Page 21 of Duskbound (Esprithean Trilogy #2)

CHAPTER TWENTY

The waiting chamber felt smaller than yesterday, the stone walls pressing in as we gathered to draw lots. My muscles still ached from the combat trial, each bruise gnawing at me, reminding me how spectacularly I’d lost the day before.

Another Archival assistant stood before us, holding that same black cloth bag from yesterday. Urkin loomed behind him, betraying nothing as his eyes swept over our group. When his gaze reached me, it narrowed almost imperceptibly.

Soren's absence was notable. He was still too weak from yesterday's beating to compete in the trial today. The others tried not to look at his empty place in line, but Mira's hands were clenched at her side.

"The order of demonstration is final," Urkin's voice filled the chamber. "You will present your tether to the Council when called. Any use of abilities before your turn will result in immediate disqualification."

My stomach churned as the bag made its way down the line. I watched each contestant draw their stone, studying their reactions. Theron's face remained impassive as he read his number, but something like satisfaction flickered in his eyes. First, then.

"How fortunate," a smooth voice came from behind me, sending a chill down my spine. "It seems we'll have plenty of time to become acquainted."

I turned to find Valkan standing closer than I'd expected, his dead eyes fixed on me with unsettling intensity. Even in the dim light, his skin seemed to glow with an unnatural vitality that made my stomach turn.

"I must admit, I find myself... intrigued. A foreign contestant in the Strykka—that's never happened before."

My gaze drifted to the upper level where the Umbra gathered. Aether stood near one of the stone columns, his golden eyes fixed on our interaction, jaw clenched. Even from this distance, I could see the shadows writhing beneath his skin.

"And yet here we both are," Valkan continued, moving closer. "Breaking tradition." His smile revealed teeth that seemed too white. "Tell me, how are you enjoying your time in Umbrathia?"

Before I could respond, Urkin's voice cut through the tension, "Candidate Theron, take your position."

I moved away from Valkan, grateful for the excuse. But his voice followed me, soft enough that only I could hear: "Perhaps we'll continue this conversation later."

The arena had been transformed since yesterday. Where training dummies once stood, now elaborate targets had been erected. The tiered seating above was packed with nobles and military leaders, their faces expectant. This was what they had come to see.

Theron stepped into the center of the arena, looking just as confident as he had since meeting him yesterday. At Urkin's signal, Sentinels emerged from the shadows, surrounding him with weapons drawn.

The first Sentinel struck, blade arcing through the space, but Theron was already moving. The air around him began to shimmer, like heat rising from stone. Suddenly, where there had been one Theron, there were dozens, each moving independently, each perfectly detailed. The Sentinels hesitated, weapons hovering as they tried to distinguish the real target from the illusions.

Theron's duplicates wove between the Sentinels. Each time a blade found one, it simply dissolved into mist, while three more appeared elsewhere. The Sentinels raged into a frenzy, striking at phantoms while the real Theron moved unseen among his creations. When the demonstration ended, he stood calmly at the center of the arena, not a scratch on him.

"Next," Urkin called.

Valkan strode into the arena, and conversations turned into murmurs. He surveyed the crowd before he smiled—a predator's smile. Fresh Sentinels took position around him, but they seemed more hesitant than before.

Valkan's form rippled like water, bones cracking and reforming as his body twisted. Where he had stood now prowled a massive panther, its coat as black as night. The transformation was flawless, disturbing in its perfection. The beast's eyes remained that same milky white as it launched itself at the nearest Sentinel.

The Sentinel's blade passed through air as the panther shifted mid-leap into a giant bird of prey, talons raking across armor before taking wing. The other Sentinels moved in formation, trying to corner him, but Valkan was never where their weapons struck. Each transformation flowed into the next—wolf, bear, serpent—each form more lethal than the last. Unlike the rest of the realm, there was no sign the drought affected him at all.

The display ended with Valkan back in his original form, standing among the Sentinels who had all been disarmed. Not a hair was out of place. He wasn't even breathing hard.

The silence that followed was deafening.

A girl I hadn't met yet was called next—Cassia—her movements graceful but hesitant as she approached the center. New Sentinels took their positions around her, and when the first one struck, she reached out with startling speed. At her touch, the soldier stumbled back—confused as to what she had done to him. It was only then that his armor began to decay, crack and burst… eventually crumbling to a pile of ash. The other Sentinels backed away, but she pursued them, her face carefully blank even as everything she touched disintegrated. A slight smile tugged at her lips when she saw the judge's faces.

