“Rest assured, Aella,” he murmurs, “it won’t happen again.”
Once the healers finally release me from their care, I hurry back to my chambers with renewed determination. A week confined to bed rest has left me feeling isolated from our mission, and I cannot afford to jeopardize my standing in the court.
Fortunately, Prince Keres is holding a banquet tonight, and the event will provide the perfect opportunity for me to make my return.
“Ready?” Nyssa asks, leaning against my bedroom door. She looks flawless, with a pale blue gown draped over her curves and her dark cinnamon curls pinned into the style they favor in Eretria, half up and half down.
Myna hovers behind her, similarly dressed in hues of terra-cotta. She skillfully evaded my questions about why she was joining us tonight, maneuvering with the grace and finesse of a seasoned courtier. That does little to quell the persistent suspicion that Raven is intent on ensuring I have additional support. Instead of irritating me, it fills my chest with a comforting warmth.
“Yes,” I say, nodding firmly. “I’m ready.”
We step out of our chambers and move toward the dining hall, weaving through endless courtyards, elegant parlors, and galleries lined with statues. As the grand entrance comes into view, I take a steadying breath and compose myself, fixing a calm, practiced smile in place.
We step into the lively hall, Nyssa and Myna trailing behind me like silent, reassuring shadows. The enormity of the chamber is a crushing weight, vaulted ceilings lost in shadow, vast tapestries depicting the storied history of the Empyrieos dancing in the flicker of candlelight. Spectral scents of roasted delicacies intermingle with the heavy perfume of nobility.
Heads adorned with glittering jewels and eyes full of curiosity turn toward us. The rabble of conversation cascades into silence, broken only by the scrape of chairs against polished stone as some of the gathered tycheroi push away from the long table or rise from their seats for a better view.
My skin crawls with the sensation of their eyes on me. Probing, judging, seeking the vulnerabilities beneath my smiling mask. We come to astop before the dais at the end of the hall, where the prince sits alone. I lower my head in a bow of feigned respect, but mostly to hide my frown at the absence of the king and queen.
If our time here has shown us anything, it’s that King Daedalus is not quite the threat the Eagle believes him to be. Beyond welcoming us upon our arrival and appearing at festivities and trials, he has remained absent. That doesn’t necessarily mean he isn’t a threat at all, but it feels like power is shifting in this palace.
Some courtiers speculate he is preparing the prince for his future role as king, relinquishing more authority as the trials unfold. From what I learned of Eretria at the Aviary, these Royal Trials serve as a precursor to a new king’s ascension. However, some remark on how young Keres is for that to be true, hinting that there may be something foul at play.
“Princess Aella.” Keres projects his voice so that all in the hall can hear. “Are you feeling well?”
“Yes, Prince Keres,” I say, rising from my position. “Your healers worked wonders over the past week, and if it’s possible, I think I feel better than ever.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Please, sit, and celebrate with us.” He gestures, and my gaze follows the motion to an empty seat at one of the long tables, where the other contestants sit. With another bow of my head, I join them, settling in beside Cynna as my two silent shadows join the line of servants stationed behind their lords and ladies.
The gentle clink of cups and the soft hum of conversation fill the room, yet the tension at our end of my table crackles with energy. I reach for a vessel of wine and pour a cup before idly swirling it, keeping my expression calm despite the weight of Lydia’s gaze fixed on me from across the table.
“Such an impressive recovery, Princess,” Lydia says sweetly, her lips curling into a delicate smile that never quite reaches her eyes. “Nightshade, wasn’t it? A lesser competitor might have been permanently…incapacitated.”
“It was.” I meet her gaze, a practiced smile tugging at my lips. “Doyou have much experience with it? It certainly sounds as though you do.”
Helen tenses beside Lydia, the flicker of discomfort in her eyes clear as she reaches for her cup with trembling fingers, spilling a few drops of wine onto the table. Zina’s sharp laugh cuts through the tension like a knife.
“Careful, Helen,” Zina says, leaning back with an air of languid arrogance. “Wouldn’t want to spill any more of that precious vintage—you’ve wasted enough already.”
Helen’s grip falters, and the cup clatters onto the table, drawing scattered chuckles from the surrounding nobles. Her face burns crimson as she casts a desperate glance at Lydia.
At my side, Cynna leans in close, her shoulder brushing against mine. The proximity sets me on edge, and I repress the urge to stiffen, half expecting some kind of premeditated move. But all she does is whisper in my ear, her voice barely audible over the hum of the room. “I take it Helen was the one who slipped poison in your cup?”
“Whatever gave that away?”
“It looks as though they’re throwing her to the chimera,” she murmurs, nodding subtly to where Helen sits, pale-faced and fidgeting.
A faint smile tugs at the corners of my lips despite myself. Cynna may not be an ally—not in the genuine sense of the word—but in this moment, it’s comforting to have someone by my side who hasn’t actively tried to eliminate me from the competition.
At least,not yet.
Lydia, Helen, and Zina’s barbed exchanges swirl through the air like daggers, cutting through the ambient chatter as the evening drags on. The flickering aura lights cast long shadows across the polished stone floor, and there’s an unease that settles over the gathering.
I glance up, searching for the source, and spot Prince Keres rising from his seat. The hall falls into a chilling silence.
“I am so glad you could all join us tonight to celebrate the trials and to honor our remaining competitors,” Prince Keres announces, his voice echoing through the hall, amplified by an enchantment. “It hasbeen a thrilling journey thus far, and I know it will only grow more exhilarating.”
I shift in my seat, keeping my gaze fixed on him as he continues.
