Page 27 of Powerless

“I’m good, Kitt. How nice of you to ask!” That crooked grin only grows when he looks at me, brown eyes blinking innocently. I hook an arm around his neck and pull him against my chest to scrub a fist over his short hair.

He sputters, trying to shove away from me while I ask, “Aren’t you going to ask how I’m doing, J?”

When I finally release him, he turns to face me, rubbing his head with a grin. “My bad. How are you doing today, Kai?” He says this all with mock sincerity, and I can’t help but smile.

Kitt cuts me off before I can tease him further. “He’s in a mood,” he sighs before dropping his voice to murmur, “Careful, Jax, he’s been playing with the knives again.”

I brush past them to pick up said throwing knives, needing to do something with my hands. “I am not,” I spin and throw a blade into a target, “in a mood.”

Jax leans into Kitt’s shoulder, whispering, “That’s what healwayssays when he’s in a mood.”

“Excellent point, J.” .

“Plagues,” I mutter, “the two of you together is unbearable.”

They continue talking while I continue to pelt the target with knives. Better than throwing them at a person, so clearly, I’m not in aterriblemood. I’m about to let another blade fly when a flash of color catches my eye.

I hadn’t even noticed Blair was training on the other end of the courtyard, but there she is, lilac hair blowing in the wind while she spars with Sadie. Well, a dozen Sadies, seeing that she’s a Cloner.

They circle each other before Blair is suddenly surrounded by a barricade of bodies, all tall and chestnut-haired. It’s chaos. Blair tosses a copy of Sadie through the air with her mind only for another one to jump on her back, trying to bring her to the ground. It’s almost comical to watch, except that I know firsthand how deadly their powers can be, know what it’s like to possess them.

I look over to Jax and Kitt, their eyes pinned on the fight as I move to stand in line with them. Before long, Blair is strutting between the rings with Sadie following behind. Blair’s pale skin is in complete contrast to Sadie’s dark complexion, opposites of each other in every way.

Despite the two of them having grown up together, they couldn’t be more different. Since Sadie’s father is an adviser to the king, her family lives with the other nobility that are deemed important enough to reside in that designated wing of the castle.

They stop in front of us, Blair tipping her head as she says, “Boys.”

Kitt slings an arm around Jax’s shoulders before nodding at each of the girls. “Blair. Sadie.”

Sadie offers us a small smile, genuine but reserved in the way she’s always been. “I wanted to congratulate you two on making it into the Trials.”

Right. They announced the contestants today.

It’s no surprise that I’m in the Trials. The kingdom and I have been aware of my fate since I was a young boy. The future Enforcer must prove himself, and the Trials force me to do just that. My next mission is the win the competition, and if I don’t—

I freeze, Sadie’s words finally sinking in.

“I wanted to congratulate youtwo...”

I throw a confused glance at Kitt, certain this must be some sort of mistake. The Trials have always been my fate, not his. The future king rarely stepped outside the castle walls, let alone into a bloody arena where Death could claim him. Father would never risk the life of his heir like that, but he certainly has no problem risking me and my reputation.

“Yes, at least two of the brothers will get to be together,” Blair says with a smirk, her eyes flicking from me to—

No. Not him.

“W-what?”

His voice is filled with awe, his brown eyes wide with wonder.

Jax.

He looks between Kitt and I, a smile spreading across his face. “I did it! I’m in the Trials!” He’s practically jumping off the ground in excitement, resisting the urge to Blink around the rings out of excitement. I meet Kitt’s gaze, and his knowing frown matches my own.

This is going to make the Trials far more difficult. Now, I’ll not only be protecting myself, but also a little brother who nearly faints at the sight of blood.

But we say nothing to discourage Jax, pasting on smiles to replace the frowns pulling at our faces. Competing in the Trials is a high honor that only few are granted, and Jax deserves to celebrate despite our sudden stress over the situation.

“Well, it looks like we are all rivals now,” Blair says with a smirk, letting her words sink in. Not a very sly way to inform us that both herself and Sadie will also be competing.

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