Page 5 of Bonded to the Fallen Shadow King (Of Fae and Wolf Trilogy #1)

Chapter Five

Briar

M y hands were still shaking from my encounter with Vad, but I pressed them hard against my sides so no one would notice.

In less than ten minutes, my entire world had changed both literally and figuratively. I loved a good fantasy story, but that didn’t mean I wanted to actually live one.

Elara led us out of the massive room through some gigantic dark wooden doors. Air whooshed past us as they opened despite her not touching them. Heels clicked over the marble floor, and I waited to follow at the rear of the group, where I was less likely to get stabbed in the back.

I wouldn’t put it past these fae versions of mean girls.

Kaylen smirked as Elara walked past her, and a short wispy-haired blonde woman whimpered. A bloodthirsty grin spread across Kaylen's face, and the blue-haired woman and three others followed suit. The mean girl club whispered that she’d be one of the first to die, and of course, they cut their eyes to me like they’d marked the two first deaths, making it hard to swallow.

My stomach twisted in knots as I looked at the mark on my hand. I could still feel the butterfly moving under my skin. Had Fate brought me here to die after everything my pack and I had gone through on Earth? Was she showing me that Vad was my only chance at survival?

As if landing in a place I never wanted or intended to visit wasn’t enough, I now had warring emotions brewing inside me, and I hated it. One part of me wanted to get the hell out of here and go back home to my sister and pack, while the other part wanted to fight for Vaddy’s affection, because something inside me wanted him.

I forced myself to follow, surveying my surroundings as we went. Kaylen and her squad glided across the floor, their feet not making a sound as their wings fluttered. A few others also flew toward the front of the line on colorful wings.

Some of them caught my eye and then exchanged looks of amused disbelief with each other. One laughed as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

It was like watching a pack of wild dogs turn on each other in the middle of a hunt. Only I was the prey, and they weren’t fighting…yet. My wolf snarled. I was a fucking wolf shifter. I was not supposed to be prey.

"You sure you’re in the right place?” The tall fae with the wavy midnight-blue hair paused and waited for me. She stared me down, her deep-pink eyes narrowed in a mix of curiosity and disgust. She had a similar smugness to the men who’d brought me here, but it was meaner and less polished. She might be the fae equivalent of a hitman. "Or did you piss off Fate?”

If I acted scared, they’d only escalate. I tried to stand tall, though my shoulders tried to sag. “Most likely the latter.” Not wanting to look at her, I took in the gigantic dark walls and the massive hallway that seemed to go on for miles. My wolf eyes adjusted, and I could see all the way to the other end of the hallway, dimly lit by lanterns. Ornate gold-and-black stained glass towered over a double door. Even without a ton of light glowing through the glass, it was still gorgeous.

No one said anything as we soaked in the view. When this was all over, one of these women would be able to call it home.

My heart squeezed uncomfortably, knowing that it wouldn’t be me standing next to Vad at the end.

“To the left here,” Elara paused at an intersecting hallway, “is where you’ll take your rest. You each have your own room, and your name is on the door.” She then pointed to the right. “And this will lead you to the dining room.”

She then turned to the right, leading us to what had to be supper.

The farther I went into the palace, the more my skin crawled. I’d never been in a place like this; even the royal wolf shifter palace back home was nowhere close to this enormous, and I hadn’t ever made it through the entire place.

My wolf shrank back inside me, uncomfortable. The magic here felt different, like a faint burn, and she wasn’t happy.

Tall, dark doors opened before Elara reached them, and two guards wearing the same armor as my kidnappers stepped to the sides to usher us through. A chill ran down my spine as I hurried past them into another stunning room, this one with three huge chandeliers lit by candles.

"Where are we supposed to sit?” the short blonde woman whispered to a woman with white hair that had a soft iridescent sheen.

The white-haired woman pointed to a small note that lay on top of a plate. “They have cards with our names on them. Here’s yours.” The name Aelir was written in shadowy letters.

