As they filed out, I waited to see if Sin would acknowledge me at all.
My heart cracked a little when he didn’t.
I spent the rest of the morning playing with Jenni and Opal and trying not to think about Sin. I still didn’t know how to take his dismissal this morning. It wasn’t the Sin I knew. He wasn’t angry, he wasn’t arrogant, he was… broken. And I couldn’t help if he wouldn’t let me in.
I was about to go insane with worry when Dey knocked on my door to inform me the King’s Council had ended, and the games were about to start.
Following him out of the castle, I weaved through a massive throng of people milling around outside the arena. I knew the Elemental Games were a big deal, but I didn’t expect to see what was likely the entire population of Civi Adasa funneling into the stadium.
It didn’t escape my notice that there wasn’t a single imminario among them. Apparently the citizens of Civi Obsura didn’t warrant an invite.
There was a palpable atmosphere of excitement as Dey led me down the slick steps toward a cordoned off section at the far end of the arena. About twenty or so individual seats were set apart from the rest of the bench style seating, and each one wasadorned with a plush cushion. My father occupied the center most seat, with the Gold and Silver kings off to his right. Each one had a guard from their court standing directly behind them, posture stiff and eyes constantly scanning for danger. The rest of the seats were filled with courtiers and members of the other court's entourages.
Dey guided me to the spot beside my father, and I was pleased to see Jo seated directly behind. Since my father was wrapped up in conversation with the other rulers, and Dey had started speaking with a courtier beside him, I rotated so I could see her.
“Rain!”she squealed inside my head.“You made it!”
I pushed as much sardonic amusement into my words as I could.“Yeah, I don’t think I had a choice in the matter. I just hope none of my friends get hurt. It wasn’t made clear exactly how violent these games get.”
Jo cocked her head slightly.“Are you worried about Dreisin?”
“What? No. I mean, yes, but no more than I’m worried about Cam or Ram.”
Jo gave me a knowing smile, and I don’t know why I had even bothered to try lying.
Three loud horn blasts ripped through the frenetic hum of the crowd, and people scrambled to take their seats. A line of Diamond Court soldiers marched down the stadium stairs to the railing that circled the field and spread out in each direction until there was a guard roughly every five feet.
One approached my father and handed him something that resembled a cross between a bullhorn and a conch shell. Once the din of conversation quieted, he lifted the amplifying device and began to speak.
“Welcome, fellow Rivellans, to the Elemental Games. Allow me to introduce your competitors!”
Down in the arena, a line of Diamond Court fighters followed Sin onto the field. Harpyn led a line of Silver Court competitorsfrom a different entrance, while Vankin was at the head of the Gold Court line. The three courts met in the middle of the field and pivoted to face their kings.
Sin and the rest of the Diamond fighters were dressed in matching burgundy leathers while the Gold Court wore a similar outfit in white but with a gleaming gold cuirass covering their chest. The Silver Court once again had eschewed conformity, with most of them dressed in outfits much like the ones they arrived in.
Cheers thundered through the crowd as my father announced the names of the fighters from the Diamond Court, each one stepping forward and waving as their name was called. The Gold King took the amplifying device next and announced his competitors, followed by the Silver King.
I scanned the crows as more raucous applause echoed through the stands. I thought only citizens from Civi Adasa would be present, but a handful of spectators were dressed to support the other courts with all black or all white outfits.
I turned my attention back to the competitors as the Silver King finished his roll call. Sin looked better than this morning but not by much. I silently begged him to look up at me. If he was going to risk his life in these archaic battle games, then I wanted him to know I hadn’t abandoned him.
He maintained his rigid posture, and never once glanced my way.
My father retrieved the amplifying device from the Silver King and brought it to his mouth. “Before we commence the games, I have one last announcement to make. It was decided this morning in the King’s Council that a change will be made to the rules this year. From now on, the death of a competitor will no longer be grounds for disqualification. While we do not encourage fighters to take the lives of their opponents, they will not be penalized for such actions.”
If I didn’t have fire in my veins, his words might have frozen my blood. The Diamond and Gold Court competitors looked nervous, while the Silver Court fighters looked positively gleeful. I had a feeling their ruler was behind this somehow, though my father didn’t look the slightest bit rattled as he made the declaration.
He waited for the fervent whispers in the crowd to die down before he continued. “I wish all of our fighters the best of luck. May you bring glory to your court. Honor to Rivella. Honor to the Source.”
“Honor to Rivella. Honor to the Source,” the competitors replied in unison before turning to stride off the field.
“Are you excited, Raynella?” my father asked, taking his seat beside me.
“Um, I’m not sure,” I said, remembering I shouldn’t know what he had announced. “What did you say that made the crowd so anxious?”
He waved a hand. “Nothing much. Just increasing the stakes a bit. These games are of tremendous importance, you know.”
“Why exactly? I know it’s supposed to bring unity or whatever, but it seems like more than that.”
