The Wolven Mark

by Megan Linski

  “Who’d we get?” Emma asked curiously. I pointed. Emma let out a gagging sound when she saw the dragon mark on Ada’s hand.

  “Those are our competitors?” Emma yelped.

  “Yes,” I said glumly. “They are.”

  “How do you expect us to joust against a dragon?” Emma hissed.

  “We have no choice.” At this point I was doubting we’d make it past the joust, but too late to go back now.

  The doors to the Field opened. Steward Soloman raised his voice and said, “The first four competitors, hold back for the beginning of the joust. The rest of you, proceed up to the competitor booth and wait your turn for the joust.”

  Emma shivered next to me. The thousands of people in the crowd reflected in her gaze. “Ethan, I don’t think I can do this.”

  “Just keep your eyes on me,” I told her. We strode forward, and a wave of nerves washed through my stomach as loud cheers shook the stands. Trumpets sounded, and confetti fell to the ground as applause swallowed up every other sound. Emma floundered for my hand. I took it tightly and squeezed it as we followed the other competitors up the stairs and to our designated box.

  A long wooden barrier that looked like a fence divided two sides of the jousting field. The first team was a griffin and his Marked. He’d already changed into his shifter form. His sorceress sat on his back holding a long golden lance in one arm and a shield in the other.

  On the opposite side of the arena was a dragon couple. The dragon was on the smaller end, twelve feet tall or so, but still had an obvious advantage of height over the griffin. The Marked that sat on his back held a red lance and a shield she could barely lift.

  The two riders squared off on opposing sides of the fence. A bell rang, and the shifters stampeded forward.

  The dragon lowered its head as it charged toward the griffin with its teeth bared. I was sure that the dragon had the advantage as they approached, but the griffin Marked leapt into the air as it came near the dragon.

  The griffin Marked aimed true. The dragon sorceress lowered her lance a second too late, and the opposing rider’s lance knocked right into her. She barely managed to hang on as her shifter ran toward the other end of the field.

  The griffin Marked won that round. The two riders rounded the fence on the end of the field and turned around to go at it again. Lances lowered, the competitors raced onward. The griffin rider was preparing to strike the dragon Marked just as she had before.

  But the dragon Marked was waiting this time, and slammed her lance into the shield of the griffin rider before she could raise her lance in attack.

  A point for the dragon. They were neck and neck.

  I was on the edge of my seat the third time they charged at each other, not sure who would win. The dragon rider carried her lance clumsily, as if it bothered her to hold. I was certain the griffin rider, who looked more experienced, was going to knock her off.

  The two opponents met in the middle of the field. But instead of using her lance to force the enemy rider off, the dragon Marked tossed herself off of her dragon’s back and tackled the griffin rider to the ground. The crowd groaned, and the two sorceresses wrestled upon the earth. Emma gasped in surprise.

  The dragon and the griffin both turned on each other. The griffin took to the skies just as the dragon shot out a jet of flame. The griffin’s feathers barely got singed as he turned around and lashed out with his talons. His blow caught the dragon’s eye. The dragon stumbled backward, blood dripping from the wound. Before the griffin could fly away, the dragon brought his tail up and smacked it into the griffin. He went tumbling through the air and slammed into the boards with a horrible crunching sound. The crowd ooed, and the griffin changed back into a man. His shoulders trembled as he attempted to force himself to get up, and failed.

  Satisfied, the dragon transformed back into his human form and turned to observe the sorceress fight. Per rules of the tournament, he couldn’t interfere at this stage, but he could watch.

  The two sorceresses had drawn swords and were dueling fiercely. Loud shouts and yells from them rang through the arena, along with the sound of clashing steel. Both of the Marked were skilled swords women, but the dragon Marked was obviously better. The griffin sorceress struggled to keep up as she dodged slashes and jabs from her opponent.

  The griffin Marked searched for her mate frantically. When she saw him lying helplessly at the other end of the field, she let out a cry and dropped her sword, leaving an opening. The dragon Marked saw her advantage and kicked the other girl’s feet out from under her, pointing a sword at her throat.

