The Princess of the Moon

Chapter 33

Carter bit back a small smile and cleared his throat while he bowed his head. Conflict filled his eyes, and I could tell that he caught a look in my face but didn't know if he wanted to say something about it or not.

Finally, he decided against it with a shake of his head before he cleared his throat and gestured for Zën to start to fly while he started to grow back to his normal height.

"Are you sure?" Zën asked for the millionth time while he flicked his wings to the side but didn't start flying upward like Carter wanted him to do.

"Yes, Zën," I said and rolled my eyes while I scowled and narrowed my eyes. "I trust him and so does my father. He wouldn't have sent Carter here if he didn't. Ok?"

Zën sighed and shook his head while he flicked his tail in annoyance. He didn't say a word before he took off into the sky where Carter was waiting for us with his hands behind his back.

Carter didn't say a word about us being "late" for whatever he wanted us to do but bowed fully from the waist, submitting and silently telling us that he was there to protect and serve us no matter what the future held.

Finally, the giant cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. "So, are you two ready, Your Highness?" he asked and lifted his head just a tad so that he was looking at us but still in this submissive type of state as if he wanted to make sure that we knew he meant no harm.

"See?" I asked my griffin, and he rolled his eyes in response but didn't say another word about this. I cleared my throat and nodded. "We are," I confirmed and nodded. "So, stand and tell us what you want you to do."

Carter nodded and did what I told him to do and stood. He held out his hands with his palms facing upward, and his hands glowed before the glowing disappeared to reveal a bow and arrow now in them. He bit back a small smile when he saw the shocked look on my face and bowed his head. "Here," he said and handed them to me. "You are going to need these, Your Highness."

I took them from him, and I looked at the bow and arrow before I looked at him, raising an eyebrow in question. "What is this for?" I asked while I cocked my head and studied him.

Carter bit back a small smile and took a step back before he cleared his throat and bowed again. "Go ahead and go to the top of the tree," he said, not answering my question. "You will start at the top of that tree and go around it in a circle. There are a few obstacles that you two will have to face on each side."

I nodded and pressed my lips into a thin line. I didn't say a word while I fiddled with the bow and arrow before I nudged Zën with my legs, silently telling him to go ahead and fly to the top of the tree.

Zën rolled his eyes and shook his head before he did what he was told to do and flew toward the top of the tree underneath Carter's critical gaze. He flicked his tail and looked at Carter, waiting for instructions.

"Are you ready?" Carter asked and raised an eyebrow in question, and I nodded in confirmation.

"I am," I confirmed verbally. "What do you want us to do, Carter?"

"So at the top of the tree, you will start to circle around it and go through some of the obstacles. There will be a few places that you will need to shoot a bow and arrow at them, hitting the bullseye before you can move on. Some of them will be moving." He gave me a pointed look with an innocent smile on his face, and I held back an eye roll while I pressed my lips into a thin line, not saying a word.

He cleared his throat and stood taller. "After that, you will have to move lower to Zën's neck and go through an area that is a tight fit. You will start using magic as soon as you are around the other side of the tree. There will be little dummies that are going to attack the two of you. This will focus on the bond between the two of you, so you are going to have to work together."

I bit the inside of my lip and slowly nodded. I didn't say a word while I shifted on Zën's back and bit back a small sigh, silently preparing myself for what was to come.

"Are the dummies going to hurt us?" Zën asked and raised an eyebrow in question. He flicked his tail, and I could tell that he was unamused about what Carter wanted us to do, even though I couldn't help but feel excited about it. "Or are th-"

"Zën," I warned, interrupting him, and Zën turned to look at me with an annoyed look on his face. "They are going to be attacking us. If they are going to attack us, then they are going to hurt us unless we protect ourselves from them."

Zën held back an eye roll and looked at Carter. He flicked his tail in annoyance, and he waited for me to say something or at least tell him that it was time to start.

"Are you ready?" I asked and rubbed his neck, shifting the bow and arrow just a tad while I looked at the tree and before I looked at him, getting ready for this and whatever else that was supposed to come my way.

Zën sighed and nodded, flicking his tail in annoyance. "I am," he said with a small grumble in his voice, and I held back an eye roll while I scowled. "I do not understand why you are asking me if I am ready. Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing?"

I rolled my eyes and pressed my lips into a thin line. I didn't say a word and silently indicated for him to start going toward the beginning of the whole course, and Zën bit back an annoyed sigh but did what I told him to do and flew toward the beginning of the whole course.

"Are you going to start us, Carter?" I asked and looked at him when Zën stopped at the beginning of the course.

Carter nodded in confirmation and smiled. "I will also be timing you," he said. He raised his hand when I opened my mouth to say something, and I hesitated before I closed my mouth while I pursed my lips in annoyance. "Don't worry about the time," he said. "I want to see how well you can improve in a span of time as well as see how your bond between each other is working. Ok?"

I sighed and nodded in agreement while I grabbed the bow tighter and knocked it just in case I wouldn't have time to do it before something attacked us. "Ok, Carter," I said and shifted the bow ever so slightly. "Are you ready?"

"Born ready," Zën said and flicked his tail.

"Good." I took a deep breath and released it with a small whoosh before I leaned closer to Zën's neck and looked forward, making sure that my grip on Zën was strong. "Carter, start the timer," I said and waited for him to send us off while Zën hovered in the air, waiting as well.

"Of course, Your Highness," Carter said and bowed his head ever so slightly with a small smile on his face. "You two may start... now." He pressed the button on the stopwatch, and Zën shot off like an arrow, both of us ready for whatever was to come our way, together.

Oh, Gods, please don't let this be the end of us once for all...

Please...