by Megan Linski
I couldn’t feel anything, but Ethan nodded in agreement beside me. Lucien’s eyes locked with mine and said, “Keep your wits about you, Emma. Ethan, come with me. We must strategize.”
Lucien beckoned Ethan to follow him with a jerk of his head. Lady Magdalina placed a hand on my arm. She gently led me away from Ethan so we could talk alone. “Lord Zlodia and Lady Korva have prepared their son for this moment all their lives. You need to be on your guard, Emmaline,” she whispered. “This is no ordinary match.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. My heartbeat quickened in my chest.
“Elijah and his mate do not wish to leave any question as to who deserves the crown. They will seek to take your lives. Keep in mind that there are no rules,” Lady Magdalina told me harshly. “Gabriella is a student of mine. She’s ruthless on the ice, and even more so out here. She won’t hesitate to kill you. Save her life, if you can. But whatever it takes, don’t let her win.”
My mouth was dry. “What if I can’t do this alone?”
“Call upon Milonna for help,” Magdalina said. “Gabriella has sworn herself to the Dark Lord, but you have chosen to follow the queen of the gods. She will appear to you today if you call on her name.”
I didn’t know if that was true. Right now, I couldn’t sense anything magical or spiritual about this. All I felt… as much as I hated it… was fear.
And it wasn’t that I was afraid of Elijah or Gabby, or even of dying. I was terrified of watching Ethan lose his dream. I thought death would be preferable to that.
“Promise me, Emmaline.” Magdalina’s fingers whitened on my arms. “Promise me you won’t walk out of that arena without a win.”
Mom had told me Lady Magdalina would ask me to do impossible things. I felt like this was only the start. “I promise.”
She grimaced. “Good. Let’s get you ready.”
A half an hour later Ethan and I stood side by side, waiting for the gates to open. We’d sharpened both our swords, and were now merely waiting for the moment when we’d be allowed to enter.
Ethan looked nervous. His face was blanched, and he bounced next to me nervously. I wondered if he was cold or if he was just trying to burn off some anxiety.
“Emma,” he started, and I looked toward him. “We’ll do this together.”
I reached out and threaded my fingers through his. “Always.”
Ethan gave a forced smile. The doors opened, and I let go of his hand. As we entered, Gabby and Elijah proceeded toward us. We met in the middle of the arena. Elijah, as always, looked far too confident. He gave an obnoxious sneer, flashing his teeth as he laid a hand on the sword at his side.
Gabby was mere inches from me. She let out a snarky laugh under her breath before she whispered, “Sure you don’t want to back out?”
“You’re the one who should be scared,” I growled back.
“If only. You have no idea what’s coming.”
Gabby said nothing more. Trumpets sounded again. Ethan sank into a bow, and I copied him, giving a proper curtsey.
Elijah barely dipped his head before he sprang forward, unleashing his weapon. But Ethan had been expecting it, and was waiting for him. Ethan drew his sword and battered Elijah’s away before the blade managed to knick his armor.
Just like her mate, Gabby didn’t finish her curtsey. She’d hardly bent her knees before I saw a flash of red magic zoom by my face. I ducked quickly to the side and let it whizz past.
Those shitheads had attacked before the bows were even over! What dicks. Elijah and Ethan began an assault of swords that was both impressive and deadly. Their blades became a blur, and the sound of clashing steel rang out in the arena as their two weapons engaged again and again.
I hardly had time to glance at them before I noticed Gabby charging at me, her weapon drawn. I drew my sword and brandished it in a wide arc as a last-minute line of defense. It ended up working, and knocked Gabby off balance. She fell to the side, and I slashed forward, but she rolled out of the way and my blade hit nothing but air.
Gabby’s sword was lighter and smaller than mine, but she definitely knew how to use it. Her movements were agile and fierce. She came at me, again and again. I didn’t have time to plan my own offense while dealing with her sharp jabs and precise movements.
Yet as I fought off her sword, I realized that I knew all her tricks. Ethan and I had practiced these maneuvers during Lord Lucien’s class. They were nothing new to me. Gabby’s eyes grew wide with surprise as she realized that I was able to anticipate her every move.
