Chapter Forty-Five

Moon

“That’s nice to know,” I say over and over again.

I was acting like a robot, saying that same phrase over and over again no matter what Alyth was telling me.

“And since Carneli died after the transferring of the right of caste you will get to avenge her and kill her murderer,” Alyth says.

“That’s nice to- wait what? Why me?” I ask.

“Because Earleen requested it to be you. Good luck,” Alyth says, walking away.

I stand staring after her, I was still doing that when Asteria comes back, without Quinn.

“Where’s Quinn?” I ask.

“We have to try and postpone the execution,” Asteria states.

“It’s not even dusk yet! We have twelve or more hours,” I protest.

“I know, but we will do as she wishes,” Asteria says. “However stupid it may be.”

“Do you think that we can save his life? Stop the war?” I ask.

Asteria gives me a look, “You know Quinn. What do you think?”

“I don’t know her as well as I thought I did,” I say.

It was the truth. After being Clato for weeks, after coming here. There was so much I didn’t know about Quinn. About Alex. About anyone.

“She’ll find a way,” Asteria says. “If Quinn wants to save his life then it’ll happen. Nothing anyone does with stop that. Now come. We train now.”

۝

“Ah hell no, I am not a monkey,” I say, staring up at Asteria who was hanging on a tree.

“All Amazons learn to escape to the trees,” Asteria starts.

“So do monkeys! And I’m not a damn monkey!” I retort.

“Are you that scared of being in the air child of Zeus?” Asteria growls.

I narrow my eyes, “Teach.”

“Wonderful,” Romilda says, walking over. “We’ll start easy. Leap up and grab the branch, swing yourself onto it and then jump to your feet.”

And that’s how I learned to monkey out.

۝

Quinn

I was being followed, by someone that wasn’t as stealthy as they thought they were. Which meant that it was most likely a centaur or a human. Because there was no way an Amazon would be making this much noise.

Sighing, I leap up and latch onto a tree, hoisting myself up and crouching down. Looking at the ground, waiting for whoever was following me to pass underneath the tree. Except that time never came. Because the person was already in the trees.

The rustle of leaves makes me look towards the tree next to me. The leaves part sightly and then a girl with curly blonde hair was leaping at me. Ephiny. She draws her sword and swipes at me. Leaving me to duck.

The good thing was, that Ephiny never could hold her balance when I was an Amazon. And now she wasn’t any better. She backed up too far and falls out of the tree, landing on her back.

“Owww,” she groans.

I jump lightly and land next to her.

“What the heck?” I ask.

“Sorry, I thought you were a centaur,” she says, sitting up.

There was a chuckle from behind me, “Noo. I am a centaur.”

“Oh!” I say, turning. “Hello there. How are you on this fine day?”

He had his sword drawn.

Ephiny backs up, grabbing a crossbow that she had dropped. Before I can say anything she fires. I throw my own sword and it slices the arrow in half, knocking it out of the way.

Then he throws his sword at her, which I kick out of the air, a trick that Alex had taught me a few years ago.

“Let’s go,” I say, grabbing Ephiny’s arm and pushing her towards the other direction.

The centaur follows us, picking up his sword, a little bit confused. I leap up and grab a brach, twisting as I did it, so that i was hanging upside down. I hold out my

Then he throws his sword at her, which I kick out of the air, a trick that Alex had taught me a few years ago.

“Let’s go,” I say, grabbing Ephiny’s arm and pushing her towards the other direction.

The centaur follows us, picking up his sword, a little bit confused. I leap up and grab a brach, twisting as I did it, so that i was hanging upside down. I hold out my hands. Ephiny grabs them, her hands were sweating immensely and she starts to fall. I grab her forearms, and then she was swinging back and forth for a minute. Biting my lip I decide to take a leap of faith.

I toss her forward, towards a branch on the tree next to mine. Ephiny yelps in surprise, but wraps her legs around the tree. Twisting herself so that she was sitting safely on the branch.

“You saved me, yet you saved him,” Ephiny says. “Why?”

“Because in war you’ll lose a lot more friends,” I say. “And a centaur and an Amazon have yet to kill one of the other.”

“But Carneli-” Ephiny starts.

“Was killed by Malcen, a lord that gains more from this war than either of you. Land. Riches. And war,” I say.

“I’ve heard about him,” Ephiny says. “He rules the land fifty miles from here.”

“Let’s go get that proof,” I say with a nod.

۝

“This is your proof that someone was the one that killed Carneli. And that someone was on horseback,” I say.

Pointing at the ground where there were hooves imprinted on the dirt.

“What?” Ephiny asks.

