The light radiating off him is nearly blinding in my dark bedroom. The crimson curtains remind me of the blood leaking from those poor men, making my stomach roll. “Does Silas Nastronde visit your room often, Princess?” He angles his head, waiting for my response.
Maines grins wildly behind Rohhit, clear of his view.
“Gods, no! Only when he wants to be a pain in my ass.”
Rohhit nods, the side of his mouth twitching upward. “I see. Well, I was coming to check on you after the riot you caused during the first trial, when I ran into this one.” He points to Maines, who waves from behind him. “Oak has told me many stories of the two of you as children. I’d very much love to hear the stories from you one day.” He smiles. “However, I’ll leave you two to speak in private.”
He turns and continues down the long hallway, his light illuminating the darkness around him.
“Wow,” Maines sighs as she moves into my room, plopping down in her usual spot. “Maybe you should go through with this, Briar. I’d be okay with men like that after my hand in marriage.”
I swat her arm. “You are a pig.”
“So, you are really going to do this, aren’t you? Fight alongside those men?” Maines’s grin quickly fades.
“Yes. I am. It doesn’t seem like I have a choice in the matter now, either. I’m going to win.”
“Oh, I have no doubt about that, but I worry about the in-between. This is going to be dangerous and we truly don’t know what we are up against yet. You just killed a man. I need you to be honest with me, Briar.” Her serious tones make the room shift, a cold breeze traveling in from the open window. “We’ve seen what Thatcher can do on his own. The stakes are high. He’s dangerous, Briar, and I’m scared. Is something going on that I don’t know about?”
I remove the paper tucked in my pants and place it on the table before us. “I found this in my father’s study.” She blinks, not understanding what I’m showing her. “It’s the same marking I found on the crystal in the forest. With a note from, I think, my mother.”
For once in her life, Maines is silent. “How do you know these letters are really from your mother?”
I move to sit in my favorite antique chair—the deepest blue fabric with trees embroidered around the middle. “I’m not sure. Something about them just feels familiar.”
She shakes her head slowly, studying the small torn piece of paper and my face. “So, this is all linked, you think? Your family, the trials, this crystal, and the marking. Where is the crystal? Maybe it can help us figure out what’s really going on?”
“I didn’t touch it nor bring it back to the castle. It felt… off. I left it in the forest. I figured it was one of my mother’s ritual crystals, not an important piece to this insane puzzle.”
She flashes me a concerned look. “Briar, I don’t know why, but something tells me you are the only person who should have their hands on that crystal. We can’t let anyone find it, so it’s probably best that you leave it hidden in the forest.” She grabs my hand. “I’ve been studying the poison that killed your brother at the House of Hedro. It’s ancient and like nothing we’ve seen for hundreds of years. I’m not sure how my brother got his hands on something like that, but if it’s anything to do with your father, these trials just got a lot more deadly.”
I stare at the ceiling, memories of the last few days replaying in my mind. “Are you okay, Maines?” I ask.
“I’m struggling, Briar. I can’t stop thinking about my brother and what he did to Barlowe. I can’t sleep without having nightmares of Barlowe gasping for air or my brother standing over my bed, ready to slit my own throat.” She lowers her head in her trembling hands.
“I know exactly what it’s like to have nightmares that leave you feeling haunted. Thatcher won’t get away with this, Maines. I can’t stop thinking about it either. When the time feels right, and I can ensure we are safe, we will go to someone. We will tell them the truth, and I’ll do what I can to bring justice to Barlowe.” I take her hand, trying to steady her.
She raises her head, tears pouring from her piercing blue eyes. “He died because I couldn’t save him. I couldn’t heal him—I’m supposed to be a top healer. How many other countless people will die because I fail?” Her soft cries turns to sobs.
Tears form in my eyes as well. “You did everything you could, Maines. We were both there and couldn’t stop it. Researching this poison could save many people if we run into this again. He knows we did everything we could.” I wipe her tears. “Losing someone changes you, but every day gets easier to live with the pain. Let’s take this one day at a time, okay?”
Maines only nods—her breath still quivers, and I squeeze her hand. Maines has watched me fall apart many times over the years of our friendship. Even though I want to sob alongside her, I will remain strong for my friend right now.
“You need to focus on the next trial, Briar. Everyone is expecting you to compete.”
“I’ll absolutely be competing if I want to live— I’m going to be fine. I don’t even know what I should prepare for or what I should focus on. Who knows what my father has up his sleeve.”
She begins to pace, brushing the tears. “Being the daughter of Elrod Madden has its unfortunate perks.” She stares at me before responding, “I know what the second trial is and when it is—you aren’t going to like it.”
Chapter 15
The howling wind rips through my braided hair on the dock, the black water rolling before me with no bottom in sight. The second trial was announced shortly after Maines told me what she discovered—swimming to Shadow Isle.
In Daramveer, a swimming competition was held yearly. Since our town was the largest surrounding port town, people traveled from all over to witness the grueling competition. However, in recent years, the race has been banned due to so many people going missing in the black waters. I know there are things that dwell deep below the surface but only a few creatures travel to the water break. My mother never let me get too close to the water’s edge as a child. She always warned of things unseen that could drag me down and never let me see the light of day again.
In no order, due to the nature of the trial, we stand at the edge of the pier. My heart beats harder than the crashing waves below us. The crowd quiets as my father emerges, his footsteps thundering on the dock. “Today, we have gathered for the second trial, and it is my honor to welcome the Princess of Daramveer as our newest unexpected competitor.”
The crowd cheers as all eyes are on me.
