Page 52 of Duskbound

The weight of his words settled over the chamber. Even the whispers had died away.

"Three trials await," he continued. "Combat, to test strength. Observation, to measure tethers. And finally, for those deemed worthy, the Void itself. If any candidate completes the first two rounds successfully, they will be given a choice. To enter the Void, or to be placed into the highest tier of the Unit they will best serve.The Medics. The Archivists. The Scouting Regiment. Or the Sentinels." His voice grew sharp with pride. "To emerge from the Void marked by shadow is to become something greater. It is to ascend beyond what any Kalfar could dream. Our realm may be suffering, but our warriors—our Spectres—they are what hold us together. They are what give us hope."

That's when I heard it—movement from somewhere behind me, a shift in the crowd's energy. The silence took on a different quality, tense and electric. Even Urkin's eyes moved past me, fixing on something near the entrance I'd come through.

A murmur rippled through the crowd. I noticed several Council members shift uncomfortably in their seats. Urkin's jaw tightened, but he maintained his composure. Finally, I turned around. My blood ran cold.

Valkan. The Lord of Draxon himself stood there. A murmur rippled through the crowd as he approached. He flashed Urkin a wicked smile as he took his place in front of the altar, holding out what seemed to be a bloodied diamond, and letting it fall onto the surface.

"I present myself to the Strykka," he said in a voice that could command thousands. The room ran silent once more, and I could have sworn a vein in Urkin's throat snapped. His eyes shot up to one of the elevated seating boxes, a shocked expression creasing his features.

Valkan shrugged, and walked to the empty space next to me. Chills ran across my skin as I felt him lean in.

"You're even lovelier up close."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Aether's handclosed around my arm the moment we cleared the arena floor, pulling me into the dim corridor. My heart was still hammering from Valkan's entrance, from the weight of what had just happened. Before I could protest, he was yanking me through the twisting passages, his stride so quick my feet could barely keep up. We rounded a corner and there, in a shadowed alcove, Rethlyn, Vexa, and Effie were already waiting, their faces tight with tension.

"The Skaldvindrs," Effie spat, pacing the narrow space. "It had to be them. My parents said they were wavering, but I never thought?—"

"They wouldn't dare," Vexa cut in, but uncertainty tinged her voice. "Not without assurances from the other houses."

"They would if they were desperate enough." Aether's voice was deadly calm, but his grip hadn't loosened from my arm. "The drought hit their lands hardest last month."

I looked between them, trying to piece together the implications. "How could one family's vote change everything?"

"Because the Skaldvindrs don't act alone," Effie said, “they have allies. Old alliances." She shot a meaningful look at Vexa. "And nowValkan has exactly what he wanted—a chance to prove himself to the realm."

"We have to speak with Lord Skaldvindr," Effie said, already moving toward the corridor that led to the upper levels. "Before he leaves."

"And say what exactly?" Vexa's voice was sharp with frustration. "His lands are dying. His people are starving. Valkan's offering him salvation."

"Why don't you just kill him?" The words tumbled out before I could stop them. "Valkan. End this before it begins."

The silence that followed was deafening. Even Effie stopped pacing.

Aether's fingers finally loosened from my arm as he turned to face me. "You think we haven't considered it?" His voice was low, dangerous. "With Valkan's influence?—"

"The entire realm would collapse," Vexa finished. "Half would blame the crown, the other half would blame each other. We'd have civil war within days."

"And Draxon's army would descend on Ravenfell before his body was cold," Effie added, a shudder running through her. "His followers... they're fanatics. They'd tear the realm apart."

"The Skaldvindrs might listen to reason," Aether said, though his tone suggested he didn't believe it. "If they saw proof of another way?—"

"Proof?" Effie's eyes lit up suddenly. "We have proof. We have a Duskbound." She turned to me, something calculating in her gaze. "If Lord Skaldvindr saw what she could do?—"

"It's too risky," Aether cut in, but Vexa was already nodding.

"No, she's right. The Skaldvindrs abandoned Valkan's cause once before when they thought the Queen's power could save us. If they knew we had another Duskbound..."

"Their box is in the upper tier," Effie said, already moving. "If we hurry?—"

"This is a mistake," Aether growled, but he followed, keeping close to my side as we climbed the narrow stairs toward the noble houses' private viewing areas.

My chest tightened with each step down the hall, my vision blurring in the corners. They were talking about me like I was some kind of solution—thesolution. But what if I failed? What if I couldn't be what they needed? What if both realms fell because of me?

The upper-level corridors were wider and lined with doors marked by family crests. Voices drifted through the walls, their tones urgent. I had never seen Effie look so concerned or walk sofast.

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