Chapter Thirty-Three
Isomehow managed to make it to the edge of the arena. Bracing myself against the chilly, unyielding stone, I let go of all thoughts except for the sensation of its rough texture against my forehead. My gods. Atreus is here.
Grateful for the fact I thought to wear the ash choker, my hands lifted to my neck. The stolen mana raged in my veins like a trapped stallion bucking for release, but the dangling serpent charm, thankfully, kept it tethered. Bile rose in my throat, acrid and burning as I struggled to decide what to do next. How would I use this power to save Balis if Atreus watched my every move?
I retched onto the ground once, twice, then rested my forehead against the cool stone, waiting for my senses to steady.
When the strength finally found me, I made my way through the massive iron and wood doors and took my first shocked look around at the arena. It was a colosseum. A colosseum built into the center of an open mountain. Sunlight poured from above as the crowd gathered in the stands. Eurok’s words rang true. The entire city seemed to have converged upon this place.
An attendant pointed me in the direction I needed to go, and I spotted Eurok and Sidelle near the front. With her hand wrapped around the staff, the witch scanned the crowd. When she found me, it wasn’t anger in that onyx gaze, but tenderness. She must not have noticed the crack.
“I’m glad you made it. We saved you a seat,” she said, gesturing with her elegant fingers to the place beside her.
I flashed Eurok a hard glare, which he blatantly ignored. Arrogance. So much fucking arrogance. My nerves writhed like a coiled ball of snakes as I sat.
We sat in the front row, directly across the arena from a set of metal doors. We were dead center for the events that would unfold below.
Beneath me, the seat was smooth, meticulously carved rock, each row chiseled further and further back into the mountain as they rose. Balconies had been carved into the shaft above, rising until the mountain reached its peak where the sun’s golden morning glow illuminated the sandy arena where The Aupex Proving Games would take place.
I chewed on my bottom lip, nerves jittery as I debated whether to reveal Atreus’ presence. But I couldn’t risk their reaction. The last thing I wanted was to leave, and it’s possible they’d try to make me. My heart raced with determination as I clenched my fists, eyes locked on the arena ahead. Balis needs me.
I mulled over the possibility that this was a mistake, yet the boiling mana coursing through my veins served as a stark reminder of the rationale behind my decision. If my power truly benefited the kingdom, I couldn’t stand by while Balis died because I was too afraid to use it. I had to try. Mana is all about intention.
My mind fixated on Balis’ impending doom, overshadowing all other thoughts. War drums began to thunder from opposite ends of the arena. The reverberations echoed through my body and the mountain, their ominous rhythm setting the stage for the looming conflict. The crowd came alive at the sound, and Sidelle placed a gentle hand on my knee. I glanced at her delicate lilac hands before meeting her gaze.
“Everything that happens today unfolds according to divine will, without exception. We have to trust it to end as the gods see fit.”
She spoke as if she read my intentions. That couldn’t be true, though, or she’d have never let me stay.
The two massive doors swung open across from us, revealing the first druids poised to enter. My heart quickened, its rhythm rivaling the pulse of drums.
The tempo grew more intense as the warriors filed forward, entering the open sandy arena in two lines side by side. Once the front pair, whom I recognized as Phaegen and Jacolb of the dark clan, reached the center of the arena, they made sharp turns away from one another, pacing in opposite directions. Each of the druids replicated the action in perfect unison, halting at different points to form a wide, v-shaped pattern. And standing at that apex, looking me straight in the eye, was Balis.
My breath caught, and my throat stung. I held his stare, refusing to give in to the emotions attempting to claw their way to the surface.
The thundering drums ceased. Sidelle’s hand still sat on my knee, and I shifted under the touch, remembering that Atreus might be watching.
Movement from above caught my eye as a falcon flew from the mountain shaft and perched on the lowest of the balcony railings as if arriving for the show.
I found Balis’ eyes again and gave a single slow nod—the only acknowledgment I could manage without my emotions breaching. He flashed a charming grin, showcasing the dimple in his chin, though I was too far to see it. My heart fluttered and my stomach sank.
A lean druid, with skin similar to my fair complexion, spoke from a platform above. The contestants pivoted to direct their attention toward him, their backs now to us.
The games were about to begin.