With a growl of frustration, Lewis threw his bow down on the forest floor. Five times! Five times he had missed the target carved into the fir tree in a row. What was going on? he wondered as he strode across the clearing to try and retrieve the arrows he had fired.

It was the morning of Anthony’s coronation. Thanks to three very long days of riding, they had made it to Fir Lodge, which sat in the forest just outside Tristan. Despite telling everyone that he felt fine, he had done nothing but want to go to sleep as soon as they had stopped riding for the night. That was until last night.

Fir Lodge had always been considered cosy when he lived there with his parents. Currently, it's not home to three people but to twenty-four. For that reason, he had decided that when he couldn’t sleep, he would come out to the clearing and practise. He had left the house as soon as the sun had risen, leaving behind the horses and the twenty or so people who were currently sleeping on the floor. Apparently, he hadn’t been the only one wanting to get away for a while, as he discovered when he noticed that Thomas was missing as well.

Crouching down carefully so that he wouldn’t risk opening his wound again, Lewis picked up a couple of the arrows that had landed close together. He could feel a headache beginning to come on already. It was at that point that he was grateful that the plan for today had been set out the evening before. Thanks to Thomas and Leo, who had shaved and tidied his unruly black hair, they had found out that the coronation was due to take place at midday in the castle courtyard. They had also found out that Edmund had been right; they would never have gotten through the gate with Lewis and Emily. It seemed as though every single guard that the city employed was on duty. With a sigh, he gave up searching for the other three arrows he was missing, deciding to return to the clearing.

‘I thought I would find you here.’ Looking up, Lewis saw Emily sitting on the tree stump in the clearing, his bow across her lap.

‘I couldn’t sleep,’ he said. ‘Staying in the house wasn’t really an option. I don’t think there’s a single surface that isn’t already occupied.’

‘Everyone was looking for you,’ she said, examining the carving on his bow intently.

‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to worry anyone,’ he said, putting the two arrows he had found back in the quiver that was resting against the tree stump.

‘Don’t worry,’ she said. ‘I told them you would probably be out here practising.’

I'm just trying to take my mind off today.’

‘I’m worried about you,’ Emily said as she stood up, holding his bow out to him.

‘Don’t,’ he advised as he took his bow from her, shouldering it. ‘You’re already ready?’

‘Thomas wanted to leave, but he couldn’t find you,’ Emily said as she smoothed down her blue dress. She hadn’t worn it since the day they arrived in Arcis but had produced it at Lewis’ request. It was going to be her job to get inside the castle and find the crown. Lewis had been hoping that it would help her blend in if she had to, although he had given her the amulet that had belonged to Sebastian anyway.

‘Sorry,’ he apologised again. ‘Let’s go.’

With a nod, she turned away from him, leading him along the familiar path that led back to Fir Lodge. To his relief, Fir Lodge had still been in one piece when they arrived, except for a single broken chair. He was sure that had been the work of Commander Redmond. The disappearance of the Guard board, though, was more likely to have happened because of Emily. It was understandable, he supposed, considering what they had been through in the tomb.

Lewis heard them before he saw them, the loud chatter of their party filtering through the trees. It was a far cry from the silence that had filled the house earlier.

‘I’ve got him,’ Emily called as they left the forest. Standing around in various groups were the crew of The Wings of Gold, the sailors they had rescued from The Misty Islands, and Leo. As it turned out, Leo had definitely proven himself dedicated to helping them on the journey from Whitecliff. At the first opportunity Lewis had, he apologised for his reaction when he first saw him. Leo had brushed it off as nothing, simply saying that he was happy to help and that Anthony and George had made him uncomfortable in a strange way.

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‘Very good, are you ready, Lewis?’ Thomas asked as he appeared from behind one of the horses, a water bucket in one hand.

Nodding, Lewis walked forward. ‘Does everyone remember the plan?’

Around the group, there was a murmur of agreement as they all turned to him. ‘Since we discussed it last night, I’ve been thinking. If we all go around together, then we will attract too much attention. For that reason, I think it would be best if we moved around the city in smaller groups.

‘Once we get to the other end of the service tunnel, we will split up. With David and Louise, there will be 26 of us. As far as I know, there are only seven of us who know our way around the city: Thomas, Leo, Jonathan, David, Louise, Emily, and myself. We will split up into five groups of five.

