Page 29 of Spirit Trials
“Eyes, nose, throat, knees, and groin,” I answer.
“What kind of berries are safe to eat?”
“The dark blue ones and the bright green ones.”
“Which ones are toxic?” he continues.
“Purple.”
“Remember to watch for snakes when you gather wood for a fire. Don’t use wood that has red streaks because—”
“They are home to spillas, which are tiny little bugs that have a painful bite that burns.” I parrot back to him everything he and the other guys have taught me over the last two weeks. Then because I feel like he’s spiraling, I stop walking. It takes him a moment to notice. “I’m going to be okay, Rysden.”
“I just want you to be prepared.”
My heart warms. “I know. You guys have spent every minute of the last two weeks preparing me for this. I’m as ready as I can be.” We both know it’s not enough compared to every other competitor here who’s spent their entire lives up to this point training for this. “It will have to be enough.”
“Just remember,” he says, still serious. “You’re not invincible.”
I grin. “You sure about that?” When he doesn’t smile, mine drops. “I know, Rysden.”
He looks over at the group and then back at me. “This is as far as I can go.” I look over at the group that’s gathering and then back at him.
I don’t know what to say. What do you say to your kidnapper who’s making you compete in this trial but who’s also made sure you were as prepared as possible? I keep it simple. “Thank youfor training me.” I turn and walk away and don’t look back, but I feel his eyes on me the entire time. It doesn’t take me long to reach the group that’s already assembled. Over the next hour, more and more competitors arrive, and I get more and more anxious. The mood today is so different than last night. There is no levity or celebrating. Today, everyone has brought their warrior selves for the competition. Finally, I watch the king and his entourage arrive. There's a tall man next to him that has gray hair. I take note because these people age slowly. I haven’t seen anyone with gray hair since I got here. Lox says it’s because of their connection to their spirit animals.
“He’s one of the last surviving rulers with a spirit gryphon,” a female voice says to my right. I stare at the man in awe, wondering what his gryphon spirit animal looks like. “Pretty crazy, right?”
I manage to pull my attention away from the older man and face the girl next to me and take her in. She’s even shorter than me, which is saying a lot. But her gorgeous blond hair and beaming smile make up for it. She beams at me and puts out her hand. I stare at her hand a moment before I put my own out reluctantly. “I’m Kinsley.” I don’t say anything as she pumps my hand. “This is where you tell me your name,” she says, never losing the smile. She reminds me of Lox.
“Farrah,” I finally tell her and pull my hand away.
“Nice to meet you, Farrah. Which kingdom are you from?”
“Wolf.” It’s sort of the truth; I’m from there now. I face the front where the leadership is gathering on a stage of sorts.
“Me too...sort of.”
Her answer catches my attention. “Sort of?” I question. I don’t know why. I don’t really want to talk to her, but there’s something about her that makes it hard to ignore her. I blame Lox; he’s kind of grown on me.
She drops her head a moment, and I regret the question. “I’m part of the banished community,” she says softly and then looks around quickly like she’s making sure nobody else heard her. My eyes widen in surprise. She notices and smiles sadly. “Yeah, even the children of the banished get to enter the spirit trials in hopes that we’re not like our parents and fail to produce a spirit animal.”
I don’t even know what to say; the guys didn’t prepare me for this. “I’m sorry?” My words come out more of a question, and I grimace.
She smiles again. “It’s okay.” She shrugs. “I don’t know anything different.”
I take in her clothes and suddenly feel guilty for everything I am wearing and carrying. Her clothes are tattered and threadbare. She has an old bag on her shoulder, but it looks pretty empty. “Oh, there’s Harper. Come on.”
“Oh, um, I’m good. I don’t—”
“Come on. Her bite is worse than her bark.”
It takes a minute for her words to register. “Wait, I think you said that wrong.”
“Nope,” she says, eyes twinkling. Suddenly, she takes my arm and I’m practically being dragged across the field over to where a tall girl with long dark hair stands.
“Look what the cat drug in,” the girl says without turning to us.
“Hey, Harper, I brought over a friend,” Kinsley says. Harper finally turns to me, and I watch as her eyes harden. “Play nicely,” Kinsley says softly. I’m not really sure if she’s saying that to me or to Harper. “Harper, this is Farrah. Farrah, Harper.” I don’t have to be told that this girl is one of the banished as well. Her clothing and lack of a full bag do all the telling. I stand there awkwardly for a moment and then try for conversation, mostlyfor Kinsley’s sake. She’s been nice to me, and I want to return the favor.