“Oh.” Aelir placed a hand on her chest. “Of course they’d do that.”

The pink-eyed fae who had taunted me laughed and bumped into Aelir as she said, “Enjoy your evening, since you’re still alive.” She moved two seats down in front of the name Ceana .

I wanted to say something but bit my tongue. I was already enough of a target, and I didn’t have a death wish.

Everyone began searching for their names, and I found mine against the left wall between Aelir and Ceana. I took my seat as the other women clattered around.

The table had to be at least thirty feet long, and it was covered with more food than I’d seen in my life. All sorts of colors blurred together, and a rich, sweet smell exploded in my nose. There were candied berries, exotic pastries, and fluffy cakes piled high on gleaming silver trays. The savory aroma of roasted meats mingled with unfamiliar spices. My mouth watered as I took it all in, becoming hungry once more.

Everything was plush and fancy. Deep purple chairs matched the velvet drapes. Dark stone walls that felt even colder than they looked. Shadows clung to the edges of the room, and gold veins ran through the walls like cracks, but they weren’t the kind you could use to escape.

No sign of a way to get home.

This place was killing me. I hated it and wanted it all at once.

I could see another name card to the left of Aelir: Rhielle .

Ceana flicked me a bright-pink glare, then tilted her head toward a woman with honey-blonde hair across the table. “Deallan. How…nice to see you.”

More laughter from the women, and Deallan said, “At least these two won’t last long.”

"I’ll see to that," Ceana replied, staring at me like I was a squashed bug, and she hadn’t yet decided whether to scrape me off the bottom of her shoe or crush me further.

Thankfully, Kaylen was a few seats away, though still close enough to taunt me. She and her neighbors started murmuring and giggling as I tried to get comfortable.

I didn’t need to hear the words to know what they were saying.

I sat stiffly, unsure if I was more likely to be attacked by food, magic, Vad, or the girls on either side of me. This place and these people were foreign to me, and I didn’t know what to expect.

The room fell into silence as the women focused on the meal, trying to out-queen each other with every dainty bite. Tension lingered in the air, and I wasn’t sure I could do this.

I picked at the end of a pastry, something that looked like a fancy chocolate croissant with fresh berries baked in. Was it better to go out early or to survive? Maybe I should just take a bite and see if it was poisoned. Ember would’ve loved this.

I had to get through it.

To the left was some sort of sparkling blue beverage. I took a sip, hoping it was safe and not magic in a bottle. It tasted like honeyed peaches.

Everything was a damn contradiction, even the drinks.

A voice from farther down the table drifted toward me. "Think of the honor," a woman with pale-blue hair said to another. "I would love to be the one by his side.”

I put down the glass and focused on her conversation.

"Enjoy it while you can," another said, her gaze fixed on me.

Even as I took another sip of the peach-honey drink, it didn’t help to numb the anxiety tensing my entire body.

Aelir’s fragile features contorted, and my chest tightened as her pale shoulders began to shake.

Instinct took over, and I touched her back, steadying her. “Are you okay?” With how suddenly her reaction had taken over, I had to have missed something.

She shook her head, and the glimmer of a tear escaped her lashes. She drew a sharp breath. “Please don’t touch me. You’re making it worse.”

Recoiling, I bent my fingers into my palm and placed my hand in my lap. I had to remember the rules were different here.

“I just can’t do this.” Her voice was barely a whisper, and her cheeks flushed.

“If it helps, I’m pretty sure I’ll be the first target.” I tried to force a smile though I suspected I looked more constipated than reassuring. “We just have to make it through.”

“I’m scared,” she admitted. Her hands trembled in her lap, and she stared at her plate like it held all the answers.

Out of all these people, Aelir seemed to actually have something in her heart besides hate and violence. I was sorry that she was stuck here like me, and I wanted to fix it, to protect her the way Ember had tried to protect me. “You’re braver than you realize.” My jaw tightened, and I glanced around the room. “Why can’t you refuse to participate?”

