Page 9 of Faerie Trials

“We haven’t really kept up with each other lately, haven’t had the time to catch up. I want to know what’s going on in your world, Tavi.”

“In my world,” I repeated as we walked.

Twin guards stood still as statues at the bottom of the grand staircase. They no longer bothered with me. However, I noted the way their eyes darted in our direction. Making sure the heir to the throne stayed safe with the girl who had killed Madam Muerte.

I hadn’t, of course, but I was pretty sure they all still thought it.

“Well, apparently I’m not doing too well in school, based off of my grades from last semester,” I said over the echoing clomp of our footsteps. “The school assigned a tutor to help me not only get my grades up but to prepare for…everything we’re going to face. She made it sound like I’m going to need a last will and testament in place by the end of this term.”

When I glanced over again, Mike was nodding vigorously until hair fell over his face. “I think that’s a good idea.”

“What?” I blinked at him. “You think I should prepare my will?”

“No, not the will part, the tutor part.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, it’s a great idea,” he enthused. “Hey, maybe the tutor will work with me, too.”

I laughed, another snort ending the sound like punctuation. “Come on. You don’t think I do a good enough job helping you study? I mean, I’m onlyfailing. Between the two of us, we should be practically acceptable.”

Besides, wasn’t Mike the one who’d taken an ancient artifact into the mortal realm to bolster his magic and used it to pass through the Halfling Academy?

I wondered where he’d stashed it and if he’d be willing to lend it to me. Yet I kept my lips zipped as we walked, in case he didn’t want anyone knowing about theAugundae Totalis. Had he brought it with him through the portal back to Faerie?

“I wouldn’t worry about a thing, Tavi. Your tutor is going to help you out. I enjoy your company, so I still want to hang out whether we’re studying or not.”

“You do?”

Mike cleared his throat, pausing at the door to the portal with his hand wrapped around the knob. “Say, this weekend?”

Warmth curled beneath my sternum as I turned to stare up at him. “You want to hang out this weekend?” I clarified. Was this the same Mike who had practically ignored me these last few months?

Something strange was going on.

We paused outside of the portal room, the intricately decorated door inlaid with gold and jewels. I’d gotten used to the opulence the same way I’d gotten used to Mike’s title. It just took me a bit of time. I didn’t exactly come from penury; my uncle was wealthy enough to afford private schools for me when I’d been part of the Alderidge wolf pack.

But that was nothing compared to the castle.

“I do.” Mike kept his hand on the door, waiting until he had my answer. “I’m, ah, I’m nervous.”

Hewhat? “About hanging out with me? No way!”

He grinned but then it faded quickly. “About the Trials.” Those spring-green eyes bored into mine and I couldn’t look away. He trapped me better than a hypnotist. “The Summer Games look like child’s play next to the Trials. I mean, students have died before. Actuallydied. You remember how I told you not to worry during the games because no one was going to let anything happen to me? Those rules go out the window during the Trials.” He swallowed hard until his Adam’s apple bobbed.

“Wait a minute. You’re saying they won’t protect theCrownPrince? Impossible. The king isn’t going to let his only son—”

Suddenly I found it hard to breathe. The pressure on my chest increased because I knew Mike wasn’t lying. He was genuinely scared. And if the monarch and the school officials would allow something to happen tohim, then the rest of us were like chum in shark-infested waters.

I scrambled for options. “Can’t we just…I don’t know, opt out?”

Mike shook his head with a grimace. “No. It’s mandatory. Everyone at Elite is required to participate. Oh, hey, come here. You’re breathing funny. It’s going to be okay.”

Shouldn’t I be the one consoling him and his nerves?

I didn’t stop him when he reached out and drew me into a hug. “Ifeelweird,” I admitted.

His hands massaged large circles on my back. I wanted to purr. “Don’t freak yourself out. It’s going to be okay. We’ll look after each other. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

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