AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Roisin shook her head. She lifted the brush and worked it, a tad less ferociously through my hair. “He’ll be expected to live by the same rules.” Her jaw clenched even though I saw the sorrow in her face. “You need someone to protect you. Someone you trust. There is nobody better than Palon. Besides, he is a noble, and I am nothing more than a stranger to him.”
I stared at her, thinking about how many times in the last week or so that Roisin had been a lifeline to my sanity. About how I was already destroying our relationship. “I’ll change it.”
She shook her head. “It is a long-standing custom, your majesty.”
“What’s the point of being in charge if I can’t alter silly traditions? I’ll talk to Dagda.”
But Roisin only looked sadder. “Thank you, your majesty, but do not go changing the rules on my account. Even if you were to change them, there are still too many obstacles for us to ever… It was a fool’s hope. Forget I said anything.”
I wanted to help her. I wanted to do something good before… I pressed my teeth together. No. First, I needed to spend more time in the library, studying about demons and figuring out if Ornan’s tokens could get me out of this mess. One day searching had turned up only meager leads, but I wasn’t giving up yet.
Roisin reached into her dress and pulled out a paper. “Here.”
I looked at the list of ingredients on the page. “Is this a potion?”
She nodded. “One challenge of the tournament is making a draught that will bring down a stone wall. All the others would have had the sorcerers of their house research and put together their list. I figured since you know little about potion making, I would put this together for you.”
I stared down at the parchment, and then met Roisin’s eyes. Even though she was mad at me for Palon, she’d still done this. I folded it, and placed it in the pouch on the belt that hugged my hips. “Thank you.”
She nodded. “And here.” She gripped a length of cloth like a poncho and draped it over me.
“Is this necessary?”
“Probably not, but it hides the disc on your arm.”
“Good idea.”
Dagda had told me faerie guardians weren’t allowed in the tournament, which was only fair since most faeries didn’t have guardians. But Roisin was right. We’d kept the metal disc that blocked me from accessing my faerie guardian hidden for this long. I didn’t want to give away my stunted protection among a court of enemies.
Dagda threw aside the tent flap. He wore his own armor, the sleeveless leather highlighting his toned arms. His eyes sparked with excitement. “Are you ready?”
“Do you have the Rowan smoke?” I asked.
He lifted the ceramic ball in his hand before tucking it into his belt. “As promised.”
It was the one stipulation I’d made him agree to. In the castle it was dangerous to throw Rowan smoke around—you could knock yourself or others out in the process. But since we were going to be outside, I’d forced Dagda to promise to bring the smoke that rendered a faerie unconscious and use it against me if my sisters took over.
“She is almost ready.” Roisin gathered my hair and crossed it into a quick braid. “There. I shall see you after.” She and Palon would wait at the end with Keelin.
I stepped toward Dagda, enjoying the feel of wearing something other than a gown. Dagda’s eyes traveled over me and my heart sped up, but he merely held the tent flap as I passed.
The area was filled with faeries dressed in faerie armor. Walking about, talking, laughing. The sunny sky shone overhead, the walls of the Royal City at our backs. A few gold leaves were visible on the trees. Tents lined the way down a long row. Fabric fluttered in the breeze, attached to the posts next to each one. I counted twenty-four flags, each with a different image etched onto them.
Along the base of the city wall, venders sold foods and herbs, filling the air with the delicious scent of sweets and baked goods. Faeries moved about, purchasing wares, running after children and gathering outside the roped-off section on either side of the row of tents.
“This year the tournament is like an obstacle course,” Dagda said, tugging on his leather arm braces. “There are three challenges. The first one to reach the orb at the end wins.”
“All contestants line up at your house post,” an official-looking faerie called. We lined up next to our post with a flag depicting two griffins protecting a shield. I fingered the design that matched exactly etched into my leather cuirass.
Dagda noticed me staring. “Our house crest. The Royal Ones.” He nodded to the post to our left that depicted a hammer and ax crossing handles. “That is the house of the Honored Ones. We shall compete against Niall, the leader of the house and his son.” They both wore faerie armor etched with their insignia, standing tall and confident, their long hair pulled back in low ponytails.
He then pointed to the flag on our right. “They are the Protected Ones. Both are the most prominent houses in the court.”
“The winner will be the first to touch the orb at the end of the course,” the announcer said. “Get ready.”
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as we took our stances. “You remember what I told you last night?” I asked Dagda.
“That you have no training and you shall be more of a hindrance than a help, and I need to be exceedingly adept to make up for it?”
