Whatever was left of my heart cracks in two. Sound slips my lips before I can stop it. “No.”
Teilo clears his throat before I have the chance to launch into a full scale outburst. “Which brings us to the second and more pressing problem. We understand that you don’t intend to yield, Princess, and at the same time, the Commander appears determined to fall on his sword. We believe we have a solution.”
I grit my teeth so hard, the crack sounds across the room. “What is it?”
“An additional trial.” His eyes gleam, the Splendor sheen making them appear like a cat’s eyes in the dark. “It won’t replace the final fight, but it could prevent it.”
“How?”
“We propose that you each undertake an additional battle. But not against each other. If you each win your fight, well, then there will be a final fight after all. But if one of you loses this additional battle, the other will be declared the winner.”
“Who are we fighting?” Baelen speaks for the first time since we entered the room and all I can hear is distrust. I’m certain it’s reflected in my own face.
Elwyn Elder nudges up beside Teilo. He takes center stage and smiles for the first time. I really don’t like that expression on his face.
He says, “You will each fight a gargoyle.”
