"The enemy will always cheat, Isla, you need to be prepared for anything."
Isla and her siblings have lived in a cave for as long as they can remember with no memory of how they got there or who they were before. They only remembered two things...
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More Snow!!!
We are in an open white carriage, pulled by our horses. The city is packed with thousands of shifters having travelled across Zola to come and wave us off. It is just the four of us in the carriage. Aspen is already on their way. The High families arrive first, then the Royals. Us Dragoheir will be the last Royals to arrive also. Soon we are out of the city and on the road to the Capitol lands. The lands that aren't ruled by anyone but the High Ruler.
"I can't believe this is happening," Tanya says and I swear I hear the panic in her voice.
"Calm down Tanya," Serenity laughs and leans her head on Tanya's shoulder. I immediately see Tanya relax and snuggle with her sister.
"Are we ready for this?" Toryn asks. I look up at my twin who sits beside me.
"We don't really have a choice," I say. "But I think we are. Even though we missed a lot of time growing up here, we've really connected with our people over the last few months. It is like we were never gone," I smile and they all nod.
"I think you'll get chosen Isla," Serenity tells me. I shake my head.
"Of course I won't," I chuckle, thinking back to the conversation I had with him last night.
"What, why not?" Tanya asks.
"I may have said that we have connected more with the people, but we have only been back for a few months. We spent seven years away from them. Plus, the queen knows that I will always put the three of you above anything else," I explain. Serenity frowns.
"What?" I ask. She smiles softly.
"Isla, you don't have to protect us all the time. We aren't in the cave anymore. The three of us can protect ourselves much better than most of your people. You should worry about them more than us," she explains.
"I know," I whisper. But the thought of losing any of them is too scary to even consider.
"Yeah, we're big and strong," Tanya grins and I roll my eyes. We all stop talking as we see the place where the Choosing will be held. Aspen explained everything to us, as did Princess Kayleigh when we were having our tutoring sessions with her. That did prepare me for this. Ahead of us is a great rocky mountain. But it is unlike all other mountains in the area. It stands by its self, tall and proud. It also has a completely flat top. The cliffs are staggeringly high and I can just make out a steep staircase making it's way up, carved into the rocks. On either side of the staircase are two huge statues. One is of a woman. She wears armour and a crown. A crown which looks a lot like mine. Even though it is a huge stone carving, she looks alive. She stands tall and proud and her hair flows around her. Her eyes look as though they are watching over everyone and her. She holds up a great stone sword which is tilted at an angle above the top of the staircase. She is our ancestor. She was the first High Ruler of Shadow. I remember from one of our lessons. She also has a dragon that sits on her shoulder, the tail wrapping around the sword that hangs in the air. I guess it was at a time where there were still wild dragons in our lands. She was bonded to one from what I can remember. They were born on the same day at the same time and they grew up together.
