The moment the words left my lips, a wave of absolute despair crashed over my unfortunate "steeds." The cloaked figures beneath me tensed, as if their very souls had been cursed with an unspeakable fate.
The second one the one not currently carrying me visibly shuddered. "This can't be happening."
"Oh, but it is."
Mara, delighted beyond words, clasped her hands together. "Oh, this is magnificent. The first-ever Tyrant Horse Race! I'll get the betting pool started."
Elira, who had long since abandoned the idea of stopping me from causing chaos, sighed. "I refuse to be a part of this."
Smaug, meanwhile, grinned like an absolute menace. "Oh, I am very much a part of this." His tail whipped excitedly, nearly taking out a decorative pillar. "Shall I provide a proper starting signal?"
"Absolutely."
The cloaked figures exchanged horrified glances.
I could practically hear them thinking: There is no way this is real.
Spoiler alert: It was very real.
