Page 28 of Take My Throne

Chapter Ten

Irev my bike, the powerful roar of the engine mingling with the other bikes to create a deafening cacophony. Lucas is lined up next to me on my right, while Archer flanks me on the left. Romy is next to him, with Declan on the other side of Archer. Just like the last few races, none of them have a girl riding behind them.

Taylor volunteers to start the race tonight and she slowly walks up and down in front of the bikers, a loudhailer in her hands.

“You all know the rules,” she says. “There aren’t any! Just ride your fastest and your hardest, first across the finish line wins. If you want to team up with another rider to take someone out…” She glares at me. “Feel free, but remember-–there’s still only one winner. You have Lucas and Ivy to thank for tonight’s route, so if you’ve got any problems with it, take it up with them. Now rev your engine if you’re ready to race!”

I flip down the visor on my helmet and rev my bike. Adrenaline courses through me as Taylor makes her way to the side, safely out of the way of the bikes.

“Ready… Set… Go!”

The second she gives the word, I release the brakes and slam on the gas. My bike lurches forward, quickly picking up speed. I’d chosen my bike for its powerful acceleration, knowing that once I was out front, it would be easier for me to maintain my lead than try to take it from someone else.

I come up to the first bend, a sharp turn which takes me into the grounds of the Archaic estate. With my father being away for the foreseeable future, Lucas and I decided to make the race partly off road, knowing we had bikes in the garage which could cope with the difficult terrain better than most of our competitors. When we heard the groans as the others saw the course, we’d both grinned, knowing our decision had the impact we wanted it to have.

I take my bike across the grass, following the route which Lucas spent all afternoon marking out. Heading up a slope, my bike takes off when it reaches the top and I fly through the air for a few feet before coming back down to earth. I can hear the sound of bikes following me and there is a scream as someone crashes. I didn’t dare risk looking back to see who it is. I have a race to win!

I lean into the next bend, my bike so close to the ground I almost fall, but I grip the handlebars tightly, determined to show the boys who’s boss. The next bit of the race involves weaving through the trees in the small forest on the estate, requiring lightning fast reflexes. I’m forced to slow down a little, which allows Lucas to shoot past me. He raises his hand in salute and I narrow my eyes. There is no way I am going to let Lucas beat me.

He goes left round a tree, so I go right, hoping to gain some ground on him, but I realise I’d made a mistake as I see another tree looming right in front of me. I turn the handlebars sharply, kicking at the tree to make sure I get round it, but the error cost me. I emerge from the trees to see Lucas ahead of me, Romy and Archer close behind him.

There is a short lawn after the forest, and then we are back on the road. I grin, knowing that we are about to hit a straight, which will allow me to go full throttle and make up some ground. The boys’ bikes have powerful engines too, and the noise is incredible as our speed creeps up.

70… 80… 90… 100.

I am closing on the three men ahead of me, but with the finish line looming, I’m not sure I’ll be able to catch up to them. Darn it. Why didn’t I just go after Lucas and overtake him as we hit the road? I knew the track. I’d helped design it! There was no excuse for making a mistake like this.

First Lucas is ahead, then Romy, then Archer, the three of them in a dance as they vied for victory. I’m not sure which one of the three I want to win. I am not even sure I care. I want to win.

We go round the final bend, Archer out front, Romy close behind him, Lucas snapping at their heels. I lean forward over my handlebars, willing my bike to go faster, even though I am pushing the limits of what it is capable of achieving.

I see Romy and Archer exchange a look, nodding at each other. Suddenly, they yank their handlebars to the side, braking and stopping in the middle of the road to create a barrier in front of Lucas. He has no choice but to pull on the brakes and veer off to the edge of the road.

The way is clear, and I speed past all three of them to cross the finish line first. I’d won!

Milly comes rushing over to me. “That was amazing!” she squeals. “I didn’t see that coming. I’m so glad you won. You deserve it.”

“Mmm.” I want to share in her excitement, I really do, but the reality is that if it hadn’t been for Romy’s and Archer’s intervention, I’d have come in a disappointing fourth. That wasn’t anywhere near good enough. I should have done better.

“Well done, Ivy.” Archer and Romy come over to congratulate me. “A well-deserved victory.”

“Hardly,” I say. “If it wasn’t for the two of you, I wouldn’t have even made it to third place.”

“So?” Romy laughs. “That’s how it works. You know that anything goes and there are reasons why you might not want to win if it helps to have someone else win. If you want to get all deep and meaningful, the race is a metaphor for life in King Town. You may not be able to compete again in the Bomber Derby, so Archer and I agreed that you deserved to win, even if it’s only this once.”

“Yeah, well, you could have told me that’s what you had planned. Maybe I wouldn’t have almost run into a tree trying to overtake Lucas. Or maybe I would have told you to leave him alone and let him win. One of you could have been seriously injured with that stupid stunt you pulled.”

“Nah.” Romy laughs. “We’ve been doing this sort of thing for years. We know what we’re doing. Nobody ever gets badly hurt. Well, not often, anyway.” He and Archer exchange a glance and laugh, a rare moment of male bonding.

“What did I miss?” Declan joins us. “Sounds like there was some drama.”

“Ivy won,” Archer says. “And deservedly so.”

“What about Lucas?”

“I didn’t make it past the finish line.” Lucas limps over to join us.

“Are you okay?” I’m surprised by how worried I am about him.

“I’m fine,” he says. “I twisted my ankle when my bike went over, but it’s nothing that won’t be okay in a few days. The only thing that suffered any real damage was my male pride, but that’ll recover as well.” He reaches out his hand to Archer and Romy who each shake it in turn. “Nice move, guys. I should have seen it coming. But you won’t be able to get me that way next time. I’ll be first past the finish line, one way or another. Now come on. Ivy and I have a party planned which will blow you away.”

He casually puts his arm around my shoulders to lead me away in the direction of our house where the party is being held, a signal that whatever the boys’ feelings for me might be, I still belonged to him. At least for now.

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