Page 41 of Spirit Trials

“Yeah, I mean I’ve never seen his wolf.” I’m trying to work this out in my mind.

Harper stares at me like I’ve lost a few brain cells.I probably have. “Because a wolf joined our little party of three last night.” I’m still staring at her. She rolls her eyes. “It wasn’t a wild wolf, or it would have killed us. No, this was a wolf that was intelligent. It licked your hand and your leg before settling next to you. It didn’t challenge us; it practically ignored us all night.”

“Are you?” Kinsley asks.

“Am I what?” I ask.

“In a relationship with the prince?”

I shake my head. “No.”

“Why else would it have showed up?” Kinsley presses.

“Listen, I...I’m friends with the prince, yes. But I’m not in a relationship with him.” I shake my head, trying to clear it and focus on getting to my feet. It’s painful but not nearly as painful as yesterday. I wonder if that has anything to do with said wolf. I look over and see that the two of them are still staring at me, and I hate the distrust in their eyes. “I’m as shocked as the two of you. I’ve never seen the prince’s wolf. I didn’t even know he had a corporal wolf until Kinsley told me on the first day.”

Kinsley cocks her head to the side. “I remember that; yeah, you had no clue what we were talking about.”

“I don’t know why the prince’s wolf was here, but I’ve never even seen it,” I tell them honestly. “But whatever it did, I feel a thousand times better.”

“They can heal,” Harper admits.

“What?” I ask in shock.

She sighs. “The corporal spirit animals can heal. They have healing powers in their saliva.”

I cringe. “It licked me?”

“Yeah. Guess that’s why you didn’t die,” Harper throws out.

“Thanks,” I say dryly.

Kinsley’s eyes are still wide. “You’d better be careful. You can’t have any outside help in these trials.”

I throw my hands up in exasperation. “I didn’t do anything. It’s not like I asked the prince to send his wolf. I didn’t even know he had one!” I throw dirt over the fire. “Let’s get going; we need to make up for lost time from yesterday.”

Harper and Kinsley eye me warily throughout the day, but eventually we settle back into a familiar sort of rhythm. “What day is this even?” I ask.

“Day four,” Kinsley says, and I turn in shock.

“Really?”

“You were out for a while.”

I groan in frustration.We lost so much time. “We need to keep our eyes peeled for gold coins. We are sorely lacking in that dep—” I don’t even get the words out of my mouth before I’m grabbed from behind. Adrenaline shoots through my system, and I throw an elbow back to my captor, earning a grunt. I kick back but can’t make contact.

“Hey!”

Harper and Kinsley run towards me, but the guy throws me down on the ground and has a knife to my throat before I can move. I hate myself for letting him get the drop on me like that. I stare up at the guy that made fun of me before we even started the trials. “Kingslayer,” he says in a low angry voice. “Where is he?” I blink. “Tell me.” He shoves the knife at my throat, and I stay very still. “Back off or I’ll slice her throat,” he yells, and I know he’s talking to Kinsley and Harper. “Where is he?” He shakes his head. “It,” he demands.

“I don’t know what you’re talking—” He grabs my wrist and squeezes. I bite down to keep from crying out in pain. Then he snaps it; I hear the break and I struggle to breathe through the pain.

“Farrah!” Kinsley cries out.

Suddenly he falls forward, trapping me under his heavy body. I don’t move for a moment, too blinded by pain and being crushed. Finally, he’s rolled off of me, and Harper and Kinsley are in my face. “Are you okay?” Kinsley asks breathlessly.

I blow out a breath and wheeze, trying to fight past the pain, against the black dots in my vision. “I hate these games.” My breath is shallow as they help me to my feet. “I need to wrap this,” I manage to get out.

“Farrah, he just snapped your wrist like a twig,” Kinsley says in shock.