More Snow!!!

We are in an open white carriage, pulled by our horses. The city is packed with thousands of shifters having travelled across Zola to come and wave us off. It is just the four of us in the carriage. Aspen is already on their way. The High families arrive first, then the Royals. Us Dragoheir will be the last Royals to arrive also. Soon we are out of the city and on the road to the Capitol lands. The lands that aren't ruled by anyone but the High Ruler.

"I can't believe this is happening," Tanya says and I swear I hear the panic in her voice.

"Calm down Tanya," Serenity laughs and leans her head on Tanya's shoulder. I immediately see Tanya relax and snuggle with her sister.

"Are we ready for this?" Toryn asks. I look up at my twin who sits beside me.

"We don't really have a choice," I say. "But I think we are. Even though we missed a lot of time growing up here, we've really connected with our people over the last few months. It is like we were never gone," I smile and they all nod.

"I think you'll get chosen Isla," Serenity tells me. I shake my head.

"Of course I won't," I chuckle, thinking back to the conversation I had with him last night.

"What, why not?" Tanya asks.

"I may have said that we have connected more with the people, but we have only been back for a few months. We spent seven years away from them. Plus, the queen knows that I will always put the three of you above anything else," I explain. Serenity frowns.

"What?" I ask. She smiles softly.

"Isla, you don't have to protect us all the time. We aren't in the cave anymore. The three of us can protect ourselves much better than most of your people. You should worry about them more than us," she explains.

"I know," I whisper. But the thought of losing any of them is too scary to even consider.

"Yeah, we're big and strong," Tanya grins and I roll my eyes. We all stop talking as we see the place where the Choosing will be held. Aspen explained everything to us, as did Princess Kayleigh when we were having our tutoring sessions with her. That did prepare me for this. Ahead of us is a great rocky mountain. But it is unlike all other mountains in the area. It stands by its self, tall and proud. It also has a completely flat top. The cliffs are staggeringly high and I can just make out a steep staircase making it's way up, carved into the rocks. On either side of the staircase are two huge statues. One is of a woman. She wears armour and a crown. A crown which looks a lot like mine. Even though it is a huge stone carving, she looks alive. She stands tall and proud and her hair flows around her. Her eyes look as though they are watching over everyone and her. She holds up a great stone sword which is tilted at an angle above the top of the staircase. She is our ancestor. She was the first High Ruler of Shadow. I remember from one of our lessons. She also has a dragon that sits on her shoulder, the tail wrapping around the sword that hangs in the air. I guess it was at a time where there were still wild dragons in our lands. She was bonded to one from what I can remember. They were born on the same day at the same time and they grew up together.

The other statute on the other side of the staircase is a man. He also wears armour and looks proud. In his arm, he holds a sword. It is lifted to the sky at an angle above the staircase. The two swords of the statues touch, creating an arch of sorts above at the top of the stairs. He is also someone important. The shifter who first sensed the Magic of the Heart. The shifter who brought all of the royals from each land together to unite us.

We come to a stop at the very steep staircase. It is so high and the sheer size of the statues beside it blows my mind. There is no one at the bottom to greet us. As I look up the stairs, I see Andrea and Yvette nearing the top. They walk elegantly together then disappear as they reach the top and walk to their positions. We have to come by ourselves. It is the tradition. We also can't properly see each other before the ceremony. That is why we arrive at different times. I look at my siblings.

"Ready?" I ask. We all take deep shaking breaths and they nod their heads. I feel sick with nerves.

"Let's do this," Serenity says and we walk up the first step.

I have never been so grateful to be a dragon shifter ever in my life. If it weren't for the strength and stamina that being a shifter brings, then I would be crawling up these stairs. They seem to keep on going forever.

"Are we nearly there yet?" Tanya groans. It doesn't look like it.

"Tanya," Serenity groans. "Remember that Aspen said we have to walk gracefully all the way up. That also includes no moaning," Serenity says, tapping her sister's shoulder.

"Well I've had enough now," she mutters.

"Stop bickering you two, we're almost there," Toryn snaps. Yes, we nearly are at the top. A few more steps, then everyone waiting there will be able to see us. I stop. The others stop with me.

"Isla?" Serenity asks. My mouth is dray and my hands shake.

"This really is it," I whisper. "If we go up there, our lives really do change forever. We will officially rule these leads. It will be us leading out people through this war." I shake my head. "We'll have to make the hardest decisions of our lives. We'll have to face deadly attacks and make life-changing decisions. Not only for us but for so many others. Can we really do this?" I ask with a shaking voice. "If anyone of you doesn't want this, tell me now and we'll fly off. Aspen will do a great job." They look at me with soft and amused expressions.

