Page 118 of Quest for her Knights
I stand and let them escort me down to the arena floor. It feels strange being down here with the lords all standing around me, staring at me with their identities concealed.
I scan them all, my eyes catching on number twelve as he clenches his hands into fists.
Okay then… I quickly look away, worried about the anger I sense there.
I’m led to a table in the center, covered in numbers, with a large box placed on it. A man standing there gives me instructions.
“All the items are in this box, just place them beside the number you award it, with one being first place.”
I nod, understanding my task and reach in for the first item. It’s a necklace with a small emerald on it. It’s pretty so I put it beside number three for now. The next item is a large gemstone. It’s shiny, but I decide the necklace is more useful so it goes to number four.
My task starts to become difficult as I find most items seem decent but not unique or exciting. I find a bouquet of flowers and just toss them on an empty number, wanting this to be over with. Next I pull out a gold comb and I sigh, moving it to one of the lowest numbers. I don’t value money, and I’d never use the comb, being too afraid to break it.
I let out a breath of frustration as I pull out the next gift and frown. It’s a tiny stone. Not a gemstone, a regular gray stone.
But as I rotate it through my hands I realize it’s not just a stone, it’s an arrowhead. It’s been hand carved and looks exactly like—
My head shoots up, as my wide eyes spin around the lords. “Princess, you can’t look at them,” the man overseeing the challenge tells me, so I look back down at the arrowhead and frown.
I swear I’ve held this exact item before. Arrow makes these for his bows. Is he here? Are they all here? They is no way they’d be allowed in this tournament though.
Despite my hesitation, I place it in the number one spot and hear a murmuring in the crowd of spectators.
I ignore them as I pull out the next object, another gemstone. I move faster, wanting to get this over with so I can take a better look at the lords. The next object is a small dagger in a sheath. I pull it out and inspect it. I don’t have to touch it to know how sharp it is.
Draven.
I’m sure I cleaned this exact dagger before, sitting around the campfire with Draven. I place it in the number two spot as I reach back into the box. Some more flowers, a golden brush, and a dress make their way onto the table.
But when I pull out a thong, I slap my hand over my mouth to stop the laughter. They don’t make underwear like this here. This is a pair I made myself. Now I know they must be here.I push some things around to make space in the number three spot, biting my lip to contain my excitement.
The last item comes out of the box: a needle and thread. I grin, pushing the other three down and placing it at number one. I look at the man overseeing the event and say, “Okay, I’m done.”
He frowns at my choices for a moment before he nods. “Thank you, Princess. You can go back to your seat now, while we award the points.”
“Can I wait to see who won?” I ask, but he shakes his head.
“No, we’ve been keeping all points from you so it’s a surprise.”
I frown, not liking others treating my life like some big game.
The two knights escort me between them as we head back to the stairs. I quickly look around, trying to figure out if any of these look like my knights. Twenty-two catches my attention as he raises his hand and places it on his heart.
Blaze.
I grin at him, somehow knowing exactly who’s behind the helmet. I bite my lip as I turn to walk up the stairs and return to my seat.
“You look happier,” King Lewis notes. “Did you enjoy that challenge?”
“Yes, it was very telling,” I reply honestly.
As the next, and final, event is being set up, Freya calls me over to stand with her and her husbands.
“So, that was a fun one, was it?” she asks curiously.
I narrow my eyes at her. Since the tournament started yesterday, she’s been acting much happier than she had in the previous four weeks.
“Is this your doing?” I whisper.