“The imprints are equally pressed into the ground,” I say. “Centaurs keep their weight on their front legs since they have their body there. If a centaur was here then the front hooves would be pressed deeper into the ground.”

“That’s not enough evidence to save his life,” Ephiny points out.

“Let’s get back to camp then,” I say. “We have a centaur to save.”

“How?” Ephiny asks.

I shrug, “Let’s go figure it out.”

“That plan really sucks!”

“All my plans suck. It just depends which ones are better than others that count!” I say.

۝

Moon

Quinn was still not back yet. And Earleen had decided to do the execution thirty minutes early.

“Sisters!” Earleen says, holding out her arms. “Today we avenge the creature that has killed our sister! I sentence Photens, son of Tyleds, to death! KILL HIM!”

I was handed a sword.

“Use Carneli’s sword,” Earleen says. “Grant him death by your hand and her weapon!”

I stare at the sword, my hand was shaking. Where are you Quinn? I slowly walk over and to Photens, he had a rope around his neck. An Amazon named Clymene held the end of the rope. She was a dark skinned brunette with brown eyes.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper.

Photens looks at me, but I hadn’t just been apologizing to him. I had been apologizing to all the Amazons.

“NOW!” Earlene's shouts.

“WAIT!” Quinn’s voice shouts, as she literally drops from the air. Ephiny running into camp a few seconds later.

“Oh thank the gods,” I whisper.

Once again Photens looks at me, even though I hadn’t meant anyone to hear that.

“What is it?” Earleen growls.

“You are not honoring your word,” Quinn says, stepping forward. “You said we had until noon before he would be sentenced to death.”

“Yes well-” Earleen starts.

“You are dishonoring the name of Carneli by going against your word!” Quinn cuts her off. “You are a disgrace to the Amazon name! You have gone against Amazon law by breaking your word. And I for one deem you unfit to be a leader. All those with me?”

Then she draws her sword and slams it into the ground in front of her, dropping to her knees and raising her arms and clasping her hands together in a pyramid formation.

I don’t know who looked more shocked, the Amazons, Photens, or Earleen. Ephiny does the same thing as Quinn. Quickly I follow, I see Asteria and Alyth doing the same. Clymene hesitates, but even she couldn’t deny that Quinn was right, eventually she does the same.

One by one the Amazons proceed to drop and create the formation. Photens looks surprised and completely confused at what was happening.

“You can’t do this to me! You can’t do this to me!” Earleen shouts.

“Take her away and lock her up,” I say, rising.

Two Amazons that I didn’t know bowed and hurried to do so.

“Release him,” I say, nodding towards Photens.

Clymene bows and cuts to rope, Photens shakes it off.

“Is this a trick?” He demands.

“The lord Malcen is the reason that the Amazons and centaurs are fighting,” Quinn explains. “He killed Carneli. Stole centaur arrows. Attacked your land using Amazon techniques. He wanted you to fight each other so that he can take your land and everything that comes with it.”

“I see,” Photens says. “I must go tell my father.”

“No need, my son,” another centaur says. “I am here and I have heard.”

I look up, and sure enough an older looking centaur stood on a hill, overlooking the camp, behind him were a bunch of other centaurs.

“Sir Tyleds,” Quinn says, bowing her head slightly.

Tyleds raises his head and stares at her, “You have respect. Something that most Amazons lack.”

“I am not an Amazon,” Quinn says. “I am Godville.”

“Ah,” Tyleds says. “So I’ve heard. Well then, Quinn Shax. We will be forever grateful. You stopped a war. If Godville needs our help then all you have to do is ask.”

Quinn bows her head once again.

“No,” Asteria says. “There is still need for a war.” She turns to me. “My queen. What be your orders?”

“I-” I start. “I can’t be your queen.”

The Amazons recoil, looking shocked.

“Moon?” Quinn asks, she nods once.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “It’s. I. I love Mutt. I’m sorry.”

“We understand,” Ephiny says with a smile. “But if you do not take the leadership of queen then we must reassign the role to Earleen.”

“No!” I shout. “Ephiny. For your bravery in battle and your kindness in heart. I hereby appoint you Queen of the Amazons.”

Her eyes widen slightly. “As you wish, princess.”

“Amazons!” Tyleds says. “May we give you a lift into war?”

The Amazons roar in approval, raising their weapons. They head towards the centaurs. Quinn comes over and touches my arm.

“Let’s go home,” she says.

“We never left,” I reply as the world fades around us.

۝

The town was in a panic when we got there, Quinn’s hand goes to her sword as we look around. But suddenly I see him. And my heart swells with joy. Mutt was back.