The Queen of Ash and Flame

Chapter Six ✓

Five weeks later

Sweat was dripping down my back, feeling like a wet blanket covered me. The sound of clashing metal sounded around the clearing. I quickly disarmed them and picked up their weapons. I had been practising weapons and my powers everyday.

Dimitri and Lilith both got up, brushing dirt and grass off their clothes.

Annista ran over to me, "that was amazing!" she cheered high fiving me.

"Thanks!" I said, coughing a dull pain out of my throat.

Lilith walked towards me, smiling. "I think you're ready," she said.

The wind whipped at my hair and face, the gust having a bite of chill in it. The horse below me rocked and bumped as it went over logs and dirt paths. The trees around me blurred into one green and brown streak, I could hear the other fae behind me. Their horse's hooves clapped the ground. Hitting it with so much force it echoed in my fae ears.

"Hey Nat! Hold up!" a voice shouted from behind me.

I pulled on the reins, halting my steed. I pulled its head around to face the trio behind me.

"What's up?" I asked.

"We're approaching Mortem, there will be patrols in the forest now. This is where we leave you," Lilith said. I sucked in a breath, I was going into enemy territory alone. There was no turning back now.

Lilith brought me into a tight squeeze, "If you need any help just look for the people with the white wristbands or hair ties," she said. "They work for the king of Aestridel," I nodded.

"You'll want to abandon your horse when you see the first tower outpost, then travel in complete silence. Stop at the tree line just before getting to the dirt streets. Don't worry about finding anyone, they'll find you. Your job inside the castle will be as a maid, a maid to the queen and around the castle. Hopefully she likes you and keeps you."

I stilled, "Keeps me?"

"Oh yeah, what I meant was hopefully she likes you enough to not kill you," Lilith said.

I sucked in a breath and nodded.

"Don't take your shot until one of the allies tells you it's time, we're still planning things out," Lilith said.

I dipped my head and turned around to my horse, swinging my leg over it to straddle the black steed.

"Oh and one more thing," she said, taking a step towards my steed. "If you're ever found out, run. Run for your life and don't stop. Make your way to Aestridel. It's easy to find maps. Understand?"

I agreed, "Good luck, and may the gods be with you," Lilith said, saluting me slightly.

I whipped my reins and the animal started to move, rambling into the shadowed trees. I looked back to my companions, they stood in the road and looked on as I continued on. I nodded a final goodbye to them and sped up my horse.

It was a cool crisp night, the deep purple sky splattered with shiny specks of stars. The full moon above, bright and full. It cast long dark shadows along the path.

I rode on for a bit more, the silver moon had passed from on top of me to sitting behind me. Making the shadows larger.

Out of the silence, a string of words travelled through the still air. I pulled on the restraints, holting my steed. I listened in the breeze for the voice, with my new fae ear I could hear things from miles away.

'Did you hear the queen has a ball planned in honour of herself?'

I swung my leg off the horse and onto the ground. I turned the black horse around, back the way I came. I patted its head in a final goodbye. Then sent it back on its way, hopefully it knows the way home and would rejoin with the others.