"You know why.” Her nose wrinkled, and she glanced at me with hurt in her eyes. “No one can refuse a summons from Fate. It’s the law, and punishable by death. But if you don’t die, you’ll be rewarded even if you aren’t selected as queen.”

"Is the little airhead afraid?" Ceana taunted. "She must be speaking with that weird human girl."

Aelir shrank at the sound of Ceana’s taunt, but I tried not to let it get to me. I’d already been through so much.

"Seems to be." Deallan laughed, harsh and mean.

My heartbeat quickened, my wolf sensing danger. This was a game to them. Freak out the scared ones and make them easier to slaughter.

I refused to play into it.

"Neither of those girls look like they’ll last long.” Ceana shrugged, her dark-blue hair cascading over her shoulders.

"Weaklings never do." Deallan's dark curls framed her sly smile. Her pale eyes dipped down, and she pretended to flick a speck of imaginary dust from the honey-amber strap of her dress. "How’s the big bad warrior holding up?"

Aelir squeezed my hand, but it was more out of fear than for support.

"Leave them alone.” Rhielle shook her head, her pink hair glimmering in the candlelight. "The trials will test them enough. Nothing says any of us have to die, but bloodthirsty assholes like you will make it worse for everyone else."

My chest expanded with hope.

"She doesn’t have to die." Ceana flipped her wrist. "But she will."

Anger flashed in Kaylen’s silver eyes as she leaned forward and placed her elbows on the table while staring Rhielle down. "No wings. Are you sure you belong here?"

The group snickered again, but now I’d become even more concerned. If this group wasn’t as confident as they wanted to seem, that would make them more desperate and unhinged. The more we allowed them to humiliate us, the more they’d continue to be bullies, because that way they appeared to be in control. Staying silent and hiding wouldn’t improve our chances at all.

At least I'd die with my head held high. "Shut up. Why don’t you wait until the contest begins and write down who you actually manage to kill? I suspect it’ll be a lower count than what you’re proclaiming now."

All heads snapped toward me.

"What?" Deallan stood, glaring at me. "I dare you to repeat what you just said."

And give them the satisfaction of me following their commands? Hell no. Instead, I went for a different tactic. "You need to sit down. You’re making your desperation even more obvious."

"You don’t know a fecking thing about us." Ceana’s tone held an ugly edge. "Go back to hiding with the rest of the pathetic, wingless thornbrushes."

I picked up my glass and took a sip, hiding my smile.

Footsteps pounded against the floor, and Elara stood in front of us. "You are gathered here for the prince. Not for a bloodbath." She rolled her shoulders back, looking fragile and elegant. "The prince said there is to be no more fighting before the trials begin."

"And who’s going to stop us?" Deallan arched an eyebrow.

"The prince expects his word to be obeyed. The rituals will be enough of a challenge. They start at noon tomorrow. Save your strength for then." Elara took the time to look at each one of us. "Enjoy the meal. You’ll need it."

“Says the princess who will never rule.” Kaylen rolled her eyes. “We needn’t listen to her.”

Elara frowned but pretended not to have heard what was said as she walked out the doors.

Not wanting the mean girls to know they bothered me, I took another bite of the pastry on my plate. It tasted better than it had a minute ago, but the dread in the room made it hard to swallow.

Once the door shut with a bang, Kaylen’s eyes glinted with malice. "Elara thinks she’s better than she is, but she’s nothing but a fragile princess who has to do everything for herself because she’s too pathetic to ask for help, and even if she did ask, no one would grant it. Her father won’t be seen with her. Even her brother only tolerates her." She glanced at me and asked, "How long before you’re just as pitiful?"

"You’d better watch out." I leaned back, trying to look unbothered despite my stomach gurgling. “Who's to say you won’t be the one winding up in a worse spot than any of us?"

"Buffoon. You don’t know anything about our world, do you?" Kaylen grimaced. "It’s best if you try to appease us. You have no clue what the trials are even like, do you?"

