Page 8 of Wicked Prince of Curses
I caught a twinkling of gold in the distance.
The momentum of the slide sent me careening into the air. I floated into the clouds, weightless, before my body weight shifted, and began yanking me down. I looked down, only seeing endless clouds. There was no bridge in sight. Panic flittered in my chest.
This couldnotbe where I died.
Still tumbling through the air, I jerked. I itched to snap out my wings, but I didn’t dare. Bricks of gold rushed into view, crumbling on either side for several long stretches. Ignoring my rising fear, I tucked my knees in. As the bridge rose, and my body descended, I let out my wings just enough to help me tuck and roll.
I collided with the bridge and went sprawling. I’d landed too hard. Too fast. I spun, out of control, unable to stop myself.
“No,” I squealed.
I tried clinging to the brick. My hands were as slippery as water. I gripped on to nothing. My body nearly slid off the side of the bridge. Jerking my wings, and gripping the edge, I snapped my body to the side against the momentum and threw myself back to the middle of the bridge.
Finally at a place where I could get control of my balance, I shot to my feet and ran.
And not a moment too soon.
Tharic landed at the center of the bridge. Perfectly. On the balls of his feet, already in a full sprint after me.
My sandals slapped the brick as I raced across the next stretch. It wound into curves and loops. Squinting, I gauged the distance between each gap. As I neared the first set of winding bridge-way, instead of following the loop, I leapt over them altogether.
“At least you’re not a complete idiot,” Tharic called from behind me.
I turned in time to see him leaping just like I’d just done. I turned back around, breathing opened mouth, gasping for air. My ribs burned. My muscles ached. I needed water so bad.
There were several Ascendants before me running for dear life, all of us trying to beat an invisible clock. The male at the very front leapt off the bridge, tumbling into endless clouds, headed for the temple gates. Then a female followed him. And then another. I envied their progress, forcing my own feet to move faster.
Ahead of me was a male. His gait had slowed. He was limping. He’d been wounded. He had his wings out to help him with balance. That was great and all, but they were taking up all the room on the bridge. Not daring to see how close Tharic got, I rushed ahead and shoved the male out of my way.
“What in the stars?—”
“I’m sorry…but…gotta…go,” I called over my shoulder, running faster.
“You can’t just push angels out of the way like that, Anathelle! You need to?—”
Then the angel was screaming.
“All that blasted talking,” Tharic snarled. “Burning useless.”
I turned my head to the side. The male Tharic had thrown tumbled down, down,down.
Then he spread his wings.
No.
I wanted to scream. To tell him to not fight it.
But it was too late.
He opened his wings, starting to fly back to the bridge. Three stareagles surged out of the cloudy heavens. The stareagles rushed him, tearing into his flesh with their talons. They shredded his wings, tore at his skin, and ripped him apart. Then they dragged him away as he screamed.
Focus, Safah.
I started leaping to gain speed and distance. To outmatch Tharic. But the burning asheater still kept gaining on me. Kept taunting me. I thought about Manmi. I thought of all the Matriarchs that made it into the temple before me.
Ihadto make it.
I gained some speed, passing another male. Moments later he was tossed off the bridge by Tharic.
