Page 49 of Faerie Trials

Climbing toward the top rows of the stadium where Melia and Bronwen waited for me, I’d never felt more lost in my life. I’d always felt in control, planning my next steps carefully because I had to be cautious to protect my secrets. Now I’d finally gotten to one of my end goals: I’d made it to Faerie. And Ihatedit here.

“There you are!” Melia called out when I came into view. She stood up, waving her arms to get my attention. “What took you so long? I thought you said you were on your way.”

“Sorry, I ran a little late talking to Juno,” I told her, scooting in toward the seat she’d saved for me. “Took me longer than I thought to break away.”

“You’re fine, girl, you’re fine. Although we had a hell of a time keeping this space for you. There were a ton of people looking for a last-minute seat and I had to get a little nasty with some of them.” Melia flexed a muscle looking little bigger than a twig. “Show them who is boss.”

Bronwen nodded emphatically, her brown hair in twin braids on either side of her face. “Everyone came out tonight to see the show! It’s sure to be good.”

“Yeah, I noticed.” My stomach dropped to somewhere around the bottom row and didn’t come back.

It seemed like everyone from town and maybe some of the neighboring cities had turned out for the kickoff of the Trials. It pleased me to see Bronwen and Melia getting along. I’d introduced the two of them several months ago, hoping the three of us would be able to hang out. It seemed like a silver lining.

Tonight, the air above the amphitheater had been magicked to keep the cold at bay and most everyone wore clothes more appropriate for summer. Melia had on a pair of jeans and a tank top while Bronwen looked like she was heading to the beach with shorts and sandals. I’d grabbed whatever was handy on my way out the door, packing it into a bag and changing after meeting with Juno.

It was hard to hear above the roar of the crowd. Especially when King Tywin stepped out from between a pair of stone pillars. He raised an arm for silence to address the stands. A large golden crown sat on top of his head, with precious gemstones gleaming in it. He wore a robe to match in a striking yellow color with white fur trim around the top and sides. It trailed behind him as he strode toward the center of the stage.

As a royal, Mike had to be up on the stage with the rest of his family. He and his mother stood behind King Tywin at a proper distance, their matching blond heads bowed as he prepared to speak.

I sure did miss Mike.

When I glanced over at Bronwen and Melia, their gazes were glued to the stage and the king, unable to look away.

A wave of power pulsed outward and at once the quiet became suffocating. Any move made me uncomfortable, my clothes itchy against my skin. It felt like Tywin had his eyes on me and only me. He’d somehow found me in the stands.

True or not, I felt the pressure of his attention.

King Tywin addressed the crowd with his arms thrown wide and a smile on his face. I held my breath waiting to hear what he would have to say. Wondering if I would like or hate the words ready to pour out of his mouth.

“Welcome, citizens of Eahsea, to the Elite Trials!” the king’s voice boomed out, and from the shadows I could make out the hazy outlines of the council waiting in the wings behind him.

The king was not a small man, nor was he a Viking, but with his elaborate crown reaching toward the heavens and his regal robe, he looked like a god tonight. He looked untouchable and all-powerful.

I kept my hands in my lap to keep from fidgeting. Everyone seemed so excited. So ready for this to take place. Were none of them anxious? Nervous about what could happen to people they knew, children and brothers and sisters?

The king continued. “It is my great privilege to welcome you to the first official night of the Elite Trials. The students at the Elite Academy have been graced with magic above and beyond normal. Through these trials, their abilities will be honed, their ingenuity tested, and their true courage revealed.” He stopped. Paused for effect and measured the temperament of the crowd. “Not only will they prove themselves to be productive members of our world, they will show their mettle and build character.”

I blinked, wondering how bad it would be to start laughing in front of everyone. When would the king get to the part aboutdying? About the young Fae in the past who’d lost their lives because of these ridiculous tests? Probably never, because no one wanted to talk about what would happen if you weren’t strong enough or fast enough or brave enough.

“This is an opportunity for us to come together as a community. A chance for our youth to prove themselves, to see how well they measure up to our Seven High Values: Balance, Bravery, Cleverness, Creativity, Fairness, Justice, Respect. These Trials are not for the faint of heart. Some may be hurt.”

Wow. He’d come closer to the topic of dying than I’d thought he would.

Tywin clasped his hands together in front of his chest and continued as though he hadn’t just casually swept “death” under the rug of “hurt.” “We follow in a long line of tradition. The students attending the academy know the risks they are taking in their eagerness to prove themselves. We look forward to watching their progress and know they will make us proud.”

Give me a break. I thought the king was full of crap. So full of crap his eyes should have been brown instead of blue. The scary thing? The crowd totally agreed with him. They clapped and cheered and stomped their feet right on cue in every place he expected a reaction.

Even scarier was when I glanced at Bronwen and Melia to find them staring at the king, and not with the twin expressions of horror I thought I’d see on their faces. Instead, they were caught up in it, intrigued. They were watching, listening, as if what King Tywin had to say would make a difference in the sun rising in the morning. They actively wanted to hear what he had to say.

I crossed my arms over my chest. Something inside of me hardened as I turned back to the stage to pretend to listen to the rest of the speech. My attention zeroed in on the king’s final proclamation to let the trials begin.

A zip of fire streaked across the stage behind him, followed by a second. Then a third, magic sent out from the council and guards. The tendrils wound their way into the air and exploded overhead in a display of showering fireworks. The mortal realm should be jealous of fae fireworks, I decided on the spot, tilting my face skyward to watch the exhibition.

The colors alone were all shades of the spectrum and some I couldn’t put a name to. They curled through clouds, sparks showering down on the earth and the awed crowd.

Faerie magic. There was nothing like it in the mortal world. We watched the swirling colors, the sparks, and the flames, changing direction and shape in the air as if they had minds of their own.

“Wow,” Bronwen murmured.

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