Faiza giggled lightly. “It’s the official start of the Diamond Queen Competition, of course, it’s over the top.”
Right. For all Faiza didn’t enjoy the politics and underhandedness that came with being at court, she was still part of this world in a way I would never be. This was normal for her.
It was just more proof that I didn’t belong here.
In another life,I thought wistfully, before forcing my mind onto more important matters.
The talent competition would be taking place in the city’s arena rather than inside the palace, allowing all its citizens to come and watch as we made fools of ourselves for a man. Or a crown. Or an assassination, in my case.
It wasn’t just the competition, however, as the entire city had been overtaken by this madness. Vendors were set up along the streets, with sweet confections and gorgeous accessories, bubbling drinks and fun toys for the children. A group of women was even handing out magical fancies to any who passed by. Some got a stick that sparked and sparkled at its end, while others got flowers that rapidly changed color, and I even saw funnels of fluffy clouds that children could shape to their heart’s desire.
It was all a bit overwhelming, with loud noises and people running about, not to mention the explosion of colors that kept the eye darting every which way. Faiza led me through the vendor-lined street, each of us looking around to see if anything grabbed our attention. We had a bit of time before we hadto arrive at the competition, and with our ever-alert and very stiff guards following closely behind us and refusing to let us out of their sight, they would undoubtedly ensure we didn’t run late.
I may have been here on a mission of a different sort than anyone else, but there was no harm in having some fun while I did it, was there? If anything, it would make me more convincing in my role.
So I allowed myself to smile, wide-eyed with a magic I hadn’t experienced since my childhood when the carnival would come to Pearl. We floated along, and I watched as the blue and pink pennants representing Diamond and Pearl Courts that were hanging off the roofs of the buildings we passed changed to the green of Emerald and the purple of Amythest as we made our way down the road.
“For you, my ladies,” one of the women handing out treats said as we neared her.
“Oh, thank you.” I smiled as she handed Faiza and me each something. Faiza quickly downed the mini cake she received, the bright gold frosting decorated with sapphire swirls and covered in a shimmering dust. She popped off the candy diamond that topped it, only to eat it as soon as the cake was gone. I switched focus to see what I’d received, only to find a clamshell in my hand, making my heart pound too loudly as my blood whooshed in my ears.
“That’s a very lucky one you got.” Another woman spoke, her face creasing with a soft smile. Elves aged so slowly that I knew humans considered us near-immortal. We could live many,manyyears before the signs of age found us. This woman must have been one of the oldest Elves I’d ever seen to have wrinkles lining her eyes like little scratches denoting her years on Adamah.
“Why is it lucky?” I managed to ask, my tongue trying to tie itself in knots as my palms began to sweat.
“It’s said the goddess Erodite blesses one out of a hundred clams with her pearls. They’re the rarest type of pearl, the ones found in those clams, very unlike the ones that grow from the land. Each god and goddess has their own rare types, of course. But—” She nodded slightly toward the shell in my hand, “It seems like it’s Erodite who has a gift for you, child. Whatever it may be that’s inside, don’t let it be lost.”
I laughed uneasily, but the woman’s face remained earnest. Beside me, Faiza had stiffened uncomfortably, and she looked to the woman with a slight frown. I told myself I was being ridiculous, that Erodite had nothing to do with this, but my hand shook as I slowly opened the clamshell.
A gasp ripped its way out of my mouth before I could stop it. Inside was something that most certainly shouldn’t have been there. Visions of the past flashed through my head as my chest hollowed out and I—I couldn’t breathe—blood soaked the walls and dead eyes stared back at me and?—
“Jacinth!” I didn’t recognize my name as belonging to me. That wasn’t what I was called, but it wasnow, and I came back to myself in a rush to find Faiza’s worried turquoise eyes staring at me, her body nearly radiating alarm as her hands shook my shoulders.
I gulped in a breath of air, looking for the woman to ask her how—but she was gone.
Uneasy suspicion crawled through me. It felt like every eye in the kingdom was on me as I looked around, positive someone would call me out at any moment.
“Jacinth?” Faiza called once more. “What’s wrong? What was it?”
“Nothing.” I nearly yelped. “It’s nothing.” I shifted on my feet, my silver slippers crinkling with the movement.
“Uh huh,” Faiza replied skeptically, but her concern was very real, and I wished for a moment I could tell her the truth, just for the opportunity to discuss this with someone.
But how could I ever explain it? My dead mother’s necklace was in myhand. I recognized it immediately. It was made of the rarest pearls, bright pink like my hair with an opalescent sheen. Pearls that had originally been harvested from the rare clams, the woman had explained. The necklace had a large teardrop pearl at the bottom that would dangle from the end, and smaller pearls were placed between the diamonds on each side, all strung on a shining silverium chain; a very rare commodity to find in Gemaria.
My father had commissioned it for my mother to match the bracelet I now wear on my wrist. He’d had a particularly successful trade with Day Kingdom, and he’d celebrated with this gift for my mother.
I’d never found out what had happened to all of our things after the High King I was about to go perform for had everyone killed. I figured the new lord would have taken everything. I knew my mother had been wearing this necklace the night she died. I’d seen it still around her neck when I’d last glimpsed her body lying across the floor. Had someone stolen it? They apparently hadn’t sent her to the Otherworld with it, which made me irrationally angry when compared to the other sins committed that night.
My fingers closed tightly around the necklace, brushing against the bracelet on my wrist that it paired with in the process. I took another deep breath, trying to find my equilibrium again, and then hid the priceless piece within the pocket of my cape.
“It just took me by surprise. I’m fine.” I tried to reassure Faiza, but she didn’t seem to buy it. “Come on, let’s see what else there is!” I tried to sound excited as I dragged her along to see the different items on offer, but dread continued to weigh me down inside.
I tried to shake it off the entire rest of our trip through the marketplace that had popped up overnight. As we approached the large entrance of the arena, lined with flowing teal fabric embroidered with shining silver, I forced that veil of truth over myself once more.
I got a quick look at the section of the arena we’d be performing in, seeing the stage at the far end and the tall columns of seats surrounding it that would allow everyone to get a good look. Banners and pennants were hung along the walls, and flowers accented them at every turn. Gems sparkled in the light from where they decorated the edge of the stage. Gems from every court were sticking up along the sides, representing all the competitors.
We were whisked away to the back end of the arena to a spot behind the stage. Since the arena was circular and fully enclosed, the section of seating behind the stage was closed, but there was a staging area of sorts set underneath that section, which we were brought to. The other ladies were almost all there already, except for the Opal and Amythest contestants, who were ushered in not long after us.
