Shit. Shit. Shit. SHIT. SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIIIIIIIIITTTTTT!

"Calm yourself," Luna said softly but my mind was moving a mile a minute thinking of everything that could go wrong.

What if he like tries have sex with me or something?! What if, by law, he's allowed to rape me! HOLY SHIT! WHAT HAVE I AGREED TO! Shit and technically he fucking owns me! He can do whatever he wants... this fucking place. GOD FUCKING DAMNIT!

Jesada had excused herself, going to check on her friend in the race. The crowd now dispersing, the day's entertainment was over and all that was left was my feeling of dread and disgust.

What the fuck is he going to do? What the fuck is going happen?

"Alyson, you must not think so negatively."

"HAVE YOU MET THE GUY, LUNA! HE'S A PSYCHO! He likes to beat on little kids and act all macho or whatever just because he can. He's a fucking lunatic and guess what!? He fucking owns me for a day!"

"It is not an ideal situation."

"NO! It'S NOT!"

"But it is a situation you put yourself in."

Luna was right, I had done this to myself. I couldn't even be mad, because it was all my fault. Why the fuck did I do this?

"For the boy," Luna reminded me.

Tholus. Such a sweet little boy. He doesn't deserve to be someone's slave...

"You're heart is too kind," Luna complimented me, but it felt terrible.

Stupid heart.

"Perhaps it will not be so bad."

Fat fucking chance.

Jesada returned with a man. He was tall and rugged looking. He had frizzy black hair that loomed over his head like a giant firecracker and he had a beard. His eyes were brown and kind as he smiled to me.

"Alyson, this is Iuore," Jesada introduced us.

"Hi," I said absentmindedly, not really paying attention to him.

"Such a pleasure, Final Rider," he smiled again. "Jesada speaks of you often."

I laughed," Nothing but good things?," I looked past him and saw Corin talking to a group of people, he looked suave and cool, like it was just so natural for him to be a winner. I bet he wouldn't know what to do or say if he didn't win, he would just be so dumbfounded and confused.

"Oh yes. She tells me you are improving successfully."

I scoffed," If she says so."

"You really are doing better," Jesada agreed.

I was still watching Corin when he finally tore his eyes from his adoring fans and turned to me, a sleek grin plastered on his face. He smiled to the crowd and then made his way towards me, Valor walking tally beside him.

FUCK!

"Be calm," Luna reminded.

"Oh, and this is Getre, Iuore's faithful companion."

"Greetings," the blue dragon's voice was deep, indicating it was a male.

"Yeah, hello...," I was too distracted by Corin.

"Many welcomes to this new land."

His dragon sounded old. Like really old, it almost made me wonder how old Iuore was. I glanced to him, he didn't look very old. Maybe 30? 35 at the most, but his dragon sounded like it had been alive for thousands of years.

"Hello," Corin smirked as he entered the small circle.

"Rider Corin. Agaetra![1] Such a victory," Iuore congratulated him.

"Elrun ono, iet vinr,[2]" Corin smiled and the two men shook hands.

"Perhaps next year, fate will be kinder," Iuore joked.

"I take that as a challenge," Corin beamed and turned to me. "Final Rider...," he exhaled slowly looking at me. "It seems to me, you have lost."

I folded my arms tightly across my chest, Asshole.

"Lost? What have you lost?," Jesada turned to me.

"A simple wager placed before the race," Corin said silkily.

"I did not know you had bet...," Jesada seemed to disapprove.

"Yeah... guess I'm a gambling woman," I sighed.

"Yes..." Corin said slowly. "And I cannot wait to receive my winnings."

I shuddered at the thought but bit my tongue, I had already caused that little scene earlier with Corin and Quinten had saw it. I did not want to repeat that in front of Jesada.

Corin merely smirked again," I shall see you tomorrow," he said creepily as he pushed past the circle and walked away. Valor followed behind him and seemed to look just as smug.

Asshole.

"I did not know you and Corin were close," Jesada mentioned.

"Ew, no, we aren't," I said accidentally. "I mean, no. We are not close."

