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The fae’s ancient, primitive chanting spilled out of the marble doors and into the courtyard, drowning out my thoughts and birds chirping nearby. I thumbed my father’s ring, hoping it’d bring me reassurance. Comfort.
Instead, every fiber of my being was on high alert. I couldn’t fathom what the king had planned this time, or what risks lay mere feet away, but the chanting that pulsed louder with each beat of my heart was a nagging reminder I didn’t have a choice.
“Try not to get yourself killed,” Talon said as we stepped into the damp arena.
My vision adjusted to the darkness, and I huffed a laugh—the reminder wasn’t necessary. I knew my mother was growing sicker by the day, and I needed to get home to her. There was too much to lose if I didn’t. “Aw, you care about me. How sweet.”
Talon stretched his neck. “No. I’m worried about my own standings. Winning aside, how you perform during these trials reflects on me. My ass and my reputation are on the line.”
“Oh yeah, that’s right. Gaining respect is much more important than my life. Silly me, how could I ever forget?”
I hated how deep he got under my skin and how easily he turned me into a murderous wretch. More so, the warmth he sparked inside me—a long-forgotten feeling I’d only experienced on a handful of occasions.
Stars, he was obnoxious.
Talon stopped walking and grabbed my elbow, keeping me from stomping away. “We may not get along or see eye to eye, but I’m not worried about you because I know you’re going to come out of this alive.” His grip on my arm was strong. Demanding. It was all I could focus on. “They might have skill and strength on you, but you have drive, and that alone is a force to be reckoned with. Put that stubbornness to work, Elowyn.”
I gulped, nodding in agreement. Although I wasn’t convinced he believed what he was saying, it calmed the butterflies that swarmed my stomach—proof an ounce of faith outweighed a hundred lies. I just hoped that’d translate in the trials.
His touch lingered for a beat longer than I expected, and my skin smoldered under it.
I needed to refocus.
I wanted him to let go, yet found it comforting all at the same time.
When he didn’t, I distanced myself from him instead and descended the staircase at a deliberate pace, trying to push aside the conflicting feelings that lingered. His touch that lingered.
And I readied myself for whatever fate had in store for me.
A dense forest of evergreens filled the arena—so vast I couldn’t see where it started or stopped. The fae audience sat in their usual seats high above, giving them a bird-eye view of the trials below.
It was dark.
Cold.
And storm clouds clung to the trees, blurring my vision.
I took a deep breath as I proceeded to the clearing in the center of the forest, the thick branches nicking my exposed skin with every step I took.
“Well, if it isn’t the bastard child,” a taunting voice came from behind me.
I didn’t need to turn around to know it was Aeron. Refusing to fall into whatever web he was weaving, I kept moving.
“I’m surprised you showed your face.”
“Why? Because you said a few threats? Unfortunately for you, I don’t scare easily.”
Lies.
Every word.
I trembled on the inside.
There wasn’t any time to process the depths of my fear as I ducked and swerved around the sprawling trees. The overwhelming scent of pine gave me a headache.
“Don’t eat your words too soon, sweetheart. Irony doesn’t age well.”
“Bite me Aeron, you’re nothing but hot air.” I stopped in my tracks and faced him, holding my arms out to my side. “Just kill me already. You talk this huge game, and try to intimidate everyone, but let’s be honest, you’re a coward. A coward who kills children to feel better about himself.”