Kenna followed. As the Sentinels closed in, whispers began to fill the arena—countless voices speaking at once, growing louder until they became overwhelming. The Sentinels clutched their heads, their formations breaking as the whispers seemed to pierce right through them. Some dropped their weapons, others stumbled back. Through it all, Kenna stood perfectly still, conducting the chaos like a maestro.

Lael was next. He moved to the edge of the arena where shadows pooled deeply and, to everyone's shock, grabbed hold of something massive in the darkness. With visible strain, he dragged the corpse of a giant wolf into the light. The beast's matted fur was dark with decay, its empty eye sockets somehow more terrifying than if they'd held eyes.

The crowd drew in a collective breath as Lael positioned the wolf's body in the center of the arena, his small frame dwarfed by the creature's massive form. The Sentinels circled cautiously, weapons raised, but their uncertainty was clear.

Lael began to lift his arms, and the wolf's limbs jerked, then smoothed into fluid motion as it rose to its feet. At his silent command, the beast launched itself at the nearest Sentinel, its movements unnaturally quick despite its decaying form. Rotting teeth attacked the steel armor as it drove the Sentinel to the ground.

The other Sentinels moved in, but the wolf was too fast, too strong. It fought with the abandoned savagery of something that couldn't feel pain, that had no fear of death. Within minutes, the Sentinels yielded, backing away from the creature that continued to prowl between them and Lael.

As Lael ascended the steps from the arena, a grin split his face despite his obvious exhaustion. His leathers were covered in dust and decay from dragging the wolf's corpse.

"Sorry," he said, dropping onto the bench beside me. "For the smell and all. I was hoping to find a fresher one."

Despite everything—I couldn't help but smile. The boy who'd seemed so nervous yesterday had just commanded a dead beast. Something like pride bloomed in my chest.

"You can control the dead?" I asked softly, still trying to process what I'd witnessed.

"Aether found me practicing on dead rats in Croyg," he admitted, picking at some dried mud on his sleeve. "Said I was wasting my talent on rodents." His eyes lit up. "You should see what I can do with a bear. Though those are harder to drag around."

I laughed, genuinely laughed, and the sound surprised me. When was the last time I'd done that? "Well, the wolf certainly made an impression."

"You think?" he beamed.

"Definitely. You should have seen the judges' faces. Just as impressed as they were horrified." I smiled.

Before he could respond, Urkin called the next contestant. But as Lael stood to make room, he squeezed my arm. "You're going to do great," he whispered. "Show them what you can really do."

Raven was next, his movements hesitant. As the Sentinels advanced, he pulled out what looked like shards of mirror from his pockets, placing them strategically around the arena. When the first Sentinel struck, his reflection appeared in one of the fragments, calling out a warning to himself from another angle. But the ability, while fascinating, proved impractical in combat. The Sentinels quickly overwhelmed him, though the judges seemed impressed regardless. I noted how Talon whispered something to Urkin, who nodded.

Mira stepped into the arena next, her slight frame nearly lost in the vastness of the space. The Sentinels advanced, weapons raised, but something strange began to happen. Each time Mira's gaze locked onto a Sentinel, the air around them seemed to blur and distort. One by one, they staggered backward, their weapons clattering to the ground as they recoiled from something I couldn't see.

Their faces contorted in what looked like pure terror, though there was nothing visible causing it. Whatever Mira was showing them, it was enough to make even these trained soldiers retreat. Through it all, her own expression remained haunted, as if she could see whatever horrors she was inflicting on them.

All the contestants had gone, and I felt nerves race across my skin as Urkin stood once more, eyes locked on me. He hesitated for a moment, letting the intensity of his stare infect me further.

"Foreign-born." He couldn't quite hide the distaste in his tone. Murmurs ran through the crowd, no doubt people discussing my horrible performance the day before. I forced my breathing to calm as I entered the arena, my steps slower and less confident than I would have liked.

The Sentinels emerged from the shadows one by one, surrounding me in a tight circle. Their weapons caught what little light filtered down, steel gleaming with deadly promise. I could feel the weight of hundreds of eyes bearing down on me from above—nobles, military leaders, the other contestants. All of them expecting me to fail. Again.

