Thump!
I fell to the ground, my tailbone protesting quite angrily at the impact. “Goddamn it,” I hissed, struggling to my feet.
Gael was at my side in an instant, pulling me up with one hand and adjusting the device I had been balancing on with the other. “It’s alright. We’ll just try again.”
“Of course, we will,” I grumbled. “For hours and hours and hours. We can’t stop, because the Dragonfire trial is in two days, and if I don’t pass, I might—ya know—die.”
“You won’t die. That is only a possibility for those with dark intentions, who are unworthy of the grace of the Mountain. If there is anyone worthy of their admission, it is you.”
“Glad you’re so sure.” I stepped up onto the curved piece of wood, trying to balance. The point of this whole exercise was to find my center. Apparently having the ability to keep calm and meditate through terrible pain was the key to surviving this test. Yay. “You were also sure that you would be able to sponsor me without a hitch.”
“Yes, well we all get things wrong on occasion.”
“Speak for yourself,” I quipped. “You know this would be a lot easier if I wasn’t in this ridiculous dress.”
“I think the dress is beautiful.”
“You think that everything I wear is beautiful.” He wasn’t wrong. The pale, sheer pink was flowing, breathable and elegant. But the lacing in the back kept my posture straight and proper, which was making my core work harder than ever to hold me up.
“That’s because you are.”
“That’s right, try to butter me up to make you forget that it’s you putting me through all this.”
He laughed, despite my somewhat sour mood, and pressed a kiss to my hair. We had slept together a couple times in the week since the Queen’s decision, but usually I was far too exhausted and battered to be in a very sexy mood. I mostly just felt like one giant bruise with stiff joints to boot. He didn’t seem to mind though, and was just as content with cuddling me and massaging my sore muscles.
As far as I could tell, the Dragonfire was a test of the mind and spirit, not of physical prowess. But for being a mental challenge, it certainly involved a lot of whipping my body into shape. There was running every morning, to help me better control my heart rate and breathing. Balancing to help me improve my core and ability to concentrate.
Meditation, which involved sitting in place for hours while trying to achieve some sort of inner peace or something like that. From the time the glow stones began to sparkle, to the time they faded, I was pushing myself to be better, stronger, more mentally sound. And honestly, I wasn’t sure if it was working. I couldn’t perceive any discernible change aside from the palpable soreness I went to bed, then awoke with every day.
Surprisingly, we weren’t going through these preparations alone. Several others in the dragon Court visited, including Dwyllverys. They offered help, device and even food. I didn’t expect any of them to be particularly friendly, but they tried their best. Even the growliest of them, refrained from using human slurs in my presence—although none of them stated anything either way about the breeding pens.
But despite all the encouragement, and time, I still felt unprepared as I was led to the ritual at the side of my Prince.
It was night, or at least the underground equivalent, and we strolled down a path I was unfamiliar with. That seemed strange, considering how much I had been running all over the entire cityscape, but I supposed there were probably several more areas that I had no idea existed. Strange, to be so out of the loop when I came from the age of gps and computer searches of everything.
We were not alone either. The Queen walked at the head of the procession, clothed in the deepest, darkest black dress I had ever seen. The silver accents stood out against her melanin rich skin, yet blended into the filigree crown in her bone-white hair.
Myrik, Jayne, Dwyllverys, and another strode in lines beside us, each holding a torch. The Prince was still unhappy with the albino woman’s decision to challenge him, but she stood by her conviction that she was doing what was best by me, something that the Prince as a man who was born to another well respected male warrior, would never understand. I myself didn’t know whether I agreed with her, since after all, I was the one risking my life, but I could hear a lot of truth in her reasoning.
Behind us, there were all the naysayers. The haters, as I might have called them in a social media post when I was feeling particularly petty. I didn’t know the names of any of them, so they just seemed like faceless antagonists. Which was fine, I did better when I had something—or someone—tangible to fight against.
We continued down the masterfully hewn path, a somber procession. After just long enough for me to start to question if we would ever arrive at our destination, what could be none other than a temple loomed ahead of us. Unlike every other building I had viewed, it wasn’t carved into the mountain’s walls like all the other residences. Instead, it was built from towering blocks of marble, with a gothic-like structure that would have been welcome in any European period.
There was even a stained-glass window in front of the massive building. Except it seemed to be less glass, and more of the same sparkling crystal that comprised the Queen’s throne in the Court of Champions.
I would have probably been more inspired by its beauty, and maybe even liked it, if the chapel-esque building wasn’t holding the test that could possibly kill me. That tended to color one’s opinion a bit.
