Running across the rooftops had saved Lewis a lot of time, but not enough. Checking his pocket watch as he jumped down from a log pile and began running towards the castle courtyard, he saw that it was almost midday. The coronation would start any second.

Ignoring the disgruntled shouts from the people around him, he pushed his way through the crowd. ‘Move!’ he shouted as he forced his way through a tight gap, knocking half a dozen people flying in the process. Thankfully, some of the people ahead of him heeded the warning, carving a small channel through the crowd for him.

‘People of Tristan, dignitaries from across the kingdom, and ambassadors from across the seas, it is my pleasure to welcome you to The City of Tristan,’ a voice boomed out over the crowd. It was Anthony; his voice somehow magnified. ‘It is with great sorrow and yet great joy that we are gathered here today. After my father, King Sebastian Vandemark's, untimely death, it has now fallen to me, Anthony Vandemark, to take his place as the rightful heir to this city and our kingdom!’

Throughout the crowd, there was a smattering of respectful applause for the former king as Lewis pushed his way to the front of the crowd. In front of him was a huge section of seated people, and a royal blue carpet lined the aisle that led to the stage. For a second, Lewis couldn’t see anyone he recognised making up the mass of guards who surrounded the seated area and the stage. Then he saw Leo. He was loitering at the back of the stage. How he had managed to get there, he had no idea, but he had spotted Lewis. With a nod, he positioned himself close to Anthony.

‘Today I come before you to accept my rightful place, following on from those who came before me in leading this great kingdom forward,’ Anthony shouted to a huge cheer from the crowd.

Now was his chance, Lewis thought as he removed the bow from his shoulder. Notching an arrow, he strode forward on to the blue carpeted aisle. ‘Liar!’ he shouted as the roar from the crowd began to die away. In a split second, there was silence. As Lewis walked down the aisle, he took aim at Anthony. ‘You are not the heir to the throne. You’re nothing but a murderer!’

On the stage, Anthony froze as he saw his accuser, his eyes widening in disbelief. ‘Lies!’ he bellowed, his amplified voice shaking the ground Lewis stood on. Releasing the arrow, Lewis watched as it just missed Anthony, sinking itself into the throne behind him.

‘You want to know why King Vandemark’s death was untimely?’ he called to the crowd. ‘It’s because this man before you poisoned him with Starshine so that he could take the throne for himself!’ Around him, there was a collective gasp from the crowd.

‘Lies!’ he shouted again. ‘I never poisoned my father, but you certainly know a lot about this. Who are you to come here and accuse me?’

‘My name is Lewis Vandemark, the son of Dominic Vandemark, the murdered son of your former king,’ Lewis said as he drew another arrow, taking aim at Anthony again.

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‘Guards! Seize him for his treasonous accusations,’ Anthony demanded.

‘Me? What about the man who murdered the king along with many others, including his own brother and son? Lewis shouted back. Caught between who they should be listening to, the guards turned one way and then the other, waiting for someone else to make the first move.

Before the guards could decide who to back, there was a commotion at the entrance to the castle. From among the guards, George charged on to the stage, crown in hand. When his eyes fell on Lewis, he stopped. From where Lewis was standing, he thought he saw blood on his shirt. Where was Emily?

Praying that it wasn’t Emily’s blood, Lewis moved forward, his aim still focused on Anthony. Whether it was the thought of what could have happened to Emily or the lightheaded sensation he had been battling with, he didn’t know. Either way, he suddenly felt queasy.

With another round of shouts from the castle entrance, Emily appeared, with what looked like an army of guards chasing her. Other than the blood on her face, she seemed otherwise unharmed, though. When she saw him, she froze. Now the guards were left turning between Lewis, Anthony, and Emily, undecided on which potential criminal they should catch first.

‘It’s over, Anthony!’ Thomas called as he strode on to the stage, drawing his sword. As one, a dozen or so guards materialised around the stage. It was the crew of The Wings of Gold. A moment later, David and Louise appeared with their groups close behind them.

‘Seize them both,’ Lewis ordered. Rushing forward from behind Anthony, Leo tackled him to the floor, pinning him down before he had the chance to move.

Then, in a fraction of a second, so many things happened at once. To the side of the stage, the guards who had been pursuing Emily grabbed her, pulling her back as Lewis’ vision swam violently. He barely even registered the scream he let out, as it felt like someone had shoved a branding iron into the heart of his brain.

Staggering from the sudden outburst of pain, he looked up at the stage through watering eyes. He could have sworn that he saw George smile before there was an explosion of black smoke and he disappeared from view.

‘Get him!’ Thomas shouted as George appeared from behind the cloud of smoke, sprinting towards the crowd with the crown grasped in one hand.

With his vision swaying, Lewis found it difficult to stay standing as he turned his bow from Anthony to George. Squinting, he tried to trace George’s path with the arrow, all the while fighting the pain that was becoming more and more severe by the second.

Releasing a deep breath slowly, Lewis moved his bow so that he was aiming ahead of George. In a wave, the crowd ducked, fearing for their lives as Lewis’ aim swept over them. He let go of the arrow, watching as it shot towards George as he ploughed his way through the cowering people.

With a crack, which he somehow managed to hear over the shouts of the crowd, the arrow struck the wall a couple of feet ahead of George. Pulling another arrow from his quiver, Lewis tried to notch it, but the bow string seemed to be evading him as he wobbled slightly sideways.

‘Let me go!’ he heard Emily scream at the guards holding her back as Arthur appeared amongst the crowd. The last thing Lewis saw as he stumbled, falling to his knees, was Arthur discarding his crutches as he tried to chase George, his diving tackle just missing his legs.

The pain was getting worse, if that was even possible, Lewis thought as he felt himself slump sideways, huge black spots appearing in front of his eyes. Screaming, he screwed his eyes closed. What was happening to him?

As quickly as it had come, the pain disappeared as he slipped into the warm darkness. The last thing he heard was Emily screaming his name in the distance.

Then there was nothing. Just darkness and silence. It was over, he thought vaguely. At last.