Page 42 of Prisoner of Steel and Shadow

“Are you sure you’re prepared for this?”

Ronan kept his eyes on the other contestants, drawling, “I’m always prepared.”

Bast chuckled.

“Why’s that funny?”

“I’ve used that line a time or two myself, but in a very different context.”

Ronan rolled his eyes. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

Instead of answering, Sebastian asked another question of his own. “Do you know what today’s trial is going to be?”

“No. I thought they might give us a heads-up last night, but all they said was for us to be here by dawn. I guess they wanted to save the surprise.”

“No unfair advantages that way.”

“I suppose.”

They both looked around the mostly empty field. Other than the contestants and a few annoyed cows, no one was here. That was surprising only because of the interest in the competition. Since his first night in Glimmermere, he couldn’t set foot anywhere in town without overhearing someone talking about it. And at every contest-related event he’d attended, there’d been a horde of rubberneckers on the sidelines eager for a crumb of gossip. But today, at the first official trial, nothing. Not a single supporter.

“Where is everybody?” he asked with a frown.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Bast said, sounding just as troubled by the lack of onlookers as he was.

The others seemed to share in the restlessness. No one was talking outside of a few hushed conversations. Mostly it was lots of suspicious looks and foot tapping.

Just as the sun peeked over the top of the palace’s many domed towers, a carriage rolled down a dirt path from the north.

“Showtime,” Ronan muttered.

“Do you want me to stay?” Sebastian asked, uncharacteristically serious.

“No. Head back to town and see what you can find out. I’ll touch base with you once we’re done with this farce.”

Bast looked conflicted.

“What?”

“Don’t die, okay? I’ve grown rather fond of you.”

“I should have warned you against forming attachments.”

Sebastian laughed. “Is that your way of saying I should know better than to fall in love with you?”

“Something like that.”

“How many times do I have to tell you? You’re not my type, and even if you were, we would never work.”

“Why’s that?”

“You’re a nightmare, and likely a terrible lay.”

It was his turn to bark out a laugh. “I’ll see you tonight, Sebastian.”

“Until then,mon ami.”

Sebastian peeled away, leaving Ronan surrounded by those who would prefer if he were dead. Instead of unnerving him, it was surprisingly calming. This he was used to. No courtly games of intrigue required, simple battle strategy. In a lot of ways, it felt like coming home.

---