“Preposterous!” Lord Gray shouted. “My family lost our estate when he and the other ingrates of the Malovian Revolution burned it to the ground. It is now gone, as well as the homes of countless others!”
Finlay didn’t flush, but I felt embarrassed for him. I knew the nobles wouldn’t forgive Finlay for burning down their houses, but this made for an even more contentious council.
“I understand you all have grievances with the Malovian Revolution, which must be addressed,” Magdalina said. “Lord Dunbar has agreed to take the repairs for the noble district out of his salary from being on the Circle. Isn’t that right, Lord Dunbar?”
“I have,” Finlay replied. “I won’t receive a penny until reparations to the nobles are made, in request for forgiveness for the Revolution’s actions.”
This made Lord Gray shut up, but he still seemed pissed. A couple of the other Circle members were eyeing Lady Magdalina and Finlay with unease. I didn’t like how the wolven Faction was missing representatives, but as Magdalina and Finlay no longer had mates, it couldn’t be helped.
“Let’s move on. This isn’t why we’re here,” Stefan said. “Ethan Nowak and Emmaline Sosna wish to partake in the Trial of Tears. I say we let them get on with it.”
It felt weird to hear him be so stuffy. Usually, Stefan was the one cracking inappropriate jokes, but in the Sacred Gathering, he was utterly serious. He was meant for this job.
The wind rustled the trees, until Lady Bella spoke up. “If they pass their trial, we will speak of installing them then,” she said. “But until that happens, I say that we shouldn’t waste any more time debating about crowning them. They will take the nectar. Then,ifthey pass, we will decide what to do.”
The rest of the Circle nodded in agreement. Lady Magdalina indicated for us to step forward, and Ethan and I approached the cauldron.
The ancient priestess turned to us, a wooden bowl in her hands. It was filled with the honey-like nectar, which every pore of my body screamed not to drink.
“I hope the two of you understand what this will do,” the high priestess said. “Your darkest, innermost fears will be projected to the Sacred Gathering for all to observe. The Circle will watch as you attempt to defeat these fears. Even if you keep your sanity, when you awaken, the Circle will judge your actions. It ishowyou defeat these fears which will determine if you are worthy of the crown. Drink not of this, if you do not wish to tempt fate.”
“We are ready,” I insisted. “Give us the nectar to drink.”
The priestess appeared somber. “Your mate will drink first.”
She lifted the bowl to Ethan’s lips. She tipped the bowl. Ethan drank the nectar down as the liquid dribbled down his chin.
With the first sip, Ethan’s eyes rolled backward. He slumped to the ground, collapsing upon the soft grass of the Sacred Gathering.
My instinct was to try and catch him, or to help him somehow, but nothing in my power would do any good. The nectar had him now, and unless Ethan defeated his fears, he would not come out with his mind intact.
Now that my mate had fallen under the nectar’s influence, I just wanted to get this over with. I longed to drink the poison, so that I too may experience visions, and prove we had what it took to conquer this trial.
The priestess lifted the bowl to my lips, and I drank down the nectar. It was thick going down, and coated my throat. It tasted like drinking a warm, comforting tea.
The effect was instantaneous. I felt my knees give out, and the moss cradled my head as I laid down upon it. The drums began to swell in my ears, and the singing of the priestesses intensified in my head as I slipped into a trance.
I wokeup in a blank space. The world was void and empty. The ground beneath me was rocky and plain, stretching on for miles in all directions. There were mountains in the distance, but they were far away... out of my reach.
I turned on the spot, looking for someone— anyone. But I didn't recognize a friendly face, or even an enemy. I was completely alone in this desolate landscape, and there was nothing I could do to get myself out of it.
I began walking in one direction, and then the other. It seemed I walked for hours, and yet, there was no escaping this barren world. For some reason, my mind had placed me here.
I didn't understand. Wasthismy worst fear? It didn't seem so scary. Being alone,feelingalone, wasn't exactly something that was terrifying to me. After all, I felt like that so often in my childhood that returning to it wasn't exactly frightening. Was this all there was to the Trial?
Then I saw it. A little wolf pup sitting in front of me. It had red fur, and the tiniest paws with the biggest black eyes. It looked like a female. The wolf pup was so small, she could fit in my arms. She whimpered and whined as she looked up at me, as if she'd been completely abandoned by the world.
"Hey," I said, and I reached down to pick up the wolf pup by instinct. She didn't bite me, merely whined as I took her into my arms. She snuggled up against my chest, and I said, "This is a scary place, huh?"
She merely sniffed in response. My hair fell across my shoulders as I looked from left to right. I wasn't sure what to do with this tiny wolf pup, or what the gods were asking of me. It all seemed so confusing.
"Let's go find your mother, okay?" I started jogging with a wolf pup in my arms; I didn't know why, but it felt like I had to get this wolf pup to safety as soon as possible. If I didn't, I'd fail, and I knew that wasn't an option. I needed to be here for her, because she needed me. I was the only person she had in this world, and I wasn't going to let her down.
Something unexpected happened. The wolf pup in my arms began to grow cold. When I’d picked her up, she'd been so warm, so vibrant… so full of life.
But now, the warmth in her body was beginning to fade. The light in her beautiful black eyes began to ebb. She pawed at my chest with her little feet, as if begging me to make it stop.
"Oh, no. You're sick." I held the wolf pup tighter to me, trying to keep the heat in. Her eyes began to loll, and her little head fell against my breast. She shivered in my arms, as if she was overtaken by a chill that even the warmest sun couldn’t wash away.
