Page 42 of Trial of Thorns
I nod, not feeling any need to lie. “I heard their sneers from several feet away.”
“What do you want, then?” he asks sharply and I wince. I was hoping for a better reaction.
His arms are crossed, expression annoyed. “We’re the only lesser courts left. We worked well together during the first challenge. The others are aligning, working against us.”
“And you think that means we should work together as well?” He turns his hardened eyes to meet mine.
My stomach sinks.
“Normally, I’d agree. But I am not keen on tarnishing my court’s reputation with an alliance so tainted.”
I don’t speak, don’t respond at all. I just watch him.
He doesn’t expect to win, then.
I pull in a long breath. “Wouldn’t it be better if either one of us won, then one of them?”
“Why? Because we’re the underdogs? Not a good enough reason to befriend a murderer.”
The breath leaves my lungs, the pain in my stomach like a dagger digging deep. I recover quickly and pull in a long breath. He watches me closely as I school my features, hiding everything.
“All right then. I suppose there’s no more that needs to be said.” My voice is steady and bored.
His face softens just slightly as I turn my heel in search of the champion’s table.
Rev
Ifind myself unableto turn away from my brother’s murderer. She’s beautiful, a fact which causes no end to my torment. The back of her dress dips all the way to expose the small of her back. Still, I know despite her outward beauty, what’s inside is petrifyingly hideous.
She shouldn’t be allowed to breathe any longer, let alone schmooze among the fae realm elite. It gets under my skin, and I find my mood souring the longer I watch her. And the night has only just begun.
“You’re distracted,” Brielle says, her arm still curled around mine. “What have you learned from your spy-like focus?”
“More questions.” I watched the murderer make a child from her own court cry—is she simply that heartless or was there something more to it? The more I think about it the more I realize I have never seen her spend any more time with her court than necessary. She didn’t celebrate with them after the first trial, she twists through the crowd as if to avoid them now. They adore her, but does she resent that? It’s a strange thought, but I suspect it’s true, somehow.
I’d also watched the evil blond beauty defend a dwarfish child, only to be snubbed by her would-be-ally. I’ll have to thank the dwarf champion for his loyalty later.
