“I’m surprised you’re so uncultured for a lord.” Noelle rolled her eyes.
“It’s almost the height of the great trees of Soricium,” Alyss murmured. “But those ancient trees are naturally growing. It’s incredible to think this was made by the hands of men.”
None of the paintings or black and white drawings Eira had seen in books could have done the castle justice. Sheer walls stretched up into a jagged line of spires and turrets, creating an imposing facade. The central keep had two wings stretching out from either side that split into a T shape capped by rounded towers. Those outer towers connected to a thick wall that ringed the entire hilltop.
They crossed underneath the main gate and into a courtyard where others had come to a stop. The courtyard was bisected by another wall, a heavy portcullis shut tight. In the center of the square was a raised platform, vacant…for now.
As the crowd grew, the knights who had been their escort pulled in tighter. Eira was wedged between Cullen and Alyss, and she reached out instinctively with both hands. Her palm clasped around Alyss’s. Her fingers laced against Cullen’s, drawing her attention to him. His lips were slightly parted, as if in surprise. The expression, filled with longing, reminded Eira she had so much still that she wanted to say to him.
“Cullen.”
“Eira,” he breathed in reply, her name barely audible over the din of the crowd.
“I want—”
“Look, they’re competitors!” an elfin interrupted, far too eager.
“Competitors?”
“Where from?” another asked.
“We are from the Solaris Empire,” Yemir declared, too loudly for Eira’s taste.
“Father,” Cullen hissed.
“Stand tall,” Yemir whispered back in harsh reply. His eyes darted to their laced fingers. While waving to some of the elfin onlookers, he slapped at their hands. “And don’t engage in anything that could draw too many questions,” he said, mostly to Cullen, but his glare ended on her.
Eira unlaced her fingers. Cullen tried to hold fast, but she wouldn’t let him. She was not interested in having this battle, not here, and not now. She had other fights to engage in and other matters to be concerned over. Yemir was suddenly the least of her worries.
“An honor to meet you,” an elfin said, stepping forward.
“I’ve never met one of Solaris,” someone else said. “Of course I’ve seen your princess, but—”
“We’re excited for the tournament.”
“Wasn’t one of you the one who was kidnapped? Dastardly plot that was.”
“So glad to see all four of you here.”
“Is it true that you are charged by the magic of Raspian?” a woman asked, causing Eira to cringe.
On and on their questions went. The crowd seemed to close in on them and Eira pulled Alyss closer. Cullen and Noelle took defensive positions as well, guarding Eira from the relentless inquiries. Levit and Yemir tried to take the lead, but it was impossible to hear and answer everyone at once.
Then, horns blared, and a hush overtook the crowd.
With the attention off of them, Eira could breathe easier. She turned her own focus to the portcullis as it slowly ground open with the cries of metal on metal and the grunting of men pulling heavy levers.
Behind the portcullis was a legion of queen’s knights. They marched forward, slowly. In their captivity were two young men, both morphi, bound and gagged. Eira didn’t know if the gags made any difference for the morphi’s ability to shift. But they looked imposing and forceful.
After the prisoners and knights was another honor guard. And behind them were two people Eira had seen only a few times before—the crown princess, Vi Solaris, and her betrothed, Taavin, the Voice of Yargen. Vi stood tall, as a crown princess should. On her brow was a golden crown that looked like a miniature version of the sun crown the Emperor wore. Fiery tongues stretched toward the sky. Taavin was dressed in the regalia of the Faithful—clothing that matched Solaris’ nobility impeccably with all its whites and golds.
Behind them, after another line of guards, was the queen herself. Eira suppressed a gasp as she laid eyes on the woman who ruled Meru. Well, she didn’tquitelay eyes on her. Lumeria was covered from head to toe in layers of sheer fabrics, their weightless movements on the breezes like a haze of living smoke that covered the queen. The cloth obscured her face and body, reducing her to a silhouette—at best. But she wore an ornate crown of woven silver and gold that left no question as to who she was and what her position meant.
Every elfin dropped to their knee as the queen passed. They bowed their heads in subservience. Eira felt a tingle rush across her flesh as Lumeria’s head twisted and she took in the gathered crowd. Even if she was just one of hundreds, Lumeria had seen her, more or less.
Behind Lumeria were the morphi, led up onto the platform in shackles. The knights manhandled them to their knees in the center of the stage. Lumeria stood before them. Taavin and Vi were off to the side. A row of knights closed in around them.
Eira couldn’t take her eyes off one of the young men. Sure enough, she recognized him. They’d hardly exchanged more than a few words. He hadn’t exactly been friendly to her. But he hadn’t been cruel either when he could’ve been.
