Page 77 of The Throne Seeker (Vallorian #1)

Within moments, the first obstacle appeared—a towering, steep hill inclining abruptly with a vast crevasse between the raceway, stretching somewhere between fifty to a hundred feet, if she had to guess.

She didn’t know what she’d expected when she heard the word “jump,” but it wasn’t this.

She attempted to take a breath, but the wind stole it before it could reach her lips.

Five riders were close by—two in front, and three not far behind.

To her dismay, one of the riders ahead was Halmar, who kept throwing glances at the rider next to him, mounted on a tan sleipnir with brown hair.

They looked at each other like bulls stuck together in a pen.

She internally thanked her sleipnir for its wise decision to hang back.

As they neared the jump, her sleipnir accelerated.

She raised herself higher, her legs holding on to the sleipnir’s body with all her might as they climbed, scaling the jump at top speed.

Her vision blurred, eyes watering from the rushing wind.

She couldn’t risk letting go to wipe her eyes.

It was a miracle she could see Halmar ahead.

Without warning, Halmar veered his sleipnir straight into the rider beside him.

What happened next was a blur.

The hooves of the tan sleipnir somehow became tangled, forcing the rider to leap off, risking being trampled rather than crushed by the fall. The action sent his sleipnir right down the hill—headed straight for her.

Get down! her sleipnir commanded.

Rose crouched as low as possible, her chest flush with its back—fortunate because, despite her quick reflexes, the airborne sleipnir’s hoof flew inches from her head as it spiraled backward.

Slowing down wasn’t an option; they were too close to the edge to lose momentum.

She did her best to reset her position for the jump.

Her sleipnir drove its hooves into the ground. With a mighty shove from its eight legs, it sprang into the sky. She kept her chest open, just as he had instructed, and for a few fleeting seconds, it felt as if they were flying, gravity holding no bounds.

Then, just like that, they were falling back to the ground.

The free fall caught her stomach. Her eyes squinted for the other side—the edge was too far. Perhaps they had miscalculated. Or maybe Halmar’s intervention had done its work.

Her life flashed before her eyes.

But her sleipnir had calculated its projection skillfully—stretching its legs forward just enough to reach the edge. Its hooves struck the track with a resounding thud, dislodging a clump of rocks and dirt that tumbled into the ravine below.

Rose had braced for the landing, but her chest still smacked against the sleipnir’s neck, the collision knocking the wind out of her. She gasped for air, but by some miracle, she hadn’t broken a rib, and what’s more, she’d managed to stay on the sleipnir.

That was very good, the sleipnir praised. That fall was an intentional move. We’ll have to be careful—he insists on staying close to us no matter what I do.

Of course he does, she spat spitefully, glaring up ahead at Halmar, who didn’t look happy they had made it over the ravine.

They were amid the riders now, the leaders of the pack still going strong. Rose’s beast increased his speed on the long, flat terrain stretches, but he remained wary of the aggressive riders.

Shortly after, they reached the tree line, smack into the middle of the track, and the designated path vanished.

It’s our next obstacle, the sleipnir explained. We’ll have to weave through the trees. Keep yourself low and watch for branches. You’ll need to pay close attention or you’ll lose a limb—or worse, your head.

Rose grimaced, tightening her grip on the sleipnir as she tucked her knees against his torso. The riders ahead disappeared into the trees one by one until it was their turn.

Trees and branches were a blur. No matter which way she ducked or swerved, the branches followed.

She swore the branches themselves were… moving .

Even the roots beneath them seemed to stir.

It could have been just a trick of the eye.

But as they continued, it become undeniable.

She had heard of places like this—places that still possessed their own magic, even in Cathan, where it had all but disappeared.

This forest apparently, was one of them.

Her heart lodged within her throat. The sleipnir had failed to mention the forest was alive . It was hard enough to avoid branches when they were still, let alone attacking them.

Her sleipnir had slowed down considerably, jumping and dodging the different levels of limbs and roots coming at them.

She was forced to crouch, lean, and dodge much quicker than she could keep up with, almost earning a fatal blow from a branch she didn’t see until it was nearly too late.

The outcome left a deep gash on her shoulder, tearing both her dress and skin.

