Page 24 of Empire of Flame and Thorns

I draw in a shuddering breath as I try to settle the war between my heart and my mind, torn between wanting people to like me and wanting to win. It doesn’t work, so I decide to just block it all out instead.

The first test is today. And regardless of how I found out and the consequences that my actions had, I now know what it is. A demonstration. A simple display of our powers.

A small smile blows across my lips as I leave the dining room behind and start towards my room to plot out how I will show off my magic.

This should be easy.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Bright light from the clear blue sky outside shines in through the large windows and illuminates the massive room around us. The high-ceilinged hall looks to have been some kind of grand reception room, or maybe a fancy meeting chamber, but it’s almost bare now. The only pieces of furniture in the room are two elegant chairs, which have been placed on the slightly raised stone dais along one of the walls. Empress Jessina and Emperor Bane are seated on them.

I study them as they sit there and watch all of us file in through the doors. Because of the way that the chairs are built, neither of them has their wings out. Instead, they are in their human forms. I flick a glance over their bodies. They’re wearing different clothes today, but her dress is still silver in color just like yesterday. And so is his fancy shirt. I briefly wonder which dragons had to carry all of their trunks of clothes and other supplies when they flew here. Probably one of their servants.

Shifting my gaze, I glance at the people standing behind them on the pale stone dais. All the other dragon shifters who flew in yesterday appear to be here as well. The leaders of the eight other dragon clans are spread out across the platform, along with other shifters who must be advisors or soldiers orservants or something, but my eyes immediately go to the man who is standing to the right of the two chairs.

Draven Ryat.

As opposed to the Iceheart monarchs, he is wearing the same clothes as yesterday and he also has his wings out. His imposing black armor seems to swallow all the light around him, and that, combined with his massive black wings, makes him look like a dark storm in the middle of the otherwise bright room.

His dark brows are furrowed, and his eyes are sharp as he scans the room as if he’s searching for something. Or someone.

I stand close to one of the walls so that I’m not right in the middle of the crowd, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to remain unnoticed because everyone else is giving me a wide berth. All the other contestants who are positioning themselves on the floor below the dais are standing relatively close to one another. But not to me. They leave at least five entire strides between me and them when they come to a halt. It makes me stand out like a lone island in a churning sea. I try not to let it bother me, but there is a dull ache in my chest and a rolling nausea in my gut that I can’t entirely block out.

Draven notices that strange formation on my side of the room, and his sharp eyes at last flick in my direction.

Frustration and disapproval flash like lightning in his eyes as he locks them on me. Meeting his furious stare, I just lift my shoulders in an unapologetic shrug. He scowls at me.

A strange burst of laughter threatens to escape my throat. Did he really think that I would just obey him and drop out of the whole Atonement Trials simply because he told me to? Damn, that guy really has an inflated sense of self-importance.

“Silence,” Emperor Bane’s commanding voice suddenly cuts through the room.

The faint murmur from the crowd of contestants and the gathered shifters stops immediately.

“You have all made it inside the walls, but that does not guarantee you a spot in the first trial,” Bane continues, his black eyes sweeping over the gathered fae.

Several people around me shift their weight and some exchange nervous glances.

“Despite your heinous crimes against our people, Jessina and I have generously decided to give you this chance to atone for your sins.” A small smile, full of malice and wicked amusement, plays over his lips as he watches us. “So first, you need to prove to us that you actually deserve to be here.”

“Indeed,” Jessina picks up. “During this first test, you only have one simple objective. To impress us.”

She brushes her long white hair behind her shoulder in a highly impatient move and then flicks her wrist at Imar. The tournament administrator quickly breaks away from the group of dragon shifters and instead positions himself on the floor in front of the raised dais. But he is not facing his monarchs. Instead, his blue eyes are turned towards us.

“The rules are simple,” Empress Jessina continues. “When your name is called, you will approach Imar alone. Then you will show off your power by making him move.”

A ripple goes through the crowd since most people didn’t know about this. But thanks to my sneak interrogation during breakfast, I have known for hours and have been able to plan my strategy already.

“Once you have displayed your power, we will decide whether or not you move on to the actual trials,” Emperor Bane finishes.

On the floor before us, Imar twists slightly and looks up at the Icehearts. They give him a firm nod.

Turning back to us, he clears his throat and then looks down at the writing board in his hands.

“Alistair Geller,” he reads, his voice echoing through the now dead silent room.

On the other side of the crowd, Alistair straightens his spine and starts towards the administrator. Since we’re all standing behind, I can’t see the expression on his face when he comes to a halt a short distance in front of Imar, but based on his body language, he seems more eager than worried.

Without barely a second’s hesitation, he raises a hand and throws a fireball right at Imar’s chest.

---