The Throne Legacy: An Incasta Novel (co-written)

The Throne Legacy ~ Chapter 8

Welcoming the return of Riku006 to writing with Myria Gray and I.

Chapter 8

It had taken a while for her to persuade him, but Zyphire had managed it; Duke Riku had not been all too willing to let her out into the city during the celebrations. As usual, her guard was accompanying her: two in front and one on either side, with the silent Sir Airen at the rear.

Zyphire let out an irritated sigh. “When will I be able to move on my own without being shadowed...” she muttered to herself.

“When, if, your name is cleared,” Airen replied. She had not realised she had spoken so loud, or intended for him to hear her comment.

“Cleared? It’s already clear, for I did nothing.” she growled with a deep sigh.

“Not according to the courts,” Airen said.

She stopped and spun around - trying to talk to someone when they were walking behind was frustrating. “The courts were wrong, and I shall prove it so.”

Airen arched his eyebrows at her. “We shall see.”

When they finally arrived at the celebrations, the streets were already full of Incastian’s dancing and laughing. Music echoed, the sound of harps and flutes mixing in a merry tune. Children chased each other, giggling and cheerful. Colourful flags hung between the eaves of houses, suspended above the activities below.

Zyphire looked around, with a tiny smile on her pale face. “They seem very happy.”

Airen nodded. “I have not seen such cheer in Irallian for some time...”

“I barely even remember these streets,” Zyphire mumbled sorrowfully while wrapping her cloak over her shoulders. “There was a time when I knew them like the back of my hand.”

Airen opened his mouth to speak but a shout rose up, cutting him off. Zyphire looked towards the raucous sound, from the streets came a blur and, before she could even identify it, she was knocked off her feet and fell to the stone ground. She landed heavily and was stunned for a moment; she lay there staring at the cobbles in front of her face.

“Murderer!”

Zyphire heard the shout, but she did not know where it came from. There was the sound of clashing metal and she could hear Airen’s voice rising above the commotion. She struggled into a sitting position to see her guards trying to restrain a man with a wild look in his eyes. When their eyes met his shouting rose in volume and she could do nothing more than stare at him.

A hand closed around her arm and she was pulled to her feet. “Come on, we need to get out of here.” Zyphire vaguely recognised that it was Airen who had helped her up but she was too stunned to do anything more than allow him to pull her through the streets back towards the castle.

Everything around her seemed distant, like seen from a dream. She was taken to a calm place, where slowly everything began to clear in her mind. Her hands were shaking at her sides, and her heart was beating rapidly.

“Wh...what happened?” she managed to ask, her voice soft and trembling.

“You were attacked,” Airen said plainly.

She grappled with the memory of what had happened. “By who?”

“Someone, a commoner, not anyone in particular,” Airen told her.

“Why?” She knew why, of course, but the word still slipped from her lips.

Airen did not answer. They had reached the castle and he led her into the building, guiding her through the halls. Zyphire’s legs were trembling with every step, she rested her hand against her forehead.