Chapter 10
ISI
Iwoke as dawn smoldered on the horizon, to Nia banging on the door and shouting in the distance. “Get up. Get dressed! Breakfast and then the trials.”
Turning, my face brushed against something that sent me reeling back and rising onto my elbow.
A set of black leather clothing lay beside my pillow.
Soft, yet strong appearing. Well-stitched and supple.
They had to have been crafted by a master.
No scratches or scrapes; they clearly hadn’t been worn.
Boots that looked like they’d been crafted specifically for my feet sat on the floor beside my bed.
Addie’s pendant had been tucked into one of the tunic’s pockets, the chain, now repaired and whole, dangling out, laying across the leather fabric.
“Who…?” I didn’t finish the thought.
Someone had been watching me very carefully.
Sitting, I tugged the pendant from the pocket, and brushed away a few tears as I secured it around my neck. I’d felt the loss of it, as if my only connection to my little sister was gone forever.
Not any longer.
Next, I directed my attention to the clothing, lying back on the bed to study it further.
The leather felt feather-soft under my fingertips, and it smelled faintly like cedar and him, that wild, mysterious scent that made my pulse race and my magic stir beneath my skin.
He’d chosen this for me. The intimacy of it stole my breath. This wasn’t just armor, it was a claim. A mark of ownership that said I belonged to him, whether I wanted to or not. And the fates help me, part of me did want to.
I pressed the leather to my nose and breathed him in.
I was so fucked.
Slipping from the bed, I tucked the garments against my chest. I strode out into the hall, finding it empty except for a dark stain on the stones.
After bathing and drying, I stood naked, staring at the outfit lying on the wooden bench.
The leather slid across my skin like a caress, and I shifted it into place over my undergarments. It fastened with enough snugness I could move fluidly, yet it wasn’t so tight that it would rub. As if it had been crafted specifically for my body.
Every curve, every angle, every measurement was perfect. The way it hugged my waist, the exact length of the sleeves, the precise fit across my shoulders and chest.
Trew had been studying me, learning the dimensions of my body. And somehow, he’d commissioned this gear to fit me like a second skin.
Or magicked. I was beginning to see that there might be no boundaries to what magic could do.
And I’d yet to hear anyone talk about madness or humanely killing someone to keep them from running rampant.
This was feeding my traitorous suspicion that maybe there was a different reason to murder those who showed special abilities.
I gasped at my audacity and peered around the bathroom as if someone would storm toward me with a cup of tainted wine in their hand. But the other women appeared too busy getting ready themselves to pay any attention to me.
The leather had been reinforced, making it as strong as armor.
I didn’t like not knowing what I was facing, and for one second, I considered fleeing. I could hurry back to my secure little world and tell myself selecting my next gown or which high lord might make the best marriage match were my only priorities.
But then I’d never discover what happened to Addie or the children from my court.
No, I was going to get through this trial and if they made me, I’d bond with whatever was thrust at me. Then I’d be allowed to stay here long enough to tear this place down.
The boots fit perfectly too, molding to my feet. After tightening the fastenings, I straightened and took a few steps, marveling at how the leather moved with me without chafing.
I caught my reflection in the mirror and barely recognized myself. Gone was the princess in silken gowns and one mask or another.
This woman looked dangerous. Capable. Like someone who could survive whatever might be coming next.
Lexie exited one of the bathroom stalls, her gaze sliding up and down my body. “Where’d you get that?” She sidled closer and gave me a slow once-over, whistling low. “You look like a walking threat and a very expensive problem.”
“I—”
“You didn’t bring that with you. No one with elite training leathers like that would choose to travel in a tunic and pants that are so big on her, she’s tripping and stabbing our king.”
“I purchased these before I got here and kept them safe in my bag, knowing I’d need them for the trial.” The lies were coming from me quite smoothly now, and a twinge of guilt shot through me. I didn’t like being dishonest with my friend.
“I see.” She frowned but didn’t push.
As for my guilt, I wasn’t here to make lasting relationships. I was here for answers. For justice and revenge. I couldn’t afford to be distracted by her or perfectly fitting leather or the man who’d known exactly how to clothe my body.
