Page 115 of A Fate so Wicked

Still, I ran and jumped—my arms inches from latching onto the branch. His rough fingers wrapped around my foot and dragged me toward him before I could escape, but I dug my nails into the ground, thrashing in his grip.

“You’re only making this harder for yourself.” He threw me into a rock.

My temple hit with a crunch, ripping into flesh. Blood dripped onto the gravel beneath me and coated my cheek.

My body went limp.

This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t.

I wanted to get back home. To see my mother. Sugarfoot. Run away with Talon. I wanted to live. Fall in love. Maybe even travel. I didn’t have the time to die.

Whatever means necessary. Talon’s words rang through my head as Aeron inched closer to the edge.

It was now or never.

There were no other options left.

I kicked and thrashed, trying to shake his hand loose, but he had me in a vise grip. He stopped at the edge, grabbing my ankle, then my calf, and just as he went to reach for my knee, I pulled my leg back, slamming my foot into his stomach as hard as I could.

Aeron stumbled, his feet slipping on the edge.

“You bitch!” He lunged for me, seething.

One last chance.

I slammed my other foot into his knee before he could reach me, but Aeron caught it, pulling me with him as he tumbled off the side of the mountain.

Thirty-One

My cheeks pulled away from my face as I spun out of control, spiraling toward the ground—unable to tell which way was up. I did everything I could. Fought my hardest. Yet despite it all, I plunged to my fate, resigning to my fortune as the tips of the evergreens approached faster and faster.

It was all for nothing.

The shrill of the wyvern pierced the air as it flew toward me, its wings tight at its sides while it dove, swooping beneath my body, and caught me on its back.

I scrambled to hold on to its scales for dear life as we soared back up, watching as Aeron continued his descent, further and further, until the ground broke his fall with a splat of red.

The wyvern squalled, piercing my eardrums as it soared higher, faster—my heart fell into my stomach. I was the last competitor remaining, and yet there was no relief. No satisfaction. Only a festering sensation that something was horribly wrong as I looked back to the clear blue sky, my eyes burning from the force of the wind barreling in my face.

I crouched down, digging my knees into the wyvern’s back as the significance of the moment slammed into me.

Holy shit, I was the last competitor remaining! I was on the back of a wyvern, flying through the sky, and I was the last competitor remaining!

I’d save my mother! Run away with Talon. Play with Sugarfoot again.

A wild smile spread across my lips while tears welled over and dripped down my cheeks. Holy shit! I fucking won! I never thought I’d live long enough to see the day.

The wyvern came to an abrupt stop at the top of the mountain, bringing me within feet of the elixir before it flung me off its back.

I toppled over, unable to find my footing, and fell to my knees. Not a gracious landing, but I was alive and would take it.

It looked at me curiously, appearing as cautious about me as I was of it.

My limbs wobbled beneath me as I scurried back. From fear. From being back on solid ground. The wyvern approached. Its enormous feet shook the bedrock with each step, and my bladder threatened to release.

“Why—Why’d you save me?” I croaked out. Stars, tell me this creature didn’t save me just to taunt me.

“The realm depends on you, Elowyn. I would’ve flown you far away from here if the king hadn’t confined me to these mountains.” The wyvern snorted as it spoke telepathically—a burst of hot air brushing my face. It should terrify me, or at the very least, confuse me, but talking to these creatures came as natural as breathing and, after defying gravity, there wasn’t much left to be afraid of.

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