Page 48 of Faerie Trials

Tell me about it. “Missing classes isn’t the point. The point is that we tried hard to keep all evidence of our presence away from the scene and somehow the bureau still knew I was there. They said someone gave them an eyewitness account of a girl with my coloring and build. So someone had to have told them about me.” I worked hard to keep the suspicion out of my voice. “You promised me you wouldn’t say anything.”

Facing Juno today, I wanted to rip into her the way I did with the shifter when I’d saved her ass. She’d given me her word. Made a promise. Did it mean nothing? My old pack mates would say never trust faeries. They were all liars and tricksters, intent on turning your life into hell for their personal enjoyment.

Being half Fae, I’d never agreed with them. And now I hoped the words were wrong.

Juno swallowed and my heart sank. Damn Fae. They made a promise and broke it in seconds. And stupid me, I’d trusted her, I’d gotten involved.

“Tavi, I’m sorry,” she said. “Things are different here for pure-bloods.”

“You don’t get to say that to me.” I bit my lower lip to keep it from quivering.

“It isn’t an excuse. I’m simply saying it’s impossible for pure-bloods to get away with anything under Tywin’s watch. Not an excuse,” she insisted again. Then sighed, moving around the desk to place her hands on my shoulders, unsurprised when I jerked away. “No matter how we tried to hide what happened, theyknew. His guardsknewwhen they came to question me. They came for me and I had to tell them the truth. At least, shades of the truth.”

“You threw me under the bus,” I insisted. Wiping at suddenly burning eyes.

She reached for me again, her hands dropping to her sides seconds before they touched mine. “I swear to you, Tavi, Ididn’ttell them. I never said anything about you and your friend being involved. In fact, I told them nothing about you except in general. I said there was a man in the shape of a wolf creature, much larger than me, larger than anyone. I mentioned I was woozy, my head light, and a girl with your description helped me to the hospital. I’m not sure why they think you would have had anything to do with the attack.”

Why wouldn’t they? I was still suspect number one for Madam Muerte’s death.

I closed my eyes for a long moment. “How did they find out it was me?” I asked finally.

“I’m not sure how. But they always do. They always do, honey, but I kept your secret, I swear. They don’t know about your blood status, any more than anyone else knows about you.”

I saw the looming shape of the halfling shifter in my mind again. Saw those teeth, and his mouth gaping wide. That’s who I was, too, underneath the human shape I wore here. Had I really expected Juno to have my back after what he did to terrorize and hurt her?

“Well, they might figure it out after today. They grilled me for hours. I missed classes. I missed everything.” I took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry.” Juno closed the distance between us and drew me forward into a hug. It felt odd, strange, and awkward, but I didn’t resist.

At last, I released the tension I held. I wanted to trust her, I really did, because the alternative meant I needed to watch my back with literally everyone in my life. I thought I could let my guard down at least a little with Juno.

I supposed we’d see going forward. I’d have to make sure I didn’t step a toe out of line around her. Slowly my arms moved around her and I squeezed my eyes shut.

“It doesn’t seem to matter what I do,” I said against her hair. “I always get into trouble. It finds me.”

“It certainly seems to.”

The more I thought about it, the more I believed Juno hadn’t sold me out to the bureau. The king still harbored suspicions about me. If she’d mentioned a girl of any description, no doubt he still would have found a way to pin it on me, or at least make my life very uncomfortable. No matter what he said, he didn’t want me to succeed, he didn’t want me here. I knew it in my bones.

“Now.” Juno released me. “We’re going to keep things short today.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because the commencement ceremony for the Trials kicks off at sixteen bells and we need you strong. Although I know your strength is not going to be an issue.”

Holy crap, the Trials were tonight! I’d actually forgotten. I dropped my hands to my sides and Juno chose that moment to send a blast of tornado-strength wind at me. It knocked me on my ass, sending me skidding along the floor until I hit the wall. Blinking.

“What did you do that for?” I finally managed.

She shot me a small, hard smile. “To remind you to always be on your toes, Tavi. Because the Trials aren’t going to go easy on you, and neither will I. Now stand up and let’s get to work.”

* * *

Fanfare kicked off the start of the Trials, with a large gathering held in the amphitheater where the labyrinthine maze from the Spring Games had been held. I remembered the space then with hedges and monsters in place for Elite Academy students to fight their way through.

Tonight, the stands were filled with people, the screaming, stomping masses of Fae and elves and pixies who enjoyed nothing more than to watch a bloodthirsty fight to the death. Especially when it involved young adults.

I even saw a few harpies in the stands, with their wings flattened against their backs and their claws gleaming in the evening light. As though they were anticipating the bloodshed, eager to see how the students tore each other apart.

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