"Oh Isla," Serenity says. "We are all shitting it," she says and I laugh at her actually swearing. "But this is what we were born to do and I believe in all of us. Plus, if we leave, it won't be Aspen ruling over Zola. It will be Darcy. Do you really want that?" she jokes. I laugh.

"No way," I say. She laughs and I nod my head.

"So we all want this?" I double check.

"YES!" the three of them shout with amused smiles. I nod my head.

"Good, good," I whisper. "Okay, let's do this." I take a step forward up the step then stop. Something is wrong. I look at my siblings with a terrified expression before I am suddenly pulled back into the stone statue with a huge force. Like it has reached out and grabbed me. Toryn, who was standing next to me gets pulled back with me and we hit the same statue. The two girls get pulled to the other one and I panic even more when I see the flash of fear on their faces. This isn't supposed to happen. I can feel the stone crawling over my body and I try to scream but it is covering my mouth. Opposite, on the other statue I can see my sisters blending into the stone and disappearing before my eyes. Tanya! Serenity! I try to shout as fear completely fills me. I can't move. I can't speak. Then, I feel my body moving and my eyes move from the spot where my sisters disappeared into the stone. I can't even turn my head to see Toryn next to me. What's going on? I am being dragged up and around the statue and soon the top of the mountain comes into view. What's happening.

"Toryn!" I shout through the mind link.

"I'm here!" he replies.

"What's going on!" I shout back.

"I don't know Isla, I can't move. I can't see the girls! I can't even link with them like I could when you were in danger!" I hear the panic and fear in his mind and that only increases as we come to a stop. We must be on the back of the statue because we can see the whole mountaintop before us. Rows and rows of wooden benches sit on either side of a long red carpet. These seats are full of shifters in their best dress. At the end of the long aisle, stands the High Queen. She stands below a beautiful white archway which has swirling pink and purples surrounding it. Behind that, it a large Willow tree and a small pool of gleaming crystal water with little streams leading off it and off the cliffs. On either side of her stand the other older royals. In front of her is Daniel who is on his knees bowing to her. In front of each of the parents, are their children, all bowed. Aspen stands in place of our family. That is who we were meant to walk to bow in front of ready for the High Queen to begin the ceremony. We should be walking up that aisle right now. I try to move but I can't.

"Were here!" I try and shout, remembering that Daniel and the high queen can read minds. "We can't move! We're trapped, something is wrong!" I try and shout again. She doesn't seem to be able to hear me. There is nervous chatter. Everyone knows that we should be there. The High Queen whispers in Aspen's ear.

"Where are they?" she asks a soft panic in her voice. A sad expression crosses Aspen's face.

"I heard Isla this morning talking to her siblings. They said that they weren't sure if they were ready. That they didn't think they could lead after only being back with us for a few short months. I talked to them though," she lets a confused expression filter through her features. "I thought I got through to them." What? I think. That didn't happen. I am scared and confused. What the hell is going on?

"They wouldn't run," Daniel says up to his mother. The Queen sighs sadly.

"They would," she says. "Isla told me herself that her siblings always came first. If one of them had doubts, then Isla would have taken them away in a flash. She will always protect them," the queen admits in defeat. Oh, Isla you stupid brat! I think to my self. I was actually about to do that so I don't blame Queen Katrina for coming to that conclusion.

"No!" I try and shout at her again. "We didn't have that conversation with Queen Aspen! She's lying! I want to rule!" I scream, the admission surprising. I am sobbing in panic and fear as I watch what is going on. "Please, please hear me! Daniel? If you don't hear me, please listen to Serenity!" There is no doubt my siblings are trying the same thing, especially Serenity.

My heart breaks at the sad, broken look that crosses the High Queens face.

"I thought they were ready. I thought they were one of us," she whispers.

"You pushed them too much Katrina," Aspen says back.

"No, we are ready. I want to be one of you! I am one of you! Please hear me! Aspen is lying!" I am begging in my mind. I am trying to thrash around, to move and break free but I can't. I can't move and I can't speak.

"They are gone," Aspen says again and tears fall from her face. Why? Why is she...

Holy Shit.

It is Aspen. Aspen is the traitor. We are trapped in stone. The ability to turn people into stone his her ability. The pin in my hair! I realise and anger surges through me. The pin is enchanted with her fucking magic! It probably isn't even one that belonged to my parents. Everything is because of her! She is the one who let the NightShades into our palace all those years ago. That pin she gave me back then, that is what blocked all shifting and magic. That is what made sure we couldn't fight back! She betrayed us, she betrayed our people and she betrayed her best friend. She did all of this. She poisoned me! No! She is meant to be part of our family!

