Page 39 of Iris of the Crowned Flame

Amyra swirled her thumb around the back of my hand, trying to offer a bit of comfort as well.

‘We have plans in place to assist Spencer if or when Egan tries to use magic. Our healers gave him some tools to help guard against what he may do.’

'If I don’t see it’s working well, why can’t I just create a wall to separate them?’ It made little sense. I could help, couldn’t I?

I could feel Emberly’s sigh in my mind. My lip twitched, almost showing a smile. ‘We know he suspects you’re able to move theearth. One of his goals is to turn your people against you, and he can do that if he convinces them you are a witch. You cannot move the earth during this, no matter how tempting it might be. He might not publicly accuse you, but it’ll give them ammo.’

My stomach twisted and a cold numbness spread through me. My heart pounded in my ears.

‘Caution, Princess. Breathe in, hold it, breathe out. You will get all the information after this. Watch your future husband earn the privilege of marrying you.’

She was right. I needed to watch this fight. It had already started. Spencer was doing well, thankfully. Egan was also doing well, unfortunately. Breathe in, hold it, breathe out. Spencer twisted away from Egan’s offensive swing and then launched his own. Egan blocked, then attacked again. Back and forth, back and forth, they kept trading off. At the current rate, they would’ve scored basically equally for this round. I was proud of Spencer; he was doing better than anyone could have expected or hoped for after that first round.

Then something shifted. Egan gained the upper hand. First, it was a glancing blow across Spencer’s arm. Then Spencer missed a hit, and Egan landed one on his back before Spencer could even see it coming.

Within moments, Spencer was on his knees on the ground, his sword several feet away.

My breathing hitched. ‘Calm, Princess. Juniper has it under control. Focus on your breathing. Breathe in, hold it, breathe out. Breathe in, hold it, breathe out.’

Egan tried to go for the final blow. He raised his arms up, sword high in the air. The crowd’s cheers were deafening.

Egan seemed to lose balance. His ankle bent awkwardly as he tried to regain control. As people watched, gasps filled the air, then silence fell. My own hands moved to my face, Ivy and Amyra’s hands, trapped in my grip, followed somewhat awkwardly.

Spencer had only a moment to roll towards his sword, but that was all he needed to get it back in his hand.

A crack echoed through the hushed arena as Egan fell. Hisfoot didn’t move with the rest of his body in that fall, and that crack was in his ankle.

Emberly popped back in. ‘I told you she would make it happen.’ I was grateful for covering my mouth, as I couldn’t help smirking at her words.

‘Tell her I said thank you a million times.’

Spencer stood. He held his sword in one hand, ready to react defensively. “Egan, friend, concede and let me help you to your feet.”

His voice was quiet from this distance. The crowd was so quiet that we could all hear it. A gentle applause started at his show of sportsmanship.

Egan snarled in reply. He reached for his sword, trying to get to his knees. Spencer looked at the timekeeper, then at me. He was unsure what to do.

I debated calling out to stop the match. There weren’t any rules against it. Then I considered the reaction Egan might have if he thought I was being patronizing. ‘Don’t, Princess. Your fears about his reaction pale compared to his thoughts. Let the timekeeper do his job.’

Breathe in, hold it, breathe out. He would get there. There couldn’t be more than a few seconds left. Spencer could easily stay out of reach. And if Egan tried to walk, he could do further damage.

The signal sounded. The match ended before anyone landed another blow. I exhaled. The crowd cheered, but I technically had to declare the winner. Within a minute, the courtier from earlier brought me the note with the General’s pick for winner. While I made the final decision, their input still mattered. I opened it, and didn’t bother hiding my smile. Spencer won, as he deserved. He showed humility and kindness when it mattered.

I stood, and the arena hushes once more. Ready to announce the winner, I took two steps forward. I felt Father stepping into place behind me, silently offering his support for my answer.

“Today’s event goes to Prince Spencer of Vondalon, for his bravery and his sportsmanship.” I announced.

The crowd’s energy mixes. Some in the crowd cheered excitedly for the results. Others clearly felt disappointed Egan didn’t win. I kept my face neutral while I surveyed the crowds. No one stood out to me, but the energy felt wrong.

Father’s hand touched my shoulder. “Come, it’s time to leave.”

I heard something about his tone too. He noticed that wrongness. I checked that Ivy and Amyra were following and hurried back towards the safety of the castle.

CHAPTER 26

We regrouped in Father’s office as planned. It took several hours for Juniper and Spencer to arrive, the last of us. She looks almost haggard as she ushers him through the door. Once the door closed, Father opened his mouth to speak, but Juniper shushed him.

“Apologies, Your Majesty, but before we begin, I need to check my notes for something.”

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