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“I … can’t,” Moire answered. “This is wrong.”
What the fuck was going on?
Chapter Nineteen
Iheld my breath, afraid if I breathed too loudly, Curry would hear me. Moire, feeling uncomfortable with his request, spoke volumes. He was up to no good.
My lungs screamed, but I tried to ignore their need for air as I tiptoed to the edge of the stairs, close enough so I could see over the banister.
Four heads came into view. Two I was familiar with, and the other two were the Summer Fae women in the tournament—the very two competitors who hadn’t bothered talking to me except on the first night when I’d answered questions about the human realm.
The woman with long, pale-pink hair ran a hand through it. “Curry’s right, Moire. She may look like Alina, but she’s not. She has the mannerisms of a wild beast. Look how she tromps around in those heels, and she even saved a Winter fae in the trial! Something is wrong with her!”
Tromps? I crossed my arms, the urge to confront her over that comment making me move another step forward. I’d been working hard at being more graceful, and I resented her cotton candy head for saying that.
“Let’s not forget the things she says that even a drafty knows about.” The fae with hair similar to sunshine scoffed. “She called King Kieran a coldy to his face. Then had him and Dallas almost fighting over her in front of the queen.”
Hadn’t been here a month and my reputation already preceded me. All my life, I’d tried to be invisible, but one night had changed that. My stomach churned. My own people were ready to turn on me. They didn’t care that I’d been raised on Earth and needed to adjust to life here while fighting for my life. All they saw was that I was different … that I didn’t fit in.
“She hasn’t been here long, and she’s young.” Moire huffed. “This isn’t right.”
“Frozen sakes,” Curry spat, the venom heavy in his voice. “She’s the royal representing us in this tournament, and she’s shamed us all. She needs to go during the next trial before she can make our court look worse, so we need to work together.”
“Then you three will have to do it without me,” Moire snapped back just as strongly. “I won’t team up with you to hurt her. She may be different, but who are you three to decide it’s a bad thing? I’m going inside and joining her at our table. There’s no reason for her to be sitting in there alone.” As she moved to the door, more of her body came into view.
My head went light, and I couldn’t hold my breath any longer. Making sure I didn’t make a loud noise, I slowly filled my lungs, but even as the oxygen hit my bloodstream, I felt off balance. I suspected it had to do with the unexpected loyalty Moire had shown, even when it put her at a disadvantage.
Curry growled, “You better not warn her.” He snagged her arm and jerked her small form toward him. “Promise me you won’t tell her.”
Even though all I could see was the back of his head, Moire quivered visibly. She was scared, and Curry knew it.
“Promise me now.” He pushed, his voice turning more strained.
That asshole needed to learn a lesson, but rushing down there and breaking up their gathering would make them aware that I was listening to them. I glanced behind me, expecting Kieran to appear any moment. Luckily, he was still in his room, but he wouldn’t be for long.
I clenched my hands so tightly that blood pooled under my fingertips. If Curry didn’t remove his hands from Moire, I’d go down there and handle the task myself. No one hurt a friend of mine.
No one.
She just needed to make that promise because I didn’t want her to become a target. I’d much rather they focus on me.
“Fine,” her voice shook. “I promise, but what you’re doing is wrong.”
Though I hated that he’d forced her, my hands loosened now that she’d made the vow.
“Good.” He clapped. “Now let’s all go in and join her. We don’t need to make her more suspicious.”
Moire opened the door, hurrying inside with the three of them hanging outside the door together.
“I told you it was a bad idea to ask her,” the pink-haired woman murmured and shook her head. “She avoided us every time we tried talking to her in the arena, and she tried to wait so we’d go to dinner before her.”
“That’s why we had to grab her.” Curry scowled. “I thought we could pressure her and have a few days to train together. But it doesn’t matter—we know where her loyalty stands.”
Shit. Even her promise hadn’t made a difference. I should’ve known. By not agreeing to team up with them, she’d insulted them, and boy, had I learned how vain all these fae were.
The blonde woman sighed. “We better go in and watch her.”
The three of them walked toward the dining room, and when the doors shut, I exhaled. I had three High Fae competitors teaming up against me. Great. The last trial had kicked my ass enough without anyone directly attacking me. There was no way I would survive the next trial unless my fighting skills drastically improved. My chest tightened, and something that felt like claws dug into my gut.
