Page 15 of Spirit Trials (The Spirit Kingdoms #1)

I walk into the huge room filled with people everywhere and try to look confident.

It feels like everybody’s eyes are on me, but that’s just ridiculous.

It’s just my nerves talking. I turn my focus to my surroundings.

This castle is huge in comparison to Rysden’s, but it’s just so.

..awful. While Rysden’s is cozy and feels like a home, this one feels cold.

There’s so much wealth here, it’s ridiculous.

I hate it. I finally take my eyes off the walls and look at the people.

I suck in a breath when I realize people actually are staring, and then it hits me.

My gaze runs the entire length of the room, of the part I can see, at least. And I realize I’ve made a terrible mistake.

Or rather, the tailor has. Every single person in here is wearing color.

There are shades of red, blue, pink, yellow, purple, orange.

..every color you can imagine, except one.

There is not a single person wearing black except for me.

Not even the men are. I’m overcome with the desire to run and hide, especially when I see some of them snickering behind fluted cups of drink.

A hand snags my elbow, and I jerk for a moment before I realize it’s Lox. “What’s wrong?”

“What do you mean what’s wrong?” I hiss. “I’m wearing the wrong dress. Literally every person in here is wearing color, and I’m in all black.”

“Farrah,” he says, snapping my gaze to his. “You’re not. Trust me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just hold your head high. Remember, this is the start of the competition. You need to be fierce.”

I roll my eyes. “In this?”

“Exactly.” He gives my arm a squeeze and then leaves me again.

I take a deep breath. There are guys and girls my age everywhere.

I can’t believe there are this many in the competition.

Panic starts to take hold again, but I force it down and take a deep breath.

Lox’s words come back to mind. I need to be fierce.

And then I remember that I’ve never run from a problem a day in my life, and I’m not about to now.

I press my fingers into the blade strapped to my thigh as a reminder and then begin to stride through the crowd.

My panic begins to abate when I begin to take them in clinically as competitors.

I walk around the entire room, taking in as many males and females as I can.

I try to catalogue the guys that are really muscular that will be impossible to fight hand-to-hand, the lean guys and girls who will most likely be fast runners, the tall ones, the ones who are shorter and might be willing to become allies. So many thoughts run through my head.

“Hey, Gorgeous.” I try to sidestep a guy before I realize he’s talking to me.

I don’t give him the time of day before walking past him.

A few more guys try to stop me and talk to me, but I ignore each and every one of them.

Maybe if they had been normal and nice, I wouldn’t have ignored them, but they weren’t.

They were all jerks and full of themselves.

I’m trying to work my way through the room, but I’m only about halfway through when several trumpets sound.

I don’t even have to be told what’s going to happen next.

I look to the edges of the room, wondering if I can get to them; but everybody starts closing in around me.

“Introducing His Majesty, the Wolf King.”

I glance to the side again, but it’s too late. I’m stuck in the very center of this crowd. At least I don’t stand out or anything. The crowd around me is already abuzz with excitement, but it grows when the trumpets sound again. I wonder who they’re announcing this time. My bet is on the queen.

“Introducing His Majesty, the Wolf Prince.”

I frown because the guys never told me there was a prince.

And then the prince makes his entrance. My mouth drops when Rysden steps out, wearing.

..of course...all black. I stare at him from a distance as my anger begins to build.

He mentioned the Wolf King in passing, but in no way, shape, or form did he ever mention that he was the freaking Wolf Prince!

My anger builds until I feel like I’m going to explode.

The announcer tells all of us to head into the next room for dinner.

I really want to make a break for it, but I don’t know the repercussions for that.

I manage to follow the crowd into the next room, which happens to be the largest room I’ve ever seen.

There are so many tables. I realize in seconds that each place setting has a name card.

Thankfully, they’re in alphabetical order, so I’m able to find mine without too much hassle.

Trying to find something positive, I figure at least the food will be good; and maybe I’ll make a few allies for tomorrow’s trials.

Negative on both. The food is tiny and doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen before.

I end up passing on all four courses. As for making allies, the girl on my right is too focused on flirting with the guys across from us; and the girl on my left makes fun of me literally the entire time.

I repeatedly remind myself I can’t stab her.

..until tomorrow. The dinner goes on and on and on.

Finally, the king stands and addresses the room.

“My spirit warriors, tonight is the last night before you begin the rest of your life.” A loud cheer rings through the room, and I barely refrain from rolling my eyes.

Noticing the girl on my right is finally quiet for a few minutes, I lean towards her. “Who’s the guy on the right of the king?”

She gives me a look like I’m crazy. “That’s the Jaguar King.”

I look back at him and study him. He’s much younger than the Wolf King, probably closer in age to Rysden.

Speaking of Rysden...I shake my head. He and I will be talking later.

I’ve avoided looking in his direction all night and plan to keep doing just that.

Looking back at the Jaguar King, I notice he’s handsome.

He’s got tawny-colored hair; making me wonder if it matches his jaguar.

I’ve only seen a jaguar twice over the years when I was hunting; they were too beautiful to kill.

