Chapter 24
M y room had turned into a revolving door.
Visits from Elisabeth, Kalliah, and Ian were continuous, and beyond them, my father finally had his way and came to see me. When he entered, I instantly became more concerned about his appearance than my own.
“Are you okay?” I asked, failing to hide the worry in my voice. His beard was scruffy, not trimmed to perfection like normal, and he’d lost weight. A significant amount. His robes hung off his body, two sizes too big now. His face appeared gaunt, and the dark circles beneath his eyes made it seem like he had been in a fight.
Despite his appearance, he still smiled at me like I provided his endless source of happiness. “Are you saying I look poorly, my heart?”
I chuckled, shaking my head.
“I’m more concerned with you. You’ve been in bed for days.”
“I’m much better. I promise. Thank you for allowing me some time to rest.” Guilt clawed at my gut for lying so blatantly to his face, but I’d get over it. I had to.
“The second trial is set for this afternoon. You’ll be okay, yes?” he asked.
His eyes were trained on me, looking for something. Hesitation, perhaps. However, the manner in which he asked made me think it wasn’t necessarily a question and more of a notice to be prepared.
“I’ll be ready.”
A knock sounded on my door. “Oh, for fate’s sake,” I muttered under my breath.
My father chuckled, rising and moving to the head of my bed. I had propped myself up to read so he didn’t have far to lean down to offer me a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”
Ian walked in as the king was leaving. He bowed, as he always did. Ruppert grumbled loudly in the hall about the number of visitors.
“There is no need to bow and treat me as King in these chambers, Ian my boy.” The King clasped my friend’s shoulders. “You look more like your father every day.”
Ian’s back straightened, his posture impeccable, despite the king’s insistence at casualty. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The king tsked. His face fell, and he had yet to remove his hand from Ian. “I miss him. Especially during tedious Court gatherings. He made things far more bearable.” His eyes teared before he quickly blinked them away. “Much like I’ve seen you do for Lana.”
I knew my father had plenty of private conversations with Ian, and I wasn't privy to knowing how many had been about his own father. Witnessing the exchange firsthand, though, twisted something in my stomach. The concern from earlier ate at me even further. My father addressed Ian as though he wanted to ensure he told him his feelings, before he no longer had time.
Which meant whatever plagued him wasn’t getting better.
Ian watched him go with longing in his gaze, as though he wanted to know more.
“That was sweet,” I said.
Ian smiled. “He talked about my father more when I was a child, but it's been a while. Hearing that from him meant so much.” He sighed.
Holding out my hand, I motioned Ian to move close to me. Leaning on him for support, I rose from bed.
Kalliah’s scoff sounded from the doorway. “You’ve barely left your bed since your return. How are we going to pull off sitting through a trial?”
“I’m much better, I swear. I woke up this morning feeling nearly back to normal. Stop fussing.”
Ian let go of me, as if he wanted to test what I said, and I surprised them both by not only remaining standing, but also tilting my hip, pressing a hand on it, and sticking my tongue out at both of them. “Overbearing friends. Both of you.”
“Don’t you have a trial to prepare for?” I asked Ian.
He nodded, running his fingers along the side of his cheek. “Yes, I don’t have long, and there are two things we need to talk about.”
“Go on.” I waited for his big revelation.
“First. No more Hidden Henchman activities. After what happened to you, and everything going on with the trials, it’s too much. Once this is over, we will figure out how to start again. It’s not worth the risk over the next few weeks.”
As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. The risks were too great at this point. Especially since he, Leif, and Corbin would be in danger continuing Hidden Henchman activities, too.
I conceded. “I have to agree with you, for now. But the moment these trials are over, we return to our plans to help our people.”
Kalliah clapped her hands in agreement, giving me an incredulous glare while Ian took a moment and assessed my seriousness. “We’ll discuss it again after the trials. Now, more importantly, I have news to report.”
“News?” I frowned, unsure what information we had been expecting and didn’t have.
“I did some additional digging into Kade and Storm. After Leif and Corbin came up short, I used some of my contacts as Captain of the Royal Guard to inquire further.”