  The griffin Marked raised her hands in surrender. The Field erupted into thunderous applause, and the two dragons raised their hands in victory. The griffin Marked got up and ran to the other side of the arena. She pulled her mate to his feet before putting his arm around her shoulder and helping him limp off the field.

  Personally, I thought he had it lucky. A hit like that was enough to break a shifter’s back. The two winners strode to the competitor’s box and sat on the stand below us with huge smiles. An official called names, and four more people left the stands.

  The joust went on. Every single one ended in a bloody duel, though nobody had died yet. There were a few broken bones and many grievous injuries, but none significant enough to cause death. A griffin couple and an alicorn couple won the next two rounds.

  Eventually, it was Elijah and Gabby’s turn. They were up against the other alicorn couple, Albin and Krystyna. The two squared off before charging at each other full speed. Albin lowered his horn, and Elijah bared his fangs as the opponents drew closer and closer.

  Krystyna dropped her shield too far in an attempt to lean forward and jab her lance into Gabby’s. That was her mistake. Seeing an opening, Gabby raised her lance. As if she was stabbing with a sword, she thrust it forward. I caught her lips moving as Gabby mouthed a spell.

  Gabby’s lance slipped right past Krystyna’s shield and kept going. The lance embedded itself through armor, into Krystyna’s chest and clear through to the other side of her body.

  Everyone in the stands gave an audible gasp. As Elijah ran past, Gabby held onto her lance and ripped it out. Krystyna went spinning off of Albin’s back and landed on her back in the dirt. Even from here, the large, gaping wound in her torso was clear to see. The whole thing had happened in seconds.

  Albin let out a high-pitched whinny as Krystyna fell from his back, though it sounded more like a scream. He skidded to a stop. The alicorn’s eyes rolled back in his head, and he reared up, flashing out his hooves as he continued to cry out.

  When Albin came back down on all fours, he changed into a man again, and crawled to Krystyna’s side. At this point, she was already dead. Her eyes stared out lifelessly, mouth hanging open, as Albin reached out and pulled her onto his lap. Tears streamed down the shifter’s face as he began to sob. Albin wailed, clinging Krystyna’s lifeless body to his chest. Blood pouring from her wound soaked his armor and clothes, creating a puddle around his legs.

  Gabby and Elijah stopped at the end of the arena. Both of them were grinning with a sickening satisfaction.

  Nobody in the arena cheered or moved. Nobody made a sound.

  After a few long moments, alicorn officials hustled onto the field. I recognized a lord and lady from the alicorn Faction with them, probably sponsors. They leaned down and spoke to Albin while others tried to pry Krystyna’s body away, but he wouldn’t let go.

  An official from the dragon Faction muscled his way into the circle and managed to yank Albin and Krystyna apart. An alicorn carried her body off the field while others had to drag Albin past the gated doors. A large circle of red stained the ground where Krystyna’s body had been.

  Gabby and Elijah returned to the competitor stands as if they’d done nothing. They brushed dust off their armor and stared at the field, bored already they had to wait this long to get on with it. The other competitors in the stands inched away from them, giving them their own spa
ce.

  A chill ran up my spine. Gabby and Elijah weren’t here to lose. They were going to play dirty. And by the gods, if they had to kill every contestant in their way of getting that crown, so be it.

  My own dazed stupor ended at the sound of Emma’s heavy breathing. Tears ran down her face, and her whole body was trembling. She was having a panic attack.

  “Emma. Emma, look at me, you have to focus.” I took her face in my hands and stroked her cheeks with my thumbs gently. Emma took deep breaths as she tried to breathe, but she was more or less gulping down air.

  “That can’t happen to me. It can’t,” she forced out. Across the way, Gabby was giving a snotty smirk of triumph, but I ignored her.

  “That’s not going to be you. I’d die first.” I wiped the tears away from her eyes. “I vow on my life I’ll never let anything happen to you.”

  I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tightly to me. People eyed me, yet I ignored them. We were showing weakness in front of the other opponents, but I didn’t care. The only thing I cared about was making Emma feel safe and secure.

