Page 78 of A Sea of Secrets
The foyer quickly cleared of Potentials, leaving me with the guests. It didn’t stop me from feeling as alone as a buoy in the sea, though.
She’d probably never be mine again after meeting with her dad, but that didn’t matter right now. I just needed to see she was alive and well. Noah, Ace, and Kayden on the other hand, would turn on me for sure and throw me out of the pod faster than you could say ‘walk the plank’. Unless I won the crown. If I became king, I could fix everything.
Racing from the auditorium, I headed for my dorm. I didn’t see my pod as I went, but I tried not to let any fear sink in. They should have been back by now, but if something had gone wrong, then becoming Terrulia’s ruler might be the only way to save them.
I quickly changed as the empty pit in my gut grew with each minute. Once I had the jumpsuit on, I moved determinedly to the Verdant Plateau where I found Lou on the lush grass. The rest of our pod was nowhere in sight and there was no way to stall. Master Luna would likely just wrap me in plants to shut me up.
The crown.Win the crown and everything would be alright.
Drones floated overhead, their bright lights and cameras focused on us below, broadcasting my shame. Around me, Potentials were gathering, their jumpsuits’ colours matching their cities of origin, though their faces were all the same. Anticipation and fear lined every face. I didn’t need my magic to sense they were equally scared and ready to be done with the Terrulian Trials.
“Ugh, this is so not my colour,” Lou groaned in her sky-blue outfit.
“You look fine,” I replied, looking around for the others. Was I a fool to not give up hope?
“Teal is definitely yours though.”
“Of course it is. Can you see them?” I asked, feeling less and less optimistic by the second.
She shook her head. “They should be back by now.”
This pirate needed a few bottles of rum to calm his nerves because right now, I was close to letting my magic go. Then we’d be having a communal panic attack.
“The Terrulian Trials consist of three tasks that seek to find the bravest, strongest, wisest and most suitable citizen to rule our country,” The Overseer announced from her perch on aboulder, overlooking all gathered. I had no idea where she had snuck off to, but it had to be a good sign that she was here for this. Her voice echoed in the air, silencing the conversations around us. “This year, we were privileged to have an abundance of candidates complete the trials, and so we present one last trial—a tournament of sorts—that will lead us to our new monarch. You will battle with whatever means necessary, magic or weapon, versing one opponent at a time completely at random until we have a victor. Through representing our great cities, you will prove your worth and show the country that you will stop at nothing to sit on the throne.”
The Potentials glanced around at one another, eyeing our competition. This was it. One of us would be king or queen. The night was thick with emotions filling the air and making it feel as though I was swimming through them. Excitement, fear, determination, and a whole lot of anxiety came from me alone.
Where the fuck were the others?
The Overseer snapped her fingers with a loud click. “You now have access to your magic. Prove to everyone that you are the most powerful, the most determined, and the worthiest.”
Sparks crackled from fingertips, grass grew taller around ankles, and the ground itself trembled as each Potentials’ magic broke free. Rocks lifted in the air around one woman in particular, rotating in a circle around her like she was at the centre of her very own solar system. Another dude just beyond her lifted his arm, the limb’s length stretching over three times its size before contracting once more.
“There are some seriously powerful people here,” Lou whispered at my side.
“You’re one of them,” I told her. “Don’t forget it.”
“Tonight,” the Overseer continued, her arms spread wide, “We will crown our victor in a battle to the death. The last one standing shall rule Terrulia.”
Theguardgrippedmybicep tightly as he escorted me farther into the Miniature Terrulia. Dusty red sand kicked up with each of my steps, dirtying my sneakers and the ankle cuffs of my green jumpsuit. It was like being walked to my death because ultimately that’s what the Overseer and the rest of them wanted.
Celeste’s punishment had been clear. All of us directly involved in the break-in of the vault had thereby forfeited our chance at the crown. We could not win this final competition.
Dick and I had been found first, and I’d thought that maybe, just maybe, the others would get the weapon without being caught. It had been a fool’s hope. I’d watched on the screens in the control room as the Overseer cornered them with her guards and laid down her law.
The crown was the price we had to pay for our treason because getting caught trying to access the vault and steal whatever weapon lay within was just that, treason. But instead of demanding our deaths, Celeste declared we would still compete in the tournament. I supposed she figured most of us would die anyway. But even if we survived, we’d never be allowed to truly win.
I’d never wanted to rule Terrulia. The sole purpose for me entering these trials had been to find out what happened to the twins and the rest of the people who were being stolen from my city. Yet, Fallon, Kayden, Ace, Kendra, and Dick… they wanted the crown. Now, whatever scraps of hope they had been holding onto had been torn from their grasp.
The guard released my arm and, with a grunt, headed back the way we came, leaving me in a small clearing. Giant rocks and cacti circled the area as a bright light hovered overhead, illuminating the rich reds of the environment. But this was just a recreation of the real thing. I would have liked to visit the Crimson Steppes one day and see the magnificent land with my own eyes. How a place could be so harsh and unyielding yet be home to a population of people was one of the mysteries I’d wanted to research. Yes, those from the Steppes were not the wealthiest, but they were survivors.
Case in point, Kayden and Kendra.
I was going to take inspiration from them tonight. I still had too much to do with my life. The Overseer may have wanted me to lose, but I would not give her the satisfaction. I didn’t need the crown after this, but I needed to live, and I would fucking do so.
With my hands clenched at my sides, I felt my rage grow in me like a pine tree. Strong and formidable. The Verdant Plateau had endured too much. The fire and loss of its people was just the beginning. I couldn’t let the damage continue. I wouldn’t allow it.
A shadow stepped towards me, the petite figure becoming recognisable once the light reached her features. Hazel eyes and a single long brown plait hung over one shoulder.
