As I approached the Circle, the sorceresses exposed their palms to me. Each of them had dark marks on their right hand, indicating which Faction of the Arcanea they belonged to. There were paws for wolvens, a dragon’s foot for dragons, a hoof print for alicorns, and a bird’s foot for griffins.
I went to the Marked that belonged to Steward Solomon and licked her hand. Ursula Solomon barely hid a sneer as my tongue touched her palm. Lord Lucien likewise licked her palm, and we fell back to an empty section of the Circle before we transformed.
I looked around. I knew my mother should be here, but she wouldn’t be. She was too caught up in her grief.
Though somethingwascurious. Lady Magdalina, Headmistress of Arcanea University, wasn’t here either. What was so important that she’d dare to miss a Circle meeting?
Steward Solomon cleared his throat. He looked extremely uncomfortable. “Prince Ethan, why are you here? You are not permitted to interrupt our sacred council meeting.”
I dared to step forward. “I am permitted by birthright. I am here to announce that I fully intend to participate in the King’s Contest this December. I henceforth put forward my desire to compete.”
Whispers, among with a few outraged cries, echoed around the Circle. Steward Solomon tried to quiet the crowd and failed. Lady Ursula raised her hand with a sneer, and at her cruel gaze, the rest of them fell silent.
“Why would we nominateyou?” Lady Iris asked. She stood beside her alicorn mate and threw back a harsh laugh that had no humor in it. “You killed our king.”
Her words were like a dagger in my chest, but I ripped the dagger out and threw it aside as I said, “My father intended that I be the one to take the throne. That doesn’t change now.”
“You must have the backing of one of the Circle to participate. No one will nominate you after what you did,” Lord Morgane snarled. He was a dragon, and close to my father. I knew he blamed me for what had happened.
Lord Lucien stepped forward. “I have already chosen to nominate him. He has my backing for the King’s Contest.”
The rage was louder this time. For all the objections I’d believe the court would have, I didn’t think it would be this bad.
My father was popular, well-beloved. It didn’t matter that I was his son. People considered me his murderer.
Lord Morgane gave Lord Lucien a smoldering stare. He was minutes from transforming any instant. “You only wish to back the wolvens, Lucien, to keep the crown within your Faction’s power. Give another Faction a chance. One that didn’t cause the death of our leader.”
“The leshane killed Lycus Nowak, none other,” Lucien announced, and he turned in place to gaze at all of the Arcanea standing near. “He died in battle, and is certainly roaming the Great Hunting Grounds with Tomir by his side in the Eternal Hunt. We should not punish his son for Lycus receiving an honorable death.”
The rageful protests turned to mumbles. “Aye,” Lord Boris said, one of the griffins. “He’s with his sister now, Tomir be praised.”
The heads of the Circle bowed in respect. It was a horrible thing for an Arcanea to die old in his bed and not with his sword on the battlefield. At least Da had been given a death that those in the afterlife would find honorable.
Lady Iris shifted uncomfortably. “Merely being in the King’s Contest doesn’t mean that he’ll win. Though it would be…questionableif the boy who had been unsuccessful to save the former king succeeded in winning the throne.”
“I fail to see how he could do that, without having all four legs.”
A low and surly voice came out of the darkness. A man my age was illuminated by the fire as he came forward. He had short black hair, hooded eyelids, and even darker eyes. His form was thin and lithe as he proceeded into the Gathering. He smirked over the shadows flickering across his face.
My cousin; Elijah Zlodia. We used to be close. Like brothers, even. Not anymore. I didn’t even know that he was here. Too busy hiding in the shadows waiting to spring on me, no doubt. What was he doing here? As a member of the royal family, he had the right to attend Circle meetings, but what interest did he have being here on this night?
A fellow wolven came forward. My great uncle and Elijah’s father, Lord Zlodia, spoke up. “My son wishes to make his intention known. He also will be competing in this year’s King’s Contest, with my backing and nomination.”
Elijah’s mother, Lady Korva, beamed with sickening pride at her mate’s side.
Elijah’s grin grew bigger, and I felt sick. Of course. Elijah was here to make his King’s Contest declaration, just like I was. He couldn’t even wait until the mourning period was past and my father was cold in his grave.
Elijah threw back his shoulders. “It’s time the Arcanea had a real king around here. One who isn’t so weak as to fall to leshanes and leave behind a crippled son.”
I couldn’t hold my temper. I attacked. I exploded into my wolven form and charged at Elijah, leaping into the air with exposed, snarling jaws.
He was waiting for me. Elijah changed into a black wolf the moment I came near, and met me with an open mouth. Both of us sank our fangs in at the exact moment. He bit harshly into my shoulder, missing my neck. It should’ve hurt, but I barely felt it. We fell into a growling, writhing mess on the ground, scratching each other with our claws and sinking our teeth into flesh. I saw red, and the rest of the world fell away. We were equal fighters, and Elijah had yet to earn his wings, like me. This was a fight I could win.
There were enraged shouts and screams echoing throughout the Circle, and I heard shifters stampeding forward. A griffin pulled me off Elijah, while a dragon yanked him away from me. We transformed, and fought to get back to each other as we were dragged apart.
“That isenough! How dare you defile the Sacred Gathering!” Lady Iris screeched as Elijah and I were separated. Her alicorn mate, Lord Radcliffe, herded me away with his horn, while Lord Morgane kept Elijah away by bearing his fangs. When I got back to Lucien, he put his hands on my shoulders, though I felt it was more an act of keeping me in place than a sign of comfort. The shifters went back to their places and transformed back to their human selves, though everyone looked on edge.
Elijah baited me. He’d know I’d lose my temper and provoked me to attack him, so that I’d piss off the council and he’d look like the victim.
