Page 121 of Taken By the Lord of the Nocturne Court

I look back in time to see the pearly white hump glimmer above the surface as beaters chase him into the mouth of the arena, and the huge doors completing its circle rise above the water.

This is it. Sink or swim in its purest form, because if I don’t win, I don’t trust any of the brothers to keep me and Luke alive. If I lose, I’ll attempt to flee with my husband while there’s still commotion. Otherwise, we’re as good as dead.

Andros raises his arm, and I spot Sabine joining Tristan with flushed cheeks.

“There are three contenders for the throne!” Andros tells the excited crowd, amplifying his voice with a big Ostar shell. “Prince Kyra….n Nightweed, Prince Anatole Goldweed, and his brother, Prince Sylvan Goldweed. They will descend into the water on kelpies to prove their skill in facing a beast of the sea and attempt to remove a pearl from under the leviathan’s tongue. Whoever manages it first, and brings it to the chalice,” he makes an elegant gesture toward a large silver goblet in the middle of the royal box, “will become our new Lord. Until the pearl is in place, any means of winning are allowed.”

The last part sends a murmur through the crowd, and I’m all too aware of what this means. I might get the pearl but still have to watch out for Anatole stabbing me in the back to pry it out of my hands.

I mount Crab, who is so eager to get in the water he paces in place. Soon his back legs will turn into a fishtail, and his front hooves will grow shiny black webbing, so he can carry me in the waves with ease. At least in the arena, the sea is only as violent as the leviathan’s movements make it. But when Luke approaches to squeeze my hand, and we both watch the beast coil in the vast pool of water, the horn blows again. And then, again. It’s a frantic cry that has our audience get to their feet.

“What is that?” Luke asks in a dull voice, and when I stand in the stirrups, narrowing my eyes to see what brought on the shrieks I’m starting to hear, a new island emerges from the waters beyond the arena, on the far-off horizon.

But it’s no island, and every single person gathered for the event realizes it at the same time.

“Run, Heartbreak is coming!”

Chapter 45

Kyran

The audience descends into chaos, and I only snap out of the shock when a man is knocked out of his row by a group of running youngsters and drops into the seats below. It’s every elf for themself now, but I will stand strong. It is my duty to protect my people at all cost, even those who called me Sunspawn out of their seats in the auditorium.

Still, while I am an experienced fighter, with many eels on my skin to prove it, I have never taken on a beast like the mountain rising ever higher above the surface and sending giant waves toward the arena.

Fearful for its life, the leviathan thrashes, but he wouldn’t be any safer in the strip of sea between the shore and the approaching monster, so I ignore the way it sprays water out of the hole on its back and glance at Tristan.

“We need Lady Guinevere and Carol. Fetch them!”

Sabine stares out into the sea, grabbing her stomach with a pained moan.

No. Not now.

But, of course, it justhad tohappen now.

Her husband is at her side, but Tristan looks up at me wide-eyed. I understand his question without words.

“Make sure she’s safe,” I tell him. “Get Lady Guinevere! Alert the knights at the palace. If… If we fail to stop the beast, you will be the only prince left.”

He nods, already taking Sabine into his arms. “I will send reinforcements. You just need to keep it away for long enough.”

He wants to reassure me, but we both know it’s a gamble at this point. So many great shadow wielders died seven years ago, our force is much depleted,andwe only have two Dark Companions on our side.

“What do I do?” Luke asks, tugging on my arm. Despite his paleness, he’s ready to take on the responsibility. I chose so well with him. If I could remember the exact date I pulled him out of the River of Souls, I’d make it a holiday at the Nocturne Court.

Anatole mounts his kelpie with a focused expression but Sylvan stares at the approaching mountain of flesh as if he’s become a statue. We can’t see all of Heartbreak well. It’s far away, and some of its shape is obscured by shadows, but in the far distance, what we know to be arms, legs, guts and faces move without reason, twitching and stirring as if Heartbreak is covered in maggots.

Some elves’ hearts can stop at just the sight of it, before the beast even reaches them. But most also know this and don’t stick around to stare at the gore-filled spectacle making its way to the shore.

I slide off my kelpie and pull Luke into my arms, smelling his hair and attempting to remember the warmth and texture of his skin. I wish I could be sure this fight will end in victory, but there aren't many of us, and if my father and so many of his knights fell in the last battle against Heartbreak, how am I to predict the outcome of this day?

This might be mine and Luke’s last hug, last kiss, but even if we both perish, I don’t regret a single thing.

“I… I don’t think I can do it,” says a voice so quiet I barely pick up the words in the noise around us.

My nose slides across Luke’s cheekbone when I glance at Sylvan, who’s clutching at his damn potions. They might have been enough to outwit two elves, but most definitely not go against a monster capable of swallowing hundreds of lives in one attempt. His lips quiver, his hands shake, and I find myself pitying him, because retreat is the sensible thing in his situation. Why throw away one’s life in an unwinnable fight?

“Help alert anyone who might not know what’s happening. Someone has to do it,” I say harshly and kiss Luke’s forehead.