Page 34 of Gilded Crown

“What trouble?”

“Is it Zorians?”

“Er, yes,” said Jari. “Hurry up, and go inside.”

Thank Elira that Aurelius knew how to saddle his own horse and could do it swiftly. A few of the stablemen ran out, and one said the Zorians couldn’t have possibly gotten in. Jari picked a fast-looking courser and saddled it. He kept expecting guards to come charging into the stable and attack. They must have gone into the palace to figure out what the fuck was going on.

A lord rode into the stable just as a third bell in the tower let out a distinctive sound.

“Your Majesty, what’s all the-” The lord cut off as he heard the tone and stared at Aurelius’s pack and the clear fact that he was leaving.

The high-pitched tone sent a shiver down Jari’s back, and Aurelius froze for a second while doing Galahad’s tack. Did they have a signal for regicide?

“Your Highness, perhaps you should wait a minute.” The lord shifted his longbow, and whether he planned to aim or not, Jari didn’t wait to find out.

He threw a fireball at the lord who jerked the reins. The fire hit the poor horse’s face instead, and it tossed its head as it went wild in terror and pain. Guilt pricked Jari’s gut as he lunged for the lord’s arm to yank him down.

“Get off me!” The lord hit the dirty stable floor, and the horse reared with a scream before it bolted out of the stable.

Jari stomped on the lord’s face to shut him up. “Sorry.” He snatched the longbow and ripped his quiver from his belt.

“Come on!” yelled Aurelius. “That tone means royalty killed royalty.”

Fabulous. The whole area would know now. Jari mounted his horse, and Aurelius kicked Galahad into a gallop. Both of them raced out of the stables and toward the gate which was already slowly lowering. A few guards clomped down the stone stairs by the gatehouse, and a few shouted.

“M’lord! Wait-”

Aurelius, leaving in such haste, was surely the guilty party, and a couple drew their swords. Jagged lightning shot past him and missed by a few inches. Jari managed to hook the quiver onto his saddle and keep a grip on the longbow as he sent a fireball toward the group. A couple scattered, and one took the hit in his armor which protected him. Aurelius shot a lightning bolt toward another and nailed him in the face.

A guard dared to run in front of Galahad and wave his arms like Aurelius would actually stop for him. Galahad lowered his head and charged right into the man who let out a faint scream. Jari swore he heard bones crunch, and Aurelius didn’t hesitate to kick his horse harder.

Jari had to duck as they made it through the gate with inches to spare. Aurelius’s hair streamed out behind him as Galahad pounded down the road. Jari’s horse lowered his head and flattened his ears as he gave chase. He twisted around the saddle to see a few winged guards take off from the wall, and he started throwing fireballs.

Aurelius sent a few lightning bolts into a couple and hit their unprotected wings. They went down, and one screamed something about his back when he landed. A returning bell clanged from the city.

The other winged guards stopped, more concerned about their buddies and the one who might not walk again without the court physician. A fireball skimmed by Jari’s arm and singed hiscloak. Guards in the city would be coming this way, but Aurelius didn’t divert his course. Their mounts made the distance seem short with their speed, and the Crown Prince veered off the road. In the distance, a contingent of men were coming from the city. The sharp tone from the palace spoke of royal guilt, and when the men spotted the black charger with its pale-haired rider, faint yells sounded.

An arrow, small and harder to spot from a distance, would be better than a bright fireball which practically announces its presence as it hurtles toward the target. Jari wasn’t an expert with a bow, but he’d gone hunting before and wasn’t useless with one. He grabbed an arrow from the quiver, gripped the horse with his legs, nocked it, and drew back the longbow. His shoulders and back took the strain as he aimed for the group in general, and he released it.

He’d already grabbed another arrow as a horse screamed its pain, panicked, and tried to buck its rider. Jari caught one going down as he aimed again. A terrified, injured horse is sometimes the best thing.

The guard was thrown, and his horse veered into another. One pulled ahead of the group, and Jari saw metal flash as the guard aimed his bow at the Prince. It must have been one meant for fairies who needed something to channel their magic through. Sure enough, it glowed with fire a moment later.

The Crown Prince suddenly threw more lightning as Jari aimed and prayed. He couldn’t tell if his arrow hit, but the lighting definitely struck a few.

As they went around the city, the clanging from the bell tower grew louder. The ground around Morning Glory was rockier since the area hadn't been cleared for anything. Galahad remained steady as he galloped. Jari’s charger sweated as he followed.

Aurelius sent lightning out to someone behind them. Ahead, another group of riders came out from between a couple of buildings. Aurelius and Jari shot lightning and arrows at them.

If their horses tripped in this spot, they were fucked. At the very least, they’d bust something if they fell. Hooves sent tiny chips flying, and Jari kept expecting an arrow or return magic to nail him or the Prince. A few arrows missed, and fire and lightning streaked by them both. A horse neighed from somewhere behind him. Hopefully, he’d tripped and taken his rider with him.

Brush and flimsy bushes fought to grow in the area ahead despite the poor soil. Jari’s fist lit up, and he threw fire at them. A tree that had seen better days went up with a whoosh as its dry leaves and branches caught. Horses don’t like fire, so if anything forced them to go around, that might buy them a little time. Every second was precious at this point.

Jari’s charger somehow caught up to Aurelius so they were neck and neck. Yellow flashed, and Jari’s horse suddenly faltered even though it tried to keep running. His back leg must have been hit, and he had about two seconds to consider his poor options.

He dropped the longbow, drew up his right leg, and jumped just before his horse’s back leg buckled.

The back end of Aurelius’s saddle slammed him in the gut and knocked the wind from him. Galahad slowed for a moment at the sudden weight, and Jari had to grab onto Aurelius as he struggled to stay on and right himself despite the motion. What was left of his stomach dropped, and he was sure he was about to slip.

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