Page 52 of Empire of Flame and Thorns

I raise my gaze and meet Draven’s eyes again.

That unreadable mask is back on his face.

Grabbing the collar of my shirt,hisshirt, he pulls me closer as he locks a hard stare on me. “This changes nothing.”

Before I can even begin to think of a reply, he releases me with a soft shove, pushing me back against the wall. Then he spins on his heel and stalks down the stairs without another word.

I just stand there against the wall, staring after him.

His intoxicating scent wraps around me and fills my lungs with every breath, and I swear that I can still feel the heat of his body from the shirt that now covers mine.

My heart thumps hard behind my ribs.

My mind spins.

I went down to the bath to clear my head.

But now, my already churning mind is more confused than ever.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Brisk morning winds whirl across the palace grounds, bringing with them the scent of damp soil and fallen leaves. It rained last night, and a few puddles still linger in the spots where the grass has been burnt off in patches. Swallowing down a wave of anxiousness, I flick a quick glance at the thirty-nine people who are going to compete in this trial with me.

Isera is standing at the edge of the group, her face an impassive mask as she simply waits for Imar and the other shifters to show up. In the middle of the crowd is Lavendera. Her face is turned up towards the overcast sky, but her eyes are distant and vacant. As if she has retreated far into her mind and is not really here. Fenriel stands a short distance from her, and when he notices my gaze, he gives me a smile and a small wave. I smile back.

Then my gaze snags on three people closer to the front of the group. Alistair and his two remaining friends. Tommen, with his enhanced strength, who now has an even bigger grudge against me after I made him run away in terror like that in the last trial. And Jeb, a slimy guy with brown hair and the ability to create light. All three of them slide their gazes to me.

But before they can say or do anything, Imar strides out onto the grass.

“Line up,” he shouts.

Clothes rustle and footsteps thud against the ground as we all quickly position ourselves in one long row, facing Imar.

Right as the last person falls into line, Empress Jessina and Emperor Bane stride across the grass. We all shift slightly, watching them as they close the distance to us.

“Have you forgotten how to greet your superiors?” Imar suddenly demands, his voice now laced with threats.

Annoyance slashes through me, but I still drop down on one knee and bow my head. The rest of the contestants do the same. Since the grass is still damp from the rain, it soaks the fabric of my pants. I grit my teeth as another pulse of irritation shoots through me.

The Icehearts stride across the damp grass, their garments rippling like liquid silver. They come to a halt in front of us, in the very middle, while eight more people approach.

While keeping my chin lowered, I glance towards them.

The eight clan leaders, Draven included, stride across the grass and then take up position on either side of their monarchs.

Silence falls over the palace grounds.

“Back when your Seelie Queen ruled,” Empress Jessina begins, her voice laced with disdain, “before we brought justice to your court, you used to lure humans here and play cruel games with them.” Raising an arm, she dramatically sweeps her hand out to motion at the massive hedge maze behind her. “You tormented them and made them run through this maze for sport.”

My brows furrow.We did?

I can imagine the Unseelie Court maybe doing something like that, but did we really do it too? Unfortunately, there is no way to know for certain, because we weren’t allowed to keepany of our history. When the shifters conquered us, they burned all of the history books. And since they killed everyone but the children, there was no one left to rewrite those books or even tell us about our history.

“And now,” Jessina Iceheart continues. Her pale gray eyes are full of wicked glee as she sweeps her gaze over our kneeling bodies. “Now,youwill run through this maze to atone for your cruelty.”

Clenching my jaw, I squeeze my hand into a fist behind my back.Ihave never forced anyone to run through a hedge maze. I have nothing to atone for.

“In other words,” Imar picks up, his tone filled with smug amusement. “Welcome to the second part of the Atonement Trials.”

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