Page 64 of Trial of Thorns
I’m not strong enough for this.
“You told me you were stronger than all of them.”
“I am, but not more than four of them together. If I were to stand against them, I would be committing suicide. And Rev wants to kill me. Hewillkill me if I give him the chance. I can’t align with him. He wouldn’t believe me if I were to tell him...”
Her face crumples, tears running down her cheeks. Does she finally understand the hopelessness of the situation?
This is the only way I can win this game. I knew it would take ruthlessness. I knew it could rip my soul to shreds again and again. If I could do it differently, I would. I don’t want Rev to die. Ireallydon’t want Rev to die.
But I can’t stop it no matter what I do.
“Then let’s run. Now. We’ll leave the fae realm and go back home. We’ll make a life together.”
“Rev will still die,” I say, voice devoid of life. “It won’t change anything, except I really would be giving up.”
I allow my anger, my pain, my darkness, to fortify me once again, curling around my broken and scarred soul like armor. I pause to consider before I flick my hand, and force my last friend into her raven form.
She screeches in anger and pain but flies off into the dark night, leaving me alone. Always alone.
Rev
The morning of thethird challenge arrives and tension coils in my gut.
I still haven’t talked with Brielle. The only assurance of her continued friendship is Rook’s word. I generally trust him... but something still doesn’t feel right.
In preparation for this trial—which I suspect will be the most physically demanding of them all—I refrained from alcohol, took a sleeping draft, slept a full nine hours, and declined a run this morning.
I’m the first in the training hall, and I spend a half hour doing minor exercises, mostly because I’m wound so tight.
Brielle and Rook enter the training center next, marching dramatically.
“Hey,” I say cautiously as they approach.
“Hey.” Brielle doesn’t meet my eyes, and my stomach sinks.
Rook slaps me on the shoulder with a big smile. “You ready? This one is going to be fun, I can feel it.”