I notice there’s a fourth chair at the king’s table, but it’s empty.

I wonder if that’s for the Dragon King and make a mental note to ask one of the guys later.

Finally, they dismiss us from this insanely long dinner, but I nearly groan out loud when I realize it’s so that we can go back to dancing.

I follow the crowd back to the ballroom slowly, not looking forward to more dead time.

I’m just about to enter the ballroom when somebody comes from the other direction, and we run right into each other.

Strong hands reach out to steady me a moment before dropping.

I look up, right into the face of the Jaguar King.

He’s so tall; it takes me a moment to come to my senses.

“Oh sorry.” I go to step around him, but he steps with me.

“I can’t help but notice the color of your dress.” His voice is gentle and kind and almost...lyrical? I must be tired.

I shake my head. “Yes. It seems the tailor wasn’t given the right description for tonight.” I look up into intelligent green eyes that are so bright, it’s almost mesmerizing.

He looks over my shoulder for a moment before looking back at me with a smile on his handsome face. “Or maybe it’s exactly the right color. What’s your name?”

“Farrah.”

“Farrah,” he repeats, as if committing it to memory. “I'll be keeping an eye on you during the competition.”

“Oh, you won’t have to watch closely.” I lean forward. “I intend to win. Everyone will know.”

His eyes light up. “Do you now? Well, then I look forward to seeing you crowned the winner.” I can’t help but smile; he’s so easy-going.

“I’ll see you around, Farrah.” He strides away, and I watch him go.

It’s not until he’s gone that I realize I still don’t know his name.

I tuck it away as another question for the guys.

When I look up, I see Rysden scowling in my direction from his spot near the king.

I turn away but only walk a few steps before a guard stops in front of me.

“Farrah Bromean?”

I nod. “Yes.”

“The king requests your presence.”

I feel the color drain from my face. “Why?” I ask, but he’s already walking away.

I stand there a moment longer, wondering what will happen if I don’t go.

I wipe my sweaty palms on my dress and hurry to catch up with the guard.

I stop in front of the king, and the guard disappears.

The king sits in a regal chair on a raised platform, overlooking the ballroom floor.

There are several people with him on the platform, including the Wolf Prince.

I look over at Rysden, but he’s not looking at me.

Or he’s ignoring me; I’m not sure which.

The king continues to ignore me, talking to everybody else seated around him.

I stand there, shifting from foot to foot.

Finally, I give in to my impatience and clear my throat loudly.

The king finally turns to me, and I see his surprise.

I stare at him, wondering what the appropriate thing to do is.

Probably bow, but seeing as he’s not my king, I don’t plan on doing that.

I clear my throat. “The guard said you wanted to see me.”

The king blinks. “Yes. Yes, I did. What is your name, Child?”

I ignore the slight. “Farrah Bromean.”

He studies me, and I refrain from fidgeting under his gaze. “Interesting choice of dress.”

“Yes.” Without looking at the prince, I say, “I chose it because it reminds me of darkness and deception.” I know Rysden can hear me, and I hope he gets my digs against him.

The king laughs loudly. “Oh, she is delightful.” He wipes his eyes and turns back to me. “I will be watching you in the trials tomorrow.”

I meet his gaze head-on. “You won’t have to watch for me. I’ll be the one you crown victor.”

His eyes widen, and then he laughs and looks all around.

“She is delightful and entertaining, if not a bit delusional.” Everybody within hearing distance laughs at my expense.

I press my fingers against my legs, trying not to let my anger get the best of me.

When he doesn’t stop laughing, I begin to take it personally; and my anger gets the best of me.

I don’t like how he makes me out to be a fool or a little child.

I grab a throwing star from my hip where I dropped a few of them into a last-minute addition I asked Rita to add to my dress—a pocket.

With a flick of my hand, I throw it. It shatters the king’s wine glass in his hand.

The room goes deathly silent. The king looks down at his hand and slowly lifts his head to meet mine.

I’ve already gone this far; I decide to go all the way.

“My name is Farrah Bromean, and when I win, you won’t be laughing.

” Without another word, I turn and stride through the room as the crowd magically parts for me.

Only when I make it all the way outside, do I put a hand over my stomach and try to catch my breath.

Lox, Jamik, and Hector appear out of nowhere.

“We’re leaving now,” Lox says, wrapping his hand around my elbow and walking us forward quickly.

The ride home is absolutely silent, but I’m okay with that.

I’m still fuming with anger for how the king belittled me.

And I can’t believe Rysden didn’t tell me who he was and just sat there while his father and his guests laughed at me.

When we get inside, I head right into the kitchen area because I’m starving.

Jamik disappears, and Hector adds wood to get the fire going.

Lox leans against the counter and stares at me.

“What?” I bark. He just shakes his head before leaving the room.

I grab a piece of fruit, some nuts, a chunk of bread and cheese and head to my room.

“Night, Hector,” I call out as I pass him.

He doesn’t say anything, but I don’t let it bother me.

I get to my room and change into sleeping clothes and pull back the blankets on my bed before I hear someone bellow my name. I close my eyes. Rysden’s back.