Page 13 of Shadows of the Crown

“Competitors, for this trial you will be escorted to the forgotten tunnels under the castle.” Interesting. “Therewill be no light to guide you and no one to help you. In this vast labyrinth, your task is to navigate your way to the center, where you will find various artifacts. Some are as large as my arm,” he holds out the bulky limb, as if it’s something we should be impressed by, “and some are as small as my hand. You are to choose only one artifact and bring it back to this room.” His smile turns sinister as he looks down on the eighteen of us as if we’re a mere game to him.

I suppose we are.

“There are no rules to this trial other than your task. Obtain the artifact and present it to me, no matter the cost. Because, you see, there are only fourteen.” He laughs, the only sound in this heated room other than the rapid breathing of the man behind me. Gross.

Only fourteen.

Four people will not make it to the second trial. Good.

I plan while the king finishes his ridiculous speech. I’m familiar with the layout of the castle, including the service halls, though the tunnels underneath are news. There will be no light, which could be both an advantage and a disadvantage for me. I work best in the cover of shadows, but even those have small amounts of light seeping through.

Tunnels. I’m unsure how wide these will be, but I must assume that putting one at my back and walking sideways will be my best method. It may be slower, but it’s important to protect every side, so it’s necessary.

The tunnels will most likely be made of stone, which not only carries sound far, but it’s also not the most quiet surface to walk on. I doubt there will be an orchestra down there, drowning out all sounds…and that means silence is my only ally in this.

But assuming I walk through enough tunnels, and stay alive long enough to get to the middle, how will I know when I’m there? I guess I should just hope I don’t trip over an artifact and give my position away.

Fuck.

I’m frustrated that I never considered these tunnels a possibility. I will need to utilize all my training and make sure no one gets the chance to touch me.

“You will now be taken to your starting positions. Listen for the signal to begin.” Excitement radiates off his wrinkled skin—he’s too excited for a mere game of blind mazes. That thought has every sense heightening, preparing me to deal with anything the king throws in my path down there.

As royal guards step forward, each escorting one competitor toward the doors behind me, I glance at Caspian once more. Warmth slithers through my core when I see he’s still glaring at me.

I can understand why so many girls whisper his name. He’s attractive. His silver eyes contrast nicely with the strands of his hair, which are as black as my heart. He’s strong, with muscles sculptingevery inch of him. His presence exudes confidence, though he's very cocky; it’s clear he expects the attention he receives.

I saw him up close for the first time at the king’s competition announcement; there was a group of girls next to me giggling, attempting to catch the prince’s eye. I nearly gagged when he looked over at them and winked, as if his attention is the Angel’s gift to this realm.

Asshole.

Men who prey on women like that deserve the blades I sink into them. He better hope I don’t learn of any unwanted advances he forces onto women, because I will no longer care about my business with the king.

Hishead will be mine.

But for now, I need to maintain my calm demeanor. So I smirk and wink at him, earning a heated puff of breath. My eyes catch the king as a guard moves to escort me away from the throne; Thalion looks between the prince and me for a moment before narrowing his eyes in my direction.

How easy it is to anger the male species. Let the games begin.

Chapter Eight

Ariella

Whispers of retreating footsteps greet me as my escort walks in the opposite direction. The darkness surrounding me is so thick I’m sure my mind will begin to form human-sized shapes in it soon. I nearly reach for extra fabric to cover my eyes, but I’m still unsure of how the artifacts are to be identified, so that could be a hindrance to my performance.

The guard who walked me down here—quite roughly—ordered me like a pet to stay put until a horn sounded, indicating the beginning of the trial.

“Do not move before you hear it,” her grating voice deepens. “Unless you wish to be griffin dinner.” Her hollow laugh follows those impressively light footsteps, dismissing my need for answers.

How in the Aether would they know if we began before the horn? Do they have a weaver who can map others’ essence? That would require the Ethereal strand, and as far as I’m aware, the castle should not have any weavers of the sort. My jaw clenches. Of course they do…all the royals are good for is lying. Just another reason to remove their presence from the Kingdom.

I lean back against the wall, thankful for the cool touch of the stone along my neck. I remind myself to always wear this outfit to trials in the future, because I would have been thoroughly fucked had I worn my leathers. I run my hands down the soft fabric, sparking awareness along the curves that hide under the fitted material.

This is not the time for such feelings, so I focus on my surroundings. With my vision obsolete, it’s easier to hone in on my other senses. Breathing slowly through my mouth, a faint mineral taste permeates the stale air. There’s a muted scuffle in the distance; most likely a rat navigating these tunnels better than I ever will. But the sound of its small feet is surprisingly loud, and I tap my fingers along the hilt of my dagger at the thought.

This will certainly be more difficult than I imagined.

Especially because the tunnels are thinner than I had hoped. I took in what little information I could before the darkness completely engulfed me on the way down here. Dark, cracked stone makes up the entirety of this suffocating maze. I thought, just for a moment, that I saw claw marks along one wall. Though it’s easy for the mind to play tricks when stressed.

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