“They wouldn’t even listen to me, Royce.” I throw up my hands, and then quickly regret that decision and return them to the reins. “The only reason they didn’t run me out of the palace is because you were standing there with a sword. If Dionysus attacks again, we’ll lose everything.”
Maybe I was foolish to think I could rule. I’d thought it would come naturally, that I’d be good at it—or at the very least that I could read and learn what I needed in order to help fix Lagonia.
But nothing I’d read could fix this. Not the documents outlining how cities like ancient Aijiram were built. Not the treaties between Orfland and Lagonia. And none of the journals kept by our past rulers.
I’d only succeeded in putting my people in more danger.
“You’re not going to lose everything.” Royce steers his horse so his leg is touching mine as we ride. “You’re a great leader. You’re willing to face down the Great Oracle for them.”
“Only because I’m the one putting them in peril,” I point out.
“You’re protecting them,” he replies. “If it wasn’t Dionysus coming after you, it would be some other power-hungry person hoping to take over the throne. There will always be threats, but you’re willing to face them. Don’t forget that. Everyone wants a leader who fights for them.”
“They want a leader who wins those fights,” I reply.
“We haven’t lost one yet,” he counters.
“We haven’t gone up against Dionysus before,” I say.
His brow scrunches. He pulls one hand free from my reins, examining the golden skin visible in the gap between my sleeve and glove. “Haven’t you been facing him your entire life?” He gives my hand a squeeze, “If anyone can beat him, it’s you. You know the power of words, of how they can be twisted. If anyone can think of a way to outthink him, it’s you. And when you do, the nobles will see how powerful you are.”
He sounds so confident, and I can’t help but wonder, would the nobles accept me if I stopped Dionysus? If I show them I can defeat the very god who’d placed the curse—the curse they all think is bringing the kingdom down—then maybe, just maybe they will see me as capable of ruling, of leading them.
Stronger than the god who cursed my father. Stronger than the curse itself. Strong enough to rule.
The thought energizes me, and I offer Royce a small smile.
“Don’t worry. You’ll show them you’re a great leader. It’ll just take a little time. But I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
His bright blue eyes are darker in the shade of the forest, more mysterious, and they draw me toward them.
His hand is on my cheek before I even realize how close I’m leaning toward him.
But his hand drops suddenly. He tenses.
Then something hard smashes into me from behind, sending searing pain through my body.
CHAPTER 4
Before I know what’s happening, I land facedown with a thud on the ground. My shoulders throb.
My horse stamps around me, sending up a cloud of dust. I cough and choke, trying to roll out of the way before I get crushed.
I throw myself to the side and tumble into a large rock, which must be what knocked me to the ground.
“Get her saddlebags,” a voice calls as I fight to get air back into my lungs.
“There’s nothing of value in there,” Royce calls.
I’m about to rise to my feet when I realize it’s probably safer on the ground where no one can see my face. I’ve learned what greedy men will do to get to the girl with golden skin—the one who can turn things to gold.
Judging by the number of feet I hear scuffling around in the undergrowth, we’re far outnumbered. Worse, rough hands pull me to my feet, gripping the arm that still throbs from breaking my fall.
“Well,” says a bearded man, “what about her? Is she valuable?” His dirty fingernails dig into my arm. I bite my lip to keep from crying out. My hood is still pulled low, and I hang my head as far as I can. My heart is beating too fast for me to take calm, collected breaths.
“Get off your horse, drop your sword, and toss over your purse, and we’ll let her go,” the man says.
“No,” Royce replies.
“No?” the man repeats as though no one has ever refused him before.
I try to judge from the heavy breathing behind me how many men there are. I think I hear four, but I can’t be sure.
The large rock is still at my feet, but the bearded man is holding me too tightly. I doubt I’ll be able to grab it before he reacts. Which means the only weapon I have left is the one that I really don’t want to use.
With my free hand, I rip back my hood.
A patch of sunlight reflects off my golden skin. The man’s instant recoil is exactly what I need. He loosens his grip, and I duck down for the rock. He grabs for me once more, but by the time he pulls me back I use his momentum to pull me up, smashing the rock into his chin along the way. He goes down in a heap.
I turn as three other men leap into action. Swords and daggers are drawn, including Royce’s.
“Take one step closer and I’ll turn you to gold,” I shout, removing a glove.
The men backtrack and fall over themselves to get away. A man drops from the tree above us, arrows dribbling from his quiver as he stumbles after his friends. For a few moments, the only sound is them crashing through the undergrowth as they disappear into the forest.
For once I’m glad for the rumors about me.
“Are you okay?” Royce asks, getting off his horse and rushing to my side.
“I’m fine,” I reply, ignoring the tightness in my side every time I move. I collect my horse from the side of the path.
“Are you sure?” Royce steps closer and pulls my face up to look at him. “I know you’ve already used your powers several times today—”
I lean into his chest. He knows I hate the way the metal always feels when I absorb it. “It’s not as bad as it used to be.” His hand rubs up and down my back.
I want to stay there, to enjoy this moment with him in the woods like any normal couple would do. But we aren’t a normal couple.
I pull away from him. “We should go before those thieves decide I might be more valuable than dangerous.”
Royce nods and helps me climb back onto my horse.
I inhale sharply when I land astride it. I can only imagine how riding will feel, but I know we have to keep moving, so I dig my heels into the mare’s sides as Royce mounts up next to me.
Eventually we cut through the tree line and Mount Yellek races above our heads.
“There.” Royce points to a small, rocky path twisting up the side. One that looks far too steep for the horses to take.
We tie the horses off at the base of the trail and begin our ascent.
The sun beats down on us from above as small rocks threaten our balance from below. Thin weeds push through the rocks and sway in the wind racing down the mountain.
After making it up a rocky incline, sheer white cliffs press against my right side. On my left, a thin patch of grass leads to a steep drop-off as we climb ever higher. Even the slightest breeze tugging at me makes me tense. I keep one hand on the cliff wall to maintain my balance.
I grew up locked away in the palace. I’ve explored all of its towers, so I’m not exactly afraid of heights. But I am afraid of falling to my death. Especially after what happened on the balcony with my uncle, when he fell to his death trying to kill my father and me. I’d nearly fallen with him.