Page 54 of The King of Frost and Shadows

I stabbed him in the heart. My blade cut through his skin as easily as when I doused it in the sea to clean it.

His eyes widened, and I held his gaze, wanting my eyes to be the last thing he saw as he faded into the dark—the dark that even I couldn’t access because his magic would leave and return to the land we couldn’t access because of the Seelie.

With how silent the arena had become, a person could assume everyone had left.

But not me.

This was what happened when I made my point. When my people forgot I could be vicious, I had to remind them.

Once he stopped breathing, I placed my foot on the man’s stomach, yanked out my sword, and sheathed it back in place. I wanted my people to see that blood didn’t affect me, though I hated how it dripped onto my pants legs. That was a problem for later.

Standing upright, I took a moment to turn in a slow circle, taking in the entire arena. I wanted my people to feel that I was looking at them even though there wasn’t any possible way for me to see everyone. “If anyone forgets these rules again, I won’t be as kind as dealing a quick death. I hope everyone hears and remembers this.”

Caelan and Finnian stood beside each other and nodded while Eldrin scowled. He wasn’t pleased that I’d interfered and would have rather I’d shown leniency and allowed Lira to die. But we couldn’t be like the Seelie and change our beliefs because it suddenly worked in our favor. The fact that we didn’t change and stood firmly by our moral code would be the very thing that would cause the Seelie to lose against us because we were going to take back our land and theirs.

Without another word, I flew out of the arena, heading toward my bedroom. Even though the guards would learn what had happened, I didn’t trust any of them with Lira. Too many wanted her dead, and I suspected they’d risk their own death to achieve it.

When I flew out the top, I realized I’d allowed the sky to darken to the point where the moon was no longer visible. The darkness coursed out of me and into the sky,reflecting my turmoil. My people could gauge my state of mind and say it’d been darker since Lira’s arrival, a gross understatement.

Two sets of wings flapped faster than the rest, informing me that Finnian and Caelan were catching up to me. They flanked me, and Caelan sighed. “Was that necessary?”

I jerked my head in his direction and arched a brow. “Yes. How dare you ask me that?”

“I fear the rules weren’t the problem and more that a particular woman was almost harmed.” Caelan inhaled deeply. “But please, don’t answer that. I’d rather not know. You do need to realize she won’t make it through the entire trial, and if she does, you’ll be forced to kill her.”

I wanted to flinch but gritted my teeth, fighting the reaction. I worried whether I’d be able to manage that, but I forced the thought away. I didn’t have a choice, so my concerns didn’t matter.

“At least she kept it entertaining.” Finnian laughed loudly to lighten the mood. “She used that sling like she’d done it at least a few times.”

My chest tightened uncomfortably. “She loved playing with the sling her father got her when she was a little girl. She enjoyed helping animals by knocking down their food from trees.” I’d always liked to watch her because she’d always been kind to everything … much like she had been kind to a man who wanted her dead.

“Shall we head to dinner and celebrate the end of the first trial?” Caelan asked.

I didn’t want to. The one thing I desired was the worst thing I could do right at this moment—check on Lira. However, I knew that if I didn’t eat with Eldrin, Finnian, and Caelan, especially after killing a guard, they’d wonderwhy and ask questions I didn’t want them to entertain. “Of course. I’m starving.”

As the three of us flew toward the dining hall, I tried to think about anything other than the woman who was becoming far more of a complication than I’d ever expected.

Dinner lasted forever,and it didn’t help that Finnian demanded a second plate of food in the spirit of celebration and proceeded to take it to his room, leaving me with Caelan and Eldrin.

Fortunately, Eldrin didn’t voice his discontent with my actions, and we all had a civil conversation about when the next game would happen. It would be in two days to give all the prisoners a chance to recover for a more entertaining match.

Half of me was sickened over that because Lira would be up against others who were back to almost full strength and, therefore, stronger than her. I suspected that was the point.

Finally, I excused myself because Caelan and Eldrin wanted to begin plotting the next game. It had to be more entertaining than the last.

However, I had a plan of my own. I would get clean and check on Lira.

I eagerly flew toward my room and found my personal guards already standing outside.

“What are you doing here?” They should’ve been keeping an eye on Lira in the holding cell. My voice lowered. “You’re—”

“She’s inside,” Finola interjected and lifted a hand. “Wedidn’t realize you hadn’t authorized her to come here. We can—”

My breath caught, and I shoved between the two, opening my door. “Under whose authority?” Who would dare make a decision of that magnitude for me?

“Mine.” Finnian sat at the table, his second plate of food across from him. “I thought you’d be happy that I retrieved her. It helps that the guards don’t notice me as much as they do you. So you’re welcome.”

Of course it’d be the wildling, but I couldn’t find the anger or annoyance that should’ve been within my grasp. Instead, I relaxed more than I had since the gauntlet had started. He was right—I would’ve retrieved her myself. I didn’t trust anyone else to watch her because no one cared like I did… or, unfortunately, like Finnian. “I didn’t say thank you.” I had to be clear so that he didn’t believe that I owed him a favor.

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