Page 24 of Bonded to the Fallen Shadow King

“Not all of you will advance.” The hooded figure flicked his wrists, and a sheet of paper appeared with shadow script on it. “Liaran, Helra, Tiriel, and Yaren have already died and have been eliminated from future trials.”

Knots formed in my stomach. What had happened to the four of them, before even the first trial?

Vyraetos raised a hand, silencing all whispers. "The rest of you will be taken to the Hall of Ruthlessness."

Blood pounded loudly in my ears. That sounded like a place where Kaylen would win, hands down. I couldn’t kill in cold blood people who hadn’t done anything to me. That wasn’t how either of my packs had operated, and I refused to become someone who thrived on violence.

“Pass out the medallions,” Vyraetos commanded loudly. “These medallions represent your magical strength and your kingdom affiliation.”

The doors to the Ascension Hall burst open and servants swarmed in, wearing deep-blue tunics that stood out brightly against the dark floors and walls.

Some of the weight lifted as I paid attention to what the other contestants were wearing. Four others had cooper accents similar to mine, while others wore blue, red, brown, gold, and black.

Servants flitted between us, passing out small clear medallions that shimmered like glass. A man with light gray hair appeared in front of Aelir and me and handed us ours.

Aelir took one with trembling hands, the colors of the medallion reflecting amber flames like a mirror. Then mine was thrust into my palm.

It dropped a few inches before I held on to it firmly. It felt way too heavy for something so small. A bright pink light flared nearby, and I jerked my head up to find Aelir’s medallion had lit up. A golden eagle blazed on the medallion, its wings spread wide.

Was she actually going to make it? My heart stuttered with relief, then panic crashed in again.

Why had hers changed and not mine?

Purple and teal sparked around me, pulling my attention from Aelir to look at the others. Each of the other medallions featured some sort of animal outlined with purple, teal, or pink.

Aelir stared at hers, then looked up and met my eyes. Her expression was a mixture of terror and determination, as if she was steeling herself for whatever would come.

My pulse raced in my throat and the cold air pressed against my lungs. My grip tightened around my unchanging medallion, and I forced my panic back.

Yet no color or animal appeared.

One of the other girls let out a low cry as her medallion turned teal with the image of a bear outlined in brown.

My medallion still didnothing. I didn't even count.

I was always overlooked, and now I knew why. My role had always been to support my alpha and pack mates. And now, here I was, alone withnothingto keep me alive. Maybe I should just lie down and give up.

Ember’s voice rang in my head.Get up and show them what I see in you, Briar. Your alpha is also your father, and we don’t come from a weak line. Your wolf and I will always have your back. Never doubt that.

She’d said that to me when I was sixteen and hadn’t known how to handle going to school with humans. Knowing she’d taken the time to walk me through it had pushed me to be stronger. But here, I was alone.

A lump grew in my throat, so large that I couldn’t swallow.

“What do you plan to do?” Aelir asked, bringing me back to the present.

My heart twisted with a different resolve. Aelir was looking for guidance from me, and I couldn’t let her down. So what if my medallion didn’t do a damn thing? I’d prove whatever fueled it wrong and help someone in the process. Even if I died, I wouldn’t let them have the satisfaction of seeing me lose myself. I wasn't going to die with my tail between my legs, and I wasn’t going to let them see me break.

One of the servants near me handed a medallion to a tall, striking fae with vivid pink hair. Her fingers closed around it, and it lit up purple. A black wolf etched across the center.

Rhielle.

Her eyes met mine with fierce defiance. The brief nod of acknowledgement was not calm and composed. Her look saidI have more important threats to focus on.

My gaze swept across the others. Nearly every girl clutched a glowing medallion with an animal. Each lit medallion felt like a blow. One girl was teal with an eagle. Another purple with a serpent.

And then I noticed something else, my hand clenching.

I wasn’t alone in the darkness.

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