Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

“ N o. You can’t make us do that.” Kyle grips my hand and protectively positions himself in front of me. “She’s not a dragon shifter!”

It’s as if time slows as the reality of what Drakon said kicks in. I swallow the lump forming in my throat and do my best to maintain a brave face. I won’t allow him and Atlas to see my fear. I know that’s what they both want.

Atlas stands just behind his father, his thick arms folded across his chest, his gaze locked on mine, and there’s a smugness on his face that irks me more than anything.

I break eye contact with him and move closer to Kyle, where Drakon’s blocking my view of Atlas.

Drakon rakes his hand down his face. “Actually, I can make you. It is a requirement for you to rule this Kingdom, regardless of your so-called destiny. There will be nine other pairs who will also compete for the right to rule, including Atlas and Rhea.”

Kyle grabs hold of my hand. “I don’t want to rule, so there’s no need for us to enter.”

Drakon leans back and laughs. “You think you can run from your own destiny? Bestowed upon you by the old gods?”

Kyle looks down at me, and I know with that one look he’s telling me he’s sorry, and he’s trying to get me out of this. “Fine, I’ll do it. But not her. You need to let her leave.”

Atlas steps forward. “She is to enter with you. The trials involve pairs.”

I narrow my gaze at him, and he winks at me. Smug bastard.

Drakon glares at Kyle. “You will both enter. I’m not asking, either. Now, the guards will escort you to the training grounds, where you will meet the other contestants.”

We stare after him as he shifts into his dragon and flies away.

Atlas steps closer. “This is going to be fun.”

“Fuck you,” Kyle says, his jaw tense.

Atlas laughs then shifts into his dragon and flies after Drakon.

I give Kyle’s hand a squeeze. “What do we do? This is a setup. They want us killed. I’m not even a dragon shifter!”

He leans down to my ear, aware of the dragon guards nearby, and whispers, “I know. I’ll figure something out. Let’s just get to the training grounds.”

He shifts into his dragon, and I climb onto his back. We fly back across the barren lands of endless sand dunes until Drakon’s volcano comes into view in the distance. Drakon and Atlas are like two specks in the sky ahead of us, and they veer off to the right of the volcano, disappearing from sight.

Unease gnaws away inside me as we near the huge training grounds. They’re covered in sand with various obstacles dotted around, from large boulders to immense rock walls. A lava river flows down the back, disappearing into one of the active volcanos beside Drakon’s.

I glance up at the stands that could hold thousands of spectators, curious about just how many shifters live here in Pyrrhus.

Kyle glides down and lands near the other dragon shifters. The other couples are already here, chatting amongst themselves, as I climb off Kyle’s back. He shifts into his male form and links his hand with mine.

“It’ll be okay. I’m going to find a way out of this,” he whispers.

Despite his words, I know we aren’t getting out of this. We are going to be forced to compete in these trials whether we like it or not. Kyle may think we have a choice, but I know full well that we don’t. My blood runs cold at the thought of competing against these dragon shifters.

“You’re the ones everyone’s talking about, aren’t you?”

I look over at the female who spoke, and she has the most mesmerising pale-blue eyes. She tucks her long black hair behind her ears, clearly feeling as nervous about being here as I am.

“I suppose that depends what you’ve heard,” I say jokingly.

She laughs and walks over to us, a tall male with short brown hair following behind her. “Well, you’re not from here. I know that much.”

“I’m Zarla, and this is my mate, Kyle. He’s a dragon shifter. Drakon’s his uncle.”

Their mouths gape open.

“Wow, that’s interesting,” the female says. “Everyone’s talking like you’re both outsiders. So you’re not a dragon shifter?”

I shake my head, and her eyes widen as if shocked I’m even here.

“I’m Lethina, by the way, and this is Brogan.” She gestures to the male behind her.

Brogan gives us a tight-lipped smile.

“I suppose we are outsiders. I’m from Silanthia, and Kyle’s from Zarquon.”

Lethina points between us. “And you two are entering the trials?”

I’m about to say we’re not entering of our own will, but Kyle speaks instead.

“Something like that,” he says.

Maybe he doesn’t want the other contestants to know that we don’t want to be here. Perhaps it would be a show of weakness. They must have entered of their own choice, so we need to appear to have done the same.

