Because I was one of the last on the platform, I wasconsequently in the last group. At least an hour passed before the advisor made it to my section.
“Name?” Lucan asked the first in my row.
“Anora Faintree,” a young woman replied.
“State your jewel.”
“Amethyst.”
Lucan peered at her hand through the lenses of his glasses, and nodded with confirmation of the violet stone in her flesh.
He straightened his posture. “Anora Faintree. Gifted by the Goddess of Health and Healing, Eloise. Presented with the ability to heal those injured.” Lucan's voice bellowed through the courtyard.
Anora beamed as she waved to the crowd, her gemstone on full display to the kingdom who cheered for her. It was going to be awkward when it was my turn and I had no gemstone on my hand to flaunt.
Once the excitement died down, Lucan cleared his throat, and moved on to the next in my row. My fists clenched as he got closer and closer to me.
The student right before me was gifted by the God of the Weather, Zenith. His onyx stone did not reflect light as well as the other jewels, but it sparkled all the same as he shook his wrist when announced to the kingdom.
When the crowd quieted, Lucan moved on. He didn't look up from his parchment as he stopped in front of me and my chest constricted as he spoke. “Name?”
“Maeve Willawood,” I reported.
Lucan scribbled down my name without so much as glancing at me. “State your jewel.”
I bit my tongue, stopping myself from giving an incorrect answer. Ithoughtthat my jewels were diamonds, but I also wasn't confident that they weren't just really pale sapphires.
I shuffled uncomfortably. This really shouldn't havebeen so hard to figure out.
Lucan cleared his throat, and there was no warmth in his tone when he repeated, “State your jewel.”
My body temperature rose as I noticed the others in my row watching me hesitate. My cheeks flushed in response to their steady gazes. I diverted any attention wasted on them and used all of my focus to form words.
“Um, I am not quite sure, sir.” My voice quaked in a whisper.
Lucan sighed, rolling his beady eyes away from his parchment to look at me. He squinted at my hands, searching for my jewel, but obviously not finding it.
Brows furrowed, he raised his eyes to my face, narrowing them as he silently judged my ignorance. He looked as though he was going to speak—probably to ask why I was even up here—but his mouth clenched shut when he settled on the location of my gemstones.
“Unbelievable,” he muttered under his breath. The king's advisor reached a hand out, brushing a finger over my cheek without asking. Just as he did, a cloud parted in the sky, and the inescapable blaze of the sun beamed down onto us. A glimmer of green light bounced off of the emerald in his hand, partially blinding me as the rays were absorbed by my irises. I turned my neck to avoid the glare and Lucan tilted his head to follow, giving himself a better look at my jewels. He studied them for what felt like forever.
My vision scurried around the students next to me, who wore similar expressions of awe at the location of my jewels. Then without a word, Lucan returned his hands to himself and walked off.
I followed him with my eyes as he scurried to the throne, his compact legs carrying him faster than I’d expected. He immediately began to prattle to King Hawthorne, whose hands were crossed as he absorbed the given information.
My body was completely still as I watched them discuss me. The only movement I allowed for was the rise and fall ofmy chest. Tension built inside of me as minutes passed of their attention flipping between themselves and me. My stomach rolled over, and I had to look away to avoid gagging all over the stage.
Without notice, Lucan reappeared. His expression was much too serious for my liking, and a rush of panic forced my insides to clench again. My nails drew blood as they cut into my palms, the pain distracting me from my worsening nausea.
“What’s going on?” My voice shook, but I forced the words out regardless. I needed answers, but Lucan deprived me of that request.
“Please follow me,” he said, not giving me a chance to counter before he pivoted and marched back to the king.
I could hardly feel my legs, but I did as he instructed, following closely behind the small man. Students whispered as we passed by their rows before coming to a halt in front of the king. Peering to the sides of my shoulders, I noticed how all ten of his head soldiers glared at me, not even trying to disguise their shock.
A pair of deep blue eyes glimmered in my peripheral vision, but I disregarded the soldier's gaze. The king rose from his seat, pushing off of the arm rests and moving so close to my face that I could feel his breath on my skin.
King Hawthorne muttered to himself as he inspected my jewels carefully, his focus steady. I flinched at the unexpected touch as he, too, put his hands on me. He stroked the pad of his thumb over my cheekbone, and my jaw clenched in response.
