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“Pick your poison,” Arwan says.

The host giggles as if unable to contain himself. There’s no need to hide the game now.

But Arwan just gave me a clue. All wine samples are indeed poisoned.

I’ve sniffed them all, but I can’t detect any particular notes that could tell me which is which. I don’t know the poisons of Monster Isle. Unlike some of the other girls, such as Ferra, I haven’t trained for this.

Arwan remains perfectly still as I reach toward one of the bottles. He doesn’t react.

Does that mean it’s the wrong one?

Shifting my reach, I brush my fingers around a different one.

Still nothing.

Arwan knows that if I select the wrong one, we’ll both die. But still, he gives me absolutely nothing.

Frowning, I select one at random and drink directly from the spout.

The room gasps.

At first, I think I’ve gotten lucky.

But then the burn sears through my stomach.

I wrap my arm around my middle and groan as I buckle over.

Shit.

Shit!

It was the wrong one.

“Cameras, zoom in!” the host excitedly instructs as if this was exactly the outcome he had been anticipating.

Arwan reaches out and takes a swig from the same bottle, then he stretches out his dark hand and grabs my wrist.

“Where you go, I go,” he promises me.

And then I realize it didn’t matter which wine bottle I would have selected.

I had been set up from the beginning. My sponsor is a royal from a death realm.

And everyone wants to see what’ll happen when I pay his kingdom a little visit.

CHAPTER 16

A low rumble rolls out on jagged stones.

I’m not on Monster Isle anymore.

At least, my consciousness isn’t. My body still burns and aches, yet feels as if it is growing cold and stiff at the same time.

“Am I dead?” I whisper to myself as I step out to the edge of a cliff.

Below, there’s a frothy sea beating against the rocks.

Then I turn to face the hum that rings in my ears. My eyes widen as I arch my neck up to take in an intimidating tower.