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He took a slight step toward me, putting more distance between them. I waited for him to say something since I was the one who was adamant we couldn’t be together while acting jealous of someone trying to talk to him. He didn’t speak, but I could sense his happiness and humor. I kept my gaze forward, refusing to act curious about what was going on with him.
“Your Majesty, I wanted only to wish you the best of winter out there.” Leanna’s voice rose at the end of the sentence, making it sound like a question. His reaction must have concerned or confused her.
Quinley continued. “Bring out the lute to begin the trial.”
Without permission, my eyes cut sideways to see how Kieran responded to Leanna.
“I’ll make sure the right person wins.” He winked.
My blood heated at his flirty response, so I forced my legs to take another step away from him.
The edges of his lips tipped upward. Is something wrong, Alina?
A deep snarl emanated from my chest, something I’d never experienced in this body—my ruthless fae side coming out. Ask one more time, and I’ll make sure the manticore doesn’t get the first blow.
Now that, my love, sounds like you’re trying to seduce me.
My body warmed, clearly disagreeing that we couldn’t be together. The fact we were around a ton of people made it easier to restrain myself. Maybe I’d been foolish to decree that we couldn’t still sleep together, but Ivy wasn’t the only one who thought that way; Alina did as well. Something about our fated-mate connection made the thought of sharing him in any way too painful.
Eamon strummed the lute, the sound like taking a bath in frigid water. My magic thrummed inside me as natural as breathing, and we prepared for the battle ahead.
When the music stopped, the audience went deathly quiet. Everyone stood, all eyes on us with various expressions of excitement.
My skin crawled. Both my old and new memories were disgusted by such acceptance of violence, and I realized maybe the two versions of me weren’t so different overall.
Curry drew his sword, lifted it high, and yelled a battle cry. Then he charged down the stairs, rushing toward the manticores.
The audience went wild as Rowan and the silent man followed him, eagerly racing toward their death. I wanted to roll my eyes, but that wouldn’t change a frozen thing.
The manticore closest to the edge of the forest roared as its head jerked toward the three newcomers. The other nine jolted to attention, and they all flapped their black wings and dove toward them.
“What are you doing?” Quinley turned and glared at the two of us, her gaze landing on Kieran. “Get out there.”
Shall we? Kieran asked and took a step toward the stairs.
We needed to move before the crowd suspected we were too afraid to fight. Let’s get this over with. If I was going to die, I didn’t want to continue dreading it. I wanted to walk with my head held high, not run like the other three, but accept my destiny.
Ladies first, he replied, allowing me to be the first royal in view.
I stepped through the shimmery outline, and the sound of the crowd disappeared. My wings exploded from my back. The manticores were focused on the first three as Curry slipped between two oak trees, Rowan and the silent man a few feet behind. The first manticore swooped down and attacked them.
The hairs on the nape of my neck rose from Kieran’s attention behind me. He was keeping an eye on me as well as on the monsters. He would have to trust me to hold my own. I reached for my dagger.
Three of the manticores peeled off, chasing after Curry, while three prepared to fight Rowan and the other fae. That left four racing right at us.
Use the sword, Kieran commanded. It’ll have more length to stab them with.
I flinched, though I didn’t alter my stride. This wouldn’t go over well. When you said we couldn’t be seen as allies, I left your sword in the room.
His frustration slammed into me like a punch to the gut. He replied, I said that before we completed the bond, Alina.
The oak tree was only a few feet from me, but I pivoted right toward Rowan and the silent man. In the woods, our competitors could use the cover of the trees and their magic to sneak up and attack us, so I didn’t want to chance following the same route.
The sound of wings beating grew closer. I waited for a second, readying for the right time.
Alina, Kieran shouted in my head, making my ears ring. His fear surged through me.
I dropped to my knees, the dirt kicking up around me, and rolled onto my back, swinging my dagger and hoping to stab the manticore in its stomach. The manticore’s claws swiped where I’d been a moment ago, the dirt hiding me enough for it not to counter my move quickly, but my dagger was too short, and I missed its underside.
