Page 25 of Empire of Flame and Thorns

Imar throws himself sideways a mere second before it can slam into him.

Rage and indignation pulse across Imar’s face as he straightens and locks eyes with Alistair again. Atop the dais, lots of other shifters narrow their eyes at the blond fae man as well. Gremar Fireclaw, the leader of the Red Dragon Clan, which Imar belongs to as well, clenches his fist as he glares down at Alistair.

“Approved,” Emperor Bane announces.

Alistair bows his head in acknowledgement and then walks towards the other wall that Bane is pointing at. Right before he turns fully to take up position before the wall, I manage to catch sight of the smug grin on his lips.

Imar brushes a hand down the front of his clothes before calling the next contestant. And then the next. And the next.

I study them all closely.

Not only is this test a great way to see what kind of magical powers that I will be up against, it also helps me put a name to the faces I’ve seen.

When that gorgeous brown-haired woman with the scar and the pink and purple eyes steps up and makes Imar move by growing a tree right underneath him, I learn that her name is Lavendera Dawnwalker. And the muscular guy who I tried to manipulate at the gate, and who called me out at breakfast, apparently possesses some kind of enhanced physical strength,because he simply picks Imar up and then sets him down two strides away.

While the muscular guy, whose name I now know to be Tommen, walks over to the other wall to take his place next to his friend Alistair, I hear another name that I already know.

“Isera Shaw,” Imar calls across the now thinning crowd of contestants.

Isera walks straight up to Imar and, without even breaking stride, summons a block of ice and hurls it at his face. He dodges it, and it slams into the edge of the dais instead. The rectangular block of ice splits in two, one part hitting the floor with a thud and the other sliding along the dais instead. It stops two strides away from where the two monarchs are sitting.

Empress Jessina clenches her jaw and squeezes the armrests of her chair so hard that I’m surprised that I don’t hear the wood crack. Next to her, Bane’s expression darkens as he looks from the block of ice to the fae woman responsible for it.

Isera simply looks back at them, her face a blank mask.

Another two seconds pass.

Then she flicks her wrist, and the two lumps of ice vanish into nothingness.

Emperor Bane works his jaw and flexes his hand. With his dark eyes locked on Isera, he declares, “Approved.”

Isera dips her chin in what can barely be classified as a nod, let alone a bow. But the Icehearts don’t call her out on it.

“Maximus Moonsinger,” Imar calls once Isera has taken her place by the wall.

One of Alistair’s other friends, a guy with blond hair and eyes that are yellow and green, steps forward. I recognize him but I don’t know what kind of magic he has, so I pay close attention when he comes to a halt in front of Imar.

A cloud of green smoke appears in the air. Imar tries to dodge it, but Maximus has already thrown a second one. It hits the administrator in the face.

He sucks in a choked gasp.

I start in surprise as his knees suddenly buckle and he crashes down on the floor while reaching for his throat.

Up on the dais, Bane slashes a hand through the air. “Enough.”

Maximus makes no other moves, but Imar stops clawing at his throat and instead drags in a deep breath. His blue eyes are dark with anger as he staggers back to his feet. I don’t need to feel emotions with my magic to know that Maximus made an enemy here today.

“Approved,” Bane says.

Maximus bows. Ignoring Imar’s dark looks, he walks straight towards Alistair and his other friends by the wall. I study his back while trying to determine what kind of magic that was. It might be air magic. Or some kind of poison. Or something else.

After dusting himself off, Imar picks up the writing board that he dropped earlier.

“Selena Hale,” he calls.

My heart leaps into my throat.

I knew that he was going to call my name soon, but it somehow still manages to surprise me. Drawing in a deep breath, I try to calm my suddenly racing pulse. I’ve got this. There is no need to be nervous.

---