But anticipation wouldn’t be enough to win this fight. Gabby was a skater, like me, so I knew getting her to lose her balance was probably impossible. Instead, I counted her blows, and paid attention to her style. This was all stuff Ethan had taught me how to do. Learn how your enemy fights, then use it against them.
I learned Gabby’s weakness within a short time of sparring with her. She was too impatient. She wanted to kill me now. I got used to her timing, and when I thought I had the rhythm down, thrust forward. My sword scraped against her armor, and she gasped. She lashed out a kick to knock me off my feet, but I sprang away to a safe distance. A few seconds longer and my sword would’ve sliced her artery.
That made her mad. I kept a cool head as Gabby ran at me full speed, her sword raised, a wild scream escaping her mouth. Our swords flashed as we dueled and came within arm’s length. She raised a fist to punch me in the face. I swung aside to avoid it, and purposefully smashed my forehead against hers.
She fell backward, dazed. My head hurt, but a smile of rage spread across my mouth. I charged forward. Gabby rolled out of the way before my blade sank into the grass where her torso had been.
As she sprang to her feet, Gabby’s teeth were clenched with rage. A thrill of exhilaration went through me. She might’ve grown up in this society, but I was a better swords woman. I had a natural talent for it, and I’d been taught to fight by Ethan Nowak, a prince of the Arcanea. She couldn’t best me this way.
And she knew it. Instead of approaching me again, Gabby hung back, her eyes calculating as she tried to decide the next best way to get me down.
A vicious snarling tore away my attention from her. Across the arena, Ethan and Elijah had abandoned their swords. They’d changed into wolvens, and were rolling on the ground attempting to tear each other’s throats out.
Ethan whipped out his paw. His claws caught Elijah in the face and tore. Elijah gave a howl as a long gash ripped across his eye, spurting blood. The injury was so deep that I knew it would scar.
In retaliation, Elijah lunged forward. He sank his teeth into Ethan’s neck and pulled. Ethan yelped. I gasped, but as Elijah pulled his fangs away I saw that he’d bitten into the shoulder more than Ethan’s neck.
It didn’t look like Elijah had damaged anything major, but the blow had done heavy damage to Ethan. He moved slower, and resisted putting weight on the shoulder Elijah had injured. Even worse, Ethan had sustained several injuries already and was bleeding. Red liquid poured heavily from his wounds and stained the ground. He breathed heavily, shaking his head as he backed up from Elijah.
I wanted to run to him, make him safe and put my sword through Elijah’s skull, but I knew that getting in the way of two alphas vying for dominance was a sure way to get myself killed. I hesitated, not knowing what I could do.
Gabby saw that I was distracted and took her shot. She threw her sword to the side. As I jerked my head back toward her I saw that a ball of red magic had formed in her right hand.
She tossed it my way before I could move. Her blast hit me in the chest, sending shockwaves throughout my system. I went flying backward. My sword was knocked out of my hand, and I landed on my back twelve feet away from where I’d been standing.
As I struggled to catch my breath, a horrible truth overcame me. I was a better warrior, but Gabby was a more proficient sorceress. Her magic could easily best mine any day.
Gabby grinned wickedly as she approached. “You’
d better run.”
I scrambled to my feet. Another one of Gabby’s magic bombs blasted near my feet. It tripped me up. I fell on my face again. I was hardly able to stand before I had to roll out of the way from another blast.
I couldn’t let myself get hit with another one of those spells again. Her magic had zapped my strength. I sent back a few bolts of blue magic back at her, but without the necklace, they were weak and underpowered. I heard the crowd around me shout in confusion. I’d shown incredible magic in the last two rounds. They were probably wondering why I wasn’t kicking Gabby’s ass right now.
As another one of her spells nicked my heel, I turned around. All right. I was done running. I faced Gabby and began chucking sapphire balls of light her way. They were the size of baseballs, and most fizzled out before they even made their way to her. One of the balls of light hit her, but it hardly left her winded before she shot another spell back at me.
Her magic was stronger than ever. It smacked me in the face and smashed me into the ground. I saw stars, and fought off the urge to pass out as I pushed myself onto my knees.