A deep crease between his eyebrows told me something hadn’t panned out.
My eyes widened in expectation. “And?”
“Nothing.” His face was expressionless.
I stiffened. “What do you mean nothing? There has to be something. ”
“I mean, there is no record of a Kade Blackthorn or ‘Storm’ anywhere in our lands,” Ian said. “Nobody knows who they are or where they came from. It’s like they appeared out of nowhere.”
I threw my hands up in the air. “So now what do we do? They know too much about us, about me. Do we just throw all of it away because our shoddy records aren’t up to date?”
“They have given us no real reason not to trust them. Storm especially feels genuine with his intentions, but I think we need to proceed with caution. You, especially.” He gave me his “judgmental Captain” look, pursed lips, with a cocked eyebrow, as if he dared me to argue. “I see how you and Kade look at each other.”
“Wha—”
Ian threw up his hand toward me. “Stop, don’t even try to deny it. Or deny it all you want, but I know what I’ve seen. We’ve been friends far too long and I know all of your tells.”
Kalliah chimed in from the back of the room, “It’s true, Lana. There is clearly something going on between the two of you, whether you want to believe it or not.”
I eased myself into the nearest armchair. “I don’t know what you are talking about.” I couldn’t prevent my foot from tapping nervously on the floor.
Ian and Kalliah exchanged an exasperated glance, and they shook their heads in defeat.
“I need to go get ready for the trials, Lan. Please be careful, and please don't push yourself. This is all for nothing if you aren't here with us, in one piece.” He walked over and pressed a kiss to my cheek before leaving my chambers for good.
An hour later, I finished dressing, ready for the second trial. My skin had been scrubbed raw, removing the distinct odor of bed rot I developed over the last few days fighting for my life. My hair had been brushed and curled into soft waves. A small, jewel-encrusted pin held back one side of it. It glittered in the sun, beaming through the pavilion of the arena.
I wore a satin, aquamarine A-line dress, equipped with hidden pockets and a slit up the leg. Just how I liked it. It made it easy to move at a moment's notice and concealed my dagger. Considering everything that happened recently, I refused to take any chances and be unarmed.
In the pavilion sat Andras, Vivienne, and Elisabeth, along with the other royal advisers, and Ruppert. After speaking with my father briefly, Elisabeth approached and gave me a quick hug and a once-over before exiting out the back to prepare her workstation should anything happen to one of the contenders. The small satchel around her hips made a clinking noise, and I smiled at the idea of the mini arsenal of magical medicine she carried with her. She saved me more times than I could count, and after this had passed, and my father recovered, I would find a way to repay her for her years of generosity and friendship.
I wrung my hands together as I sat in my seat, the last to arrive. My nerves were shot to hell between what happened on the road and worrying about what to expect in the second trial. We’d already lost one contender, what could possibly be in store today?
As if sensing my anxiety, Lucien jumped onto my lap. Although it made me smile, I knew he couldn’t stay. “Don’t you get too comfortable. You’ll singe my dress, or worse, rip it to shreds if you get excited.”
He opened his mouth, tongue hanging out, panting in the summer heat.
Andras said something to one of the advisers, and Lucien’s head whipped around. Growling, he jumped from my lap and disappeared behind me. He hated that man as much as I did.
My gaze swept across the field. Shock didn’t begin to cover the sight before me. What had been a basic setup of tables and archways in the first trials, now seemed to be an entirely different stadium.
The arena had been transformed into an obstacle course, which included a forest, ponds, and brush. The entrance tunnel opened to a sandpit, with a variety of sharp- and dangerous-looking items spread throughout. They were scattered both on top of the sand, making it appear impossible to cross in some places, and above the sand, making it worse to stand all the way up. Past the sand traps sat a tiered smattering of wood, which rose higher until leading to the platform of a long bridge. The bridge consisted of two narrow walkways, only big enough for one contender at a time, leading to a forest area with plenty of open space for quick, short fights. Beyond the forest were a few ropes suspended in the air with magic, leading the contenders to a small, revolving platform, until finally another smaller bridge led over a small reservoir of water to a grassy area with a wall to climb right before the finish line.
