Page 79 of Of Withering Dreams
“Such elegant creatures shouldn’t be chained,” a wiry Druik muttered next to us, tugging at the sleeves of his wine-red tunic. “It isn’t right. They have earned their freedom.”
He wasn’t wrong. It was clear that these majestic creatures weren’t meant to be chained.
“Fortune has smiled on us today,” Lucan bellowed, his gang of Akridais flanking him. “As you can see, we’ve acquired six Pegasi. They are quite rare, of course, but the Ancients kindly guided them to our part of the Reverie Weald for such an occasion.”
“More like they were hunted down and imprisoned.” Kaden stood well away from me, his eyes refusing to stray my way. He’d kept his distance for the last week, and I couldn’t blame him. I’d give him as much time and space as he wanted.
My brows dipped heavily as my fingers played with the pouch in my pocket. I’d kept Derya’s gifted vials on my person since receiving them, aside from when I attended the ball.
My head drooped thinking of the ball. Of that night. I tucked a loose curl behind my ear, resting my palm against my neck. A defeated breath fell from my mouth, and I dropped my hand, focusing on the majestic steeds before us.
I’d only told the team, Letti, and Xeni about the vials, and we all agreed it was best to wait. To hold on to them in case we needed them during the tournament. I wasn’t afraid to admit that perhaps we were afraid to use something so powerful without knowing exactly what it would do.
Lucan’s rough voice continued, “Teams, choose your champion for the Wilting. This will be a joust, of sorts. No ember will be allowed during this trial—just your wits, your weapon, and command of your Pegasus. They are bound to this area but can still fly a good distance. The joust continues until only one competitor remains.”
“I can do this. I spent quite a few summers riding,” Breena volunteered.
“Riding, not flying. Not jousting,” Kaden remarked, crossing his arms across his broad chest.
“It’s all in the hips.” Breena’s eyebrows wiggled. “And the pointy end of the big stick.”
Kaden rolled his eyes. A small laugh stuck in my throat, escaping through my nose instead. Kaden glanced at me with a smirk, but then he quickly looked away, the corners of his mouth dropping.
“If you’re certain, then I’m confident you’ll succeed, Bree.” I touched her forearm, pushing aside the ache in my chest.
She grinned and stepped forward with the chosen competitors from each team—two male Draumrs, two female Druiks, and the male Druik who’d been upset about the chained animals earlier.
“Here.” Lucan’s twisted cane thumped against the grass, demanding the six to join him. “Allow the Pegasi to choose their champion.”
As they moved closer, the chestnut stallion sidled closer to Breena, sniffing her outstretched hand. She uttered soothing words, and he whinnied when she gently placed her palm on his long snout. Still murmuring, he allowed her to glide her hand along the expanse of his neck. He watched her progress with one eye; his wings, the color of baked wheat, ruffled at his sides. He huffed and then looked forward, chin lifted, as she mounted him.
The others succeeded as well despite the agitation and shuffling of the winged equine. Each player was given a long, wooden lance with twisting patterns carved down the length of it, leading to vicious points.
None of the competitors wore armor. Swallowing my unease, my fingernails dug into my skirt as an image of Breena being impaled skittered through my mind. The players arranged themselves in a wide circle, and the rest of us joined the crowd at the edge of the field.
“Let the joust commence!” Lucan shouted, raising his gnarled staff in the air. The Pegasi and their riders shot in different directions, some in the air and some on the ground.
Breena kicked her heels into the side of her steed. It snorted in response, charging forward. One of the male Draumrs galloped toward her on his white-winged stallion.
I bit my lip, not wanting to scream, holding my breath as she leaned forward, aiming her weapon at him determinedly. The male’s horse was distressed, and it shifted, causing his lance to fumble. Breena’s aim was steady, though, angling herself as if she and the spear were one.
Just as she’d taught me with blades.
The wooden tip met its target, skewering the guard’s chest. Breena grimaced, wrenching her lance from his body as he toppled off his animal. Screaming in agony, he clutched at the gaping hole in his torso as the frightened Pegasus bolted. Before the man slammed into the ground, his body burst into a cloud of cinder. Breena’s face crumpled, but she gripped the reins tighter and directed her steed toward the sound of a woman.
The black mare that tried to escape earlier furiously reared up on its hind legs, its forelegs churning the air. The female Druik lost her hold and flew backward, her neck catching the ground with a reverberating crack.
Dismay rumbled through the crowd as the woman whimpered, apparently unable to move. Breena rode toward her, jumping off and tossing her lance down.
The dark horse bucked, its hooves thrashing in all directions. Breena swooped toward the woman, grabbing her under the armpits and dragging her shrieking form away. But the mare was too distressed, and as it thrashed down, its hooves crushed into the woman’s ribcage, her body crumbling into dust.
Breena fell backward at the sudden shift in balance, coughing and swatting away the ash coating her face. She jumped to her feet, holding her hands up, her lips moving as the Pegasus writhed. The wild-eyed creature brayed and snorted, then ran off into the woods when Breena slapped its flank firmly.
Bile burned in my chest, and I sucked in air, realizing that I was forgetting to breathe, not wanting to miss a moment despite the shock and gore before us.
My eyes flew up as a powdery haze sprinkled from above. The other male warrior stabbed the second female Druik, her Pegasus tearing through the air as her disintegrated body scattered.
The Pyrian Druik guided his animal to the back edge of the field, terror lining his features. The Draumr looked at him, then at Breena collecting her lance from the ground below. He turned his airborne beast, diving directly for her.
