Page 94 of Cursed Crowns

But the wolf’s tail was low. She tugged on Rose’s skirts, as if she was trying to lead her somewhere.

“Elske, stop that! You’ll rip my dress!”

Just then, someone jostled past Rose, nearly knocking her over. Elske’s hackles rose. It was Kai. Rose frowned. Where was he going in such a rush?

The music stopped, and Shen appeared at the top of the palace steps. As the first brushstrokes of dawn yawned across the desert sky, fireworks exploded once more. Sparks spun off and twirled into sun wheels, dancing in the air around him. The sky glimmered as bright as gold, as the true sun began to rise.

Rose had expected Feng to be the one to anoint Shen, but she couldn’t see him anywhere. Instead, Daiyu stepped up. In her hands, she held a golden scepter.

“Shen Lo, under the light of the rising sun, and surrounded by the love of your people, it is my honor to bestow upon you the Scepter of the Sun, marking you now and forevermore as the Sun Crowned King. And so, under the light of a new day, we come together to ask you, do you accept your solemn destiny?”

Shen took the scepter in his hands and turned to address his people, but whatever he was about to say was drowned out by a scream. One of the fireworks had exploded close to the ground and burst into flames. They took shape, just like they had in the sky, only this time, they were beasts.

And they were multiplying, fast.

Chaos erupted as the fire beasts went wild, lunging through the courtyard and burning anyone in their path. Rose tried to push her way through to Shen, but the crowd surged, pushing her back. Elske let out a thunderous roar, and the people around Rose scattered like marbles.

Just then, she spotted Feng at the bottom of the palace steps. He was standing strangely still, save for his twitching fingers, and he was muttering furiously under his breath. His eyes were trained on Shen.

Rose followed his gaze and cried out in alarm. Most of the beasts were converging on Shen. She watched in horror as he rushed down the steps and leaped over the balustrade, using the Scepter of the Sun to fight them off, but his warrior magic was no match for the rabid creatures. He yelled as his shirt caught fire, quickly ripping it off. But it wasn’t enough. His face twisted in agony as the flames licked his skin, and still more fire beasts came.

“Shen!” Rose screamed, as he ran from the courtyard. The beasts pursued him, chasing him away from the festival and around the back of the palace, to where narrow streets wound their way deeper into the city. Rose picked up her skirts and ran after him, with Elske by her side.

Shen clutched his burning chest as he ducked left, throwing himself into a hidden lane to avoid the flaming stampede. To Rose’s relief, the fire beasts roared right past it.

She hurried to catch up with him, her lungs heaving with each step. Shen needed her. She had to get to him, to heal him. At last, she reached the narrow lane. She whirled around the corner, her heart stuttering as she caught sight of Shen’s body slumped on the ground.

Before Rose could reach him, Kai stepped out of the shadows and plucked the scepter from the ground.

“Bad luck, cousin,” he said as he raised it above his head. “Your destiny ends here.”

“NO!” shouted Rose.

Elske roared as she lunged at Kai, closing her jaws around his arm.He dropped the scepter and let out a roar of his own.

His gaze found Rose in the dark, his eyes glowing with hatred. “Get your wolf off me!”

Rose ignored him and ran to Shen. She knelt on the ground, laying her hands on his burned chest. “It’s all right,” she murmured. “I’m here now. I’m going to heal you.”

She loosened a trembling breath, letting her magic unfurl inside her. The chaos around her grew distant as her mind stilled, focusing on nothing but Shen. His burns were deep, already blistering, his heart thudding weakly beneath her hands, but under the gentle thrum of her magic, he began to heal. Slowly, slowly.

Rose didn’t know how much time had passed as she tried to knit Shen’s skin back together, but when his eyes fluttered open, she nearly collapsed in relief. “You’re awake!”

“Rose?” he croaked.

He tried to sit up, but Rose kept her hand on his chest. “Shen, I have to tell you something—”

Kai wrenched her off him. “That damn wolf attacked me when I was trying to save you from those fire beasts!” he said, showing his bloodied arm as proof. It was only then that Rose noticed the three servants behind him. “I had to shout for help, sinceshewouldn’t call it off!”

Rose frowned. “No, that’s not what—”

Kai spoke over her. “Luckily the fire creatures have been dealt with. Now we need to deal with that menacing wolf.”

Elske yowled as more servants arrived, catching her in a net.

“Stop!” cried Rose, scurrying to help her. “She saved the king! Leave her be!”

“I think the queen has inhaled too much smoke,” said Kai loudly. “She’s talking nonsense.”

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