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It was obvious from the second he had spotted me in the forest he disliked me. There was no doubt it was mutual, either. So, it didn’t make sense why he’d break his streak for me.
“I don’t have one.” I sighed. “To be honest, I don’t think I’ll survive the first trial.”
“Its power is fatal if in the wrong hands and carries the weight of millions. Wield it correctly and expect him to listen, but abuse the privilege, and you’ll forfeit the competition.”
My eyebrows arched in confusion. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Her words swirled in my head in a muddled frenzy as I tried to piece the riddle together.
“You’ll understand soon, Elowyn.”
“What does that mean?” I repeated. “How is that relevant to the trials?” A surge of annoyance washed over me. “What do you know, Pipion?”
She cocked her head, said, “Feel it, embrace it, but conceal it,” and with a snap of her paw, disappeared as quickly as she arrived.
I sat there unmoving—positive I’d finally snapped. Letting out a frustrated groan, I grabbed the pillow above my head and pushed it into my face. No one in this realm was any type of help.
If I was going to survive, it was going to be out of sheer spite.
Ten
I’d been up since before dawn broke, pacing the length of my chamber floor as I awaited the summons to the first trial. This was it. Survival or execution.
My stomach cramped.
I was cold, yet hot and clammy all at the same time.
Fingering my ring, I tried to take deep, controlled breaths, but they were coming out fast and haphazard. I was panicking. I was terrified.
The beginning and possibly the end. It’d come so soon—a week had flown by, and I didn’t feel prepared at all. All our training sessions went as well as the first. They started with basic warm-up exercises and ended with one of us saying something hateful and storming off. Other than being able to get through all three rounds of push-ups, I’d made zero progress. How did he think I stood a chance against some of the other competitors? Better yet, why did he bother to train me if he was going to set me up to fail?
I checked my outfit in the mirror for the fifteenth time, hoping distraction would find me. It was like the training leathers I wore, but heavier and more durable. The vest was stiff and buckled around my chest, stealing my breath away. The boots rose to almost my knees, and the black long-sleeved shirt and pants trapped my body heat.
Adjusting the gloves around my exposed fingertips, I pulled my hair into a braid and dropped the strand over my shoulder—the deep red tresses like stained blood against my outfit. How much bloodshed would I witness today?
The door squeaked open, revealing an overzealous Talon in the entryway. His good mood was unsettling—surely it wasn’t because he was excited to watch me die. Maybe it was meant to provide some type of reassurance and give me a semblance of hope, but it didn’t help. It only made me more concerned.
My knees almost buckled, struggling to keep me up.
Talon clasped his hands behind his back. “Trials will start soon. Are you ready?”
I tipped my head to the side. “Do I look ready?”
Three loud, ominous chimes sounded throughout the castle before Talon could respond. “I’m not familiar with human sayings, but you better hope so. Because that’s our cue.”
Letting out a breath, I fidgeted with the leather pants sticking to my skin. I wasn’t ready. My lungs burned, straining for air. My chest ached.
One foot after the other, I approached the door as if my legs had a mind of their own, and I willed them to stop—retreat—but they wouldn’t listen.
Talon rolled his neck, stepping in front of me. “I don’t care how nervous you are or how intimidated you might be. I don’t care about any self-deprecating thought you’ve had this morning or whatever nonsense kept you up all night.” He slipped his hands into his pockets, and I wondered how he knew any of that. “You don’t show any uncertainty, understood? You walk out of this room with your chin up, and it doesn’t come down until the trial is over and you’re back in here. Do you understand?”
I nodded.
“No. Say it. Tell me. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Good.” He sighed. “The other fae mentors will be watching. They’ll notice any hint of weakness and will use it to their advantage. As will the other competitors. Don’t give them any more reason to target you.”
I nodded again and shook my arms to release pent-up tension. Maybe if I could fool everyone else into believing I was confident, I’d believe it as well. It was worth a shot—and the only semblance of a plan I had.