My thoughts are twisting at a million miles per hour as anger rages through me. Everything is making sense and I curse myself for not seeing it before. How could she do this to us!

"Toryn! It's Aspen!" I shout.

"I know, you're shouting all your thoughts at me! How the fuck do we get out of this?" He replies.

"I don't know, we just have to get Daniel or Katrina to hear us. Maybe even Kayleigh!" I tell him.

"What do we do?" Katrina asks.

"They've gone. They've abdicated. The line of rule falls to the first ranked High Family." It is Princess Kayleigh who answers and I can see the disappointment on her face. She believed in us, taught us and now she like everyone else thinks that we have abandoned them.

"Please hear us, we are still here. She has trapped us. We haven't abandoned you," my voice sounds like a broken sob inside my head.

"I couldn't," Aspen says. "It isn't our place. The Scallis family aren't meant to rule," she continues.

"She is one manipulative fucker!" Toryn shouts. This can't be happening!

"Aspen, it has to be you. Your family have already ruled once. You have the most experience out of all the Zola High families and that is what we need at these times. You'll be able to guide Darcy through this," the High Queen argues.

"No, please don't fall for it!" I beg. But Aspen has created a perfect plan. She is the only one who would be able to replace us. She has the experience and the one who'll be able to help Darcy.

"Lady Darcy," the High Queen says. "Please step forward," she says. Darcy stands, looking as beautiful as ever. Her black hair has been pinned up and she wears an elegant black dress. It is backless with a silver snake that dances along her spine, connected to the material by chains. She looks like a queen. She should be happy, rejoicing. Isn't this what she wanted. Though I can't see Darcy's face ashas her back is toward us, I can tell there is something wrong with her. With the way she holds herself. She bows in front of her mother.

"Lady Aspen, do you accept the role of Ruling over Zola. To serve and protect the people within your lands. To give them your wisdom, your hope and your life if necessary?" she continues.

"I do," Lady Aspen says through her fake tears. The High Queen nods and turns to Darcy and repeats herself. Darcy doesn't answer. Everyone watches in awkward silence. No one knows what is going on anymore. Darcy begins to shake and confusion fills me. She wanted to be queen, why isn't she screaming yes at the top of her lungs. 

"NOOO!" she screams at the top of her lungs standing up. Everyone jumps. Aspens eyes widen in horror.

"YOU CAN'T LET HER BE QUEEN!" Darcy shouts at her mother. "THE DARGOHEIRS, THEY ARE THERE!" she turns and pints at us in the stone.

"Darcy, what are you doing? She is clearly stressed from this sudden situation," Aspen tries to nervously cover.

"NO!" Darcy shouts again. "I WON'T LET YOU CONTROL ME ANY MORE MOTHER! YOU'VE TAKEN EVERYTHING FROM ME. I AM FREE FROM YOUR SPELL AND I WON'T LET YO..."

"SHUT UP YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE BRAT!" Aspen screams and everyone is shocked again. Aspens eyes begin to change. Her bright red pupils grow and the slit in her eyes narrows. Black scales form on her face and she lunges toward her daughter.

"Why can't you ever do as you are told. I tell you to quietly push the Dragoheirs away, to try and make them leave! But no, you anger them further and make them want to stay!" she slithers.

"I never wanted to be queen!" Darcy shouts. I am too shocked to even think.

"You ungrateful brat! It isn't about what you want! Why won't those fucking spells work properly on you!" She screams. "They either don't work enough or they work too much!" Darcy turns and points at the rock where we are.

"They are trapped in the sto..." She is interrupted when her mother, now growing taller, digs a nail into her daughter's temple with an evil chuckle. Darcy's eyes widen and I watch as her eyes turn completely black.

"That's better," Aspen hisses as she begins to shift. "Now you'll do what you're told." Darcy's eyes return to normal but she stares blankly. "Now be quiet and get out of my way, unfortunately I need you." Darcy walks away like a zombie. Everyone can still only watch as Aspen grows and grows until a giant snake is coiled on the huge field. She is about the same size as my sisters when they are shifted.

"Now," she begins hisses in snake form and everyone screams. No one is able to talk in animal form. Katrina looks up at her with angry eyes. Everyone goes to move as the shock wear off and reality kicks in. But Aspen flicks her tail.

"I wouldn't move if I were you," she says and we all watch in horror as we see that her tail is full of thick, BlackRoot covered spikes. The snake hisses a cruel evil laugh.

"Crown my daughter and I won't slaughter everyone on this field," she orders and the High Queen growls, before glancing a look over to where Darcy saw us. 

"Yes, we're here!" I scream. She nods her head as if she is finally hearing me. Then she shifts and lunges for Aspen.