“My beautiful cake!” Izabel cries, wiping away her tears of laughter. “I swear, I’m actually good at this, Venna can attest.”
We salvage something edible from the middle of it, eatpilesof cake rather than slices, and talk until the lateness of the hour starts to drag us toward exhaustion.
By the time we finish, Tomison and Izabel have to practically carry Nevah out of the kitchens, though neither of them is much better off.
“Meryn and I will clean up,” Venna offers. “You all go on ahead without us.” When they leave, she turns to me. “Good, I’ve been wanting to get you alone all night.”
The tone in her voice sobers me up instantly. “Do you have any news?”
She shakes her head. “Unfortunately not. I’ve been looking into what you asked for,” she tells me, and signs “castle” just incase the others might still be close enough to hear. I swallow and nod. “I haven’t found anything concrete yet.”
Disappointment pings through me, and I try to keep it off my face; after all, she’s doing a favor for me.
“I have a weird feeling, though,” Venna continues. “I’m sure there’s something I’m missing or that I haven’t found yet. Just out of reach.”
You have no idea, I want to say.If this book about the queens is real, there’s something very strange happening.
“Keep looking?” I ask gently. “I need to know if—” I sign “the king.” “—is up to something.”
Venna nods, and says, “I’m planning on it. I’ll keep you posted.”
I hope she’s able to work quickly. In a few days, the Trials will be over, and we’ll be sent to the front—those of us who aren’t dead, at least.
Our time is running out.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
The morning of the Unity Trial, the horn blasts through the castle before dawn, so loud the vase on my nightstand rattles slightly.
I’m already wide awake. I’ve been awake for hours, lying here in the darkness, staring up at the ceiling. I sit up slowly and rub my itchy eyes, then mechanically set about slipping into uniform and readying myself as best I can for what’s about to happen.
Our instructors have prepared us as well as they can for this moment, even Daegan, who greatly improved as an instructor once I told him directly that he did not need to look to me for guidance and that he should assume authority during all classes. Today is the culmination of the Proving period, our ability to show the instructors, the king and the nobles that we’re capable of working together across packs.
Of course, like every Trial here, it’s also an opportunity for bloodshed. Each pack has been assessing the other during the last two months of joint training. Today’s the last chance for any direwolf or rider to cull a pair that they find wanting.
Tomorrow, we’ll all be on the same side, facing the same enemy.
When I reach the common lounge, the rest of the Rawbonds are already assembled, eating breakfast in tense silence. It’s like there are icicles hanging perilously from the ceiling and we’re all just waiting for them to fall, wondering which of us will be hit first. Grabbing a roll, I sit down next to Izabel and Nevah, though I can’t bring myself to eat it.
A shadow falls over my plate and I look up into Jonah’s hard, dark eyes. He fixes me with a burning glare. Ever since he broke my nose and Stark threatened him, he’s kept a wide berth, but I’ve felt his malignant attention on me whenever we’re in the same room. Today is the closest he’s come since that day in the yard.
“What?” I say with a scowl.
He smiles, and it contains no warmth. “Good luck today, Cooper. You might have aspirations about your station, but mark my word, you’ll die in the gutter like the common-born bitch you are.”
I push my plate away from me with a huff. “If you’re thinking about challenging an Alpha during the Trial today, Jonah, you are far fucking stupider than I assumed, and believe me, I was not giving you much credit as it was.”
His smile widens and still does not reach his soulless eyes. “I would never dare challenge an Alpha,” he says sarcastically, his voice rising in volume to draw the attention of all the other Rawbonds. “I’m merely pointing out that today is a very good day to weed out any unsuitable common blood.”
With that, he turns and stalks off, but he’s made the scene he wanted to make. People are whispering. Fucker. Maybe someone will find it fit to takehimout today.
Leader Aldrich appears then through the door of the common lounge, his face serious. “Rawbonds, form up to move to the arena.”
I’m numb as we file out of the common lounge and into the halls, which I suppose is better than trembling or teetering on the verge of vomiting.
Through gaps in the crowd, I catch glimpses of faces I recognize. Venna’s distinctive chic hair marks her amongst the Kryptos ranks. Joining us from the other direction is Henrey with the rest of Phylax.
The morning sun hasn’t yet crested the castle walls. The early light paints everything in a wash of gray as we arrive at the arena. Despite the hour, the arena is already packed with the usual crowd of finely dressed nobles, shouting and laughing and drunk with anticipation. It’s a spectacle no noble would miss. They stare and point like we’re animals on show.