Somehow the Earth Fae had outdone themselves even more and managed to lower the arena into the ground, so the audience had a relatively unobstructed view into the entire trial field below.
I’d never seen anything like it before. What they had been able to accomplish in the last two weeks between trials was nothing short of amazing.
It may be a death trap of an obstacle course, but one of remarkable ingenuity when thinking about the magic it took to create.
The king raised his hand, signaling two guards inside the arena. They parted to either side of the entryway tunnel into the stadium, and the contenders filed into the arena, all donning battle armor. Sweat beaded on my neck as the sun shone directly onto my back. The breeze my father would have normally conjured was noticeably absent. Before I had time to worry about why he wasn’t using magic, which should have come as second nature to him, he spoke.
“Welcome, friends, to the second marriage trial.” His voice, while amplified, didn't seem nearly as loud as before.
The crowd in the arena burst into applause and whooped out a loud chorus of welcoming roars.
My father put up his hands and the crowd quieted once more. “I am pleased to see so many loyal subjects here to witness today’s events. Today our contenders will demonstrate their physical agility and bravery, along with their magical abilities, as they make their way through the obstacle course set up before you in the arena.
“Contenders! Be prepared, for only the most agile of you and skilled with your magical abilities, will be able to complete the course behind you. The top three contenders will take Princess Illiana on a one-hour date at a place of your choosing.”
The crowd erupted into more cheers, excited at the notion of the contenders courting me.
My father had to stop and regain his balance. His subtle grip on the arm of his throne would only be noticed by those of us here in the pavilion. My heart broke. Had he become so weak, even speaking for this short amount of time caused him to stumble?
Vivienne stood and joined my father at the front of the dais and requested to speak.
“Some fates know what others do not. May speed and magic guide you home.” She smiled down at the contenders.
Her words were short for a change, and somewhat more understandable than usual. If home meant the finish line at least.
The audience clapped along with my father, everyone ready for the second trial to begin. Anticipation hung in the air, identical to a thick humidity on the late days of summer.
“Contenders, take your places on the starting line,” the king exclaimed as the contenders moved from the tunnel’s exit to the marked white line on the arena floor. “You have one hour to complete the course. Fail to complete the course within the allotted time, and you will be eliminated.”
With a wave of his hand, an hourglass appeared, hovering above the arena for all to see. Roses and blooms coiled along the handles in a spectacular display of elegance.
“Unlike in the first trial, you may use whatever special abilities or magic you possess. Show us your magical strength! Be strong, be brave, and be smart. Prove to me you are worthy of sitting in this chair! May nature guide you!”
A loud clang of bells behind me caught me off guard as I jumped out of my chair. The second trial officially began.
From behind, Andras curled his hands around my shoulders, knowing he scared me, enjoying every moment of it. “Apologies, Princess.”
I jerked forward, out of his grasp, not caring how others could perceive it. The slimy man usually refrained from touching me at all, and I refused to let him think it acceptable to do so now.
I focused my gaze on the arena as the contenders ran onto the course. Kade’s eyes met my own, and he winked before running off after the others. This time my heart was torn with annoyance at his arrogance, and the sexiness of his confidence.
I heard my mother’s voice. “Are you all right, my King?” She rubbed his arm.
“Yes, yes, just tired, that’s all,” he replied sweetly to her worry. “Come, let’s see what our exceptional Earth Fae have concocted for our contenders today.”
Ian shifted and flew over and under the sand pit traps with such ease that when he shifted back into his Fae form on the other side, he gave a shrug toward me like he had nothing to worry about. He could fly over the entire course, but it wouldn’t have been his style. He’d like to show off his agility too much. Women in the crowd cheered his name, practically falling over themselves in some areas of the stands.
My deep belly laugh earned a sharp glare from a few guards around us. At least I knew if he didn’t win this, he’d have the undying devotion of his fan club to fall back on.
A loud bang sounded, and I watched in awe as Ryland flicked his hand forward toward a large, sharp wheel-shaped object in the sandpit, and it exploded. Shock rippled through the stadium as he did the same with two other pieces in front of him, blasting his way through the pit’s obstacles while also clearing a path for those behind him.
