want here. ” She looked around over the horizon of Feyland. “I want this .” Her eyes shone with anger and terrifying power.
“This?”
“Feyland,” spat Clariss through gritted teeth. “All of it. The power. The rivers. The mountains. The forests. Winter and Summer. It’s mine.”
Logan looked concerned. “You can’t possibly want this, Clariss,” he said, reaching out to her. “It isn’t yours. It isn’t anybody’s. It doesn’t belong to you – but rather to the people of Feyland.”
Clariss gave a seductive pout, her dark eyes fixating on Logan’s face. “And is that what you say to Treena when she plays Queen over this whole realm? Do you tell her to stop playing her fairy-tale games?”
“It’s Breena, actually,” I was trying to keep my cool. I wasn’t going to let my high school bully get between me and my kingdom. But I couldn’t deny that Clariss’ words needled in my heart, bringing back memories of the pain I had faced. “And you are in my kingdom now, Clariss. I recommend you go back where you came from – and quickly, too. You don’t want to cause trouble here, Clariss. Not in my place. Keep Gregory for yourself and your family. Build whatever strip malls you please. But you are not welcome here.”
We were interrupted by the sound of hoof-beats. The knights were riding down, one by one, from the perilous cliff top, from which the suns were now gradually emerging. Each one had his lance in the air, his sword pointed squarely at Clariss. They knew what I knew – even without recognizing her. Clariss was an enemy, through and through.
“Surround her!” I heard myself ordering. Instantly the knights made a ring around Clariss, the points of their swords gleaming in the newly raised sunlight.
Clariss looked up at me with an arched eyebrow, her expression mocking and cold. “Really Breena,” she said, faintly pretending to be shocked. “Is that how you choose to greet an old friend?”
Images of our shared past were rushing through my brain – Clariss laughing at me, her taunts and remarks, rumors spread in the lunchroom, rude words written on my locker, a gaze colder than ice, my friends leaving me, one by one…I had forgotten how painful those memories were; all at once, they hit me with a full force and sent me reeling. Memories of pain; memories of anger. Memories of a time before I knew who I was, or why I was special.
Memories of a time when I was a nobody.
I shook my head, willing the bad thoughts to fly out of my brain. “Funny,” I said, doing my best to keep my voice steady. “I don’t remember ever being friends with you.”
“Good…” Clariss’ smile broadened, the ends of her mouth twisting maliciously. “I’m glad.” Clariss took a step forward, looking me up and down. “That means I won’t have any regrets.”
“About what?” Logan turned around threateningly.
“This!”
In an instant, Clariss had darted forward; I saw the glint of a knife shining before me, and then I saw nothing but darkness. I could only feel a pain hotter than fire, colder than ice, like acid in my veins. I could hear myself cry out in pain; I could feel the blood pouring from my stomach. I doubled forward, falling to my knees. My head was heavy all of a sudden – so heavy….Clariss’ triumphant face glimmered in and out of focus as I felt my head loll forward, the crown I wore falling to the earth.
“There…” Clariss was kneeling before me, her hands scraping at the earth as she picked up the crown and put it upon her own head. “See. Let’s see who is Queen of Feyland now – how about that,
“This?”
“Feyland,” spat Clariss through gritted teeth. “All of it. The power. The rivers. The mountains. The forests. Winter and Summer. It’s mine.”
Logan looked concerned. “You can’t possibly want this, Clariss,” he said, reaching out to her. “It isn’t yours. It isn’t anybody’s. It doesn’t belong to you – but rather to the people of Feyland.”
Clariss gave a seductive pout, her dark eyes fixating on Logan’s face. “And is that what you say to Treena when she plays Queen over this whole realm? Do you tell her to stop playing her fairy-tale games?”
“It’s Breena, actually,” I was trying to keep my cool. I wasn’t going to let my high school bully get between me and my kingdom. But I couldn’t deny that Clariss’ words needled in my heart, bringing back memories of the pain I had faced. “And you are in my kingdom now, Clariss. I recommend you go back where you came from – and quickly, too. You don’t want to cause trouble here, Clariss. Not in my place. Keep Gregory for yourself and your family. Build whatever strip malls you please. But you are not welcome here.”
We were interrupted by the sound of hoof-beats. The knights were riding down, one by one, from the perilous cliff top, from which the suns were now gradually emerging. Each one had his lance in the air, his sword pointed squarely at Clariss. They knew what I knew – even without recognizing her. Clariss was an enemy, through and through.
“Surround her!” I heard myself ordering. Instantly the knights made a ring around Clariss, the points of their swords gleaming in the newly raised sunlight.
Clariss looked up at me with an arched eyebrow, her expression mocking and cold. “Really Breena,” she said, faintly pretending to be shocked. “Is that how you choose to greet an old friend?”
Images of our shared past were rushing through my brain – Clariss laughing at me, her taunts and remarks, rumors spread in the lunchroom, rude words written on my locker, a gaze colder than ice, my friends leaving me, one by one…I had forgotten how painful those memories were; all at once, they hit me with a full force and sent me reeling. Memories of pain; memories of anger. Memories of a time before I knew who I was, or why I was special.
Memories of a time when I was a nobody.
I shook my head, willing the bad thoughts to fly out of my brain. “Funny,” I said, doing my best to keep my voice steady. “I don’t remember ever being friends with you.”
“Good…” Clariss’ smile broadened, the ends of her mouth twisting maliciously. “I’m glad.” Clariss took a step forward, looking me up and down. “That means I won’t have any regrets.”
“About what?” Logan turned around threateningly.
“This!”
In an instant, Clariss had darted forward; I saw the glint of a knife shining before me, and then I saw nothing but darkness. I could only feel a pain hotter than fire, colder than ice, like acid in my veins. I could hear myself cry out in pain; I could feel the blood pouring from my stomach. I doubled forward, falling to my knees. My head was heavy all of a sudden – so heavy….Clariss’ triumphant face glimmered in and out of focus as I felt my head loll forward, the crown I wore falling to the earth.
“There…” Clariss was kneeling before me, her hands scraping at the earth as she picked up the crown and put it upon her own head. “See. Let’s see who is Queen of Feyland now – how about that,
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