Terror gripped her as she winced, clutching her shoulder. She couldn’t do this. They were coming at her too fast.

Trust yourself , the sleipnir coached, sensing her fear. Listen to your instincts, your body—they’ll tell you what to do.

Rose scrounged up every scrap of courage she had and narrowed her eyes into pure will.

The sleipnir was right. She had come too far to give up now.

She let go of the control and listened to the trees—every leaf flutter, every branch groan, the air in between.

She let her body take over, letting it act on its own.

After she got the hang of it, she did well.

Extremely well.

It was eerie how accurately she moved. She sensed everything, from the buzzing insects darting to the other riders around her. It felt so familiar that she almost believed she was living out a scene from a past life.

Her sleipnir increased its speed as she discovered her rhythm, overtaking the riders who had been ahead.

They were just about to emerge from the woods when a massive fallen tree trunk blocked their path. At the same time, a large branch swung down, ready to smash them flat.

She quickly ducked as her sleipnir jumped through the narrow opening like an airborne arrow, barely escaping before the branch and tree trunk collided with a loud crunch. A blink later, they had shot out the other side victorious.

Her body slumped against the sleipnir, by the grace of the sky and sea gods she was still in one piece.

Back on the open track, her sleipnir sped up, pushing to cover as much distance as possible before reaching the river.

After she got the hand of it, riding felt… exhilarating, really—like they were untouchable.

But her confidence disappeared as the sound of the river reached her ears.

As they rounded the bend, a jolt of danger shot through her senses.

She hadn’t the slightest idea where the instinct came from, but it was strong—so strong that it took over her body. She leaned sharply to the right as her hand flung itself into the air, snatching an arrow meant for her head.

She only had a moment to process what she’d done, staring in awe at the arrow. She turned back to see Halmar had somehow managed to acquire a bow and arrow. He shot her a furious glare, angry that he had missed his target.

Where did he get those? she asked, clenching her jaw.

Probably paid someone to hide them in the woods, the sleipnir huffed.

Halmar nocked another arrow, posing to strike again.

Not this time, prick.

Without thinking, she tossed the arrow up to aim it, caught it again, and instinctively hurled it back at him.

She didn’t expect it to reach him, but to her amazement, it struck him just where she intended.

His shoulder jerked back, the unexpected force almost knocking him off his sleipnir.

The shock made him drop the bow with a grunt.

Rose was certain he’d be forced to slow, but hell-bent, he yanked the arrow from his shoulder, tossing it aside like it was nothing. His livid expression turned malicious, the action only intensifying his resolve to kill her. At least now, he’d have to figure out a different way.

She redirected her focus to the track ahead. The river was visible now, its white-capped waves rushing with the speed of rapids and spanning double the width of the ravine.

Doubt bubbled up again.

Remember what I told you, the sleipnir reminded her. Trust your instincts.

Rose forced her body to relax, brushing the insecurities aside.

She focused on the cool breeze on her skin, the hint of mist, and the sleipnir’s powerful muscles shifting beneath her.

She held her breath as they met the water, closing her eyes to brace herself, waiting to sink into the water’s depths.

But it never came.

Because somehow, to her complete and utter shock—the sleipnir was running on water.

At first, she was sure it was her imagination, her mind coping with the fear. But as the moments passed, reality sunk in, and the sleipnir’s hooves kept defying gravity as they galloped.

She couldn’t contain the smile that burst on her lips, which exploded into vibrant laughter. She let go of the sleipnir’s mane and raised her arms up and out, tilting her head back to the sky like she was flying.

Her sleipnir practically smirked in triumph as it charged ahead with renewed vigor. The other riders watched them pass in pure bewilderment as they sped through the water.

They reached the dirt track again and went back to full speed. The river had been their saving grace, putting them at the head of the pack. She counted only two riders in front of them.

Which meant they were in third place.

The two riders in front gaped back at her, their astonished faces revealing they had witnessed the miracle. At least they had the decency to look worried.

Rose and her sleipnir charged for them like a lioness hunting for its prey.

Both riders exchanged determined glances, nodding to one another.

She sensed eels under the rocks.