My heart thundered so loud I was sure they could hear it. Yesterday's bruises seemed to throb in time with each beat. I had been planning this since last night, but now, standing here, doubt crept in. I'd never attempted anything like this before, never dared to use this much power at once. Not on purpose.

I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing. The web stirred along my spine, familiar but dangerous. Usually, I kept it carefully contained, only letting out what I absolutely needed. But today, I was using every last drop.

The first Sentinel moved. I could hear the whisper of steel through air, feel them beginning to close in. It was now or never.

I reached for the web, yanking on it with more force than I ever had before. For a terrifying moment, nothing happened. The power stayed locked inside, refusing to budge. Panic clawed at my throat. I pulled harder, desperately, feeling the strain all the way down to my bones.

Then something broke loose.

The web exploded up my spine with such force it nearly knocked me over. White light burst behind my closed eyes, snapping open as power flooded through me, raw and overwhelming. Too much—it was too much. I could feel myself losing grip on it, feel it trying to spiral out of control.

Through the chaos, I could see the Sentinels' minds glowing silver, so close now. But my tendrils wouldn't respond. They writhed and twisted, refusing to take shape. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I fought for control, fought to shape this wild surge of power into something I could use.

Just when I thought I would drown in it, something clicked into place. The web steadied, and I felt my feet leave the ground.

My vision snapped back to find myself suspended in the air, my hair whipping around me like a tempest. The arena had gone completely silent. The Sentinels had frozen, weapons half-raised as they stared up at me. My web flowed out in pearlescent tendrils, caressing all six minds simultaneously, wrapping around them like silk.

A smile tugged at my lips as my gaze drifted down to Urkin, still sitting while the other judges had risen in shock.

And I sent the command down the bond.

One by one, each Sentinel turned on their fellow soldiers and raised their weapons. A beat of silence rang past as they kept their arms up.

Attack.

Chaos ensued as the Sentinels surged toward each other, blades flying with untamed ferocity, steel against steel. The clamor echoed through the entire arena as audience members rose to their feet, gasping. Finally, Urkin stood and took a few agonizing steps towards me, gripping the railing until his knuckles turned white. His eyes pierced me like blades.

Perhaps I should have been scared—terrified about what consequences might follow this. But he had asked to see my tether, so I was going to show him in the truest way possible. Remind every single one of them what I was capable of. What I could do If I really desired it.

I had never felt the web at its full strength, but I had to admit, I liked it.

Through the destruction, my eyes found Aether, mind shimmering with that golden hue. He was the only one in the crowd still seated, leaning back in his chair, hands pressed together, his chin dangerously low. The strangest expression graced his face. One I had never seen him wear before.

Pride. But it was darker than that. A kind of dark satisfaction that made my hair stand on end, that made heat rush through my veins.

Just as one of the Sentinels cried out in pain, I halted them.

Armor clanged against the ground as each Sentinel fell to their knees in exhaustion, confusion blooming on their faces as they realized where they were—what had just happened.

The silence that followed was deafening. Not a single person moved, as if the entire arena was frozen in that moment. I could feel my heart thundering in my chest, but my hands were steady as I lowered them to my sides.

Through the quiet, a slow clap echoed off the stone walls. My eyes shot to its source, and I felt my blood run cold.

Valkan.

He stood at the edge of the arena, eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made my skin crawl. His lips curved as he continued his solitary applause.

"Magnificent," he breathed, just loud enough for his voice to carry. "Simply magnificent."

Just as I lowered myself, my feet touching the ground once more, the spell broke. Suddenly, the arena erupted in a symphony of voices—some cheering, others arguing in heated whispers.

Urkin's face had gone completely rigid, but there was something else in his expression now. Something that looked almost like fear. Good .

General Taliora was whispering urgently in his ear, while Talon scribbled furiously in his notebook, occasionally shooting glances in my direction. Karis simply studied me.

My attention snapped back to Valkan as he drifted closer, his movements unnervingly smooth. "I believe," he murmured, his voice slicing through the noise, "you might be the most extraordinary thing I've ever laid eyes on." His pale, lifeless gaze pinned me in place. Not with awe, but with something far darker. A hungry, twisted fascination.

"What a shame it will be, indeed, if you die in the depths of the Void."