I tried to gather the magic for another spell. But it didn’t work this time. The ball of blue light in my hand sputtered and crackled before it disappeared completely— before I could even throw it Gabby’s way. She proceeded toward me with hands glowing red, a cackle of malice growing in her throat.
Shit. I was fucked. I was so fucked.
I did the only thing I could. I abandoned the fight and ran to Ethan. By this time, Elijah had gained the upper hand. He grabbed Ethan by the scruff and tossed him a good ten feet. Ethan went tumbling to the side and came sliding to a stop. The ground where he’d rolled was stained with blood. His legs shook as he attempted to get up. They refused to hold his weight, and he collapsed.
“Ethan!” Tears beaded my eyes. No, no, this couldn’t be happening. Ethan was down. I couldn’t take on Elijah and Gabby by myself. I needed him to rise up and fight!
But he couldn’t anymore. The duel with Elijah had taken too much out of him. I fell to my knees at his side, and my hands fisted in his white fur.
Ethan shuddered. “I couldn’t do it, onawilke. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” I whispered. A tear ran down my cheek. After everything we’d done, everything we’d sacrificed… it was all for nothing.
Gabby had rejoined Elijah. The black wolf stalked toward us with a raised lip, head down, his fangs streaked red with Ethan’s blood.
“I’ll tear off your remaining leg,” Elijah growled. “Along with all your other limbs.”
Ethan whimpered in pain. He couldn’t fight back. Elijah had bested him. A shiver of terror ran up my spine.
This was all over. We were going to lose.
Gabby raised her hand. A red ball of magic, one equal to the spell I’d created in the last match, shone in her open palm. “Say goodbye, losers.”
I threw my arms around Ethan and held on tight. I closed my eyes and prayed that it would be quick. I didn’t want to feel any pain, but more than that, I didn’t want Ethan to suffer.
Lady Magdalina’s words forced their way into my mind. Call upon Milonna for help.
I didn’t think it would help this late in the match. I didn’t see how. But I was out of options, and I wanted to stand a good chance at getting into the Great Hunting Grounds if I was really going to die today.
Goddess, help me, I pleaded. Show me the way.
When I spoke those words from my heart, it was like the match paused. A soft feeling entered my chest, and my eyes fluttered open. Elijah and Gabby faded away. So did the arena. Even Ethan vanished from my side. Everything dissolved as I rose to my feet. The world around me became silent and steady.
I was standing in a beautiful forest in the middle of springtime, golden light enveloping me in a warm, sunny embrace. I heard the sound of birds, and the leaves whispering, and the rushing sound of a brook as water trickled against the rocks. I even think I heard the voices of women far in the distance, laughing and singing against a new dawn.
Milonna was there. She looked the same as she had last time— a beautiful white doe, with twisting tree branches for antlers, a halo of light surrounding her form. The weakness and fear left my body as she proceeded toward me with graceful steps. As I stood in her light, peace came over me, giving me the feeling of coming home.
You cannot give up, Worldweaver, Milonna said gently. Her voice sounded musical and soft… like that of a mother. Your time has not yet come.
“Goddess, I can’t beat them,” I said. My head hung in defeat. “I’ve tried everything, and I’ve failed. Ethan and I can’t win this. We don’t have the power.”
The power to become queen is inside of you, Milonna whispered. You need only to bring it to life, and face the sun.
Milonna reached out and closed the space between us. Her soft muzzle met the place where my heart beat against my chest, and a radiating light burst from her touch.
When her nose caressed my heart, something incredible happened. The forest around me vanished. Milonna was gone, and the arena came rushing back.
Ethan was still on the ground, and Elijah was still in his wolven form. Gabby was at his side, the spell still burning in her fingers.
But I was looking down on them this time, not up at them. I was hovering above the ground, my feet dangling upon thin air. Both Gabby and Elijah were gazing at me with open mouths— I suddenly realized I was at least twenty feet above them.
