“You want to know if I would have killed you?” I asked harshly, “If I would have gone through with it despite what I feel for you?”
My plain words caused him to halt for a moment, letting me get a hit onto his thigh as his block failed to hold. He recovered, forcing me backward as his sword rained down on me.
“Yes, that’s what I want to know.” He insisted, making me scoff.
“I can’t give you an answer, because I don’t know!” I snapped, frustrated at the position the world had put me in. “That’s why I doubted the story I thought I knew. That’s why I used the potion! I was hoping, praying desperately to Erodite and Veritx and all the damn gods that you weren’t the one behind it. Because I couldn’t stand the thought of killing you.”
I panted, trying to keep the power behind my strikes, but my strength was failing as we went ever harder, the emotion between us driving us to a fever pitch. When he suddenly let go of his sword and let it tumble to the ground, mine kept going, and I barely managed to stop my blade before it reached his neck. I blinked in shock, my hand trembling as I realized how close the blade was to his skin.
“Then I yield,” he whispered, his eyes alight as he stepped back, bowing towards me. The noise of the crowd cheering sounded as if it were far away. My eyes were stuck on Azurill as he walked away, completely bewildered by what had just happened.
“I told you!” Allirea laughed as I made my way back to the sidelines, making me shake my head fondly at her.
“I have no idea what just happened,” I admitted to her, making her scoff.
“Of course you do.” She laughed, her opal eyes bright, “Heyieldedto you. Only you. If that doesn’t say something, I don’t know what does.”
That was exactly the thing that left me confused. Why would he have yielded to me? One minute he was pissed off, and the next…
It didn’t make any sense.
I wanted to go to him so badly, but it was then announced that the elimination would be happening this afternoon. Everything seemed to be moving too fast, and I was left adrift.
It wasn’t a surprise when Allirea was eliminated. Azurill thanked her kindly for her participation, but we’d all seen it coming, and she didn’t seem at all unhappy at the result.
“We now have our two final contestants!” Azurill exclaimed. “Lady Jacinth Tawny of Ruby Court and Lady Sania Helmi of Pearl Court!” The court clapped briefly before letting the king continue.
“The final trial will be the day after tomorrow, giving the ladies time to rest today. We will of course have a celebration tonight, honoring the remaining two competitors before the final trial begins,” he explained, smiling slightly from his diamond throne.
“This final trial will be different,” he said heavily, looking between Sania and me. “You will be dropped into the city, where you will be assigned a specific object to obtain. This object is of vital importance, as it will be a tribute to the gods to ensure the winner’s reign is blessed. That is all I can tell you as the rest is for you to determine, but I wish you both luck in your trial.”
That was suitably ominous.
At least we had some time before then. I still didn’t know what to do about Carnelian and Casaan, and I could only hope that Azurill had an idea. We were getting close to when a move would have to be made.
Time was rapidly running out.
Considering we had a celebration tonight, that was true on multiple levels. I raced back to my room to take a bath and prepare for the night to come. I was pleasantly surprised when Amatista and Faiza came by, joined by Allirea.
“We noticed you two forming a friendship and decided to invite her along,” Faiza explained cheerfully, her turquoise locks already done up and her makeup pristine, while I looked like something Azurill’s dog had drug in.
“In that case, you should have invited Safira,” I teased, laughing at the shocked looks I received.
“What?!” Amatista demanded, her hands on her hips. “You’d better explain that.”
As I got ready, I told them all the story, seeing the expected sympathy shining on Faiza’s face, the calculation on Amatista’s, and the reservation on Allirea’s. My new friends couldn’t be more different from one another, but as we all chatted and they helped the maids readying me, I found myself more grateful than I could say for their presence.
“What about this one?” Allirea pulled a dress from the pile on the bed, the color a pinkish-red, with a line of long, rectangular rubies that circled the hips. The sweetheart neckline was enhanced by the points at the tops of the cups and the rubies that dotted across it. The fabric had a subtle pattern to it, almost like a damask, and it came with sheer gloves that ended high on my bicep.
“That’s perfect!” Faiza cried, clapping her hands excitedly, “What do you think, Jac?”
I smiled at their excitement, looking to Amatista, “What do you think, Tista?”
“I think it has just enough pink for you, without scandalizing the lords.” She winked, making me chuckle as I nodded my approval.
I found myself hoping Azurill liked it as well. I was getting increasingly anxious about his response, especially since I had no idea what to make of him yielding today.
“Azurill won’t be able to take his eyes off you,” Faiza reassured me softly, once the other two were caught up in a debate over the best methods of healing something or other. I should have known those two would get along as soon as they got past any initial standoffishness.