I look over at Atlas and Rhea, who are talking to another pair, and I can already tell Rhea’s saying awful things about us. She glares at me, and the other female shoots me a dirty look.

Great.

The other female is gorgeous, her long brown hair touching her hips, and the male is huge, his muscles bulging through his leathers. He rakes a hand through his short black hair as he eyes Kyle.

We need to avoid those four at all costs. I can see it already—they’re hatching a plan against us.

The brown-haired female and black-haired male head our way, and Kyle tenses beside me, protectively pulling me against his side.

“You two think you can win the Dragon Trials?” the female asks, her tone mocking as she eyes us up and down.

The male laughs. “They won’t win. They’ll be killed in the first trial.”

Kyle smirks. “Another cocky prick. Those types don’t tend to last long.”

The male frowns. “What types?”

“The ones like you who aren’t very smart.”

The male pushes toward Kyle, but Drakon charges over, hooking his arm around the male and hauling him back.

“Save it for the trials, Eros,” Drakon demands.

Eros licks his lips, nodding as he backs away with his hands in the air. “No problem.”

The brown-haired female flicks her hair and walks back over to Rhea.

Drakon looks between Kyle and me. “I wasn’t kidding when I said that. There aren’t many rules in the Dragon Trials, and only one pair will survive. If they’re lucky.”

He walks away, leaving me feeling even worse about all of this than before.

I turn to Kyle. “What are we going to do? How can I survive the Dragon Trials? I’m not even a dragon.”

Lethina pulls me in for a hug. “You’ll be okay. We can make a pact not to harm each other. That way you don’t have to be as worried about who will stab you in the back.”

I pull back from the female, needing some space. “Why would you want to form a pact?”

She glances over at the others. “Because I know they’ve already formed one, and if we don’t work together, we’re as good as dead.”

Warmth seeps into my heart, knowing I have a potential friend in her.She’s someone I can trust. I feel it deep inside.

“Thanks, Lethina. A pact sounds like a great idea.”

We spend the next hour utilising the training grounds, practicing as best we can. We have no idea what the trials will involve, so it’s difficult to prepare for the unknown.

A trainer shows us a few skills we will need to learn in order to survive the trials, such as navigating the deadly Keres Forest and what to do if we’re poisoned by one of the various plants or animals that can kill us during these trials. It doesn’t help the nerves already swirling inside me.

The other pairs seem far more prepared for these trials than we are, and I watch in awe as they move about the training grounds, showing strength and skill unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.

We’re screwed. I’m going to die in the first trial, just as Eros predicted.

The trainer rounds everyone up where Drakon waits to speak to us.

Drakon stands before us all and clasps his hands together. “These trials are the first we have held in Pyrrhus in many, many years. As most of you know, the trials involve three separate and deadly tasks where you will all compete in pairs. Only one pair will remain in the end, and that pair will be the new rulers of this Kingdom.”

He glances at Atlas as he says this, and I don’t like that. It seems like an unfair advantage.

“I will fly you all over the three locations for the trials, and then you are to return for the pre-trials feast being held this evening outside the training grounds. The first location is in the middle of the Kingdom where the deepest and largest volcano in Pyrrhus is located. The second location is the Keres Forest, and the third location is located between the first two. Now, follow me.”

Drakon shifts into his dragon then pushes off into the sky. The other dragon shifters shift into their dragons and follow.

“You can ride on my back, okay?” Kyle says, and I nod.

He shifts into his dragon, and I climb up onto his back. We catch up to the others in no time since Kyle’s dragon is bigger than them all, and his wingspan is, too, so he has an advantage. It concerns me having these other shifters see this, and I worry we will be targeted for it in the trials.

We fly for what feels like half an hour before I see it. The volcano sits large and proud in the middle of the barren landscape, and as we fly over it, it’s apparent just how deep it is. It seems to disappear deep into the ground.

Nerves eat away at me at the thought of flying into that thing with these dragon shifters. Being confined underground with them terrifies me, and I just hope with Kyle’s large wings, we can make it through ahead of the others.

After we’ve flown around the exterior of the volcano, Drakon glides off toward the Keres Forest in the distance, and Kyle’s dragon follows.

From this far, I can already tell the Keres Forest is enormous. It goes on farther than the eye can see, and I wonder just how much of the landscape it covers.

