Page 77 of The Throne Seeker
“We can endure!” the room chanted back in unison.
“In truth!”
“We find purpose!”
“With loyalty!” he shouted louder.
“We serve!” the crowd said, some pounding their fists on the tables.
“In honor,” the king cried.
“We live, fight, and die!” the court roared.
“For Vallor!” the king finished, raising his fist.
“For Vallor!” they all cheered back.
The energy in the room was revived, the chant fulfilling its purpose. The king’s bearded smile grew as he gazed out at the spirit he’d just instilled.
He waited for the room to quiet down. “The second challenge will be held in a sweat lodge on the sea cliffs. Regrettably, due to recent events, only the contestants’ close friends and family will be permitted to attend. The rest of you will remain here at the castle. For those invited, follow me.”
CHAPTER 35
The sky hung low with a thick layer of gray clouds as the party trekked their way to the sea cliffs. Rose had only been there a handful of times—warned by her mother that more than one innocent soul had met their death along its edges. But every time she saw the elevated view, she stopped to stare. From here, she could see the Meridian Sea spread for miles, its waves dancing like silk in the wind or rippling sand across the desert. The sheer vastness terrified her while simultaneously reminding her of home. This home. The home she had built here. And she intended to keep it.
An excessive number of guards guided the small group, taking no chances. The king and queen led the way with the high council, followed closely by the five contestants. Tristan was solemn and withdrawn, while Dawnton and Emmet each wore a brave poker face, though their stiff frames exposed their hands. Grant, on the other hand, whistled without a care in the world, giving her a playful wink when he caught her eye.
A small cluster of emerald-green uniforms stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the red and gold. The foreign queen strutted at the center with a grotesque look on her face, whileher daughter’s curious gaze seemed quite intrigued by the whole ordeal.
Zareb and her mother walked alongside her as the wind whipped at their skirts, regretting her decision to wear the pink dress. Rose had to pin her arms to her thighs to keep it from flying up.
“I hope it doesn’t rain,” her mother complained, taming her own dress and glowering at the gray sky. “Why did they have to pick the cliffs?”
“I don’t think they wanted another incident like the woods,” Zareb said. “This is open land. Not nearly as many hiding spots for an attack, and we have the high ground.”
“Unless someone wants to push us off the edge,” Rose pointed out.
Her mother shot her a terrifying glare. “Of course you’d putthatinto my mind.”
“You don’t need to worry,” Zareb said. “We’ll be a safe distance from the edge.”
An octagon-shaped hut waited for them. A plume of smoke escaped the narrow chimney, which the wind immediately swept to claim. The door was closed, leaving it a mystery as to what lay inside. A fair distance away sat a large white tent for them to wait for the duration of the challenge.
Once they had all gathered around the hut, the king addressed the small company. “This is where the contestants will perform the challenge. Unless you are invited to enter, we ask you to wait in the tent until the challenge is completed. We’ll begin with the contestant who finished last in the first trial. This puts the order as Emmett first, then Dawnton, followed by Grant, then Tristan, and lastly Rose. Let us begin… Emmett.”
Emmett held his chin high, striding through the threshold of the hut with Beth and his parents. The king and the high council followed, filing in one by one after them.
“Now we wait.” Her mother sighed, already bored, heading towards the white tent for warmth. “Are you coming?”
“In a moment,” Rose replied, wanting a better look at the view.
Zareb watched her mother march away with concern.
“She’s terrified of heights,” Rose said, explaining her mother’s foul mood. “I’ll join you in a minute.”
He nodded. “Stay where I can see you.”
She strolled toward the gray horizon, approaching the edge as close as she dared. She took a deep, medicinal breath, closing her eyes and letting the cool wind brush over her skin as the hem of her pink dress swept around her feet.