We entered through the giant double doors, who seemed to be comprised of stone rather than wood. I was definitely not going to be able to open those on my own, so turning chicken and trying to run out was definitely not an option. Not that I actually would make a bolt for it, but the lack of an exit strategy only compounded my nerves.
Finally, we were all gathered and the Queen stood at the head of the temple, everyone else lining the walls. The Prince stayed with me, our arms linked, and escorted me to the foot of the dais before the royal.
She gave me the subtlest of nods and I returned it. Although I certainly wasn’t feeling confident, it didn’t hurt me to pretend I was.
“My children,” she began. “We have gathered here to witness Lady Mercedes, of the Shimmering Isles, and her trial by Dragonfire. Should she pass, and the Mountain deem her worthy, she will be adopted as its child with Prince Gael as her sponsor. No one may protest. No one may object. The world of the Mountain is the highest law.”
There was a murmur of agreement, and the Queen extended one dark, talon tipped nail to me. “Come with me, my lady. I will show you the test you must face.”
I don’t know what I expected when I slipped my relatively tiny hand into her long, ancient one. Sudden combustion? Instantaneous transfer of all her dragony knowledge? There wasn’t much of either. Just her incredibly warm skin against my cold and clammy hand.
She led me through another set of doors, which were closed behind us. For the first time since I had ever met her, we were completely alone.
“You are brave to do this, young lady.”
“I do what I must,” I deflected, my eyes examining everything I could just in case it could be useful for later.
We were in a very plain hall, completely different from the ornate chapel theme in the previous room. In fact, the only thing in the corridor was a black pedestal at the end.
“What you must, or what you have been forced into? I know the Prince only holds the best intentions for all in his heart, but he cannot know what’s best when he does not know all that you are.”
That was just annoyingly cryptic enough to spark a flash of worry through me. “What do you mean?”
“Both you and I know you are not from the Shimmering Isles, or anywhere else we know of for that matter.” I opened my mouth to object, but she just patted my hand knowingly. “You need not tell me where it is you hail from. Even the most honest of people need some secrets, and your mysterious origin has no effect on whether you will help or harm us.”
“But if you know I’m not from here, how could you believe that I’m possibly teamed up with the human royals?”
“I don’t. But that isn’t the issue, as I’m sure you know. It matters not what I think, but what my children do. You must prove your loyalty to them, as even my word alone cannot save you.”
“Seems like being a Queen would have a bit more weight than that.”
“But a Queen is only as powerful as her people’s trust in her ability to rule. If I were to violate that, there would be no hope for your plan of ending the breeding pens in this generation.”
Another spike of alarm. “You know about that?”
“Of course. You are clearly a good person—or at least not a naturally violent one. It’s obvious that would be your priority. If it wasn’t, I would never have allowed you to come this far.”
She was certainly perceptive. No wonder she had been successfully ruling for so long. I felt foolish that I ever felt like I could secretly persuade her over to my side. It was more that I was already on her side, and just now realizing it.
I didn’t have much time to feel sheepish, however, because we reached the pedestal and she released my hand. Looking down into the onyx stand, I saw there was a divot in the center, where a swirling pool of smoke sat, churning in and around on itself.
“This is the Dragonfire?”
“This is the Dragonfire. Were you expecting something else?”
“Uh, well actual fire for one.”
She laughed quietly, and gently stroked my back like a mother would her progeny. “You will find there is plenty of fire indeed. When you are ready, breathe it in and so will begin your trial.”
“Wait, that stuff goes inside of me?”
“Yes. As you were warned, this will be a battle of what’s within you, not your physical prowess.”
“I wasn’t aware that you meant it literally.”
“We’re dragons, almost everything we say is literal.” She turned and gracefully walked out. “I wish you well, Lady Mercedes of the Shimmering Isles. May the Mountain find you favorable.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
But then the doors shut and I was alone. I stood there for several very, very long moments. I wasn’t sure what I was doing, thinking…regretting…trying to calm myself, the feelings all intermingled. Eventually, I knew I couldn’t procrastinate any longer. If I wanted to move forward, I needed to get this done.
I leaned down, my face almost completely in the divot, then breathed in deeply. The smoke coiled like a living, sentient thing, whirling up into a funnel that delved straight through my mouth and nose.
I coughed, feeling like sandpaper scored itself down my still healing throat, then quickly realized I couldn’t breathe.
No, not this again.
I fell to my knees and fought for control. It was just a sliver at first, and came to me in a ragged gasp. But as I focused, and concentrated on slowing my heart and my mind, I found myself to intake a little more air, and a little more, until I was in the particular meditation rhythm that Gael had spent days teaching me.
