Page 28 of Hallowed Games

I found little that was useful in the books. And as the hours wore on, the texts had started to shift and blend in my mind until nothing made sense anymore. Maelor hadn’t slept, either. He was still at his desk, frantically writing something.

With heavy eyelids, I leaned against the diamond-paned window, staring out at the endless castle grounds of golden stone. I’d arrived in the dark. The sun was now rising, kissing the castle with honey and rose. Still resting against the window, I let my eyes shut. The room smelled so alluring, of sandalwood and old books.

In the hollows of my mind, a vision bloomed to life. White wood anemones carpeted a forest floor, awash in golden light. But as I looked at them, a lash of blood spattered across them, a violent streak of red.

When I lifted my eyes from the forest floor, I was staring at the Magister Solaris. He moved inhumanly fast, shifting closer to me. He was going to kill me. Terror clawed at my heart.

My eyes snapped open, and I gasped, nearly falling from my chair. When I glanced at Maelor again, I found that he stood facing away from me. Shirtless, he wore only leather trousers. I took in his powerful back and arms, my gaze lingering over a deep scar in his flesh. I wondered how he’d ended up with that thick red ridge on his left side.

I shouldn’t be staring. The Raven Lord stood for everything I loathed, and it wasn’t fair that he looked this good.

But could I really be angry with myself when I hadn’t seen a shirtless man in over a decade? When I hadn’t touched one? Maelor’s muscles shifted as he pulled on a white shirt. It slid down to his waist—

When he turned back to me, I realized I was still staring. “What?” I said, a little too sharply, as though it were his fault.

The corner of his mouth twitched. “I thought you’d finally fallen asleep.”

I shook my head. “Just for a minute.”

A light knock sounded at the door.

“You won’t survive if you refuse to sleep,” he muttered as he crossed the room.

He pulled the door open, then he took a tray from someone’s hands. The smell of freshly baked bread wafted into the room, and my mouth began to water.

Maelor slid the tray onto a little circular table next to me. Bread, honey, and fruit nestled on the tray next to a teapot. The scent of lavender rose from the spout. “The kitchens were closed when we arrived last night,” he said. “I ordered them to bring you food as soon as the sun rose. I know you haven’t eaten.”

My stomach rumbled as I watched curls of steam rise from the bread. But hungry as I was, I couldn’t quite bring myself to eat it. This wasn’t food. This was blackmail. “Do you think that if you treat me well enough, I’ll do whatever you want?”

I wished I could take the words back. In my fatigue, I’d let too much of my true feelings slip out.

A muscle tensed in his jaw. “You’re in Ruefield under the command of the Raven Lord. You’ll do whatever I want, no matter how I treat you.” The morning light caught in Maelor’s pale eyes. “And I know you’re starving, so why not eat it?”

“I thought we were supposed to ignore everything our bodies wanted,” I said dully.

“You could survive these trials, Elowen.” He leaned forward, his gaze piercing. “You were the only one able to escape yesterday. You have skills the others don’t.”

“And why would you want that?”

He stared at me, narrowing his eyes. “It’s not your place to question me.”

He had a point. Only my fatigue had loosened my tongue, but I should be keeping my doubts to myself. Better for him to think I was an idiot.

“Of course.” I poured some lavender tea. “Aren’t you hungry? You haven’t eaten. Nor have you slept.”

He studied me like he was trying to read me. Something about him was unnervingly still, a wolf crouching motionless before an attack.

After a moment, he raised a dark eyebrow. “You’re not worried for yourself, are you? It’s the boy you were trying to save.”

My stomach plummeted. Bollocks. He’d already figured out how to pull my strings. At least he had no idea where Leo was.

I crossed my legs, wearing a bland smile, and I sipped my tea. “That boy? No. We’re not related.”

“You do remember I said I can tell when people are lying?”

“We aren’t related,” I said. “So your lie-detecting abilities must be broken.”

“Maybe not by blood.” He rose from the chair and pulled on his Raven Lord’s robe, buttoning it down the front. “Fine. I’ll find him.”

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