Chapter 1
The house was on fire. And it was my fault.
I stood there. Just watching while the dry wood was light up with intense reddish colors of the fire.
Inside, someone was screaming my name, over and over again, until the house let itself fall with such power that it ceased the screams.
That fire was my fault. But it was also the king's.
I was selected to be a sacrifice to the king, but my father decided to take my place. And as you could imagine, he got killed, his flesh getting digested inside the king's stomach and his bones scattered on the king's castle floor. But you can never fool the King of Bones. He knew my father took my place. And as a punishment, he decided to kill all of us. He just didn't know I wasn't home when he lit up my house.
I survived. I survived the King of Bones. And I can do it again.
Ten years have passed, and with my 19 years of age I've reached maturity to get married, but that is not my destiny since I'm not like the other girls in Athema. I have a different purpose. I must kill the King of Bones.
I throw the knife and it flies straight through the room until it lands right next to the midpoint of the target. I hear a low sigh and turn around. Galia is standing behind the safety line, serious face and tight lips forming a mid-smile.
“Try again.” She says. Her eyes look tired, but her back is straight as always, and her hair perfectly combed into a braid.
“What? Why?” I approach the target with confidence, picking up the skirt of my dress.
“It's almost perfect!”
One second later, she's standing right next to me, removing the knife from the target.
“As you said,” She says. “ALMOST perfect. Do it again until you get it right.”
“Oh, come on. It was powerful enough.”
“Well, yeah, I won't argue with you on that, but you're not hitting in the right place. You still lack aim.”
I shrug.
“Look, Igie.” Her eyes soften. “I know that since the prophecy was first heard you had to learn how to fight, but you are still a young woman who should be enjoying her life instead of giving it.” She sighs. “But this thing of fighting is not learned in such a short time. And I know you must do it for the good of the people, but ...”
The prophecy. It was first heard two hundred years ago, with the promise that ‘a daughter of Eve will emerge from the sacrifice of love and will grow to be chosen a second time, under another name. She will tear out the evil root and release peace, sacrificing what is most important to the mortal being.’ It was sung by everyone in Athema from then on until a daughter of Eve appeared. Me. And since then I've been training with Galia and her sister, Seila. At least until one day Seila' s name appeared on the King's list and she was sent as a sacrifice to him. But that was years ago.
I smile. “Galia, I don't do this because I have to do it, but because I want to. That king has already taken away a lot of people we love.” Her eyes shine. “I will do it for them. For my father, for my family. And for your sister.”
I take her hand, but she lets go.
“Still, I don't think you're capable of killing the king.”
The door of the training room opens and a dark-eyed boy pokes his head in. “They're waiting for you in the jury room, Miss Igie.” He says and then proceeds to disappear behind the door again.
I look again at Galia, who seems to be paler now. “At least I have to try.”
I take the knife from her hand and go out the door with my head up and my heart throbbing inside my chest.
I save the knife in its case and walk through the endless corridors of the Capitol, my heels rattling against the wooden floor, until I stop at a crimson red double door. I breathe in and out before stepping inside.
The jury room was darker than ever, with every velvet curtain closed from side to side and only a tiny bit of sunlight escaping from it borders. The large marble pillars are imposing by my sides as I made myself walk down the room slowly, the five lonely golden thrones staying still in front of me.
“I'm here.” I say and my voice echoes through the walls.
The side door opens, and someone peaks out his head from behind it. His white beard moves at unison with his lips when he smiles.
“Oh, welcome, Miss Igie.” Lord Tegh says, getting in the room.
He walks to his throne and is followed by his brothers, who look exactly like him. But the last one, Lord Fieth is different, bigger, and a little younger, with his beard still black and his eyes tougher. He sits on the bigger throne, at the center.
“Miss Igie.” He says with his deep voice. “Welcome, indeed.”
“Good evening, Lords.” I bow. “How may I serve you?”
“Please, don't be so polite.” Lord Keel smiles, the same way his brother did earlier. The only way I can recognize all of them is because they use different robe color. Lord Keel is white, Lord Tegh is sky-blue, Lord Utah is green, Lord Vay is yellow. And Lord Fieth is red, dark red. Though I don't need his robe color to identify him.
“You are the important one here.” He continues.
“Thank you but I don't consider myself important.”
“Well you should.” Lord Fieth says. “You are the one chosen to defeat the King of Bones.”
The sound of that name makes my stomach turn, but I don't show it. I just nod.
“And that's why we call you here today.” Lord Vay stands up and walks to me. Then he takes my hand and he give me a piece of parchment paper.
“This from now on will be your new name.” All the Lords are standing now and Lord Fieth is reading the passage of and old black book. “You will receive it and keep it as your own. Believe in it and it will be yours.”
“Say it.” The Lords say.
I open de paper and read. “Nyx Herya.”
“Again!”
“Nyx Herya!”
The paper starts shining. And then suddenly it isn't anymore.
"You must hurry as this name will not be yours forever." Lord Utah dictates.
“Congratulations, Nyx.” Lord Fieth smiles. “You're born again.”
