Page 55 of Once the Skies Fade

She didn’t argue, merely shrugged. “Either way, you’ll have a target on your back now.”

I laughed once. “As if I didn’t already?”

“A larger one then,” she said, not even a crack of a smile on her lips.

“Why are you warning me?” I asked, stealing a glance around the room and to where Graham now led Calla away to the far wall.

“Call it a courtesy from one general to another. But it’s the only one you’ll get.”

Isa excused herself with a single nod and marched over to the musicians, who quickly ended their song and rested their instruments in their laps. Everyone in the room returned to their seats, except for Calla, who remained by the wall as if she could sink into the shadows and disappear. Moving to the middle of the open space, Isa clasped her hands behind her back and addressed the room.

“There will be more time to dance if anyone wishes to, but I do need to ensure you all know what to expect going forward in this tournament. Some of you have traveled a great distance to be here, and for that we are most grateful. This is not an easy time for our kingdom, especially for our queen. Losing a spouse is a hardship no one should have to bear. Having to replace them so quickly is…well…”

Her voice trailed off as she looked toward the queen for a full breath before returning her gaze to us.

“It is what it is, unfortunately. Her Majesty, Queen Vael, has tasked me with planning and overseeing the trials, of which there will be four, testing the qualities necessary for our future king: courage, strength, wisdom, and grace.”

Around the table, each male exchanged looks, as if silently surmising what the trials might be.

“In each trial, contestants will earn points based on criteria set forth at the beginning of each. Quite simply, the male with the most points—who is still alive—at the end of trial four, will be crowned king.”

The Assembly members nodded grimly along with Isa’s every word, some donning wicked smiles as if already imagining what bloody entertainment was to come.

Isa continued, shifting her weight and folding her hands in front of her now.

“Your first trial begins tomorrow at sunrise. We will convene outside the castle’s entrance before dawn, at which time you will be given further instruction. I do recommend you try to enjoy yourselves tonight. Our staff will attend to you for as long as is needed, so feast and drink, dance and laugh. Tonight very well may be your last.”

Isa bowed her head silently and strode over to the queen, whom she promptly whisked out of the room. As soon as the door closed behind them, the conversations started, excited and nervous voices all filling the ballroom and drowning out the tune the musicians had dived into at the general’s exit.

“What do you think it is?” Oryn angled his head toward me as he asked.

I shrugged. “Assuming they’re testing the qualities she listed in order—which they might not—we’ll be facing the courage trial first.”

Korben appeared behind Oryn, leaning forward on the table to look at me. “Think they’ll just stick us in a room with Her Majesty and her shadows?”

I nearly laughed at how some of the males appeared genuinely afraid of that prospect. Not that I didn’t think Calla was dangerous; she was a Shadow Keeper, after all. Butknowing Isa’s reputation for cunning, and having witnessed her impressive loyalty to her queen, I highly doubted she’d devise a trial so simple while having Calla directly involved.

Shaking my head, I weighed whether to voice my speculations or not. I could use them to my advantage—assuming my theory proved right—by being the only one prepared.

“Know something we don’t, Matthias?” Rhett asked bitterly.

Before I could answer, others were chiming in with their own questions.

“Did the queen say something to you?”

“What did you learn from her?”

“What did her shadows feel like?”

That last one pulled a sharp bark of laughter from me, but I’d barely started to respond when Graham sniggered.

“He doesn’t know anything, and Her Majesty certainly didn’t say anything to him.”

All heads—including the Assembly members’—swiveled in his direction and then back to me.

“Graham’s right,” I said. “Her Majesty didn’t say anything—nothing of consequence anyway. I simply have my theories about the trial.”

Silence fell among us, and I casually took a sip from my water glass. A half dozen or more heads leaned closer in anticipation of my next words. When I remained silent, one of the Arenysenians—Aric, perhaps, or maybe his name was Fritz, I couldn’t be sure—scoffed loudly.

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