Page 18 of Empire of Flame and Thorns

I’m so used to people treating me like the plague, both dragon shifter and fae, that I barely even consider Imar’s words an insult.

“When you entered the palace, you were given a key with a number on it,” Imar says. “That’s the key to the room you will be staying in for the duration of the Atonement Trials. There will be no switching rooms. What you’ve been given is what you get.”

I glance down at the golden key in my hand. The number forty-two is engraved on it. Despite what Imar just said, I fold my fingers around it and hold it tightly in case someone might try to steal it.

“There are shared bathing chambers at the end of each corridor,” Imar continues. “Food will be served for you in the south wing dining room.” A smug smile tilts his lips. “Both the cleaning and the food preparation is done by volunteers from your city. So whatever mess you make, they will have to clean up. Understood?”

The way he saidvolunteersmade it clear that there was nothing voluntary about their decision. They were ordered to do it, and if we make trouble, they will pay the price.

Most people around me appear to have understood that too because several of them clench their jaw in anger. To my surprise, Alistair is one of them. I flick a confused glance at him. I didn’t think he cared about anyone else.

“Which brings us to the most important rule of all,” Imar says before pausing as if to make sure that everyone is paying attention. His blue eyes sharpen as he cuts a hard look across our group. “You are not allowed to harm each other outside of the trials. Anyone who causes physical harm toanother contestant in the times between trials will be executed immediately.”

Several people shift their weight uncomfortably.

A fae woman with long blond hair raises a tentative hand. “I’m sorry, did you say exiled? Or executed?”

“Executed.”

“Oh.” She swallows. “What if it’s an accident?”

He just continues staring her down in silence, his expression unyielding.

She edges a step back and lowers her chin.

I blow out a soft breath. At least that means that I won’t have to worry about someone breaking into my room and slitting my throat while I sleep.

Draven’s words from earlier suddenly echo through my mind.An eye for an eye sounds too fair. I will be taking the whole head.

Uncertainty swirls through me, and I run a quick hand over my throat. Draven doesn’t have access to our rooms, does he?

“That’s all,” Imar announces, yanking me out of my thoughts and back to the present. “The first test will begin tomorrow at midday.” He flicks his wrist. “Dismissed.”

The sound of shuffling feet fills the room as everyone starts towards the doorways in search of their rooms. I do the same.

Just like the gathering hall, the white stone corridors are lit with torches. But the rest of the Golden Palace looks to be mostly unspoiled. Soft red carpets line the hallways, and in this wing, the gilded paintings on the walls depict breathtaking nature scenes. I gaze longingly at one painting of a beautiful forest that must be located somewhere close to our court. Or maybe that forest has now been consumed by the thorn forest that the shifters raised.

When I at last reach a door with the number forty-two on it, a few stories up, I find myself in a wide corridor with lots of otherdoors along the walls and then a larger one at the very end. I’ve never been inside the Golden Palace before, for obvious reasons, but if I were to guess, the entire south wing is probably a guest wing.

Several other people walk past me and continue down the hall towards rooms farther down. I quickly unlock my door and slip inside my room.

My breath catches as I stare at the room that meets me on the other side of the threshold. It’s elegant and spacious. Sparkling windows offer a view of the trees in vibrant fall colors that remain in the palace grounds outside. A white wooden closet stands next to them, and there is a gilded full-length mirror on the wall too. By the wall on my left is a massive double bed made of the same white wood as the closet.

Staggering forward, I run my hand over the fluffy covers and smooth sheets.

Something between a whimper and a sob escapes my lips.

It’s the softest bed I have ever seen.

I sweep my gaze around the room and suck in a stunned breath when I realize that, in here, the faelights have been left untouched. No flickering firelight dances menacingly over the walls. Instead, soft white light fills the room, making the walls shimmer.

My heart both aches and feels like it’s bursting with joy at the same time. This room is beautiful. And the most luxurious room I have ever stayed in.

I turn back to the bed.

A neatly folded pile of white fabric waits there atop the covers. Moving closer, I carefully pick it up. As I lift them, the garments unfold to reveal a white silk nightgown and a thigh-length robe made of sheer white lace.

For a few seconds, I just stare at those two pieces of clothing.

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