When It Reigns (Cursed Reigns, #1)

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

The flames heated the atmosphere around him and the residual smoke resulted in plumes of clouds. Sparks jumped between the darkened clouds, electricity buzzing as bolts of lightning ignited and touched the ground around Clear Water. Claps of thunder echoed seconds before the lightning touched down.

"We need to get away from all this water," I said, pulling on Serene's neck. Throwing a leg over her, I gripped one of her horns as Zoran unfurled his leathery wings with feathered spots.

"The Test of Talons begins now," Emperor Nepheus declared, handing an egg to each set of Champions. "Clear Water is off limits unless you want to be struck by lightning. Your dragons should have all regained their energy and your essences should have been replenished from your time here, as well. You must defend your egg and keep it safe. Even a single crack is unacceptable. Solas will be defended by the Fire Force, Mavis by the Ice Force, Eaton by the Wind Force, and Quincey by the Stone Force. Follow your respective Commanders to the towns outside our walls."

Xeno Jensen gathered his new Fire Force Champions and gave each of them a red vest with their fire emblem. Commander Galen Langston, an older man with gray hair and a long gray beard, beckoned over his Wind Force to offer them their white vests with the swirling cloud emblem. Commander Laisel Roark had brown vests with their rock emblem for her Stone Force Champions.

Zoran's mother, Morgana, had her Ice Force Champions crowd around her. Her midnight locks matched her stiff horns and she tied her hair back in a high pony tail to accentuate her striking eyes that were just like her son's. She was a tall, slender woman and wore the light blue uniform of the Ice Force as she handed each of us a matching vest with the iceberg emblem.

Morgana didn't even acknowledge her son as she passed over a vest to Zoran, saying, "As you all know, the Test of Talons is completed in three stages that respectively assess trust, compatibility, and sacrifice in each bonded pair of Champions. The first phase will measure trust by having each pair decide which of you will carry the egg. You must trust each other and select who will protect it. This choice must be made now."

"I'll take it," I said, leaning down as I reached for the egg tucked under Zoran's arm. As far as I knew, it was faux, but it was a deceptive replica of the real thing. The egg was speckled with the black spots of the boiling slime spitting dragons, and it was a foot tall.

Zoran handed it to me, mindful to be gentle as he placed it in my outstretched hands.

That was easier than I thought it was going to be, I thought.

"I'm trusting you. You're doing a pretty good job taking care of three dragons, so this egg should be a breeze," he said, stepping back as I opened my cloak and set the egg in the larger pocket stitched on the inside.

I wished I hadn't worn a dress to the ceremony because now I was stuck wearing it during the most crucial part of my training for the Force.

"Now, we shall all meet in Mavis. The Force that seizes the most dragon eggs will win the Test of Talons. Champions from each Force will be trying to steal your egg on the way there. I will explain the second stage to those who survive the first. Let's go," Commander Morgana said, extending her leathery wings.

Without waiting for questions, she flew towards the Yurich Forest on the eastern side of the lake and headed for Mavis – the deserted town Racquel and I had killed three demons during a challenge in what felt like another lifetime ago.

Dragons and shifters took to the sky, flying to the desolate towns in the warmer area outside the obsidian gates of the Wrexial Mountains.

Whatever you do, don't die.

I glanced down as Zoran gave me a salute and followed his mother and the other new Champions.

Speak for yourself, I answered in my head as I pulled back on Serene's horns.

Zoran scowled, but I couldn't hide the grin I sported as I realized I'd been able to use telepathy to communicate with him. The bonding of his powerful essence when we were made Champions must have been adding to my limited essence to give me the ability to speak with my mind – and to use his power.

My dragon took a couple of running steps and leapt into the air, pursuing after the Ice Force as Zoran sped ahead of us. The other Elemental Forces drifted in opposite directions, straying away from each other as we navigated to our designated destinations.

The ride was silent as we flew in our unorganized flock with Morgana at the front. We were a jumbled mass of wings and blue vests flying over the Nyrial Empire with dragon eggs concealed under thick cloaks.

Whenwe were almost in Mavis, the brutish Asteria Huxley swerved, dropping behindher Champion, a stern, female summoner with platinum blonde hair and a yellowgaseous dragon like Rays, and leveled herself next to Zoran. On edge, I strained to hear what she was whispering to him. The wind whipping by my ears made it impossible to make out her hurried words, so I resorted to questioning Zoran about it.

What's she saying?

She's proposing an alliance with us, Serene said, impressing me with her fine hearing.

An alliance?

She wants to work together to capture dragon eggs from other Forces.

Weary, I wanted to say it sounded like a set up to me. Asteria made her contempt for me evident and she'd grown up with Zoran in Garrenth, but she couldn't harm me without risking his life in the process.

I won't let her hurt you, Serene promised, catching up with the shifters.

Zoran met my eye and nodded. Neither will I. I've declined her offer to team up. This is a test for the two of us, not four.

The egg heated in my cloak, warming my side as we descended, landing in the barren farm town.

Zoran and I had passed the first stage.

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