  And right now, I didn’t feel like I could, because in a few minutes I’d be putting her at risk out there.

  “I don’t like this, Ethan. That wasn’t right,” she forced out. Her trembles ceased as I held her against my body. Her frantically beating heart began to steady as its rhythm synchronized to mine. It was an exhilarating feeling unlike any in the world.

  “Em, if you’re not okay with this, we can go home,” I said. “I’ll forfeit.”

  “You’ll do that?” An edge of disbelief entered her tone.

  “Of course I will. Just say the word.” It was a crazy notion, but I’d give up the crown so she wouldn’t be afraid. It wasn’t even something I had to consider. Just something I naturally did. This was what mates were supposed to do. Be ready to sacrifice it all for love.

  Emma paused, as if considering it. The thickness in her voice thinned as she cleared her throat and said, “No. No. I want to be here. I want to do this. I’m sure.”

  “Okay,” I said gently. I pulled away, though it was agonizingly painful for me to do so. “What can I do to help you in this moment?”

  She grabbed onto my hand again. “Just keep me the fuck away from that dragon when it’s our turn. And don’t let me fall off. Or get impaled.”

  Nausea churned in my gut, because I couldn’t promise anything. “Done.”

  I had Emma calmed down by the time we were called to the joust. Her demeanor had completely changed. The panic had dulled from her eyes and been replaced by a strong determination. Not a sliver of fear was recognizable in her expression. It was almost as if she’d become emotionless.

  “Are you ready?” I asked.

  “I’ve been visualizing. It’s something I do before each competition,” she said. “This is just another show. Nothing more.”

  When we got down to the arena, I changed into a wolven. Emma swung herself onto my back, and Lord Lucien handed her a broad blue shield and silver-colored lance.

  “Keep your eyes up,” Lucien told Emma. “Aim for your target, and it’ll hit true. Ethan— be agile. The dragon is intimidating, but he isn’t fast. You have the advantage of being swift.”

  I growled to let him know I heard him, then approached the fence line. Muttered conversation enveloped the area. No one pointed, but everyone looked to the same place.

  This was the first time I’d presented myself in public with my missing leg. School didn’t count— this was being broadcasted live to thousands of people.

  I couldn’t imagine what people were saying about a three-legged wolven attempting to win the King’s Contest. I was so embarrassed I wanted to skulk home with my tail between my legs.

  Then Emma stirred on my back, and I no longer felt afraid. I felt brave. What did I have to be ashamed of? The most beautiful sorceress in Malovia was my chosen queen. We were the underdogs, certainly, but we had just as much a chance of winning as anyone else. Time to prove that I belonged on that throne.

  We squared off against the other competitors on the opposite side of the jousting field. The dragon was green in color. Smoke furled out of his nostrils as he faced me. The sorceress riding him gave a challenging smirk as she lowered the lance.

  I leapt forward into a charge. Emma’s legs tightened around my belly in an attempt to hold on. I could feel her movements as she raised the lance.

  The dragon was several feet taller than I. The opposite sorceress had the advantage. We drew closer and closer, and the ground shook as the dragon charged past. I heard a loud crunching sound, then felt Emma careen backward with the rough force of the other rider’s lance as it smashed against her shield.

  Dammit. We lost a point. Emma gasped in pain— I slowed my steps as we neared the end of the field.

  “My arm,” Emma moaned. “Fuck, it hurts.”

  “Are you all right?” I asked. Broken arms were common during jousts. I didn’t want Emma getting hurt.

  “It’s just bruised,” she gasped as we rounded the corner. “That bitch packs a mean punch.”

  “Give it right back to her.” I charged again, picking up speed. The dragon and I faced off. He had a glittering menace in his black eyes, flames flickering from his mouth as I drew near.

  Emma was prepared this time. She had her lance aimed before the other sorceress decided on her target, and her body weight shifted forward as she rammed the lance into the shield of the other rider. It knocked the dragon sorceress sideways and nearly tossed her off her mount.

