I took advantage of her disarmament, blowing a gust of wind in her eyes as I conjured thorns to rip open the vines and pulled at them. As soon as they tore completely, I rolled away.
She screamed and her metal hit the wooden stage right where I’d been seconds before. I leapt up, twirled in the air, and slashed my blade across the heart drawn on her back. Fabric ripped, exposing a milk-white back and a streak of blood that signaled the trial’s end.
The crowd bellowed with anger, except for a few slight cheers from the rebels, letting me know they were there.
“The combat trial has ended!” Herald cried.
“No!” The Red Queen whirled on me and raised her sword, clearly intending to bring it down.
Defensively, I lifted my weapon, but instead of metal hitting metal, her sword hit a shield of blue-green aether.
I smirked. “It seems that the godsflame won’t let you have your way. If I were you, I’d admit defeat now before it sucks the life out of you.”
She sneered at me. “I could have slit your throat.”
“Close doesn’t count.”
The Red Queen’s cheeks grew a dangerous red.
“Your Majesty, might I suggest that you cease your assault.” Herald hopped over. “The silver flame has just informed me that if you continue, the other two godsflame will smite you.”
The Red Queen’s jaw worked. “Fine.I concede,” she spat, and stomped to the far side of the stage.
The shield of blue and green disappeared, and the silver godsflame soared toward me to dance above my head in victory.
The rebels cheered like mad, and I couldn’t help myself—I raised my hands and shook my fists, letting the win wash over me.
I did it! I bested the Red Queen in combat. I . . .
All of a sudden, I stilled. Once again, I felt the odd and yet familiar sensation that someone was watching me. Someone whose presence differed from most other peoples. I blinked, trying to figure it out. Before, I’d thought it might be the queen or her little helpers watching me, but now my aunt had turned her back on me. It definitely wasn’t her. I scanned the crowd. There were so many people, it could be any one of them. It was probably pointless to try and figure out. I had more important things to be concentrating on. Like the final challenge.
“Yay, Alice! Fist bump me Dee!” Dum’s high voice cried out, breaking my concentration and warming my heart.
A body slammed into me from the side, and Hatter, identifiable by his spicy scent, gripped me tight. “You’re tied! We have a shot.”
“Why the tone of disbelief?” I teased.
“You know I believed in you!” Henri shook his head. “It’s just that I’ve waited to see her overthrown for so long. I can’t believe it’s almost here.”
“It’s not over yet,” I said. “We still have the calling of creatures. As soon as we leave here, I need to start practicing again—”
All my words fell from my lips as the green godsflame surged above the amphitheater and bloomed into a ball of light the size of a giant trampoline.
Everyone except Herald, who seemed entranced by the godsflame, gasped as the light pulsed and then fell down, straight into Herald’s heart center. The white rabbit began to glow green, and his golden eyes took on a neon verdant hue.
Herald had claimed he was speaking to the flame, voicing their will, and everyone had believed him because to go against the aether’s will meant death. But now, there was no denying it. The pooka was embodying the message of the gods.
“The Trial by Aether is tied,” Herald said, his voice holding more gravitas. “The godsflame has decided that there will be no feast tonight.”
The crowd mumbled, displeased that their free meal was being taken from them.
“The last trial, the calling of creatures, will take place at dusk.” Herald turned toward me and the Red Queen. “The participants should be prepared to see the end of this trial on this very night.”
Chapter 29
“Tonight!” I screeched as I threw open the door to the North Tower. My heart was pounding so hard, I felt like it might burst out of my chest. “Is there a precedent for the godsflame just changing things up like this?”
My friends stared back at me, at a loss for words.
