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“What?” she snapped at him without sparing him a look. He continued to stare at her until she turned her head. “I hurt too much to fight again, Kai.”

His lips twitched gently as she used his nickname, whenever she did, he felt like she was more at ease, not the hard, cold mask she needed to wear when playing the protector. The Queen of Ice he preferred to call her, he was sure she could freeze down a whole kingdom just with that gaze of hers.

“We will find whoever manipulated the trials, I promise you.”

“So, you don’t believe me.”

He grimaced and shook his head. They reached the door that led to their chamber, though both hovered in front of it. Quiet laughter was heard from the inside, mixed with happy rumbling from Spike.

“I do believe that you think you are right, though you are wrong.”

“Which translates into you don’t believe me.”

Nikolai let out a quiet laugh.

“And now you are laughing at me.” She glanced away, small little lines forming on her forehead, telling him that she was annoyed.

“I am not laughing at you. I am just relieved that you seem to be all right. I take your thoughts very seriously, Noora. Do not underestimate me.”

She looked back at him, meeting his gaze. “I don’t, believe me.”

“Then believe me when I tell you that I will find whoever did this to y—whoever poisoned Kekoa.” He cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Well, I better make haste.”

Another sound of laughter came through the door and Nikolai looked at it. “Seems like someone is waiting for you.”

He turned without looking at her again and bounded through the corridor. He shook his head to clear himself, racing down the steps towards the entrance of the palace. His steps faltered when he saw Raphael leave through the main entrance, a rope thrown over his shoulder, his body clad in gear. Where was he going? Nikolai waited for him to come back after a few seconds, but he stayed gone and after a moment of hesitation, the king bounded after him.

It seemed like he was going to find out.

Chapter 41

Noora

It almost took a whole week, lots of cleaning and re-bandaging, and Tyra’s magic brew to heal the broken bone in Noora’s arm. The purple splotches on the skin over her ribs turned yellow and her lip healed fully. The only thing that would not improve with the usual fast pace was the bite on her calf. She was strong enough to only use one crutch now as a provisional walking stick when she went out into the palace gardens, with Spike and Lulva and took a walk. Noora did not try to be pessimistic but there was only a day left until the last trial and her calf was killing her. The saliva of Nidghörr had to be embedded with some kind of poison or fluid that made it harder for her to heal. She wondered if she were fully mortal, she would have died from the bite mark. No matter how her condition progressed she would take part in the trial and win the prize. She was currently in first place as the jury was very generous in the second task, taking in the fact that she almost died during that one.

The last trial was rather tame, Tyra visited her last night and provided her with enough information to stoke her arrogant presumption that she could win the tournament.

“You will be brought back into the arena where all of you fought the wolves,” Tyra said as she lounged on the settee across from her bed. Her hair was braided today a few dark strands curling stubbornly at her temples which she tried to brush away now and then. She lounged in her usual leather gear, Noora suspected she preferred it to the gilded gowns and tight corsets.

“This time there will be a small pedestal in the middle surrounded by steel wires, like a small ring to fight in and prevent anyone from getting out.”

“Or getting in,” Noora added. Tyra nodded.

“Since you are currently in first place you do not have to win with any grace.”

Noora’s brows raised in surprise. “That is surprisingly relieving.” It meant she only had to win, taking into account that her calf was still burning like Hel she looked very much forward to resting in first place this time. She did not need to prove anything anymore. Nidghörr’s head had said enough.

Tyra nodded, twirling the end of her braid around her calloused finger.

“If we look at the statistics you will either fight Keoka or Pika in the last round, though I think Pika is not ruthless enough to defeat someone like Kekoa.”

“I would not underestimate him, in the end, Pika is Sosye as much as Kekoa is. He might not be as lithe as Kekoa but he is strong and steady.”

Tyra turned in her seat to look at Noora. “You’re right but let’s imagine Pika wins against his opponent, would you be able to fight against him? It would be in your favour to go against Kekoa. Your little feud could provoke him and make him careless.”

Noora grimaced, she did not like the sound of Tyra’s strategising. As if she was not able to defeat one or the other without some kind of advantage.