Page 144 of Trial of Thorns
“No, I did not.” She smiles. “But I did not expect you to bring a human child into our courts. Or into the trials for that matter. You do realize how reckless that was, don’t you?”
“If she didn’t before,” Reveln’s father says, his eyes dark, his hair a light shade of brown, “she certainly does now.”
I ignore his comment. “Yes.”
“Then, tell me. Why did you?”
I swallow. “It was a selfish choice, I realize. I did it... because I didn’t want to be alone.”
“And neither did I,” Raven adds in a whisper, pulling me closer, her hand tight over mine.
“You have no one in your own world?” a fae female beside the queen asks.
Raven shakes her head. “My parents are drug addicts. They haven’t been around for a long time.”
“I see,” the queen says. “The matter of the girl is quite simple, miss Caelynn. She will return home and never be allowed in our realm again.”
My eyes widen in surprise. Usually, humans who make their way to the fae realm are never allowed to leave. She’s ruling the opposite.
“She is not nor will she ever be safe here. You can understand that, yes?”
I take in a long breath. “Yes, ma’am.”
Raven has proven herself important to me, everyone will know about her now. Even if I’d won, I would still be hated. There will still be those that seek to hurt me. She’ll be a target if she stays here, even among the humans.
“You on the other hand—” she begins.
“I won’t be banished?” I interrupt. I assumed losing the trials meant I’d immediately return to my former punishment.
“You have already been banished,” Rev’s father spits.
The queen eyes him, and he sits back, crossing his arms in open annoyance, but his jaw clamps shut.
“Your previous punishment has not been revoked, Caelynn. However, as runner up to the trials... you do still hold importance.”
“Runner up?”
“Yes. This task will not be easy, and it is very possible that Reveln will not survive his time beyond the walls of the Schorchedlands.”
My stomach twists.
“As you know, only one can return from that dark place. But more than one can go, but we will choose one at a time so we don’t forfeit our most powerful fae uselessly. It was important we give the honor to the right person. The right court. It was important that everyone had a fair chance. Rev will have his chance.”
“So you’ll send me, if...”
“If Rev dies, yes.”
I bite my lip. I don’t like how she saysif he dies, like she expects him to. Reveln has been the target for assassins since he was an adolescent. I tap my finger on my thigh.
“And if you do not survive, Drake will be sent. Then Brielle. You get the idea.”
I nod.
“Until the cure is retrieved, I’d like to allow the temporary suspension of your banishment to remain.”
I blink rapidly. “I can stay?”
“For now.”