I had wings. They were in the shape of snowflakes, different shades of shimmering sapphire sparkling like diamonds across the length of their span. The edges of them were fringed with white, like frost, and the moonlight bounced off of their reflection, creating small rainbows that dazzled throughout the arena. They were the largest wings I’d ever seen on any sorceress— twelve feet on either side— and glowed with a silver light that moved fluidly. They beat of their own free will, keeping me suspended over the challengers below.
Ethan weakly raised his eyes. A brightness illuminated his gaze as he took in the sight of me hovering above him, like a noble protector.
He was proud of me. That was enough to make me want to fly. I no longer felt tired or weak. Now, I felt strong.
Elijah bared his teeth and growled. “Well, what are you waiting for?” he barked at Gabby. “Go get her!”
Gabby snapped her mouth shut. She brought out her wings, and beat them furiously as she rose to my height. Magic burned in both of her hands now. She fired both shots at me, but instinctively, I rolled to the side. My wings kept me aloft, and steadied me in the air as her missiles flew by and exploded behind me.
She immediately sent several more shots, but I looped in the air and dived, avoiding each one. I didn’t know how to fly, but it was like the feeling came naturally to me— like skating did. I’d paid attention in Flight class, even though I hadn’t gained my wings yet, and I applied the information I’d been taught as I spun out of the way of Gabby’s spells. She screamed in rage as each of her blasts missed me, her magic failing her.
I smirked. “My turn.” I searched inside me for my light— the power Milonna had given me. From within, I was able to draw out a flickering ball of sapphire.
I gave a laugh that sounded half-mad. “Better run,” I sang, repeating her taunt from earlier.
Gabby’s eyes widened. She turned and fled. Her wings beat like mad as she flew in a jagged pattern to outmaneuver me.
But, as I’d learned, my left hand was a great shot, and with it I barely missed. I flung the ball of magic in her direction. It slammed into Gabby’s back and she spun out. Her wings failed to support her as she crashed against the earth, hard, and the crowd let out a moan.
Her eyes fluttered shut, and she didn’t stir. Gabby had been knocked out by the force of my blow. She wasn’t getting up again for some time.
Now I had to deal with Elijah. I turned in mid-air and flew his way. The glint of my sword shone at me from the ground. I picked it up a
s I flew past, aiming my sights for Elijah.
He saw me coming. Elijah’s eyes fixated on Ethan, who was still lying helpless on the ground. He surged forward, jaws extended, to finish the job and end Ethan’s life forever.
But my wings were faster, and I got to him first. I kicked out my foot as he dove for Ethan’s neck, and it collided right with Elijah’s stupid face. He was knocked over backward. I landed as Elijah struggled to his feet.
I thrust my sword out and pressed it against his neck. Elijah gasped, eyes red and bloodshot as they locked with mine.
“Emma,” Ethan rasped. “Don’t kill him.”
A moment’s worth of hesitation crossed through me. Don’t kill him? Why not? He’d caused us nothing but trouble. He’d murdered someone. He would’ve killed Ethan if I hadn’t gotten here first. I should do away with him, and Gabby, too.
Yet Ethan was my mate. He was my alpha, and I loved him. I didn’t have to do as he commanded. But I chose to.
I dug the point of my blade into Elijah’s neck and drew blood. “Surrender,” I breathed. “Or I’ll run you through.”
Elijah raised a lip and growled. Then he transformed back into a man and raised his hands in defeat, bitter hatred emanating from his every feature.
The crowd exploded. Thunderous applause, along with shouts of victory, rang out in the stands around us. My wings faded away as I landed. I lowered my sword and turned on the spot, my mouth dropping open in awe.
“All hail the King! All hail the Queen!” the crowd was chanting.
Elijah had dragged himself away and was sitting at Gabby’s side. Ethan had changed back— he was lying on the ground on his back, still bleeding and wincing in pain.
“We did it, Emma,” he whispered. “You did it.”
“Ethan.” I knelt down. “Is it bad?”
“I’ll survive.” He gasped as he pushed himself to a sitting position. “I’ll need your help getting up, though.”
“Of course.” I pulled Ethan to his feet and put his arm around my shoulder. The audience cheered even louder as he stood. I helped him limp to the gates while flowers were tossed into the arena.