Page 55 of The Fifth Soul

I know her question is intended to be playful, but I don’t like it. I especially hate that she used the phrase ‘hulk of a man’ to describe my brother. His large size is hard to miss, but nonetheless. I don’t want to know that she has noticed anything about any other man.

“He used it to his advantage when jump scare wars were happening.” Alejandra’s mention of the game brings back memories.

“Between who?” Intrigue is clear on Bianca’s face.

“You know, the same small group that meets in my spaces,” I say, loving the way her eyes finally settle on mine. Light honey and warm sand. “We nicknamed him kitty paws. It would instantly erase all victory from his smirk when he got one over on us.”

Alejandra looks off into space. “Soon after, he stopped playing.”

Her thoughts are probably drifting to the last day. The way we argued about the score and who truly counted as being part of a team. We never knew it would be the last time. Soon after, all the playing ended just the same.

“We all did…” my voice trails off at the memory.

I’m now plotting unsavory missions with the same people I once ran down the castle walls playing tag with. It seems we all grow up, but not everyone gets wiser with time. I’ve realized with time that the more I learn, the less I know.

“Wow, everything seems so open,” Bianca says.

Alejandra and I look at each other and then at Bianca. We were so deep in our thoughts we stayed outside past everyone else.

I look at the castle and try to see it with fresh eyes. I’ve come here since I was a child, and the structure has lost all its magic to me. The entire castle differs greatly from any other royal home. The brown walls are made of rock with a layout that accommodates the desert weather through large openings.

I remember hating coming here during the summer. The heat would make even the inside uncomfortable. I loved the winters because the snow would fall, covering the red rocks and pine trees with a layer of white. It was magical. Like the Fates had sprinkled powdered sugar across the mountains. Perfect for all solstice celebrations.

“Let’s go in,” I say.

I reach for Bianca’s hand to pull her to my side, forgetting my place for a second. I drop her hand and clear my throat while I fix my collar and move ahead of the girls. Alejandra knowing about us is one thing. There are no secrets in my inner circle. I’m not exactly sure what this is, but I don’t keep secrets from them. That is not the case with any lurking eyes in the Duelo castle.

Alejandra’s warning glare serves as a reminder. Knowledge is power.

CHAPTER 20

BIANCA

My heart will forever bleed at the sight of what could have been.

I spot the young woman at the top of the steps before overhearing Brandon and Alejandra. I know they were talking about her because of the way she was bluntly staring at the future king with way too much familiarity in her gaze. I have witnessed plenty of girls shoot him and his brother’s heated glances, but hers was different. My assumption is proven correct.

I can’t help but feel my fist twitch while hearing those words from Brandon. His tone is sarcastic, but that doesn’t take away my urge to punch him in the throat for saying them. Instead, I choose to focus on how stunning the damn building is.

Brandon wasn’t kidding when he called this a colosseum. I’ve never seen one, but it looks like a giant open stadium with thousands of spectator seats. We climb a few floors until we reach a suite on the top level. When we walk in, we see Brandon's grandfather already seated inside.

The room is decked out in red drapes and elegant chairs. More extravagant than anything I’ve seen before. It is very unexpected compared to the rustic outside.

Alejandra and I take seats behind Brandon before the show begins. The lights dim as the drapes slowly open. Seven figures stand on the stage. The stage isn’t that big compared to the rest of the dirt circle on the center bottom. Thousands of rows of seats surround the dirt circle. The place seems packed with people from here. I expect to see a few people looking our way, but everyone seems too focused on the action down below to look anywhere else.

A short girl in a floor-length red dress steps forward from the line. My first thought is that she looks beautiful. Bright red hair glinting under the lights like flames frames her face. Her movements are delicate yet confident. With every step she takes, the diamonds decorating her gown shake like a chandelier around her. The stage lights reflect every sparkle on her pale skin.

“Who’s that?” I ask no one in particular.

“Janelle Duelo.” A guard next to me answers, the name falling from his lips with appreciation.

I am in awe until my stare settles into her eyes. The hardness there knows no fear. When she reaches the middle of the stage, the crowd grows even quieter than before. A single throat clearing carries across the entire room. The tension grows as she turns her back to us and lifts her face to the sky. The tumbling of drums begins from a slow and low rhythm to a loud, deafening beat. My heartbeat rises with the music. The anticipation of what is coming has my skin covered in goosebumps, making my body vibrate with energy.

I look around, intrigued at how focused everyone is on the main stage. My eyes linger on Jesse a bit longer. There’s something different about his gaze, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. He sits on a chair in the same suite, but to the side. His body language is so stiff, which is out of character for him. Both of his hands hang at his sides, clenched in hard fists.

Movement on the stage snaps my attention back to the show. In unison, the people in line begin to chant. Simultaneously, they all conjure small balls of fire in their hands. From this distance, any noise from them is nothing but a whisper.

The first person in line steps forward, sending their fireball ball flying toward the girl in the red dress. Her hand shoots up before it reaches her, stopping it mid-air. The ball of flames floats a foot away from her hair. A second person from the line walks forward and repeats the action. One by one, they send their fire flying to the girl. The bulging veins in her arms are the only sign that the entire scene has a strain on her.

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