Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 64872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Bile lurches up my throat as I look from the little girl prone on the stretcher to Florentius and his clenched fists. He’s taken her.
I whip around, scanning the crowd, desperate to see Akilah waiting there, watching . . .
When I don’t see her face, I snap to Florentius; he conjures a shield to stop me getting any closer and I’m thrown back into Megaera and Olyn’s catching arms. “Who will you choose?” he says. “Your sister or your king?”
I can barely breathe. Megaera and Olyn hold me tightly, taking my sagging weight, as Team Orange try to revive the little girl. Attempt after attempt, to no avail. When the bell chimes the hour, they have to be dragged off the stage and held in place by sentinian spells. The team gathers around their leader, trying to console him, but he crumples to his knees.
The little girl is moved off the stage, and though I know it’s coming, it’s still a punch to my guts when Akilah’s brought out.
I push out of Megaera and Olyn’s arms and stagger to Florentius and his team moving swiftly to her side.
“Use the dromveske,” I croak. “Maybe there’s a way. If you enter the—”
Florentius is a mighty snap of his cloak when he spins to me. “That’s why she’s in a coma to begin with. Do you want us all to end up dead?” He blasts me back to my place and Skriniaris Evander reluctantly sets two redcloaks on our team to ensure I don’t meddle.
The regent has his eyes narrowed on us and it takes all my strength to stand straight, not to give away my anxiety—and with that my true identity. Akilah’s sworn brother; the ‘executed’ royal vitalian; the king’s man.
I whisper into Megaera’s ear. “Nod. Make it seem like I’m discussing ideas with you.”
I say the same to Olyn.
They huddle around me, nodding and whispering as if we’re plotting tactics, so my intense looks at the stage are misinterpreted—
I gasp. Akilah’s arm just twitched.
My gaze pings around the four-person vitalian team. One is preparing teas; Mikros and Makarios are drawing out blood, funnelling it through spells, and pouring it back in again; and Florentius is stepping back as he abruptly finishes a mind-revitalising spell. He immediately downs tea and stacks another.
All eyes are riveted on him. Older vitalians are sucking in mesmerised breaths. There are astonished whispers. An elder scholar shakily points his finger.
Clever, very clever. To use dragonbane in that way.
He’s using such a complex spell—the hardest known spell to stack! Only ever achieved once, by Sacran Kyrillos himself!
We’re watching a miracle here.
He’s doing it with such grace.
With grave concentration, Florentius perfects the spell as the crowds hold their breath and then burst into cheers and applause. Just completion of this spell is enough for Florentius to be written into lore. The judges tallying on the board don’t even know how to rate such skill and genius. It’s clear in all their minds—even if Akilah never wakes, he’s achieved something.
Chiron beholds his son with relief and the regent claps proudly, throwing the father a nod that suggests perhaps the royal team had an advantage.
In fact, that must be the case. The regent wishes to ride on the coattails of this historical feat; he’s pressured Florentius in every possible manner. He’ll have made sure Florentius has the winning edge while ensuring, through this impossible-to-cure coma, that all other finalists have no conceivable chance.
In rush of rainbowed threads, Florentius trains his spell into Akilah’s chest. The spell is strong and he shakes, fighting to keep it steady. Sweat dribbles down his temples. Regardless of any advantage he’s been manipulated into taking, this is an incredible operation.
My stomach clenches. An unbeatable one?
Akilah stirs and her eyes flutter open. The crowd is silent for a moment, astonished.
Even Orange are beholding Florentius with hope. If this works, if he truly can bring his patient back to life, could he save the others?
With a final push, Florentius forces in the remaining spell and falls to his knees, holding Akilah’s hand in both of his as he calls her name with a plea to please, please wake up. I’m silently chanting the same, even as I fear what comes next.
As the hourglass trickles its last traces of sand, my heart bangs hard against my ribs and I push forward out of Megaera and Olyn’s supportive arms. A wall of redcloaks shoots up before me. I press against it in overwhelming, sickening relief. Akilah. She’s moving. She’s sitting up!
The redcloaks finally notice the happenings on stage and the absolute silence that has taken over the courtyard. For a few moments, only the sound of a pigeon squawking can be heard, and then the skies alight in a fireworks of bursting magic, brighter than the luminarium dome. The royal team have done it. They’ve brought their patient back to life.