.”

A wolf lets out a wet, gurgled noise when an arrow flies clean through its throat, and the light in its red glare fades as it falls to the ground. My bowstring is still thrumming from the loosed arrow, but I’m already running.

Howls ring out around me as I sprint through the dense woods. Darting around the trees, and leaping over fallen logs, I run as fast as my legs can take me. From the sound of the wild destruction behind me, the massive creature is giving chase. Shadowy forms run alongside me, and I only slow long enough to nock another arrow and take aim. A large black wolf launches at me, letting out a sharp yowl when my arrow lodges in its shoulder. It falls to the ground snarling, and I’m running once more. Pumping my arms, I push myself harder than I ever have before and my mind races.