Kena pushed through the crowded streets of the golden city, her green cloak flapping behind her.
The feast was all around her—tables stretched across the market, covered with piles of food.
She saw roasted meat, steaming hot, and bright fruits that looked too perfect to eat.
Cakes sparkled like jewels under the lanterns, catching her eye.
Music played loud and fast, drums thumping and flutes singing, while people danced in circles, their laughter bouncing off the stone walls.
Kena's stomach growled hard, a deep rumble that made her wince, but she shook it off.
Food could wait. She had one thing on her mind: Justice Veldric.
Hope walked beside her, close enough that she could feel him there. His iron mask made people turn their heads, staring as they passed.
"Stay sharp," he said, his voice low and calm. "This could be a trick."
"A trick?" Kena said, frowning at him. "It's just a party. He's showing off how great he thinks he is."
"Maybe," Hope said, his eyes scanning the crowd. "But he's not kind. You saw that."
Kena shrugged, brushing her messy hair out of her face. "Doesn't matter. I'll get to him. I have to."
She looked up and spotted Justice on a high platform, standing above everyone else. Guards stood around him, their armor shining gold.
He wore a red robe now, bright like blood, and his dark hair caught the light, almost glowing.
He held up a gold cup, high in the air, and the crowd roared with cheers.
"Welcome!" he shouted, his voice booming over the noise. "Eat, drink, enjoy! The Golden City is generous!"
Kena rolled her eyes so hard it hurt. "Generous, my foot," she muttered under her breath.
She grabbed Hope's arm, her fingers digging in a little. "Come on," she said. "Let's get closer. I'm not waiting around."
They moved through the crowd together, pushing past people who didn't seem to care.
Dancers spun around them, their skirts flying, and kids ran by, chasing balloons that floated like magic above the ground.
Kena's cloak got caught on someone's elbow, and she yanked it free, annoyed.
As they walked, she reached out and snatched a piece of bread from a table.
It was warm in her hand, soft when she squeezed it. She stuffed it into her mouth, chewing fast.
"At least the food's good," she said, her words muffled as crumbs fell.
It tasted sweet, like honey, and she licked her lips.
They finally got to the edge of the platform. It was tall, made of smooth wood, and guards stood at the steps, blocking the way.
Their spears were crossed, sharp tips glinting. "No one goes up," one guard said, his voice rough. He glared at Kena, his eyes hard under his helmet.
"I need to see him," Kena said, pointing up at Justice. Her finger shook a little, but she kept it steady. "It's important. Really important."
The guard laughed, a short, mean sound. "Everyone says that. Back off, girl."
Kena's fists clenched tight, her nails biting into her palms.
She wanted to yell, maybe even shove him, but before she could, Justice's voice cut through the air like a knife.
"Let her up," he called, his tone lazy but sharp. He smirked down at her from the platform. "The rude girl's back."
The guards moved their spears, stepping aside slow, like they didn't want to.
Kena took a deep breath and climbed the steps, her boots loud on the wood.
Hope followed right behind, his sword bumping against his leg.
Her heart was racing, thumping so hard she could feel it in her throat. This was it—her chance to make him listen.
She stopped in front of Justice, close enough to see the shine of his robe and the way his smirk twisted his face.
It made her mad all over again, hot anger bubbling up inside.
"What now?" he said, taking a slow sip from his cup. His eyes flicked over her, like she was a bug he could squash. "More begging?"
"I'm not begging," Kena snapped, her voice loud and shaky.
She stood taller, trying to look brave.
"I'm telling you," she added. "I need your kiss to break a curse. I'll die without it. That's the truth."
Justice leaned closer, so close she could smell the wine on his breath. His eyes were sharp, like they could cut right through her.
"And I should care because…?" he said, dragging out the words.
"Because it's right," Kena said, her hands on her hips. "You're a prince. Princes are supposed to help people, not laugh at them."
He laughed anyway, loud and cruel, his head tipping back. The sound made her skin crawl.
"I help who I want," he said, waving a hand like he was brushing her away. "Not you. But stay. Enjoy my feast. Maybe I'll change my mind."
Kena frowned, squinting at him. "Really?" she asked, her voice small for a second.
She wanted to believe it, just a little.
"No," he said, grinning wide, showing his teeth. "But eat anyway."
He clapped his hands, sharp and quick, and servants hurried over.
They carried trays of food to the platform—big chunks of meat, golden pies, drinks that glowed like stars.
The smell hit Kena hard, filling her nose with spices and sweetness. Her mouth watered, and she couldn't help it.
"Fine," she said, grabbing a plate from a servant's tray.
She held it tight, her fingers gripping the edge.
"But I'm not done with you," she added. "Not even close."