  “Well done, onawilke!” I cheered. We rounded the corner for the last time. We were both tied up. This would determine who won.

  The dragon and I catapulted at full speed. The crowd was roaring— the sound made my ears ring. Emma and the dragon sorceress lowered their lances at the same time and aimed. It would be close.

  I heard the shattering of a lance as I ran past the dragon, and looked back. Emma had broken her lance as she rammed it against the opposite rider’s shield, but she hadn’t gotten hit herself. We’d won the joust.

  But the dragon and his rider weren’t willing to give up yet. The sorceress turned around and shot a spell at Emma, knocking her off my back. She went rolling to the ground, and I jerked to a halt. The other Marked slid down her dragon’s back and began running at us with raised hands.

  “Emma!” I shouted, but it was all I had time to say, because the earthquake beneath my paws told me a dragon was coming. I spun out of the way as a blast of flame ignited the ground where I’d just stood. The dragon roared and extended his jaws, but I jumped out of the way of his snapping fangs and instead ran to the wings, where I grabbed a good chunk in my teeth. I jerked my head to the side, ripping a hole in the dragon’s sensitive membranes. The shifter roared in pain.

  He moved his tail overhead to crush me, but I let go of the wing and rolled out of the way. The tail came crashing down, and the spikes got stuck in the earth. As the dragon unsuccessfully tried to lift it from the earth, I jumped into the air and rammed him in the shoulder.

  My blow was so powerful it sent the dragon crashing onto his side. He roared in frustration, emitting a barrel of fire from his insides as I jumped onto his sensitive stomach. I sank my claws in to get a good hold. Before the dragon knew what was going on, I put my fangs to his throat.

  “Stay down, or I’ll kill you,” I warned. The dragon froze, and didn’t move again.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Emma and the other sorceress waged war. The Marked opposite Emma sent illusion spell after illusion spell in the direction of my mate. Emma had to dive and roll in order to avoid being hit by the other sorceress’s complicated magic. Glittering purple balls of electricity rocketed at Emma from the hands of the other Marked, exploding once they hit the earth. Her teeth were bared in concentration. She knew if she didn’t win this, it was all over.

  But Emma’s whole life had been about training to be on her toes, and she could maintain her balance and
outmaneuver the other sorceress with ease. The other Marked’s eyes grew large when Emma got close. Emma unleashed her sword, then kicked the sorceress’s legs out from under her. Emma aimed the sword at the Marked’s heart, breathing intensely with a deadly look in her eyes.

  Slowly, the other sorceress raised her hands in surrender, and the crowd went wild.

  I got off the dragon, and changed back. Across the way, Lord Lucien was applauding loudly, a large smile on his face. It hit me that we’d managed to make it past the first round, and I smiled in relief.

  “That was a good fight.” The dragon had changed back and was looking at me in approval. He extended a hand for me to shake, and I took it. “I’ve never had anyone beat me in a duel before.”

  “My best friend is a dragon. I know their weak points,” I said with a shrug. “What’s your name again? I didn’t catch it during the ceremony.”

  “Philip. My mate is Margot,” he replied. “I don’t have to ask who you are. Everyone knows. Though I’m not sure about your mate. I haven’t seen her around before.”

  “Emma. She’s new here,” I said. “If you don’t know her, you will soon enough. She has a bit of a temper. I don’t think she’ll go down easy.”

  Philip laughed. “I’d better go talk to my mate. She’s probably hopping mad right now, though she doesn’t want to show it.”

  Opposite the field, Emma was shaking hands with Margot. Margot seemed similarly genuine, although more disappointment shone behind her gaze than Philip’s. If anything, he seemed relieved.

  “I hope you win the Contest. If you can beat me, you deserve it.” Philip let out a sigh. “Now I can get my father off my back. Pesky dragon families, you know?”

  As Philip walked off, Emma ran at me. She jumped into my arms and flung her own around me. “Ethan! We won the joust!”

  “That we did.” I spun her around and held her close. I swore I’d gotten my wings right then as she clung me tightly to her. This had to be what flying felt like.