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I suddenly felt nervous in this handsome man's arms. His dark violet eyes studied my every move, and his stoic expression seemed to hide a clever mind that I was certain was intent on figuring out all of my secrets. He held me close against his tall, muscular body as we swayed to the music, and I felt mesmerized by his gaze, and by the pull of some strange, alluring magic that lingered around him. I forced myself to look away from his face before I was utterly lost.
My eyes skimmed the dwindling crowd, and I scrambled to make small talk. But my mind came back to my earlier conversation with Bach. "Are you sure you shouldn't be out there with the other nobles, trying to get one more dance with your potential Prize?"
He led me through a dramatic turn before pulling me close again. "Is she really even here? I assume the nobles are just using the excuse to go wild and flirt with the contestants while the real Prize sits alone in her tower somewhere laughing at us all."
I chuckled and met his eyes again. He was still watching me so intently, but one corner of his chiseled mouth twitched upward in a half-smirk. "Oh, she's here," I assured him. I lifted my head and gave a haughty sniff. "Not that you'd ever guess who she is. She's far too clever and amazing for that."
He huffed a soft laugh of his own, and I tried not to notice what that deep, surprised sound did to me. Nope. No lusting after men you barely know on the off chance that they might end up bonded to you. You are lying to them right now, Kat. False pretenses, and all that.
"Oh, I'm sure she is clever indeed, our Prize." He leaned down to whisper in my ear, the faint hint of a lisp tinting his words, reminding me of his long, delicate fangs. "She sent you, after all."
I tried not to tense up. Not to panic. Adder was pretty clever himself…I could sense it in the way he watched everything around him, quietly measuring, studying. He drew his nose along the side of my neck, making me shudder with his boldness before he whispered in my ear again. "Do you know what I think, my lady? I think—"
My breath came short as panic rose in me. But I never got to hear what he thought. Because Adder suddenly released me and gripped his head, giving a little groan. "I think I've had a bit too much to drink," he mumbled. Straightening, he shook his head repeatedly, as if to clear it. When he looked at me again, his dark eyes were a bit unfocused. "What was I saying?"
Moonloving fuck. I scrambled to muster my resolve and keep it together. "Um. I don't know. But you're right, you don't look so well. Maybe you should call it a night, Lord Adder."
He frowned, but seemed to accept my words, taking my hand, and leading me back to my guards. "I apologize," he said stiffly. "I'm afraid I've embarrassed myself by overindulging. Have a good night, miss Rina. Thank you for the dance."
Adder took his leave, and the others followed, all of them sleepy and spent from a night of revelry. I said my own goodbyes and turned to leave, my head spinning. "Fucking hell," I muttered to myself. Adder knew who I was. Or at least, he had known. For a second there. Before the queen's spell wiped the thought from his mind.
I needed to speak with the queen. Because I was terrified that she had just melted Adder's brain. Source around us, I hoped there was no lasting damage! I almost rushed back there and told them all the truth myself. But I knew better. That might result in us all having our brains scrambled.
Queen Iris was serious about her games. And she didn't take well to being disobeyed.
Still, this was the last time I would see Raven team until the tournament was over. They would announce the final challenge tomorrow, and it was a task that would take the teams off on a quest for a longer stretch of time. I wouldn't be able to check in on them every day. I could only watch from the sidelines and pray that they did well. My head hurt, and my heart was heavy. I couldn't just walk away like this.
With a muttered word to Currant, I turned and jogged toward the departing men. I caught the back of Bach's shirt, surprising him as I dragged him to a halt. When the others turned to see where he was, I waved them off with a smile.
Once the other three were out of earshot, I opened my mouth and…cheated. Damn it, Raven team had to win. I refused to accept any other outcome. "The final challenge tomorrow," I blurted out in a rushed whisper. "You'll need all the survival tools you can gather—nature survival, camping, that sort of thing. And you need to complete your challenge before the wild moon. The whole thing is set up to make things more difficult if you get caught out in the woods under its influence."
My guards were hot on my heels, and I reached out and squeezed Bach's big hands before my escorts could catch up. "Good luck!"
Then I left him standing there, looking bemused, while I returned to my guards.
I hoped it was enough to keep them in the running.
I hoped Adder's brain wasn't scrambled permanently.
I hoped I hadn't just ruined everything.
And I hoped like hell that I didn't end up bonded to Lion team when the queen caught me trying to nudge the Game of Hearts in a certain direction. But I supposed only time would tell.
Chapter 24
The last challenge of the tournament was upon us faster than I thought possible, and yet, it felt like it had been ages since I left Larkwood, rather than a little over one action-packed month. I wanted to get back to my comfortable, quiet home. I missed the interactions I had with the residents of the place I had stewardship over. I missed my work, and my play, and the feeling of home.
But I was afraid that when I did finally return home, all of that would be changed. Larkwood would suddenly grow into a thriving part of the kingdom, and my home would no longer be just my home. It would also be home to a handful of men who, all things considered, I barely knew. I had a feeling my comfortable, quiet way of life was about to disappear forever.
However, I had a duty to my people. The people of my hometown of Mistvale, and all of Larkwood. I was their steward, the voice of the king and queen. I took their trust in me seriously. Whatever changes came my way, I would handle them the way my father and both my mothers had raised me to, with dignity and level-headedness.
Still, I was unsettled as I rode out of Brightfall and toward the Untamed Wood, where the final challenge would take place. I knew in my soul exactly who I wanted to win this silly tournament, but I feared my choice in the matter might be overruled if things didn't go well. Or if the men of Raven team didn't meet whatever goals the king and queen of Elfhaven clearly had in mind.
I knew I was caught up in some kind of political machination. It was just the way things were. The king and queen could be frustratingly mysterious about things sometimes. I trusted Ama's parents to take my best interests into consideration and lookout for my welfare along with whatever other schemes they were involved in. I just didn't know if what they thought was best for me would match up with my own thoughts on the matter.
Sighing, I let Balefire have his head as I watched the dense, impenetrable ancient growth of the Untamed Wood draw near. There were plenty of ominous tales about the sacred forest on the outskirts of the capital, but most of them were blown out of proportion. While there were dangers to be found there, just as in any other truly wild place. But you could avoid most of those dangers if you honored the nature spirits who called the forest their home.
All the small, powerful, and sometimes mercurial things that humans called "fairies" tended to gather in the ancient wild places, away from the people-shaped fae and the magicless humans who shared our kingdom. Some humans couldn't even see the wee folk, as they called them when they lumped all the not-so-human looking magical beings together—though most were by no means small. But even the completely magic-blind among the humans could feel them, could sense the age and disposition of the creatures who lurked just beyond where their eyes could reach. No, they weren't inherently dangerous, but it paid to tread with a certain measure of caution and respect while you were in their home.
