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Flarking Raelynn. She must have had a hand in this—so eager to humble and humiliate me. Well, she’d soon discover I wasn’t easy to subjugate.

“That’s right, ladies. Cheer for your favorite.” Beside me, Drazen flexed his spectacular muscles, turning a circle. Golden bands with flames etched into the metal circled his bulging biceps. While his chest was bare, black leggings clung to his muscular thighs, leaving little to the imagination. Finely detailed flames were stitched along the outer legs. Even I had to admit his costume suited him. Unlike mine.

“You are embarrassing,” Kronk grumbled, dressed in brown leggings made to resemble fractured rock. Over his broad upper body, he wore a leather harness with iron studs and a rustic chest plate designed to cup his bulging pectorals.

“And you are jealous,” Drazen taunted.

“It is ill-advised to encourage their attention. To be a favorite is to be a target,” Victor stated.

I scanned his costume with a critical eye, noting the intricate braids that drew his long silver hair back from his aristocratic face. Braids Milani had spent an excessive amount of time plaiting this morning. The rich brocade tunic, woven with metallic threads, gave him a rather king-like appearance.

“Will you be able to run in those?” Drazen scowled at my feet.

I squared my shoulders, ignoring the breeze that blew up the back of my skirt, flashing my ass. “Who says I’ll be running? Once this torque is deactivated, the others will run from me.”

Trumpets blared, and though it didn’t seem possible, the crowd grew louder.

One of the females I recognized from Gamma cell twitched nervously in front of me, muttering, “We’re all going to die. All going to die.”

Thanks to the orbs that floated over each of our heads, her mental breakdown was projected onto the rotating carousel of magical images that hovered high above us. The orbs would project our every move during the games.

King Idris entered his royal pavilion, the queen trailing behind him. His doublet, a luxurious garment woven with gleaming metallic threads, sparkled as if sprinkled with starlight. Raelynn sparkled as well, the tiny crystals on her costly gown catching the light and scattering rainbows.

The king strode to a raised platform near the railing, raising his arms. “Great people of Carcerem, I welcome you to the Fallen Trials.”

The crowd roared. Much more of this, and my eardrums would bleed.

“We’re going to die! We’re going to die!” The terrified woman grasped her head, rocking back and forth. Poor girl was losing her shit. No way she’d make it to the end of the competition.

The false king lowered his arms, gesturing for the crowd to quiet, which, of course, they did immediately.Brainless idiots.

“The competitors gathered before you are criminals of the kingdom.” Idris’s magically amplified voice echoed through the stands. “All are guilty of heinous crimes that threaten the peace and prosperity of our lands.”

This time, the spectators responded with hate and violence. “Boos!” thundered in our ears. Cups of mead were thrown into the aisles.

“We’re going to die! Going to die!”

“Hey. Settle down. It’s going to be fine,” I lied. The screamer was most definitely going to die. I reached out to pat the distressed female’s shoulder. Big mistake.

The second my hand made contact, she belted out a screech and bolted through the other competitors scattered before us. No one cared to stop her.

“Going to die!” she shrieked, sprinting to the edge of the ring.

“Wait!” I shouted. “You can’t—”

Sparks exploded as the woman hit the invisible containment field. Flames engulfed her body. Inhuman screams erupted from her throat. In seconds, she’d turned to ash, her remains floating away on a breeze.

Once more, the crowd was back to cheering. Bloodthirsty deviants. And they claimed we were the criminals.

“Ah, yes.” King Idris chuckled. “I was getting to that part. Residents of Carcerem need have no fear, for the suppression field will contain all threats to the kingdom’s safety during the trials.”

A shiver ran through me. The screamer wasn’t wrong. Flark, we were screwed. Firm fingers squeezed my own. I glanced down. When did I grab the vampire’s hand?

Double flark. I shook off his grip and lifted my chin.

Drazen glanced between the two of us, a dark frown on his ruddy face.

“Blah, judgment for your crimes. Blah. Blah,”Idris droned on, his voice an irritating buzz in my brain.