Page 53 of A Court of Ash and Midnight
I turn and look at him, trying to read him as the champions from the other houses continue approaching to declare themselves to House Harkyn. A steady flow of enemies, dozens upon dozens of them. “I suppose,” I say softly.
“As far as your untimely death goes, as your second, I’d really rather thatnothappen.”
“I don’t remember how to use magic. If I ever did to begin with,” I hiss. “And my fighting skills are only average compared to the fae. I’m not really sure how those two think this is going to end well for them.”
He shoots our grandparents a look. “It’s true. I haven’t quite figured out their game here.” He cocks his head to the side as he looks down at me, his eyes bright. “But Iwill. And as for you, I may have a few tricks up my sleeve.”
I stare at him for a long moment. “I’m not marrying you, if that’s what your angle is.”
A devilish smirk crosses his face. “Dearest cousin who clearly thinks quite highly of herself, you areverymuch not my type.”
“Just wanted to be clear.”
“I do appreciate that.”
The line of warriors keeps flowing, and now that the last of the sun has vanished from the sky, the length of the valley is lit up with hundreds of tiny lights, lanterns and campfires stretching from one end to the other. It also means that I can’t see how many houses have yet to come forth and declare themselves. This could take until midnight for all I know. Of course, when it’s done, my life becomes one big ticking clock. Only a matter of time before it’s over. So, I push down my impatience as the declaration ceremony continues.
“I don’t suppose you’ll share details of these tricks… oh, and what’s your name?” I add as an afterthought. It’s incredibly strange that I have a cousin I didn’t know existed and that heseems to maybe be some sort of ally. Though I’m very much not sure I trust him yet.
“Cillian,” he says. “As for the tricks…”
My cousin continues talking but his words are drowned out by the next pair of fae that step forward. The face of one is quite familiar to me. And he stares right at me, hatred burning in his eyes as he speaks.
“Toryn, champion of House Rylorian.”
As he spins on his heel, his gaze is an almost physical force that rakes across me before he walks away into the darkness.
“I take it you know that lovely fellow,” Cillian says.
“A little.” I try to swallow, but my throat has become tight and dry.
Of courseToryn is a member of one of the royal fae houses. It was already bad enough when he hated me and constantly throttled me back at Shadow’s Keep. Now he’s going to make sure my life is an absolute nightmare. He doesn’t know, and wouldn’t care, that being House Harkyn’s champion and trying to overthrow the Queen is thelastthing I could ever want.
I stare off into the night, starting to go numb again as pairs of champions move past us. Their heated gazes, the soft muttering of a curse under their breaths as they retreat. As someone who has lived her entire life on the run, avoiding attention at all costs, I almost feel like this is a worse fate than death. My thoughts spin in slow loops through my head as the noise of the crowd becomes an ever-present buzz crushing in around me. The distant waves begin to grate on my nerves, and even the glowing lights throughout the valley seem harsh, making me dizzy.
I don’t know how much time has passed when Cillian nudges me and says, “Look. Almost done.”
My eyes regain focus, and I look up to see there are three more pairs of champions. After that, the tournament will have officially begun.
The first pair approaches, and the champion spits on my boots as he walks by. The second pair are from a human house, their hair in long braids down their backs, golden rings in their noses and ears and lips. And then the third and final pair is standing before us, and my heart drops to the ground.
“Daemon Aeternas, champion of House Aeternas.”
I stare at him, at his dark hair, those green eyes. He’s standing with a blonde fae woman who must be his second. A strange wave of emotion moves through me, a combination of giddiness and abject horror. I will him to raise his eyes to mine, but he doesn’t so much as glance in my direction as he stands before my grandparents, three feet away, and then turns and passes right before me on his way back into the crowd. He is there, and then he is gone, his black cloak swirling in the night.
I’d thought I’d never see him again. My initial impulse had been joy, because I’d been wrong. But then, that joy had died in my chest. And Daemon’s lack of acknowledgement only confirmed it.
He’s here to compete in the tournament. He’s here representing his family house. He’s here because of one undeniable truth.
Whatever fleeting, budding bond may have once passed between us is now gone.
Daemon is here because he’s my enemy.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Cillian doesn’t seemto notice my dark mood. “That was exhausting. Here. I’ll escort you back to your tent.”
“You don’t think someone will try to kill us in our sleep?” I blink, trying to think straight after what just happened.