Anyone here could’ve killed my sister, including him.
The thought had occurred to me before I’d arrived, but I’d let it slide away while gazing into his pretty golden eyes.
I yanked on my tunic, the leather suffocating against my skin, and forced myself to breathe, to think strategically.
I needed to pass this trial, whatever it was.
If I failed, I’d be expelled from Syllavar.
And I’d proven my too-large clothing was a hindrance, not an asset.
This leather outfit could make the difference.
I’d use this gift to my advantage.
My resolve thickened. I would lie when I needed to. Make friends because I’d have a better chance of surviving if I had allies. And shove my weak, guilty twinges down deep, where they belonged.
And as for Trew?
He was my enemy, no matter how gorgeous his eyes were or how drool-worthy his muscular body was.
Nia guided us to breakfast, which was a rushed affair—bread, cheese, and fruit that tasted decent enough. Nervous energy crackled around our table. Derren kept flexing his fingers, Lexie braided and rebraided a section of her hair, and Fara fidgeted with her silverware.
I forced myself to eat, knowing I’d need every bit of strength for whatever came next. The leather gear felt like a second skin now. I couldn’t ignore how perfectly it fit.
“Finished?” Malcolm called out from where he stood on the platform, his gaze scanning only our section of the room.
Cheers echoed from those who’d been through this, the ones with various small creatures sitting beside their plates on the table, soaring above, or roosting on their shoulders or by their feet.
“All recruits to the great hall,” Malcolm added. “Don’t dawdle or we’ll leave you behind.”
“And boot you out,” someone shouted.
My stomach dropped, but I rose with the others, following the stream back to where this had all begun yesterday, Nia leading our group.
Bryson fell into step behind us in his fatherly way, guarding the rear from threats.
Last night, he’d proudly announced that he’d recently turned fifty.
I couldn’t imagine coming here at that age.
He’d told us he’d retired from the kingdom’s guard and after his wife died, he’d decided to try a new career.
As part of the guard, he must know something about the trial, but this wasn’t the place to ask him.
The hall felt different now, charged with anticipation and fear.
“We’ll be fine,” I said to Lexie beside me, even though my chest had tightened to the point it ached.
The rest of the recruits filed into the room, their boots echoing off stone.
Malcolm strode over to the center, urging us to spread out in front of him. His little ferret peeped from where it stood near his boots, giving its own directions.
Kira entered and leaned against the wall behind him, watching with a sneer on her pretty face.
Her red hair fell like a waterfall of blood down her back, and her pale skin glowed in the morning light streaming through the windows.
The death adder now rode around her throat, of all places, and lifted its head and flicked its tongue out to taste the air.
Kira’s gaze trapped mine from across the room, and her slick smile quirked upward.
Whatever game was being played between her and the king, I suspected I’d been branded as her rival.
“Today, you will enter the Rite of Bonds.” Malcolm’s voice rang out across the hall, and I dragged my attention away from Kira.
“Every bonded warrior in this court has walked this path. Your king, your commanders, each person with true power in Syllavar has faced the challenge you’re about to take on. ”
His ferret chittered, and Malcolm sent it a sweet smile before his head lifted, his gaze narrowing again on us.
“This isn’t a test,” he said. “And it’s not a game.
Some call it a doorway. You either walk through it transformed, or you don’t walk through it at all.
” He paused, letting that sink in. “Some of you will not make it through. Accept that now or leave. A ferryman will happily take you to the distant shore, and you can make your way through the world with your limited magic.”
No one moved.
Trew emerged from an archway, taking a position along the wall where he could observe everything. Kira’s weighty focus finally left me, sliding over to him.
When I met his gaze, a spark passed between us, a warning that whatever burned between us could leave scars.
My pulse thundered in my throat.
His eyes darkened as they swept over me in the leather he’d chosen, and his jaw clenched as if he was fighting not to cross the room and put his hands on me.
I suspected he wanted to touch me. Wanted to see if the leather felt as good as it looked hugging my curves. The thought made my knees weaken and my magic flare, responding to the heat building between us like kindling to flame.
His lips curved in that devastating half-smile, a dangerous acknowledgment that neither of us was safe from what burned between us.