Page 14 of Draekora

“I have the utmost faith in Alex’s ability to complete thevarrungard,” Roka said, his words strong and confident. “And without any assistance at all.”

Gaiel scoffed. “You expect us to believe you won’t be monitoring her progress?”

“Monitoring, yes,” Zain answered for Roka. “Interfering, no.”

“We’ll maintain the same restrictions as we would for any who wish to becomeZeltora,” Kyia said. “Meyarin or otherwise.”

“No mortal has done what will be required of her if she is to return within the allocated time,” Gaiel said.

“Then she will be the first,” Roka said, his assertive tone ending the matter.

Alex, meanwhile, wanted to throw her hands up and demand someone explain what they were all talking about.

Gaiel locked eyes with Roka for a tense moment but then he looked back at Alex, his mouth stretching into an unpleasant smirk. “Let the mortal have her fun.Sendasa fraes del la norae. Selth gratus fin morna.”

Roka’s jaw clenched in response, and Zain half rose out of his seat, his face livid. But before either of them could retaliate, the king spoke.

“Gaiel, enough,” Astophe said firmly, his eyes narrowed. “I think it’s time we all retire for the evening.” His features relaxed again when he looked at Alex. “May the blessings of the stars be with you tomorrow, young mortal. I look forward to hearing of your success upon your return.”

Alex sent him a small smile of gratitude and nodded her head in feigned understanding.

The king rose to his feet and those around the table stood with him, Alex included. Together with the queen, Astophe left the room, followed closely by the council members—with Roathus offering Alex a twinkled smile but Gaiel and Riza ignoring her entirely. Alex rolled the tension from her neck, relieved to be in the sole company of her Meyarin friends again.

“You did well, Alex,” Roka told her, with Kyia nodding her agreement beside him. “I’m sorry about my mother. She can be… difficult at times.”

‘Difficult’ wasn’t quite the word Alex would have used.

Reading the look on her face, he winced with apology and said, “She hasn’t always been so trying. In fact, she used to adore mortals. But things… changed. Try not to take it personally.”

“Don’t worry, Roka. It’s all good.” And it was. Because it wasn’t as if Alex planned on spending quality time with the queen. She was in Meya for one reason—to train with Roka and learn how to fight Aven.

“Does anyone want to tell me about this thing I’m supposed to be doing tomorrow?” she asked, looking between the three of them.

Zain slung a heavy arm across her shoulders and said, “Let’s retire to Roka’s suite. We’ll explain there.”

Six

“Let me get this straight,” Alex said,attempting to calm her skyrocketing nerves while staring at the three Meyarins lounging in Roka’s quarters. “You plan on leaving me out in the forest without any supplies or any…anything… and expect me to find my way back here on my own? And I have to do thisovernight?”

At their nods, she shrieked, “Are you mad? It’s the middle of winter out there! I’m going to get lost and end up freezing to death!”

“We won’t let that happen, Alex,” Kyia said soothingly.

“You said you won’t be interfering,” Alex returned. “Saving my life is interfering.”

“I said we’ll abide by the rules given to those monitoring any who wish to becomeZeltora,” Kyia corrected. “Rules which state that, while we cannothelpyou reach your goal, if something were to threaten your life, we would step in. You won’t see us, but we’ll be closely watching your progress.”

That at least gave Alex an illusion of safety, even if she still wasn’t keen on being dropped off in the middle of a snow-covered forest and left to fend for herself. The last time she found herself stranded in the woods, she’d ended up with her back torn open by a Hyroa and had to watch Aven kill the beast and steal its blood—blood that later almost killed Zain.

“What’s thisZeltorathing you keep mentioning?” Alex asked, shrugging off images of the snarling beast.

“It’s what we call Meya’s elite guard,” Roka answered. “Zain here is the… what’s the word you would use? Captain? General?” The prince nodded to himself. “Yes, Zain is General of theZeltora. He holds the highest rank of all his fellow guards.”

Impressed but not surprised, Alex turned to look at Zain. “No wonder you didn’t want to be put on babysitting duty. Talk about a demotion.”

He didn’t deign to respond, but his silence spoke volumes.

“Those who wish to enter into training asZeltoramust undergo the trial—thevarrungard—for testing,” Roka explained. “But it isn’t as challenging as it sounds, Alex. We wouldn’t send our younglings out on their own if we were concerned for their lives. Try not to worry.”

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