Theo and Odette were thinking the same thing I was. They glanced at each other, and Lady Iris said, “Neither of you should be worried. Should you exemplify the trait of the alicorn stone, you will pass the trial.”
“Is it dangerous?” Odette asked.
“Oh, very,” Iris said. “But I’m certain it’s something you can handle.”
Lady Iris led us to a large, circular room that appeared to be in the middle of the quartz castle. Inside there was a staircase that spanned down to an arena. Around the arena was a balcony where spectators could watch the challenge below.
In the center of the arena was a tall pillar, with a jeweled box that perched on the top. It was very similar to the box the dragon stone had come in. I bet anything the alicorn stone was inside.
Four otherdrycawere stationed around the room. All of them looked very old, and were wearing the same velvet robe and starlight crown Lady Iris had. There appeared to be five faeries on the Court, though I only knew Lady Iris.
“What is the test?” Theo asked as we stopped at the head of the staircase.
“Challengers are not allowed to know what they will face before the trial begins,” Lady Iris said. “You must go into it blind, and have faith that you will succeed in your quest.”
That was asking a lot. Who knew what they’d face down there— monsters, magic, maybe even something they couldn’t handle.
Odette moved closer to Theo, and he ran a hand through her hair. “Theo, I don’t want to do this. I’m scared.”
“I’m scared, too, but I’m with you. We can’t give in,” he said. He hugged her, and pressed his lips to the top of her head.
I felt very guilty. “You guys don’t have to do this for me,” I said. “We can turn back.”
“No, we can’t.” Theo faced me. “This isn’t just about you, Em. If we don’t do this, all of faekind will be destroyed. Odette and I won’t let that happen if there’s something we can do about it.”
Odette sniffed, but she nodded. “Okay. I’m ready.”
Theo changed into an alicorn and bowed his head to her. “Climb on my back.”
Odette clambered on. She clung to Theo’s mane as he carried her down the stairs to the middle of the arena. Lady Iris left us, to sweep around the balcony and stand at the circle’s head. The rest of us lined up around the balcony’s edge and held on tightly, fearing what the Court had in store for our friends.
Lady Iris’ voice boomed above the arena. “Theodore Antov, Odette Oksana, are you ready to accept the challenge before you to claim the alicorn stone?”
“We are,” Theo and Odette said in unison.
Lady Iris’ expression was somber. “Then let this be a test of your faith.”
A table of apples appeared in front of Theo. There were three, all identical in shape and form. Theo’s nostrils flared, and Ethan leaned in.
“The apples are poisoned,” he said. “I can smell them from here.”
“One of them’s not,” Alexei objected. “Theo’s got to pick out the right one.”
Theo’s nose moved over the apples as he smelled them. His head weaved back and forth, as if he wasn’t sure which one to pick.
Minutes passed, and nervousness welled in my gut. What if Theo guessed wrong, and accidentally poisoned himself? Odette’s complexion grew paler and paler with each passing second as Theo sniffed the apples. Even as a shifter, he was clearly confused.
Eventually, Theo settled on the middle apple. Theo tried to eat it, but his mouth went right through it. He attempted to push the apple off the table with his nose, to no avail.
Odette slid off of Theo’s back, and reached out. The apple became solid as she grasped it with her fingers.
Theo gave a wild snort, and Kiara whispered, “Odette has to eat it.”
Odette hesitated. She wasn’t sure if Theo had made the right choice. She parted her lips to ask if Theo was sure, but the second Odette’s grip tightened on the apple, a wicked roar shook the floor of the arena. My heart plummeted as I realized a monster had spawned near the staircase of the arena, preventing escape.
The monster was humanoid. It balanced on two cloven hooves before it came down on all fours, stalking around the arena like a gorilla. Its hands were scaly and rough, hooked with terrifying claws that were at least a foot long. It had a goat-like face, one red eye in the middle of its forehead, and jagged teeth emitting in every direction from its mouth. Two curled horns rose from its skull, each of them just as big as Theo was.
“It’s a fiend,” Ethan said, recoiling from the balcony in revulsion. Around me, my friends grimaced in similar displeasure.