She sat on a bench near the edge of the platform, the wood hard under her. Hope sat next to her, quiet as always.
She started eating fast, piling food onto her plate—meat that dripped juice, a pie that crumbled in her hands, a drink that fizzed when she sipped it.
It was amazing, better than anything she'd ever tasted. Sweet, spicy, hot all at once. She couldn't stop, even though she was mad.
Justice watched her, his eyes glinting with amusement. He leaned against a railing, swirling his cup.
"Hungry little thing," he said, his voice mocking. "Too bad it won't help your curse."
Kena glared at him over her plate, her cheeks full. She swallowed hard, the food sticking in her throat for a second.
"Shut up," she muttered, but she kept eating.
She was too hungry to care what he thought. The meat was tender, the pie flaky, and the drink burned her tongue in a good way.
She wiped her mouth with her sleeve, leaving a smear of sauce on her cloak.
Then her plate started to shake.
She froze, staring at it. The meat twisted, moving like it was alive. Scales grew on it, green and shiny.
She dropped the plate, and it hit the floor with a clatter. The meat hissed—a snake now, long and angry, snapping its jaws at her.
Kena screamed, loud and high, jumping back so fast she almost fell off the bench.
The pies on the table turned into bugs—black, crawling things with too many legs. They skittered toward her, clicking and buzzing.
The drinks bubbled over, splashing onto the wood, and the liquid burned holes where it landed, sizzling like acid.
"What's happening?!" Kena yelled, her voice cracking.
She swatted at a bug that got too close, her hand shaking.
Justice laughed harder, his whole body shaking with it.
"A little magic," he said, wiping his eyes like it was the funniest thing ever. "My feast has surprises. Don't you like them?"
The crowd below started screaming too, their voices rising up to the platform.
Kena looked down and saw their food changing—birds flapping out of plates, rats running across tables, worms wriggling in bowls.
People ran, knocking over chairs, their faces pale with fear. Hope grabbed Kena's arm, his grip strong.
"We're leaving," he said, pulling her toward the steps.
His voice was steady, but she could hear the worry in it.
"No!" Justice shouted, his tone sharp now. "Stay!"
He snapped his fingers, loud like a whip crack, and the snakes grew bigger.
They slithered fast, blocking the steps with their thick bodies. One lunged at Kena, its fangs dripping green goo.
She yelped, stumbling back, but Hope was faster. He swung his sword, the blade flashing, and cut the snake in half.
Green goo sprayed everywhere, splattering Kena's cloak and face. She gagged, wiping it off with her sleeve, the smell sour and awful.
"Run!" Hope said, his voice loud over the chaos.
He slashed another snake, its body falling in pieces. The path was clear for a second, and Kena bolted, her heart pounding so hard it hurt.
The platform shook under her feet, bugs crawling everywhere, acid splashing too close.
Justice's laugh followed them, loud and wild, echoing in her ears even as she ran.
They hit the street below, the chaos spreading like a fire. People shoved past them, screaming, their arms full of dropped food or kids.
Kena tripped over a broken chair, her knee hitting the ground hard, but Hope caught her arm before she fell all the way.
"Keep going!" he said, pulling her up.
His mask was streaked with goo, but his eyes were steady.
They ran and ran, the noise of the feast fading behind them. Kena's legs burned, her breath coming in gasps.
They ducked into an alley, narrow and dark, and she leaned against the wall, trying to breathe. Her chest heaved, her hands shaking bad.
"He's crazy," she said, her voice rough. "That was a trick! A stupid, awful trick!"
"Yes," Hope said, wiping goo from his sword with a rag.
The green stuff smeared, sticky and gross.
"He plays games," he said. "Mean ones."
Kena slid down the wall, sitting on the cold ground.
Her hands wouldn't stop shaking, and she pressed them against her knees to make them still.
"I hate him," she said, staring at the dirt. "He's a monster. How am I supposed to do this? How am I supposed to get him to help me?"
Hope looked down at her, his mask hiding his face but not his eyes. They were dark, warm, steady.
"We'll find a way," he said, sitting beside her. "You're not alone in this."
She nodded, her chest tight with too many feelings—anger, fear, a tiny bit of hope.
Justice was a monster, a cruel jerk who laughed at her pain, but she had Hope. He hadn't left her, not once.
That was something real, something she could hold onto.
"Okay," she said, her voice soft but stronger. "Next plan. We need a next plan."
They stayed in the alley, the golden city humming around them like nothing had happened.
The sounds of the feast were gone now, just distant music and chatter.
Kena's hope was fading, a little flame flickering in the dark, but she wasn't done fighting. Not yet.
She leaned her head back against the wall, closing her eyes for a second.
Justice could laugh all he wanted, but she'd find a way to win. She had to.