My mind wanders, conjuring up various ways in which we could die in that forest, and I gulp, gripping onto Kyle’s dragon tighter.

Drakon swoops down to give us a better look, but it’s difficult to see much of anything through the thick canopy of trees. I lean out to get a better look and slip off Kyle’s dragon’s back.

A scream ripples out of my throat as I fall toward the tree canopy before my wings snap free and catch my fall.

I glance up at the other dragons as they circle above, thankful they aren’t in their male or female form to mock me.

Good one, Zarla.

I swoop back up to Kyle and land on his dragon’s back.

Drakon glides toward what I assume is the third area of the trial, located just outside the boundary of the Keres Forest. The rocky ground catches my attention, reminding me of the landscape where Theon resides.

Tall rock towers lean impossibly far to the side, and it’s a wonder they haven’t toppled over yet. Deep fissures slice through the ground beneath us, and it makes me question what these trials are going to involve. Drakon hasn’t explained anything, and I’m guessing he won’t until the trials begin.

I swallow hard, glancing down at the dangerous landscape below as fear prickles my skin. These dragon shifters grew up here. They know the landscape. They know the dangers, and they know what to expect to some extent.

Kyle and I are almost completely in the dark here. Competing in trials we don’t want to be involved in, to rule a Kingdom we don’t want to live in, let alone rule.

Drakon makes a swift turn and flies back toward the castle. The ride back seems much quicker, thank the gods, and I’m desperate to speak with Kyle.

The only downside to me not being a dragon shifter is we can’t communicate like I’m sure the others can when they’re in dragon form. I don’t even know if our bond would allow us to communicate when he’s in dragon form, thanks to Amaros, and it feels like a major disadvantage going into these trials.

I spot the beautiful lanterns and tables all set up for the pre-trial feast. Red silk tablecloths cover the tables and hang over to touch the ground. Little round candles line the centre of the tables, surrounded by black, white, and gold flower displays. The lanterns sit on wooden pillars dotted around the edge of the feast, lighting the area in a dimly lit, soft glow.

Drakon swoops down and lands, swiftly shifting back into his male as soon as his feet hit the ground. The other dragons follow, landing around the outskirts of the feast before they shift back. I climb off Kyle’s back, and he shifts, pulling me into his arms.

Eros and the brunette female look my way, laughing. They’re no doubt remembering how I fell off Kyle’s dragon like an absolute amateur.

“Just ignore them,” he says.

I focus on Kyle instead.

“Enjoy the ride?” he asks with a wink.

I playfully swat his arm. “I did. Although it was hard not being able to talk to you.”

He tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. “You can talk to me, you know. I just can’t talk back. But I can understand you in my dragon form.”

“What do you think of the locations for the trials?”

He looks out at the other shifters, who mingle with one another, checking out the table displays and seating arrangements. “I think they’re going to be incredibly dangerous. These shifters grew up here, and we didn’t. And I don’t want you being involved in any of it.”

I wrap my arms around him and lean against his chest. “I know. But we don’t have a choice. They’re doing something to prevent me from using my powers, and I can’t open a portal. They did the same thing when I first came here with Grazen. I was trapped here.”

His jaw ticks as he shakes his head, anger seeping into his eyes. They flash red for a moment, and I stroke his cheek, pulling his focus back to me.

“Hey, it’s okay. We’ll get through this together.”

Drakon leaps up on top of a table. “Please follow the keepers back to your communal sleeping quarters where you can change for the feast. You have half an hour.”

He claps his hands and jumps down.

I frown at his words. “Did he just say communal sleeping quarters?”

“This way,” one of the keepers says, and everyone follows her toward an ancient-looking stone building located around the back of the training grounds.

She leads us inside and up a set of wide, polished marble stairs that opens up to an even wider area where doors line a long corridor.

“You can select a room. One pair per room, please. You will find the rooms stocked with everything you’ll need for your time during the trials. As Drakon said, you have thirty minutes.”

The other couples head down the corridor, choosing their rooms, and Kyle and I pick the one closest to us, assuming they’re all the same anyway. Inside, we find a spacious room lined with stone walls and polished stone floors. The furniture is made from a pale wood, with a bed positioned in the centre of the room.

I walk inside, and Kyle closes the door behind us then grabs me around my waist and pulls me against him. He kisses my neck, and I giggle.

