Page 31 of Powerless

He suddenly spins on his heel to turn and face us, forcing me to skid to a stop before I nearly crash into his chest. “The next two weeks will consist of training, meeting the other contestants, interviews, and the first ball. And every week between each Trial will follow the same routine. An Imperial will be assigned to you for remainder of your stay here, and they will escort you too and from anywhere you need to be until you are acquainted with the castle.”

One of the Imperials standing behind us moves beside Hera, while the other takes his place next to Ace. “Well,” the young Imperial claps his hands in front of him with a sigh, “we will show you your rooms and let you get situated.”

When Hera and Ace have rounded the corner at the end of the hall, I turn to my personal Imperial. “So, you’ll be keeping an eye on me then?”

“Lucky me.” He chuckles and turns, motioning for me to follow. “I’m Lenny, by the way.”

“I never thought I’d say this to an Imperial, but it’s nice to meet you, Lenny.” Clamping my mouth shut before anything else I shouldn’t be saying spews out, I pick up my pace and try to catch up with his long strides.

“Yeah, well, I don’t blame you. Most Imperials can be...” He rubs the back of his neck, searching for the right word.

“Pigs?” I mutter before I can think better of it.

He cuts off his laugh with a quick clearing of his throat. “Yeah, they have me do a lot of the talking around here. I guess I’m not as intimidating.” I swiftly look him up and down, unable to help but agree. His messy red hair combined with the explosion of freckles splattering out from under his mask diminish any hope of looking threatening. He stops in front of a door near the end of a long hallway before pushing it open and gesturing inside.

I bite my tongue to keep from gasping at the sight of the most beautiful room I’ve ever seen, filled with bookcases, a dainty vanity, a writing desk, and...

A bed.

Anenormousbed. After sleeping on jagged cobblestone for five years, the thought of getting to sleep onthatis overwhelming. I blink in amazement as I finally take a step inside. The carpet is plush beneath my feet, and I spin to see a bathroom peeking out behind a door to the left. I stride towards it, fighting my smile when I see a pristine, porcelain bathtub, sitting atop golden legs.

Hot, running water.

An equally shiny toilet and sink sit on the white, marble floor to complete the set. I slowly step out of the bathroom, still staring at the bedroom before me. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Lenny watching me, amused by my awe. “I hope you find your room to be...satisfactory?”

“Oh, it’ll have to do, I suppose.” I plop onto my bed as I say it, sarcasm dripping from the words.

“Well, I’ll let you get comfortable, seeing that you’ll be spending a lot of time in here,” he says, turning to step out the door.

“What do you mean by that?”

He rubs his hand over the back of his neck with a sigh. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

* * *

Lenny was right to tell me to get comfortable.

I’ve been trapped in this room for two days.

It’s become my personal gilded cage, locking me in with luxuries. The guards stationed outside my door don’t deem me important enough to grumble more than a few words about following orders by keeping me confined to my room. So I’ve scoured every inch of the chamber, occupying myself by thumbing through books, soaking in hot baths, devouring delicious meals.

And yet, I’ve never felt more anxious.

The inside of my cheek is sore, the result of incessant biting in an attempt to calm my nerves. And despite sleeping in a soft bed for the first time in years, I’m restless. I haven’t spoken to anyone since my first day here, haven’t even been told what the hell is going on. I’ve been left to pace the padded floor, worrying over who my opponents are and what they can do.

Mind games, that’s what this is.

The king likely finds this comical. Loves the idea of us anxious, restless, and trapped in our rooms until he says otherwise. This is meant to set us on edge, make us antsy.

A knock at the door has me pausing my pacing.

Lenny’s head peeks around the doorframe, a sheepish grin on his face. “So...how are you, Paedyn?”

I blink at him. “How am I?How am I?”

He creeps farther into the room, his next words slow. “Okay, so, I’m getting the feeling that you’re not...great.”

My laugh is bitter. “You could say that. It’s beentwo days. Where the hell have you been?”

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