Crown of One Hundred Kings (Nine Kingdoms Trilogy #1) - Rachel Higginson Page 0,3
give him something so that he may be warm.”
Oliver laughed. “Or instead of listing out all of the ways your Barstus neighbor could get hurt, such as falling down a well or falling off a roof or…”
“Falling off a cliff,” I supplied.
“Yes, that. How about we simply say, should your neighbor fall from any height, great or small, help him.”
I tottered on a small, slick stone, catching my balance at the last second. “Barstus must be the most tedious country in the realm. I cannot imagine how dreadful university would be there.”
“I highly doubt they’re allowed river breaks.”
I looked up at him. “We’re not technically allowed river breaks either. Father Garius thinks we’re meditating.”
Laughter danced in his brown eyes. “At least he blames you for my failing.”
My eyes widened at his nerve. “He blames me because you blamed me! In front of the entire assembly!”
“They wanted to know why I had no discipline! And it truly is your fault! You do not have to live here for the rest of your life, Princess. I do. Of course I blamed you. I still blame you.”
“Oh, you!” I lunged forward, balancing on the tip of a pointed rock and ignored the sharp dig into the ball of my foot. Oliver hadn’t grown into his gangly body yet. Despite his towering height, I had something solid to my body, unlike his scrawny arms that could barely carry a bucket of water from the well to the kitchen. I tried to push him into the river, but he skipped out of reach, laughing.
I hopped to the next rock. We tried to stay near the edge of the riverbank, but somewhere in my pursuit I forgot to be careful. Before I knew it, the current licked my ankles and soaked the hem of my dress. The rocks were covered in slick moss and I could no longer move quickly between them. I needed time to settle on each and catch my balance.
Oliver, realizing how far out we’d accidentally wandered, started jumping back toward the bank, his laughter floating on the wind. I could not wait to dunk him into the mighty river. He could swim, but not well.
I grinned at the thought of him flopping about on the muddy bank.
A caw pierced our moment and I looked up to see a large raven settle on a drooping branch overhead. It tilted its head toward the sky and shrieked once more.
A memory flickered through me. Elegant, feathered wings, blood dripping from their tips. Blackened feet with the claws of a predator. Equally darkened eyes that shimmered with hatred and fury. I shut my eyes, anxious to be rid of the images I couldn’t exactly recall. They floated through my mind dreamlike and fleeting. And yet, somewhere in the recesses of my memories, I felt as though this had happened once before.
My blood turned to ice.
Perched on a stone with water rushing over my naked feet I heard the creature scream once more, a sound so loud that I paused to stare at it. My arms flailed in my attempt to stay upright.
I had a moment of prickling dread when the raven snapped its head down to meet my gaze. My breath whooshed from my tightened lungs and I thought for a moment that the bird recognized me.
Or maybe I recognized the bird.
I shook my head. Then the bird spread its long, onyx wings and swooped down toward my face.
I screamed and ducked out of the way, but I lost my footing. I was submerged before I could close my mouth again.
I sucked in a lungful of cold water as I struggled desperately to break through the surface. My heavy dress only became heavier in the water. My feet brushed the sandy bottom, but the water moved too rapidly for me to find purchase so I could launch my body upwards.
I fought frantically against the rush of water and my tangling clothes, but I was no match for the fierce current.
Everything grew dark.
The raven flitted from my mind as the need to survive took precedence. There was nothing left to think except, drat.
Pure, raw frustration pulsed through me. This was the stupidest possible way for my life to end.
I should have died with my family eight years ago.
2
I pushed upward in one last great effort and managed to suck in a final breath. A wave smashed into me in the next second and dragged me under the surface once more.