Page 100 of Spirit Trials
Finally, it’s our turn. A trumpeter sounds, startling me. They didn’t blow the trumpet for anybody else. The room below us immediately quiets, and I feel my body tense up. “Introducing Prince Rysden and his mate, Lady Mercy, as well as their wolves Shade and Solace.” The crowd claps as we descend the stairs. I clench Rysden’s arm tightly, praying I don’t fall on my face in front of all these people. But Rysden keeps us moving smoothlydown the stairs. We finally reach the floor, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I start to pull away, but Rysden stops me with a small shake of his head and leads the way across the room. At first, I’m not sure where we’re headed. When I figure it out, I immediately try to pull away, but Rysden puts his other hand over mine and holds it in place as we step up the five steps leading to the area where the King and Queen normally sit. I notice that there are just the two thrones, so hopefully Rysden and I won’t be expected to stay up here. He guides me over to an area behind the chairs, and I glance up at him, ready to ask what we’re doing. At that moment, though, the trumpets sound and everyone stops what they are doing and gazes up at the thrones. A door opens, and the King strides in. I look behind him, searching for Rysden’s mother; but she’s not there. The room goes silent as everyone bows. I start to bow, but Rysden keeps my hand in place, not allowing me to.
The King looks out over the massive room. “Rise and welcome to the 221stChampion’s Ball.” There’s polite applause, but it dies out a moment later. “Tonight, we celebrate those who found their spirit animal and of course, our Champion.” He turns towards us. “Lady Mercy.” The way he says it doesn’t sound flattering. In fact, he makes it sound like a threat, somehow. “Come here.” I can feel that Rysden is anything but relaxed next to me, but he gives the look of someone who could care less about tonight. He leads us forward, and I don’t miss the way that he moves us so that he is standing closest to his father, not me. “Ladies and Gentlemen. Your Champion,” the king calls out.
People clap and cheer, and it’s louder than it was a moment ago for the King. A chant starts working its way around the room, and it takes a moment for it to reach my ears. “Lady Mercy. Lady Mercy. Lady Mercy.”
I put up my free hand and wave at the crowd, unsure what else I’m supposed to do. I feel eyes on me and turn my head towards the King. He stares at me with open contempt on his face, and then he does something peculiar. He smiles, but there’s nothing warm about it. My body tenses, and Rysden must notice because he turns to face his father. But the King is facing out again. “Let us eat and drink and dance,” he calls out. “The Spirit Trials are over, and we have our new Champion.”
The music starts up again, and people get back to doing just what the king said. Rysden turns to his father. “Where is Mother?”
“She wasn’t feeling well enough to attend tonight’s festivities,” the King says, waving a dismissive hand. He sits on his throne, and it’s clear he’s done talking to us.
Rysden turns to me. “Care for a dance?”
Chapter 50
A shudder runs through me.“No thank you.”
Rysden stares down at me. “You are the Champion of the Spirit Trials, anddancingis what scares you?”
I scowl at him. “I don’t know what the dance moves are, and they all obviously do.”
“I’ll teach you.”
Before I can protest, he all but drags me out on the floor. On the way, he stops by a man in crimson uniform with multiple gold bars on his chest. “Captain,” Rysden says with a nod.
“Prince,” the captain says, returning the nod. “Everything is as it should be.”
“Good. Captain, this is Farrah, my mate.” Rysden turns to me. “This is Captain Corwin, the captain of the Royal Guard.”
I’m not really sure what the appropriate thing to do is, so I take my cue from Rysden and nod at him. “Nice to meet you, Captain.”
“And you as well.”
Rysden guides me away a moment later. “Ready for that dance?”
I’m about to beg off when I see the king watching us with narrowed eyes. I sigh in exasperation. “Fine.” He puts one hand on my back and pulls me close and takes my hand in his other hand. I catch my breath when he pulls me close. “Just follow my lead, if you can,” he says with a smirk. It’s the closest he’s come to giving me a smile tonight, so I let him get away with it. He’s been tense since we got here, and it makes me nervous. “Easy,” he says when I trip over my feet. I focus back on him and makemyself pay attention. It doesn’t take me long to get the pattern to the steps, and soon, we’re moving a whole lot smoother.
“Are you okay?” I ask after a little bit.
His eyes meet mine. “Yes. Why?”
“You just seem really on edge.”
He’s quiet a beat as he spins me around. When I come back to him, he pulls me close. “I’m always on edge here.” His words are quiet, but I can hear him well enough.
“Is that why you live in your own place?”
“That’s one reason,” he admits, surprising me. His arm tightens slightly around me. “I can’t stand being around my father. If I’m here too long, it brings out my rage and desire to kill him.”
I glance over at the king quickly. Even though I know he can’t hear us this far away, it still feels dangerous to have this conversation. And yet, Rysden is finally opening up to me; I don’t want to lose this opportunity. “Because of your mom?” I ask softly.
“She’s the biggest reason, but there are many more.” His face is tight, and I think he’s done. The dance ends, and he leads me over to a dark corner. He edges me into the corner with his body. With his broad shoulders blocking my view of the rest of the room, I can’t see anything but him. “He’s cruel to my mom. He makes her drink something that sends her into visions over and over and over again.” His words are clipped, and his jaw is tight. “The only reason it hasn’t killed her by now is the blood bond between them. When she’s at her weakest, he gives her some of his energy. Not because he wants to help her, but because he needs her to be strong enough to keep having visions.”
I put my hand on Rysden’s chest. “I’m sorry.” I don’t look away from his stormy gaze. “We will figure out a way to stop him and free her.”
His eyes search my face, his stormy eyes searching mine. “Why would you do that?”
My heart tugs, and I move my hand from his chest to his strong jaw. “Because, Rysden. She’s your mom. She means something to you, so by default, she means something to me.” He’s staring at me like he doesn’t know what to say. I run my fingers along his jaw and through the stubble there. Then I do something that surprises even me. I stand on my tiptoes and grip his strong shoulders to keep my balance before I lightly kiss him on the lips. It’s more of a peck, really. It’s over and done in less than a second. “You’re not alone, Rysden. Not anymore.” Before I can pull back, a strong arm wraps around my back and pulls me impossibly close. His lips are on mine a moment later. Heat courses through me at the feel of his lips on mine and his body wrapped around mine. It’s simultaneously too much and not enough at the same time as heat engulfs me, flooding my veins and body with pressure and tension that I don’t know what to do with. I want more of him, I decide. I pull on his shoulders, and he pulls me impossibly closer. Needing more, I open my mouth, and his tongue clashes with mine in an instant. I moan softly, and he responds with a growl low in his chest. He pushes me into the wall and kisses me as if he’s desperate for me. My body is on fire, and only he can quench it. “Rysden,” I gasp, pulling away for oxygen.
