Page 42 of Of Stars and Lightning (Sun and Shadows #1)

Thirty Two

WINDERLYN’S TRIAL

SOL SAW STARS the second she set sights on what they were expected to do.

There was no way.

None.

Zero.

This was where she died, surely.

Cattya slid past her, a cocky smirk on her stupid face. “Scared,

Princess?”

Sol bit her cheek to keep from screaming.

They stood near the edge of a cliff. Pure sandy stone floated beneath them, behind them the remnants of a patchy forest and their carriages.

She could tell they were far up on a sort of mountain by the proximity of the clouds and the seas of green the horizon danced with far below the apex of the jagged, looming stone ledge.

On that ledge was a thin wooden bridge connecting their edge to another about thirty paces away. As they walked closer, the bridge became thicker, maybe the length of both her feet pressed together. It swayed lightly, taunting them with its instability.

It was almost like a parapet, except nothing held it up other than luck and wind.

It wasn’t Aquarene’s turn, as Zeri had predicted. It was Winderlyn’s.

Beside her, Phil angled his head. “Is it a… a rope of some kind?”

“Might as well be,” Jonah said, frowning. “Might have better luck climbing across it instead of walking.”

Sol felt like she might hurl. At least she had been allowed a dagger this time, as everyone was granted a blade for offerings— even if her blood meant nothing.

The fact there was no more Kerproot involved was at least a small relief. Not a great one, but with her sanity intact, she would at least have the opportunity to think herself out of this.

“The task is simple,” Fin bellowed from behind them.

Sol resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she turned to face the kingsman, Jonah and Phil beside her.

The rest of the prospects scattered nearby, Cas included.

He had kept his distance, though Sol had as well.

She flicked her gaze to Cattya to find her already watching, ruby-red lips pursed in a challenging smile.

Sol didn’t smile back.

“You are all to walk across the bridge. If Winderlyn sees you worthy, he will allow you through.” Fin crossed his arms. “Magic will be allowed,” he added, briefly glancing at Sol. “We don't need anyone too incapacitated to walk this time around.”

Sol’s face heated at the wave of snickers that rose around her, but Phil tapped her hand. “They’re meanies,” he whispered.

Sol smiled at him. “Huge meanies.”

“This trial is timed.” Fin stepped forward, signaling to the cliff. “The eight of you have until sunset to cross.”

Heads collectively turned to the sky. It was midday. Surely plenty of time.

And they were allowed weapons this time—Sol still felt conflicted by that.

“Any other rules?” Cattya looped her arm around Cas's bicep. “Or can we get started?”

The Shadow Guider remained still, bored almost, while he removed himself from her claws.

Fin shrugged. “Drag each other over if you want. The goal is to get across and exit before sundown.” The kingsmen began the retreat to their horses.

Before Fin mounted his gray stallion, he said, “Winderlyn is quite picky with his subjects. Scribe Jeriyah awaits as spectator on the other side. Good luck to you all.”

They rode away in a boom of hooves and dirt, leaving the eight of them standing in clouds of dust.

Winderlyn, God of Wind and War.

Sol recalled the notes from the night before, thankful they had decided to study after all.

She glanced sidelong at Zeri, where she stood by a lonely cluster of rocks. She looked nervous, small in her worn leather breeches and blouse. Her light brown eyes flickered around with unease until they met Sol’s. A slight blush creeped on her cheeks, and Sol smiled slightly back to her.

She had to keep her safe. Her, Jonah, and Phil—they were her priority. The rest of the prospects mattered as well, they were lives, after all. But they were wobbly and untrustworthy.

Sol might have a soft heart, but she wasn't totally stupid.

“Winderlyn likes offerings straight from the neck,” Phil said. “Not even Emberdon is so brutal.”

“Sick bastard,” Jonah muttered, earning a shove from his younger brother.

Phil chastised, “Don’t bad mouth a god!”

Sol chuckled despite herself as the kingsmen faded into the distance, plumes of dirt drifting into the air.

Cattya wasted no time. There was something rather comforting about the consistency in the woman’s character, ironically.

She stepped up to the precipice and retrieved a long silver dagger that shone in the sunlight. Stone Ledge colors adorned the hilt—brown and steel gray. Without hesitation, she brought it to her neck and in a quick, smooth motion, slicing her skin.

Although Cattya faced the peak of death, Sol could still see the drips of blood seep onto the ground beneath her.

It only dripped for moments before the red trail was swept into a mist of gold.

Wind roared around them, a breath from the god himself, as Cattya stepped onto the bridge—if it could even be called such.

Although the grassland and trees around them swayed, the bridge remained straight and solid, as if it existed within a bubble of stillness. Sol watched, entranced as the woman cleared half of it in moments.

“Now, we aren't going to let the Lady of Stone Ledge pass with no fun.” Ezra marched forward from behind Sol, making her jump out of the way with surprise.

She had only spoken to him that time by the fountain, so she wasn’t sure what to expect from him other than an uncanny ability to appear as if from the ground itself. Not surprising from an Earth Caller, Sol supposed.

“Leave her alone,” Cas warned from his spot beside Zeri. “She’s not one you want to mess with.”

“What, afraid you’ll lose the easy fuck?” Ezra glared at him, slowly crouching next to the cliff’s edge in contemplation “I’m sure you’ll survive, Xanthos.”

Sol’s anxiety morphed into annoyance. Sure, she and Cas were iffy right now. But that didn't mean anyone could just speak to him like that.

She was about to remark that if anyone wanted an easy fuck, it was Ezra, and she would out him for the absolute creep he had been the first night when she wandered the halls of the Villa.

