Page 65 of Kingdom of Today
“Stand,” Domino said, still behind me.
I met Cyrus’s gaze once again. He was scowling, his hands fisted in his lap.
Reluctant, I rose to my feet and with trembling legs made my way forward, unsure what awaited me.
Chapter Sixteen
I will always be with you; I’ll not fail you nor abandon you, so hold tight to your courage.
—The Book of Soal1.5.31.8
I stood on stage, dazed and queasy, peering out at the crowd. Anger and envy peered back at me. Other soldiers wanted to be where I was, and most believed I was only here because of the man I dated.
They didn’t know I wanted to be where they were. Not here, a member of a “special” team, meant to become the host of a god, I’d bet.
The royals passed by us, taking time to shake our hands and offer congratulations.
Summit paused to rake his gaze over me. “Not as useless as I first assumed. Good to know.”
Felix crooked his head, as if he couldn’t decide what to make of me. “Your relationship with Cyrus reminds me of what I shared with my wife.” The lack of emotion in his voice turned his sweet words into a threat. “I only hope your end is better than hers.”
I believed he loved his brother, but he also vied for king. For Astan?
Lolli squeezed my fingers too hard. “This changes nothing.”
Cyrus grazed his thumb over my knuckles and signed a message against my palm.I love you.
His silent declaration stuck with me long after the royals exited the stage and disappeared beyond a wall. I stood there, wanting to shout for him. To shout the truth to one and all. The need simmered and boiled within me, ready to spill from my lips at any second ...
“Do not,” Domino said, appearing in my line of sight. Though transparent, he snatched my attention, the confession dying on my tongue. “The majority aren’t ready to listen. You’ll ruin your life for nothing.”
My lids slid closed, just for a moment. Let me go out rescuing innocents and those I loved, not wasting my breath.
Domino wasn’t done. “If nothing else, you’re safe. You and the others are now officially marked as potential hosts.”
Exactly what I’d suspected. A cold weight settled on my chest. I’d understood my connection to Cyrus might lead to my selection, but now that we were in the thick of it, I realized I wasn’t prepared.
“Behold, our extraordinary team of lords and ladies.” Mr. Vyle clapped, igniting a forced round of applause from the audience. “By the time you see these fine soldiers again, they’ll be a new class of warrior led by your new king.”
The cheering tapered to silence, unveiling more crackles of envy and disappointment that served as fuel for the pressure building inside me.
“Congratulations,” Mr. Vyle said to us before motioning to a baron who stood off to the side. “Go and await the royals, who will join you shortly.”
The baron led us from the stage and through a narrow corridor I’d never walked, to an underground garage where a luxurious bus waited. No sign of Cyrus. I guzzled unease fresh from the well. Where, exactly, were we going?
“I should get my stuff,” a soldier in front rushed out.
“You have everything you need,” the baron interjected, waving to the bus’s open door. A clear command.
We boarded single file, most trainees overjoyed. A few of us remained quiet, obviously shell-shocked. Plush leather seats stretchedtwo to a row, stitched with gold thread and spaced wide enough for real legroom. Soft-blue lighting ran in strips overhead, casting a calming glow against polished steel trim. Each seat had a retractable screen on the back. Winslet chose the spot beside Roman, leaving the too-smug and grinning Miller as my seatmate. I wasn’t upset by it.
To my surprise, familiar warmth uncoiled, the knowledge that a friend was near filling me. It didn’t spring from my bond to Domino... but Miller?
“Look at me.” He pumped a fist into the air. “I’m at the top of my class without notching my bedpost to get there.”
I arched a brow at him. Overcompensating to conceal his true affiliation? “Your talent for sucking the joy from every situation is unparalleled.”
He tsked under his breath. “Wow, Roosa. I aimed below the belt, but you just had to go and shoot above it. Wow,” he repeated, shaking his head as if greatly disappointed in my cruelty.