‘Jonathan, Thomas, David, and Louise will split up the ship crew between them and make their way straight to the castle courtyard, taking up positions as close as they can get without arousing suspicion. Is everyone clear?’

With a collective nod, all of those whom Lewis had addressed backed away to tend to their horses, leaving Lewis with only Emily, Arthur, Amanda, and Leo in front of him, although Thomas was lingering close by.

‘You four know how everything works?’ he asked them quietly.

‘Get to the castle and distract the guards long enough for Emily to get inside,’ Arthur said, reciting Lewis’ words from the night before.

‘Precisely,’ Lewis said. ‘I think it would be best if Emily activated the amulet as soon as we got inside the city. The streets will be crowded, but we can’t risk someone recognising her. She’s the only one other than Thomas who knows the layout of the castle.’

‘No pressure then,’ she muttered with a wry smile.

Ignoring her comment, Lewis turned to Leo. ‘Once she is inside the castle, find a spot in the courtyard.’ With a nod, the four of them turned away, Arthur hobbling along on his crutches. Despite his ankle, he insisted on going with them. In the end, Lewis figured that he would only follow them after they left, thus allowing him to come. His injury might even help distract the guards, he thought. Before Emily could walk away as well, he caught her arm.

‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ he asked quietly.

‘You said it yourself; Thomas is the only other person who knows the castle, and things might not be how he remembered them,’ she said.

‘Alright,’ he sighed reluctantly. He hadn’t even thought of trying to steal the crown out from under Anthony’s nose before she suggested it. The rest of the group in general thought that it was worth a shot. ‘Don’t take any risks you don’t have to, though. It isn’t the end of the world if you don’t get the crown. Just make sure you get out of there in one piece.’

‘Technically, it could be the end of the world if I don’t get the crown,’ she reminded him with a soft chuckle.

Rolling his eyes, Lewis looked at her carefully. ‘I mean it; don’t put yourself on the line for the crown. It isn’t worth it,’ he said. ‘Besides, we have plenty of other people who can stop the coronation nearby.’

‘The same goes for you then,’ she said seriously. ‘You’ve gotten lucky once already. Don’t push it.’

‘There are going to be far more people in Tristan that I care about today than there ever have been,’ he said. ‘None of us know what would happen if the prophecy were invoked or how quickly. If all else fails, I’m the only one who can stop it.’

‘But you said it yourself; we have other people who can stop the coronation,’ she said, her voice rising slightly at his refusal to promise he wouldn’t stay out of harm’s way if he had a choice.

‘Think about it, though,’ he said gently. ‘Only the true heir can take the throne to prevent the prophecy. That means it has to be me, or I have to be dead, if Anthony is to avoid invoking the prophecy.’

‘You’re going to sacrifice yourself?’ She whispered in disbelief. ‘After everything?’

‘Like I said, no risks that aren’t necessary.’

‘But if you die, then we end up with Anthony, the same exact person we’ve been fighting to stop!’ Emily argued. ‘After him, it’s George, and it’s not like he’s any better. If anything, he’s worse.’

‘This isn’t about who we want leading the city; it’s about stopping the prophecy. That’s all it's ever been about. You know that I was going to give up the crown as soon as the prophecy had been dealt with,’ Lewis said flatly.

‘Do any of the others know?’ she asked, checking that no one was listening to them. Fortunately, they all seemed to be occupied with preparing for the short ride to Tristan.

‘No,’ he said. ‘At times I think Thomas suspects, though.’

‘Promise me you’ll do everything else you can before it comes to that,’ Emily pleaded.

‘I promise.’

‘You set out everyone’s groups for them, but that still leaves you out,’ she said as she looked over at the horses.

‘Don’t worry, I’ll be there,’ he assured her. ‘I just have something I need to do before I go to the courtyard.’

‘Why are you going alone? What is it?’ she asked, confused.

‘We need to get going if we’re going to make it!’ Thomas said as he mounted his chestnut-brown horse that he had decided to call her Hazel for some reason.

‘Something I have to do alone,’ he said vaguely, ushering her towards the horses. However much she might have wanted to question him further, she let it drop when they got within earshot of the rest of the group.