But Jacinth didn’t seem to care at all, merrily teasing me like I was anyone else.
I liked ittoomuch.
Chapter Fourteen
Jacinth
Izipped up my jacket, sheathing my weapons as the morning dawned. Unlike the others since I’d arrived at the Diamond Palace, this time I couldn’t lounge around in bed, soaking up the luxury for all it was worth—and it was worth a lot. But this time, I had a timetable to keep, and a competition to get to.
After my picnic with Azurill yesterday, I found myself spending the night reminding myself of every reason he needed to die. The horrors he committed couldn’t be excused because he flashed his sad teal eyes my way. I understood the way grief shrouded a person, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. But he was the one who causedmygrief, so he didn’t deserve the sympathy that welled up within me.
I couldn’t blame him for wanting to push this ridiculous competition off, either. Whowouldwant to find a wife this way?
But none of those things were my problem, and before long, he wouldn’t have to worry about them either. He’d never live long enough to actually take a wife, and he could rejoin the brother he missed so much.
I rubbed at my chest, hoping to banish the throb that struck through it. Maybe I ate something that didn’t agree with me, because it certainly wasn’t regret pulsing in my heart.
Opening my door, I found Alfrikr waiting. His eyes trailed over my outfit before tugging at a strap and correcting the position. He nodded sharply before turning, his boots hammering on the marble floor as he led me down the hall.
“Any hints as to what today’s event is?” I asked flippantly, not expecting him to reveal anything. Alfrikr missed half a step, but didn’t react otherwise. Itwas only as we began to pick up the sounds of the other competitors up ahead that he turned to me. His amethyst eyes locked on mine as he leaned over and grabbed me firmly by the shoulders.
“Be quick. Be smart,” he told me sternly, his expression far too intense for my liking. I nodded in return, assuring him he had nothing to worry about. We then joined the other ladies who were already milling around as they waited for everyone to arrive, and I quickly joined Faiza.
“Any guesses as to what today’s trial will be?” she asked nervously, her turquoise hair pulled back into a high ponytail, much like mine, only I had braided it to keep my wavy mane contained, where hers was left to spill like a waterfall from the tie. Her unease was clear, from the wavering expression on her face to the way she picked at the leather straps of her outfit. She seemed to regard her leathers as if they were foreign, forcing me to hide a snort of bitter amusement. Despite the fact that I was the one born of a higher station between the two of us, I was also the one who all but lived in such attire.
“Something active, certainly,” I murmured, looking at the other women present as I answered. Safira was fluttering around Zumra, assuring her of their imminent success. Sania was watching everyone with eagle eyes that I quickly evaded, feeling distinctly uncomfortable. I couldn’t let any hint of the relation between us manifest. No matter how much I might have wished to reach out to any blood of mine still walking Adamah.
It was better I stayed dead and buried.
Lady Amatista was the last to arrive, her amethyst hair braided back like my own, and looking more comfortable in her leathers than perhaps any of the others but myself. With all of us now present, we were finally led through the city by our guards, leaving us to talk quietly among ourselves until we reached the large coliseum on the outskirts of the city.
Perhaps we were going to fight?
We were guided through a side door and into the arena, where the sound hit me like a wave. The stands were certainly packed; it seemed like the entire kingdom had come out to witness the spectacle of the trial today. When the interior of the arena finally came into sight, my breath caught in my throat.
The coliseum’s rounded walls were tall and wide, leaving a giant space in the middle completely open for what appeared to be an obstacle course of some kind. The royal box was seated in the middle of the stands, providing a perfect view, and was open like the rest of the seating to allow the royals to see everything at a wide angle. And there was certainly plenty to see, as the entireplace was filled with all sorts of different contraptions, some even clouded in a tell-tale mist and obscured from sight.
We came to stand below the royal box, bowing to the High King, before he stood up himself and called out to the arena at large.
“Ladies and gentlemen, today we are here for the first true challenge of the Diamond Queen Competition!” Azurill proclaimed, his voice projecting clearly through what was surely an amplification potion. “Each lady must complete the obstacle course before us, but the trial does not end there.”
The crowd murmured excitedly amongst themselves, and I eyed Faiza beside me with some trepidation as we waited anxiously to find out what we were about to face.
“Should they make it to the end of this course, they will find themselves somewhere that doesn’t wish them to linger. They must survive this place and make it back to the palace before sundown! We will be holding a party at the palace following the first half of this trial, so you may see which ladies return, and which, if any, fail to meet the challenge!”
His eyes scanned each one of us, and when his eyes landed on me, I met his in turn. I lifted my chin, determination pulsing through me. I had to make it through, there was no other option. Once Azurill broke our stare, I found Lord Carnelian glaring at me intensely from his spot in the royal box beside the other lords. With everything going on since we’d arrived, I’d been able to avoid him, but I knew he would want an update before long. And I needed to make sure he was keeping his word about Ula.
I found myself feeling a bit guilty that I hadn’t been focused on her, but I had to believe she was okay. I couldn’t afford the distraction of worrying about her, she had taught me that. I needed to live and breathe this lie, and thoughts of her would bog me down into the past.
I’d had quite enough of that already.
“Ladies, may Veritx smile upon you and grant you the courage needed to complete the trial before you today!” Azurill said, his charming smile firmly in place. Meanwhile, I forced my eyes to remain still, preventing them from rolling back into my head.
We were quickly ushered into order, lining up by court to determine who would go first. To my surprise, our guards quickly brought blindfolds for each of us. Alfrikr smiled smugly as he tied it around my head.
“Azurill wants this to be fair,” he explained, whispering into my ear. “The first lady through won’t know what’s coming, and this way none of you will have an advantage from seeing what the others do to get through.”
I grunted in acknowledgment, knowing it made sense, but…
