“As such.” Casimir snapped his fingers and multiple servants rushed forward to remove the fallen king’s body. “A new ruler must be implemented. That ruler…” His eyes flared. “Will beme.”
Gods, no.
Casimir was the new king?
The hall exploded into voices, the hum in the air shifted into a sharp electric charge. Each one was as shocked as the next, but no one dared to defy him. The royals that remained rose in their seats and bowed to Casimir—showing their instant support for his rule. They placed a hand over their chest as they shouted as one, “For bonds and bloodline.”
Where is Akadian?Her mind raced.
Casimir waved a hand through the air and with one word gained control over the crowd. “Silence.”
No one challenged him.
Ambrose caught Ernaline in a corner, clutching a jug of wine to her chest—terror forming on every line in her face. She searched the crowd but Lily was nowhere to be found and Adym stood stone-faced behind Casimir.
The Imperial and Draconian Guard stepped forward and pulled their swords from their sides as they bowed in succession. The servants followed suit, bowing at the waist to Casimir as they all shouted, “For bonds and bloodline.”
A new king reigned.
No one was going to question his right or his authority.
Casimir soaked in the sight around him, enjoying how they all bowed for him and him alone. Power radiated off of him in freezing bursts that burned the skin of the lesser beings.
Sweat beaded on Ambrose’s temple and her heart pounded in her chest as she willed herself to calm.
In. Out. In. Out.
“With that,” Casimir raised his voice, “I’m going to make my firstdecree as king to do something that has never been done before.”
Ambrose didn’t need to look at him to know he was staring right at her.
“Ready yourself, young mage!”The voices filled her head in warning.
“Let the Champion’s Tournament begin.”
Chapter 40
The entire hall erupted into chaos.
The ground shook violently and broke apart, pieces of the floor crumbled under their feet to reveal a massive cavern below. Nobles and royals fled to the exit, servants trailing behind them, screaming, as they all rushed to safety. The walls of the hall groaned as they shifted and pulled away from the chasm, the opening grew larger with each moment as pews rose high behind them, lining the walls with seats for spectators. A few beings fell into the mouth of the pit that now beckoned them from where the dance floor had previously been. Ambrose jumped out of the way just in time as the stone under her feet gave way.
The Grand Hall was falling to pieces.
Ambrose searched the crowd and almost cried out with relief when she saw Ernaline standing in the grand entryway, yelling something she couldn’t hear.
At least she was safe.
Lily was still nowhere to be seen.
Ambrose scanned the crowd and blurred faces as bodies ran all around her but Lily’s wasn’t among them. She looked into the cavern below that was so deep, she could only just make out a ring of firelights in a circle below, any bodies that fell claimed by the pit. She knew she was too smart to fall, but she still silently hoped Lily’s wasn’t one of them.
The rest of the Trial Champions looked just as surprised as she did, their bodies flailing as the ones who were too drunk to react fell into the mouth of the opening and they screamed for far too long. The edges of the brokenfloor jutting out like teeth as they were swallowed whole.
Devoured by the darkness.
Casimir laughed coldly from the perch on his new throne, intoxicated by the mayhem he’d caused. “Go into the pit and be the last man or woman standing. Defeat the final test we have lying in wait for you in the center of the maze to claim the Champion title. Only once the final monster has been killed will the tournament end and a Champion be named. If one of you completes this and the others survive, they will walk away without a title, but alive. The survivors and winner will be brought back here to us.Ifany of you survive. Live or die. The choice is yours.”
The remaining Trial Champions wasted no more time as they found what weapons they could and threw themselves into the pit of death.