It was then, once I had reached some sort of homeostasis, that my mind was suddenly rushing away from me. I found my vision zooming through the mountain, passing through rock, pockets of ore, animal dens and the like, until I was at the snowy peak. Except, I knew I wasn’t really there. It was like a strange astral projection where I had no form, and yet I was. Like an echo but no call to begin it, or a faint memory that couldn’t be recalled.
It was there, at the top of the mount, that I saw all of the continent stretch out before me. Truly, it was beautiful. But despite the majesty, my gaze pinpointed on something far in the distance.
My vision instantly was moving again, zooming to where I had been looking at impossible speed. Then, with no whiplash, I stopped just as suddenly as I started, hovering over the skeleton of a cabin that looked like it might have once been homey, but had long since seen little love.
Two figures stood below, and I had the distinct feeling that they were not of this time. That I was not of time. What I was watching had happened long ago, before I had ever thought of reading the Shattered Kingdom and their trials that laid within.
“You don’t need to be here; this world has already been guided. They’ve found peace. It’s an uneasy one, but the fey will rebound and return to their original numbers.”
I wished that I could make out the details of the speakers, but it was almost as if someone had taken an eraser to them, obscuring their finer details and leaving only vague impressions of what they might have been.
“See, that’s the thing. You weren’t supposed to be here. No one was. This is my world, and I’ve already decided which way I want this story to play out. Your meddling is not only unwelcome, but set back centuries of planning I’ve set up.”
“W-what? What do you mean? There’s no records of this world ever being influence—”
“Did you ever stop to think, you self-righteous idiot, that’s because I didn’t want it to be on record?”
“But why…” The voice of the smaller figure tapered off, as if sudden realization dawned upon them. “You’ve given into the Lust, haven’t you?”
The taller form laughed, and the very sound sent chills down my spine. “Lust. What a ridiculous word we’ve generated for it. Trying to make it sound like a sin so we are ashamed of our naturally superior forms.
“No, I have not fallen to the Lust. I have merely accepted my full potential. Now I am sorry for this, but I can’t have you running off and telling the others.”
“It doesn’t matter what you do to me, I am not the one who drove this peace. I am merely a friend learning from another’s example.”
“Unfortunate, but not unsolvable.”
And then, in less than the amount of time to take a breath, the figure snapped his fingers, and a rift opened behind the smaller person. It was black, and swirling, and entirely different from the portal I had traveled here in.
The smaller figure screamed, trying to grab at something to keep them upright, but the ravenous maw of nothingness pulled them backwards until there was nothing left.
If I had a mouth, I would have covered it in my gasp. I was fairly certain that I had seen a very ancient murder, but it explained the altered timeline that I had stumbled into. Abuela must have fixed the world, then began to write its history, when whoever this hidden figure was came in and tried to undo her work.
“To whoever is hanging there, I hope you enjoyed the show.” Like something out of a horror movie, they turned and glanced in my general direction. “It appears you finally caught up to me.”
He reached for where my arm might be, if I was in my body. I jerked back, and like a bungee cord snapping, I was yanked back into the Dragonfire Sanctuary.
I gasped once more, both from the shock of what I had just seen, as well as being back in my body. I clasped the edges of the pedestal, hanging on for dear life as I tried to find my center again.
But things had a way of ganging up on me, and I heard a thundering crack far above my head. Surely there couldn’t be a storm within the mountain? The dragons obviously knew a lot about their underground architecture, but I really didn’t think that was possible or useful.
My answer came in the form of a stalactite skewering the ceiling at the opposite end of the hall. On a scale of one to ten between things I didn’t want to happen, and things I did, I would mark that as a negative five.
I bolted towards the door, more of the ceiling crumbling and collapsing around me. I had not survived everything I’d gone through to be made into Mercedes-paste underneath some faulty architecture!
I didn’t even get to the end of the long hall before the doors burst open, and a surging form of gold swept in. I recognized my Prince instantly, and rushed to him. He extended a wing over me, shielding me from the debris falling like hail around us. I curled to his side, terrified yet again, but this time for both of us. I could hear rocks slamming into his scaling, building up bit by bit until we were completely buried in rubble.
But he never moved, never tried to get himself to safety. He was the only thing standing between me and certain death. If we got out of this alive, I owed him a very enthusiastic thank you.
The last of the light winked out from where I was huddled, and I could only listen to the sound of the building collapsing around us until we were buried in the temple turned impromptu tomb.