Page 42 of House of Ydril

Faust only lets out a scoff. “I thought you wanted me to win.”

There’s a moment of silence before the uncle replies, “Win, of course, just without the gloating.”

Oh, I think to myself, this makes me like the old man even more.

But it’s at that exact moment that my guide has me turn another corner and I see them walk through an archway leading into a crowded, noisy room.

Fuck. The interview. Will this day never end?

My guide motions for me to follow them and leaves. Cameras flashing as I walk, I enter the interview room and grab a seat at the table where the remaining Chosen are already seated. It’s just twelve of us now.

Once I settle down, I see Faust give one of the countless journalists seated across from us a nod. And just like that, the yelling begins.

“Tell me, Miss Longborn,” a thin blonde journalist demands as she shoves a microphone in my face, “why did you choose not to fight the giant?”

“Surely,” I hear Faust cut in, “you don’t want to talk about the only fight that wasn’t even a fight.”

I shoot him a look, but his eyes are fixed on the reporter as he gives her a fake smile.

Another reporter chimes in. “What doyouthink about it, Your Majesty? After all, it’s you who’s been put in charge of the Chosen this year.”

For a split second, I see the smile slide off his face. He clears his throat and says, “As always, our Chosen represent the best of the best. But of course, even among a select few, you can find those more worthy of the title.”

He’s obviously evading the question and that makes me want to slap him. But the reporters don’t bite. “Does this mean you don’t think Miss Longborn is an actual contender?”

Another one turns to me and asks, “Miss Longborn, was what you did some kind of comment on the Trials themselves?”

I open my mouth, but Faust is already cutting in, his voice almost threatening. “I’m sure Miss Longborn didn’t think that far ahead. She…”

“Can speak for herself,” I hear myself say. And despite the look of sheer fury that he throws me, I keep talking. “Why did I choose not to fight the giant? It’s very simple. That giant is just a kid and whatever the Academy would want me to do, I don’t fight children.”

The silence that follows my words is deafening. With the corner of my eye, I see Faust staring at me, but I’m too busy feeling the onset of a panic.

I’m almost thankful to him when he finally clears his throat, gets up and says, “I think we’ve had enough questions for today. Our fighters, as you can see, are all wrung out and in need of rest.”

No one dares to object. As I’m scrambling out of my seat, Faust is already on his way out of the room. I can’t help but glance at him, the glance turning into a stare when I see him being approached by the Pied Piper herself.

She leans to whisper something to him, looking over her shoulder and straight into my eyes. She doesn’t look happy.

And I can see Faust’s entire body visibly tense up. His eyes dart to mine, throwing me a pissed-off look before he pulls himself together and murmurs something back to the principal. She nods and he takes his leave.

Chapter eighteen

“Youcan’tbeserious,”Nuala says as she tries to catch up with me.

“You bet I am,” I have my bag with me and I’m headed straight for the graveyard.

“But you literally just finished the First Round, you’re in pain and we have the Ball tonight. Do youneedany more reasons not to go back to training just yet?”

“Nuala,” I say without even turning to look at her, “I just need to blow off some steam. I don’t think I could possibly be more pissed than I am right now.”

My friend just lets out a deep sigh and keeps walking with me.

And I don’t know if I’m overreacting, but I can’t seem to control it. The anger inside me is burning bright, threatening to consume me.

But before we even get close to the graveyard, we hear screaming from the direction of the Lycan Forest. It’s the deep dark woods just behind Nuala’s tower.

We both stop midstep and look at each other in silence. Then we break into a sprint, forgetting all about the graveyard.

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