Page 31 of Chosen By the Fae King

Brother? The Scullbrooks had a sister? Since when?

“–the problem is that she shouldn't be subjected to these trials. Period. She's not old enough to use her magic.”

“I'm aware,” Lorne droned. “Anything else?”

Her mouth was downturned but she remained silent.

“Sage.”

She shook her head. “No. Now get out of here before I throw something at you.”

“Done,” Lorne yielded. “Come, Aeryn. We're on a schedule.”

I hopped down off the exam table and followed him out. It seemed the other contestants were also finished so he told two of the guards to take us back to our rooms.

Sofiya maneuvered to walk beside me. “How did it go?”

“As well as could be expected.” I would have gone into more detail but I didn't want to talk in front of the others. “What about you?”

She harrumphed. “Well, I refused to get completely naked in front of the male healer and he tried to force me to remove the robe for the exam.”

My teeth ground. “Tell me you gouged out his eyeballs.”

“I didn't have the chance. Lorne barged in and yelled at him, shouting to go get a female healer and that he was to never put a hand on me again.”

“I can't believe he did that.”

“Exactly! It was mortifying. Probably chivalrous of him, too. But also confusing and ... and ... mortifying! I didn't know what to do so I screamed incoherently and pointed at the door. Eventually he got the hint.”

A smile tugged at my lips. “Such a brave warrior.”

“Shut up,” she groaned, then blew a raspberry.

Sobering, my smile faded. “I'm sorry the healer treated you like that. It sounds like Lorne took it seriously, though, so that's good.”

“I guess. But no actual good will come of being here,” she lamented.

“Have you Seen anything?” Sofiya wasn't an actual Seer, but she had something that occasionally gave her a heads-up before an event.

“No. But I won't leave your side, no matter what they throw at us, even if I can only scream and point.”

My mouth twitched and I bumped my shoulder with hers. What would I have done without Sofiya?

“I guess it's time to get dressed for whatever torture is next,” I said as we approached her door, not far from mine. “It will probably be something dreadful like the king ogling us in our finery, no doubt.”

She made a face and we both laughed.

A cool breeze flowed out of the opened doors ahead. Hemlines billowed and silky strands of hair lifted fluidly on the currents, making many of the females in front of me look like they were floating.

The same could not be said for me as I tottered, trying my best not to roll an ankle. I clutched Sofiya's arm, thankful she was graceful and able to help me hide my issue with balance in these diabolical shoes.

She wore a dark coral gown that complemented her neutral skin tone and chestnut hair. Strapless, it hugged her silhouette, showing off her curves, the ones I used to be so jealous of until I got my own.

She still had more curves than me, but I was content with the body I'd earned from my labors.

“You look very pretty,” I said, hoping to ease the anxiety in her eyes.

She smiled tremulously. “And you look like a princess.”

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