“I want you. Right now,” he says, tracing kisses down my neck and along my shoulder.

I reach up and grab his head. “Mmm…I would love that, but I think we’d best get changed and get back down for the feast.”

He smacks my ass. “Fine. Go on, then, before I change my mind.”

I cross the room to the walk-in wardrobe and quickly change into a gorgeous red floor-length dress with thin straps. It sits low at the front and hugs my curves. I slip into a pair of black strappy heels and step back out into the room.

Kyle whistles, pulling me against him. “Wow. You look beautiful.”

I smile up at him, enjoying the scent of his desire. “You can enjoy it later. Go and get changed so we can get out of here.”

He laughs and heads into the walk-in wardrobe, and he reemerges moments later in a perfectly fitted black tux, black shirt, and black bowtie. His steel-blue eyes stand out against the black, and he shoots me a wink.

“Come on, then. Let’s go,” I say and open the door.

Several other couples are leaving their rooms, and they all look amazing. They eye us like we’re the unwanted outcasts, and I swallow hard. Kyle takes my hand, leading me down the stairs and back out to the feast.

Drakon sits at the main table out front, and his gaze finds mine as we enter. Atlas and Rhea sit with Eros and the brown-haired female from earlier, plus three other couples, and the remaining four couples sit at another table where there are two spare seats for us. Lethina and Brogan are there, too.

Atlas glares at me as I sit down next to Lethina, and I quickly look away.

Lethina smiles. “You look incredible. That red dress is just…wow.”

“Thank you. You look beautiful, too.”

She’s wearing a pale-blue dress that makes her eyes pop, and Brogan can’t seem to take his gaze off her. It’s very sweet.

Kyle grips my thigh and whispers in my ear, “We should’ve had a quickie. No one would have cared if we were late.”

I roll my eyes, although I kind of wish we had as well.

A line of keepers walks out, each holding a dish of food. They place the food on the tables, and there’s enough to feed a huge crowd. Everyone tucks in, filling their plates. Kyle and I do the same, but then I glance up and spot Theon peeking out from behind the accommodation building.

I nudge Kyle and nod my head toward Theon. Kyle stands and casually walks over to him. No one has noticed, luckily.

It’s ballsy of Theon to come, especially since he’s considered an outcast from society around here. I wait a couple of minutes before I leave the table and follow Kyle. I casually look around, but no one has noticed me leaving either, even Atlas, who always seems to be watching me.

“Why are you here?” Kyle asks him.

Theon smiles at me. “Hello again, Zarla. I wanted to check that you both got out okay, and I saw the pre-trial feast and knew you hadn’t.”

“They won’t let us. They’re doing something to prevent Zarla from accessing her powers so she can’t portal us out of here. Drakon is forcing us to compete in the trials.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes. “That sneaky bastard.”

“What can you tell us about the trials? Do you have any advice, something that can help us?” I ask.

He leans back against the building. “No, I don’t. All trials are different. No two are the same. All I can say is to look out for dirty tactics. The trials have no rules, and I wouldn’t put it past Drakon to have planned something. Be on the lookout. Be vigilant.”

I give him a hug. “Thank you, Theon. I’d better get back before someone notices I’m gone. Kyle, don’t be long.”

I slip out from behind the building and casually walk back to the table. Everyone chats amongst themselves, and Lethina smiles at me.

“Can you tell me about the previous trials?” I ask her. “I feel so out of my depth, not being from here.”

She bites her bottom lip and sets her cutlery down. “No one has ever survived them. Ever. Drakon has ruled since he forged the Kingdom long ago. Anyone who has dared to compete is killed to ensure his reign. The only reason he’s actually allowing these trials to take place this time is because he wants Atlas to rule. To do so, Atlas has to compete in the trials.”

“That’s so messed up,” I say.

How can he get away with that? I worry about the lengths Drakon, and even Atlas, may go to in order to win.

Just as I think his name, I sense his eyes on me, and when I glance up, sure enough, he’s staring at me. He smirks, that same smugness on his face, and then a vision shoots through my mind of Atlas winning the trials.

He stands on the training grounds next to Drakon, who congratulates him, the crowds cheering his name as he is declared the winner.

But it’s not Rhea at his side.

It’s me.