Cas seemed to sense it coming, because he glanced at her, then narrowed his eyes.

Don't.

Before Ezra had reached the edge of the cliff, Jonah had his hand on his dagger, surveying. Calculating to see who would follow, to see who else he needed to have on his radar. By the way Phil’s small hands twitched, Sol knew he was identifying everyone and their locations as well.

As if sensing the challenge, Cattya stopped her walk. She turned and smiled at the man with a broad grin. “Come and get it, Ezra.”

“I'm not stupid, Cattya.” Ezra sliced a thin line on his own throat with his Wielder ring. Instantly, it evaporated into mist. “I know you’re gods-blessed.”

Cattya shrugged. “It’s called being a devoted daughter of the Creators. You should try—”

A spear of stone shot from the deep abyss below, narrowly missing her. It flew over her, then exploded into a rain of pebbles.

As Cattya shielded herself with a forearm, her eyes shone as if made of the hottest flame. “You coward.”

Ezra laughed and made a mudra with his hands. “They didn't say we couldn't use our magic to sabotage. Only we shouldn’t kill with it.”

“Winderlyn doesn't like traitors,” Phil stepped forward, crossing his arms. “The point of the Vows is to gain each god’s favor.”

“Go play with the rocks, kid,” Cade chimed, moving into the circle. “Let the grown-ups talk.”

Cade had been a nearly invisible presence the entire time at the Villa, Sol only remembered his face from the first dinner that had killed Felice and Lucas.

“Watch yourself,” Sol seethed, looking the man straight in the face.

His amber eyes flickered, his gaze running down her body like talons scraping against her skin. She narrowed her eyes at him in challenge.

“Back up, Cade.” Cas was between them in an instant.

A scream laced with terror made Sol spin back to the cliff.

Cattya still stood on the bridge, but it now wobbled as the phantom wind protecting her disappeared.

The woman was annoying, but she was smart.

She took off into a sprint to clear the rest of the way as more spears of stone propelled toward her, shredding parts of the bridge in their wake.

Fuck.

“As long as we honor the rules of the trials, we will get through,” Phil assured. “That has proven true since the beginning of the tradition.”

Ezra laughed, standing from his crouch by the edge of the cliff. “Arnold Semmena made it to the end, boy, and he didn't follow that rule.”

“He didn't win, though,” Jonah smirked. “Draven did.”

Cas's face tightened at the mention of his father, and Sol looked away. Every time she had the misfortune of hearing about her mother’s Trials, the story only got more unbearable. At first, she had wanted to know everything about her and who she was. But now, Sol wanted the opposite.

If she was eventually going to step into this role, like she had already decided she would, perhaps following in no one’s footsteps was better.

She could make her own fuck ups and blame only herself for them.

“Draven only won because the Yarrow whore called it and had them draw,” Cade drawled, striding up to the bridge and bracing to give his own offering while Cattya disappeared behind the mountain at the other side.

Her fuck ups began today, it seemed.

Hot anger coursed through her. “I'm getting rather tired of people referring to my mother and I as whores.”

Ezra grinned, delighted Sol had finally taken someone’s bait.

“That’s what she was.” He strode forward. “It's exactly what started the civil war.”

“Any closer and I'm afraid I’ll have to throw you off the cliff, Ezra,” Cas said coolly, not bothering to draw his weapon or call forth his magic.

Ezra rolled his hazel eyes and stopped, but it was Cade who said, “Don't you get tired of other people fighting your battles, Princess?” He once again eyed her without reservation or restraint. “Perhaps it's time to grow up.”

“Now, why would I do that when I can save my energy?” Sol made a show shrugging, stepping into the role these people surely assumed was true.

Dumb. Brash. Inexperienced. Impulsive.

She would admit she was three out of four of those—she was not dumb.

She almost added it to her arsenal as a figure in the distance made her attention snap back to the bridge. They were so busy engaging in childish insults that no one noticed Zeri, who was already halfway across the bridge, her arms outstretched for better balance.

A wave of relief washed over Sol. She planned to be last and let Zeri go before her, ensuring no one could sabotage the bridge while she crossed.

But her running to the other side worked too.

“I don't fucking think so, Zoar!” Ezra lunged toward the bridge.

And everyone lunged after him.

Jonah brought Cade down with a swift maneuver, pinning him to the ground with tightly coiled branches that erupted from beneath them. The Water Dancer tried calling to the water below, but Aquarene didn't seem to lend her help without an offering.

Cade spat at Jonah, “You’re going to pay for that, Ketar!”

In response, Phil loomed over them, using his wind to send a wall of sand and dirt into Cade’s face.

Cas had Ezra pinned down, the Earth Caller’s face smushed into the ground. Shadows spun between tendrils of dirt and air, the sky dimming as clouds covered the sun.

The Sun.

Sol looked over at the horizon, where it was quickly approaching.

“When it’s just you and me at the end, Yarrow, I'm going to make sure our wedding night is extra special,” Ezra said through mouthfuls of dirt.

Sol’s chest heaved as Cas dug his knee into the man’s back. “Tell me why I shouldn't kill you for that sentence, Sonte.” He palmed the dagger at his hip.

Beneath him, Ezra laughed, half-mad. “Because the gods don't like cheaters in the Trials, and you're apparently so keen to follow the rules all of a sudden.”

Ezra brought his arm up at a speed only a soldier could muster, colliding his elbow with Cas's nose. Sol hurried to unsheathe her own dagger as Cas lost balance, but she was a second too late.

Like she always fucking was.

Ezra shot a hand to the bridge, and the tip of the stone fell away as if slashed by a phantom knife, sending the bridge crumbling and Zeri along with it.