She paused, letting her words sink in.

I hated that she had me there. I would probably die tomorrow, but I wouldn’t just lie down and let them take my life. That was clearly what they expected. "And how would I know that?"

"By begging." Kaylen’s eyes narrowed. "Or dying. We’re not picky."

"Not happening.” I shook my head. "You’ll get what’s coming to you."

Ceana tilted back her head. "Oh?"

Immediately, the best way to get revenge popped into my head. Kaylen wanted to look picture-perfect and distinguished. There was something I could do to end all that tonight.

I dug my fingers into some dark blackberry cream. The mixture of warm custard made me want to taste it. I suspected it was delicious, and I hated to waste it. But I had a mission to complete.

I took a handful and launched it at Kaylen.

Her jaw dropped as it splattered across her dress, staining the silver fabric dark purple. The other girls froze, too stunned to react, and I saw the fury building in her eyes.

“You’ll regret that," she gritted out.

This time I didn’t have to force my smile. "You should see the look on your face. It’s priceless.”

The other girls were still frozen in shock. A fae who I hadn’t heard speak hid a smile behind her hand.

“Your death will be–” Kaylen started.

But I picked up another dessert with dark purple syrup that dripped through my fingers and flung it at her.

She ducked this time, and it hit the red-headed woman beside her.

Aelir snatched a cream-filled roll from the center of the table and launched it at the mean girls. It hit the table in front of them and made the cream and purple splatter over all three of them.

Then the entire banquet hall broke into laughter. Not the vicious, cruel laughter I’d heard since I got here, but real laughter.

Including mine.

"What in the—" Deallan started to say.

Before she could finish, Aelir grabbed another dessert, this time a cupcake covered in sparkly gold frosting. She didn’t hesitate and tossed it at Deallan. It hit Deallan’s shoulder, the frosting coating her honey-brown skin.

Not wanting Aelir to be the only one to have fun, I launched a fluffy cake at Deallan and caught her on the side of her head. She looked murderous, and her hand shot to a plate in front of her. She grabbed what looked like a handful of sweet-glazed chicken and aimed at me. I ducked, and it hit Rhielle.

"Feck!" Rhielle shouted and giggled. She reached for a glass pitcher filled with the dark blue juice I’d had a taste of earlier and chucked the whole thing in my direction.

The juice splashed over my head, soaking me. I had no time to react before she grabbed another dessert, aiming at Kaylen and the other girls.

It didn’t take long for the entire table to erupt. Aelir stuck close to my side and reached for a handful of what looked like whipped cream and threw it across the table at Deallan. It missed and hit a fae whose name I thought might be Myantha, and surprise shone in her eyes as the soft white frosting dripped down her golden hair.

I dodged a pie that sailed from Kaylen’s direction, and I snatched a plate of roasted meats and vegetables. The plate hit the table and shattered, sending chunks of everything in Kaylen’s direction. She was even more furious than before, which was the entire point.

More food flew through the air, and even though this was childish, it made a point. Everyone would fight.

My hand was buried in a dish of something creamy and bright green when the doors slammed open, and the room fell silent.

Vad stood in the doorway, his gray eyes fixed on me.

I froze. He was even taller and more commanding than I remembered. Everyone stopped as he crossed his arms and stared me down.

The food fight died, and I could feel the eyes of every girl in the room turn my way. Aelir shifted closer to me, and even Rhielle seemed unsure. But I was more hesitant than any of them.

"Having fun?" Vad’s face was a void.

The words were cold and meant to put me in my place, but they didn’t have the desired effect. I looked him dead in the eye and didn’t flinch. "Yes," I said.

He raised a brow, and I saw disbelief in his expression. Maybe I was imagining it. Maybe I wasn’t.

Aelir took my hand in a sticky mess of purple and white frosting, layers of delicate dessert, and raw emotion, a symbol of the mess we’d made and the one I had to clean up if I was going to make it.

"Join us," I said, just as defiant as I’d been since they’d dragged me here.