AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But I meant it. I’m going to win, and winning means being smart.
Harmony lifts a brow at me in question.
I give her a firm nod.
And that’s that.
The guard leads us to a large archway. It shimmers with magic, and Sera elbows me softly.
“Be ready,” she mutters.
I instinctively reach for a blade but falter. “I don’t have a weapon.”
“There will be some at the far end of the arena,” Harmony whispers. “Head straight there. We will meet you after we pick off the weaker ones.”
I set my jaw with determination.
We walk through the portal side-by-side, and my stomach clenches as I free-fall toward a massive pit. I cry out just before magic wraps around me and sets me on the ground.
In the pit, the walls are smooth and shoot straight up for at least 30 feet, making escape impossible. Chairs line the edges, and I’m shocked to see them filled. Nerves tighten my core, and I swallow my mild panic. I didn’t expect an audience, but of course, there is one. This tournament ends with a Queen. The Royalists will want proof of that.
At the far end, atop the wall, a throne is positioned. Cristen sits on its edge, elbows on his knees, his eyes stuck on me. He wears a circlet now, its bronze metal shining beneath the moonlight. To his left and right are his sister and Talis, and to my shock, beside Talis is Gretta. They all stare at me, but Gretta is the only one who looks excited. She claps her hands toward me and offers me a stunning smile.
Oh, Gretta. I smile back at her, and Cristen straightens at the sight of it. I force my smile to fall away, and I avoid making eye contact with him. If he wants my attention, he will have to force it. I’ll never give it to him willingly again, unless he’s on his knees, my sword at his throat.
Soon, the other women are lined up beside me. They all ready themselves, and I take a moment to digest the arena’s contents.
Along either side, a tall lush forest grows, offering cover I’ll probably need sooner rather than later with how exhausted my muscles feel. The middle of the arena remains untouched, except for a small river dividing the whole thing in half. At the farthest end, just like Harmony said, there’s a table set up with several weapons, bags, and even some food.
She must have insider information, I realize, and I’m suddenly more than happy I teamed up with the Evercore sisters.
I position a foot behind me, anchoring myself in the dirt and preparing to take off. There are about 30 women here, and at least 12 have their eyes locked on the supplies awaiting at the opposite end. I need to be fast, but by the dangerous smiles lining Harmony’s and Sera’s faces, I have a feeling my competition is about to grow very, very thin.
Cristen stands from his throne to speak, an amplifying enchantment across his voice. “Thank you for coming,” he addresses the Royalists watching. “I am happy to take my first steps out of the shadows and introduce myself to you this evening.”
There’s a splatter of polite applause.
“Tonight, I begin the hunt for my bride, my protector, my equal.”
I can’t help but look up at him as he speaks. His voice is magnetic, charming, dark. It’s the voice of a King, and I hate the pride that swells in me.You don’t know him, I reprimand myself.Also, you hate him right now. Get it right, stupid heart.
It doesn’t listen. My stupid heart lurches as his eyes lock with mine as if he’s speaking to no one but me as he continues.
“I’m looking for my Queen,” he says, a bit of emotion breaking through his voice.
My mind races back to last night, to when he called me exactly that. I force myself to stare at the ground.
“I humbly thank each and every family here that is willing to sacrifice their daughters in the hope of winning the throne. I am overwhelmed by your dedication, and I assure you that I will honor the results of this tournament. The last warrior standingwillbe crowned.”
This time, the applause is deafening. Families shout down encouragement to the women around me.
“Funerals will be arranged after the Queen is found,” Cristen concludes, his words strained with tension.
I expect the crowd’s encouragement to die out on that grim note, but it becomes a roar. So much so, I almost miss my chance.
A trumpet blares from the top of the pit, and I break into a sprint. I measure my breaths and pump my arms, not daring to look around me or to pay too much attention to the screams.Faster.
I close in on the supply table, but I’m forced to slide to a halt as a bulky woman with an ax skids to a stop before me.