Blast magic.
Hale bounded across the mismatched wood pillars, and I gasped as he moved discarded debris to form a pathway for himself to get to the narrow bridges, making it seem like nothing at all. He had simply created a bridge for himself.
Summoner magic.
I had known what his abilities were, of course, but observing him construct a bridge mid-jump proved more exciting than lifting his fork without holding it at the dinners we’d attended together.
The crowd’s entertainment was obvious as laughter and cheering echoed throughout the arena. I had to admit, seeing everyone make the course look simple slightly eased my worries and concerns.
Ian approached the wooded area when he froze, his head whipping around as if he’d heard something. Lord West came up behind him, lunging forward, but Ian shifted and avoided him, flying sideways.
A flash of white darted from somewhere within the forest, knocking into Ian’s hawk form, sending him flying into a tree and shifting back.
I screamed, standing from my seat as the white blur solidified.
A razorven.
Jerking my head toward my father, I asked, “What are you thinking?”
The king’s frown turned grave. My mother reached for his arm, and they whispered amongst one another.
Ian kicked the beast off of him, unsheathing his sword. Before he could move again, Lord West approached next to him. Thankfully, two of them could likely fight off the razorven with no issue. But Lord West grabbed Ian, taking him completely by surprise and spinning him, pressing him to the ground.
“Ian!” I shouted, leaning over the dais.
They were arguing while the razorven stalked closer, its slit tongue licking over its rounded snout. Lord West shoved Ian down again and then jumped up, shifting into Ian’s hawk.
My mouth hung open, and when Ian rose, he shook his head in a daze.
Lord West was a siphon and he’d just drained Ian’s magic. For how long, I didn’t know.
“Ian, run ,” I tried shouting again, not knowing if he could hear my voice over the crowds.
The razorven approached him now, head lowered, prepared to pounce. Ian swayed, still regaining his composure, but he gripped his sword, holding it tightly.
Black, inky shadows crept near Ian’s feet as the beast leapt in the air toward my best friend.
Ian’s body jerked to the side, blackness surrounding him, before he reappeared next to Kade.
I sighed with relief. This time Ian held his sword steady as he and Kade faced off against the razorven.
Fates, how had a creature so dangerous gotten in?
Hale sprinted up to the pair, having been only shortly behind them, but when he slowed, appearing conflicted about helping Ian and Kade, Ian made the choice for him.
“Go,” Ian directed him. “Keep going.”
His head swiveled between the men and the razorven. Ultimately, he listened to Ian and continued running.
A pit formed in my stomach, growing stronger with each passing moment as I watched Kade and Ian’s battle against the wild creature with no business being on palace grounds.
A prickle on the back of my neck added to the rising unease.
Kade’s shadows rose, wrapping around the beast and finally holding him in place, while Ian plunged his sword into the razorven’s chest.
A monstrous howl came from the animal before it crashed to the ground with a mighty thud .
Relief should have been the only emotion coursing through me, and yet the pit growing in my gut didn’t dissipate, even though their fight had ended in triumph.
Andras shifted in his seat on the other side of my mother, leaning forward and watching the arena with rapt attention. Too much attention. In fact, he seemed to be teeming with excitement, a rarity if someone wasn’t being tortured. Perhaps he delighted in setting my nerves on fire. Nothing good could happen when Andras felt happy.
When my father and my mother’s eyes widened, I jerked my attention back to the field. A skirmish had broken out between two more contenders. Edmund and Frederich were locked in a one-on-one battle.
Frederich angered many, but Edmund had been so reserved, I couldn’t imagine what would have set him off. Or what could have happened to make those two feel the need to fight in the middle of the trials? Edmund’s movements were rigid yet wild, and stronger than they should be. In fact, I would have sworn he had mid-level magic at most with how he acted and carried himself. Yet, he wielded some sort of power that frightened Frederich immensely. A prickling sensation crawled up my skin. The magic here didn’t feel right.