Iuore and Jesada did not looked convinced, I think me fighting the idea had only made them believe it more. I sighed loudly, the whole day had gone to shit and tomorrow was going to be worse.

"So I won't be here tomorrow for training," I tried to say confidently.

"And why is that?," Jesada furrowed her brow.

"I'll be busy. Uhm, I got to get back to the castle. You know... how the... Queen can be. Yeah? Okay... bye," I waved awkwardly as I started to back away.

"Let's go," I said to Luna.

"Where are we going?"

"Back to the castle. I'm just so tired..."

"Yes, some rest would be good."

I got on Luna's back and she lifted into the air. I hated the height, especially if I looked straight down, but I did. I saw Jesada, Cewios, Iuore, Tahmaj, Corin, Valor, I even saw the bright red of Razor before I had to close my eyes and pretend I wasn't riding on dragon's back a mile above the ground. We gin the to back to the room and Luna really was barely fitting through my window.

"Soon I will have to sleep in the hall," she murmured.

"No, you won't. We'll just have to break the wall or something," I said casually, peeling off the tights I was wearing.

"Or maybe I could sleep in the dragon stables."

"Stables?"

"Yes. I saw them the other day, they are quite luxurious, practically the size of this room."

"No, I don't think you'll have to. We can manage this."

I flopped onto my bed and my thoughts were slow and sluggish, but the wouldn't let me sleep. I thought about Corin and how terrible tomorrow would be. I hgout about my time here, how it was running out and I was going to have to leave soon, with or without the Queen's approval. Then I thought about my mom and suddenly thoughts were vanished by a knock on my door. I had fallen asleep because the sound jolted me awake.

Who is here... Why?

I got up and dragged myself to the door, opening it sassily to see Collin standing there. I rolled my eyes immediately.

"What?"

"You really shouldn't open the door without seeing who is on the other side," he joked.

"You're right," I went to shut the door, but Collin wedge it back with his foot.

"Listen, okay? I know you went to see it."

"See what?"

Collin glanced down the hall then whispers," The egg."

"What?! Who told you that?!"

"SHH!," Collin glanced around nervously. "We aren't supposed to talk about it!"

I rolled my eyes again and walked away from the door," Then come in, I guess."

Collin came in and shut the door," Is... Is she sleeping?," he pointed to Luna.

"Yes. And I was too before you interrupted."

"Really? The sun hasn't even set."

"Collin," I rubbed my face, already irritated.

"Sorry... So you went and saw the egg. It didn't hatch?"

"Who told you I went to see the egg?"

"No one. I guessed it was you."

"You guessed wrong," I turned away from him and maneuvered around Luna to sit on the couch.

"Then who went?"

I shrugged. If Collin thinks I went, that means he didn't go. Who did? Not Ashley, she would have told him. It has to be Serena or Matt.

"It must have been Matt than," Collin said in disbelief. "Of course he did. Makes perfect sense."

"I'm sorry. Why does this mater?"

"It matters! Don't you see? Now this means that our chances of being the Ebrithil Skulbakla are higher!," Collin looked nervous.

"Wait... Don't you want to be that dragon person?!"

Collin sighed," It's not that... it's the fact that-..."

A knock on my door interrupted him. Who the fuck is that!?

"Who is that!?," Collin whispered and jumped away from the door. "I'm not supposed to be here!"

"What? why?"

"I... I...," he glanced to the bathroom and then ran in and shut the door.

What the fuck is happening.

"It's probably just Erta...," I mumbled and went to the door.

I opened and was genuinely surprised to see Quinten standing in the threshold. He looked almost as surprised as I felt, but neither of said anything for a few seconds as we adjusted.

"Hey...," he spoke first.

"Hi..."

"I... I...," Quinten looked slightly flustered and then looked away from me, exhaling loudly. "I just wanted to come by and say I'm sorry," he said quickly.

"Sorry? Sorry for what?"

He looked up to me, his grays eyes were intense.

"I heard what you said to Corin earlier. I know about the-..."

"Oh yeah. Just... yeah. Uh, no. No, you don't have to apologize for that. It's... erm... it's on me."

