Page 9 of A Court of Thralls and Thorns

I stared out at the shimmering water, gathering my thoughts. “Nobody knows who my mother really was,” I said softly. “Likely a maid who got knocked up by a noble. At least my hair suggests I’ve got a pretty strong fae bloodline.”

“Definitely,” Tae agreed, his tone laced with quiet curiosity as he joined our conversation.

I continued, “My first guardian was Stella. She was the Order tailor. She took me in when my mother abandoned me. I don’t really remember her; she died when I was about four. She wasmurdered.” I paused, my throat tightening as I recalled the pain. “Then her friend Octavia, an Order thief, took me in. She taught me how to pick a pocket and break into almost everything. But Octavia was caught and killed, and her best friend, Dalila, took me in.”

I sighed, the weight of those memories heavy in the still air. It was so hard to talk about Dalila. “I loved her very much, and her death nearly destroyed me.” My voice faltered as I recalled the gentle strength of the woman who had given me a second chance.

I straightened up, the memories swirling. “Dalila was a woman of the evening,” I said, a trace of a bitter smile tugging at my lips. “Cyran was quite smitten with her. He rescued her from her old life, and we moved in with him. She died when I was fourteen. Her poisoning was most likely aimed at hurting Cyran.”

Naia fell silent, her expression unreadable. I could tell my story was not what she had expected. The room, filled with the soft hum of our bunk room settling for the night, held a fragile pause as the others listened, equally quiet.

The door burst open, and Prince Zander Rayne strode in. His presence cut through our somber mood like a sharp blade. “Time for your first challenge,” he announced, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

He stepped aside with the door still ajar. His gaze was fixed on me—a silent command that we must exit. Everyone got up and filed out of the room without comment, but as I reached the threshold, his gloved hand shot out and wrapped around my arm.

“No more experimenting without a squad leader present,” he declared, his tone both amused and scolding.

I felt a slight tingle, as if his touch had singed my skin, and then he released me abruptly. I blinked in surprise.“Experimenting?” I said, glancing at the bunks. “We don’t have private beds. Did you think we were having an orgy?”

Zander blinked, his dark eyes widening momentarily before he responded with a dry smile. “That would be inadvisable,” he said.

“Is everything all right?” Jax asked from outside, his voice echoing softly in the wind.

“Get into formation, prospect Rebec,” Zander ordered, his gloved hand still hovering near my arm as a reminder of his watchful presence.

“Prospect?” I echoed with a half-grumbled laugh.

“Most of your squad has to earn the right to be called cadets.”

I grunted in response, my tone dismissive. “Of course it does.”

With that, I stepped out of the room and joined my squadmates on the Ascension Grounds. The air outside was brisk as night began to claim the sky, and I noticed Zander pointing toward a massive gate ahead.

“The guards will allow you access to the beach tunnel,” he announced, his voice echoing off the ancient stone. “You have an hour to complete the course. Since Cadet Rockel has run it many times, you have an advantage.”

“Shit,” Tae swore under his breath as he started toward the gate, then yelled for us to follow him.

I shot Zander a dirty look, a spark of defiance lighting my eyes, before sprinting after my squad.

We burst out of the main gate into the cool night, our feet pounding against the ancient cobblestones as Tae led us toward the guard station. With a swift tug, he pulled aside a worn carpet that concealed a wooden door with a rusty latch, and he hauled it open.

Without missing a beat, he descended the narrow stairs, and we followed in rapid succession, our echoes mingling in the long,dark tunnel lit only by strange crystals embedded in the walls. Their dim glow painted eerie shadows along the rough stone as we ran for nearly ten minutes before the tunnel gave way to tight rock walls.

At the end of the tunnel, Tae halted us and pointed to a frayed rope hanging from the ceiling. “We go down one at a time,” he instructed, his voice steady despite the urgency. “If we don’t reach the adjacent tunnel in forty-five minutes, the guards will pull that rope up, and we’ll be stuck on the beach overnight.”

I glanced over the side where the tunnel opened onto the beach, and the sight took my breath away. Waves rolled relentlessly over the rugged rocks, crashing with a white fury that sent salty spray high into the air. The tide was almost up, the water churning as if it were determined to reclaim the shore.

“The tide is coming in,” I said.

Tae nodded and handed the rope to Eilvin. “That’s when they send us on the run. When the tide is low, it’s actually quite nice down there,” he explained.

“And when it’s at its peak?” I asked as I watched Eilvin go hand over hand down the rope.

“Then you drown, unless you’re lucky enough to find one of those high outcroppings in the middle,” Tae replied grimly. “They sheared the rock beneath the castle so it can’t be climbed.”

“Fun,” I said with a sarcastic laugh, despite the tension. Tae then sent Lauren down next.

“This castle has been here for six hundred years. It was built during the Unification and has never been breached. They’ve had plenty of time to refine its security measures,” he informed us.