In fact, the longer I sat and observed, the more I realized this entire thing didn’t feel right.
The two of them had made it up the wooden platforms and onto the narrow bridge. Frederich stepped out backward onto it, and Edmund pursued.
My heart beat erratically. The only time I had sensed this hum of energy before, occurred when we’d been around the dark ones.
But we weren’t at the borders. We were safe inside the walls of Ellevail, and Edmund had previously been fine.
Now, the mediocre contestant had overpowered Frederich, moving him backward across the narrow bridge at a harrowing pace.
I thought the obstacle course may have some fighting involved, but this far exceeded my expectations. If someone didn’t stop this battle, one of them would be seriously hurt. Frederich backed himself down the path and tripped at the platform, falling onto his back as he inched toward the forested part of the course.
The crowds’ cheers had quieted, an eerie silence descending as we all watched the duel unfold.
“What are you doing? Stop attacking me,” Frederich screamed at Edmund, desperation in his tone. His pudgy body scooted backward, unable to gather himself. He rolled forward into a sitting position, flinging his hand out toward Edmund. The gust of wind ruffled Edmund’s hair, but it didn’t deter him.
In fact, the entire time Frederich continued flinging his hands outward, Edmund dodged the attacks with apparent ease. It was as though he could detect what was coming, or perhaps Frederich no longer possessed the strength to put up any sort of fight.
This felt wrong.
“Father,” I said, fear clouding my voice. My eyes widened, before I could say another word, as Fredrich screamed.
Blood flowed profusely from his nose, and he frantically tried to wipe it away, soaking the sleeve of his tunic.
Frederich rolled over, facing us and reaching toward the dais. Blood dripped from his ears. His panicked expression frightened me.
“ Help ,” he screamed toward us. “Help me!”
With glazed eyes, Edmund stared at Frederich, waving his arms wildly, as more and more blood flowed from every part of Frederich’s face.
Ian stopped running and his gaze flicked toward me. I stared at him in horror, gesturing behind him, shaking my head, not knowing how to communicate something was very wrong. He stopped and turned to see what everyone was looking at.
Another scream sounded.
With a few motions of his arms, Edmund appeared to be sucking the very life out of Frederich. The portly man clutched his neck, gasping for air. “ Help ,” he tried to scream again, but it came out garbled.
Frederich had backed himself into a tree, stopping any further retreat. He clawed at his throat as Edmund continued toward him.
“We need to stop him,” I whispered, so stunned by what happened in the arena, I had trouble steadying my breath.
With one last gasp of air, Frederich’s eyes bulged even further from their sockets, his head fell to the side. Edmund drew a sword and sliced forward, stabbing the already-dead Frederich.
Blood. So much blood. I clutched my stomach, wrapping my arms around me to steady my shaking. Although Frederich’s lifeless body slumped over, his blood continued to trickle around the tree he was propped against.
Screams echoed amongst the audience, some Fae standing, searching for an escape route.
Before I could even comprehend the catastrophe, Ian screamed, “Kade!”
No, not him, too.
Kade stopped just prior to the final climbing wall and turned to find Ian frantically waving at him to come back.
What were they doing?
As they ran in the opposite direction of the finish line, I knew. They were too damned honorable. We all had come to the same conclusion.
Edmund had been overtaken by the darkness.
Now every contender was in danger. And so was everyone else if he escaped the arena. Ian wouldn’t let it stand, and I knew Kade wouldn’t, either.
They’d put themselves in harm’s way to protect the people of Brookmere, instead of finishing the trial. Which meant this couldn’t go on.
I turned to my parents. “Stop the trials! Another contender is dead, you have to stop this!”
Andras answered as the color drained from my father’s face. “The trials stop for nothing. Not even death.” A sly smile formed across his face as my breathing stopped.
A dark thought clicked inside of me. The excitement on his face, the joy. He knew. Somehow, he knew this was going to happen. Or at the very least, he didn’t care.
Just as the childhood version of me knew this man was evil then, I wondered how much more evil he had become since those years in the dungeons. I wondered if Edmund wasn't the only person who had darkness inside of him.