"I told you he is not good company to keep," Quinten said lowly, but not in a I-told-you-so kind of way, it was more apologetic.

"I know... I just... I just lost control...," I leaned against the doorway and thought back to Tholus. "How can you just standby? Do nothing and say nothing."

"It's not easy...," he admitted. "I grew up here, I'm used to the idea."

"Well, it's wrong, okay? It's not right." A sneeze from the bathroom made us both turn and I rolled my eyes again. "Forgot about that," I mumbled.

"What? Who's here?," Quinten craned his neck to see.

I stepped back," Just Collin, he's hiding in the bathroom."

Quinten looked at me, he was confused and I could see a slight spark of anger.

"He wants to talk about the egg," I gave a vague explanation.

"Then why is he in the bathroom?"

"He didn't tell me. He just ran in when you knocked. Collin?," I called out. "Come out. Are you coming in too?"

Quinten glanced to the bathroom, then to me,"No. No, I shouldn't."

Collin opened the door and saw Quinten and his jaw tightened," Why is he here?"

"I could ask you the same thing!," Quinten spit at him.

"I'm here to talk about official Earth Rider business," Collin said cockily.

"What? We were talking about the egg?," I was now confused.

"Which is official Earth Rider business," Collin stated.

Quinten just looked annoyed," I'll go, I... I just think you should really reconsider...," he glanced to Collin,"... that deal."

I moved to stand with my back to Collin," I can't... it's done. Can you even break deals like that? Or will it mean he can like kill me or something?," I asked the question with genuine concern for his response.

His lips lifted in the corners," You really do think the worst of this place?"

I shrugged," I'm learning."

Quinten sighed," No, he won't kill you. Harm of a fellow Rider is...," he made brief eye contact then cleared his throat"... is not encouraged. You just... just be careful. Okay?"

"I'll try. I... I'm actually scared to see him tomorrow."

"Don't be. He won't do anything crazy, he knows you're a Rider and honored guest of the Queen's."

I nodded, my throat closing," It's... just... he can be... I..."

"Don't worry. Take a deep breath."

I followed his instructions, inhaling slowly and closing my eyes and blowing the air out in a steady stream.

"If you feel like you have to do it, then-..."

"Of course I have to do it. If I don't, who knows what he'll do! To me or to Tholus!"

"Okay, " Quinten said softly. "Okay." Quinten looked up to me and I knew I was not doing a good job hiding my true fright about tomorrow. "Just stay calm, don't fight him. He likes it too much." I nodded, it was good advice too. I could see how much Corin liked the chase and if I would just agree with him, he wouldn't be intrigued at all. "But don't agree to anything you don't want to do."

"Do you think he'll-..."

"No," Quinten cut me off. "He won't."

"But... he'll own me Quinten."

"It's not real, he knows it. It's just a game to him."

My throat was closing again and I felt an urge to cry, but I suppressed it.

"Alyson?"

I looked up to Quinten.

"I really am sorry..."

I opened my mouth to tell him it wasn't his fault, but he kept going.

"I really did try to win."

The fact that he said that, it was really pure. It sounded like he really felt guilty for not winning. It sounded in a way that he had tried to win... for me? To help me out of this dilemma I had put myself in. Quinten didn't look away from me, his eyes seared into mine as I struggled to think of the words to say. Thank you? That was not enough... but no other ideas came to mind. Why is he so nice to me? Just the other day he was sill angry about Ariana and today he wants to be knight in shining armor? What is this guy?

"What are you guys talking about?," Collin came up from behind me.

"What?! Nothing!?," I jumped, snapping out of the trance I was in.

"A private matter," Quinten said smoothly.

"Alyson, we should talk more about the egg."

"Why it won't change anything. It won't make us any less likely of being the dragon king or whatever...," I was frustrated again, the thought of Corin back on my mind. "Thanks for stopping by," I turned to Quinten," both of you, but I'm tired. Goodnight."

"But the sun is still up," Collin protested as I pushed him out of my room.

"Goodnight!," I shut the door and locked it.

[1]- Celebration. (Congrats)

[2]- Thank you, my friend