Page 126 of The Throne Seeker (Vallorian #1)

T he violent wind battered them as Rose and Roman made their way back to the cliffs. Dark clouds blanketed the sky, obscuring the stars and moon, as lightning flashed haphazardly over the ocean. A raindrop splashed against Rose’s cheek, followed by more pattering around them.

The high council members and the guards were nowhere in sight, likely having fled to the castle for their own safety. Cowards. Fortunately for them, she didn’t have time to care.

Xavier and her mother remained huddled near the cliff’s edge. Xavier was cradling her mother against his chest. His head snapped up at the sound of Onyx’s hooves.

“Thank the lost city above,” Xavier said, looking to the sky in reverence.

Rose jumped off Onyx. “Is she still alive?”

“Yes, but barely.”

Rose took her first full breath that night.

She drew the vial from her cloak and knelt beside her mother’s unconscious form, next to Xavier, who was still supporting her head.

She put the vial up to her mother’s lips and poured the contents down her throat, her hands shaking all the while. This would fix her. It had to fix her. She wouldn’t let herself think of an alternative.

“You’re going to be okay,” Rose willed, stroking her mother’s sandy hair, wet from the rain. “Get her on Onyx,” she said to Roman and Xavier. “We need to find cover so I can treat her wound properly.”

Xavier moved to pick her up, but Roman blocked him, taking it upon himself. “I’ve got her,” he said, lifting Rose’s mother into his arms, even though his legs and arms shook from the strain as the rain poured around them.

Rose was about to follow, but something shifted in the darkness.

Her arms went limp.

She almost didn’t believe her eyes. More than fifty soldiers emerged from the tree line, racing towards them on horses. She didn’t want to look at who was leading them.

Tristan.

The storm brewing underneath his skin had finally exploded into a dark typhoon. He had no intention of letting her go.

Tristan… No.

Xavier cursed beside her.

“I knew the bastard couldn’t do it,” Roman growled.

“What do we do?” Xavier asked. “We can’t fight them all.”

Rose’s mind scrambled for something— anything —to get them out of this mess. Without force would be preferable. She didn’t want any more bloodshed. Violence would be her last resort.

She scoured their surroundings in the dark, seeking any form of escape. As her she turned to the giant waves, her eyes lowered to the water beyond the jagged rocks, reminding her of the third succession challenge?—

She had an idea.

Knowing it might be a fool’s errand, she approached the cliff’s edge, looking down to the rocky shore beneath her feet.

“Rose, what are you doing?” Roman yelled over the wind, taking a nervous step toward her, her mother’s unconscious body still in his arms.

Rose shut her eyes, concentrating on the crashing sound of the waves below. The vast open space caused the wind to whip her bloodstained cloak aside.

She extended out her hand, searching the power she knew lay hidden within her. Delving into the depths of her mind, she uncovered a bubbling, vibrant pool of magic, calling upon it.

A powerful jet of water defied gravity as it surged from the ocean’s depths into the air, splashing up to meet the palm of her hand. The smooth, cold water felt like a shock of energy.

A bolt of lightning struck nearby, followed by a deafening crack of thunder.

Neera, she called to the sea beast through the void. Neera, if you can hear me, I need you. I need your help.

After a brief pause, she opened her eyes, daring to look back into the tumultuous sea. Seconds ticked by and… nothing. Nothing but enormous waves crashing into the rocks below.

Rose’s heart faltered, letting the large stream of water fall back into the sea.

It hadn’t worked.

“Rose!” Roman called to her again.

She whirled back. Tristan and his men were practically upon them.

She fought to stay calm as raindrops slid from her hair down to her brow. If Tristan captured them again… there would be no winning scenario. Roman was in no condition to fight again. Even with her magical abilities, she didn’t know how to use them, at least not enough to wield them as a weapon.

But she had to try. She had to do something . She attempted to bundle and wound the magic within her, wield it as she?—

A loud, trembling rumble erupted from below.

Rose whirled, but there was nothing but dark ocean waves.

A deafening screech pierced the sky.

Tristan and his men skidded to a stop, their heads snapping upward at the terrorizing sound.

Lighting flashed again as the sea beast’s silhouette appeared in the sky.

Rose’s heart leapt.

Neera had answered her call.

The large creature’s elongated, scaly form slithered through the air as enormous water droplets fell from her body with the rain. Her slender wings unfurled wide, maneuvering with deadly accuracy. She screeched again, diving to the ground toward Tristan and the soldiers.

The soldiers scattered. Some fled to the castle, abandoning their posts, while others sprinted back to the woods for cover.

The beast circled back around, landing just in front of Rose.

Neera took a drawing breath through her nostrils, and in one deadly motion, she bared her teeth and opened her mouth to unleash a powerful current of water from the depths of her belly.

The tidal wave washed the fleeing soldiers back into the woods, the forceful stream drowning out their screams and shouts.

Neera finished her spray as her large head snaked back to look at Rose. Her sapphire eyes sparkled at her happily.

You came, Rose said with relief .

Neera gave her a frightening smile. I told you I would.

Rose gave her the most appreciative look she could muster, but gratitude would have to wait. We need to get out of here. Can you help us?

Neera nodded, understanding. Get on, she said, lowering her large neck to the ground.

“Get on,” she relayed the order to Roman and Xavier.

The two exchanged hesitant side glances, but to their credit, they did as she commanded, Roman still cradling her mother in his arms as they all mounted Neera.

Onyx shook his large mane, spraying a flurry of droplets, his coal eyes stubbornly resistant. There is no way I’m letting that carry me with those claws. They eat things like me, Onyx said, backing up.

I won’t eat you, Neera said, practically rolling her eyes.

See? Rose said to Onyx. S he promises not to eat you.

At least not today, Neera added with a cheeky tone.

Not a moment too soon, Neera leapt into the air. Rose clung on to a spike, careful not to let it impale her. She glanced back, checking that Roman was still keeping her mother safe on his lap. Xavier looked like he was going to be sick.

Neera dipped down and swept Onyx carefully into her grasp with her large, webbed talons. Her wings worked overtime to get them higher and higher into the sky.

The soldiers below reformed, launching arrows at them. Rose ducked behind Neera’s large spike to avoid their path.

Neera roared, sending another stream of water from her mouth, driving the soldiers back into the muddy ground.

Rose dared to peek down.

Almost immediately, she found Tristan’s distant figure glaring up at her.

Despite the distance, she felt his overwhelming betrayal, his complete devastation, his feral rage—it all collapsed around him like a dying star, forming a black hole powerful enough to warp time and space, swallowing all light, attempting to pull her into the void with it.

A raw, soul-piercing cry of agony erupted from his mouth, a sound that would haunt her peace forever.

She winced, unable to bear his pain, clinging to Neera’s large spike as they soared upward into the sky.

Where to? Neera asked.

To Highland Haven, Rose answered.