Page 50 of Spirit Trials (The Spirit Kingdoms #1)

“The wolf is going with?” Vallis nearly screeches in horror.

“Yes,” Rysden says.

Vallis mutters some colorful words under his breath before turning to me. “Do not sit by the wolf, do not pet it, don’t let them come near you, don’t even...” he waves his hand with a flare.

“Breathe?” I offer with a smile.

He narrows his eyes at me. “Your sarcasm is noted.” I bite back a smile and settle in the coach. Rysden gives me a look and then begins to close the door.

“Wait, you’re not riding in here?”

“Nope.” I glance at Shade next to his side. “And Shade’s not either?”

“No, but we’ll stay close.”

“How come I can’t ride?”

Rysden gives my outfit a onceover, and I settle back in the seat. “Fine,” I huff out.

He smirks. “See you there.” He closes the door and hits it twice, and I hear him and Hector mount up.

I nearly fall back in my seat when the coach starts moving forward.

I bounce in my seat and try to find something to hang on to.

The last time I rode in one of these, Harper and Kinsley were wedged in on either side of me, keeping me from bouncing all over.

“I’m pretty sure I would have been better off riding a horse,” I mutter after a particular bump that nearly launches me from my seat.

On the floor, Solace gives me a look and then goes back to resting or whatever it is she’s currently doing.

The ride takes longer than I expected, and I start losing my mind worrying about tonight.

I really wish Harper and Kinsley were with me, but we all agreed it was best to keep them out of sight.

Even though the other banished will be there tonight, we didn’t want to bring attention to them.

Rysden says Kaldar will take them with him when he leaves.

I know it’s the right decision, but I miss my friends and wish they could be with me.

I hate being the center of attention and really wish we didn’t have to even do tonight.

“Why can’t they just congratulate me, hand me my award, and send me on my way?

” We hit another bump, and I nearly lose my seat.

Again. “ This is ridiculous and much worse than riding a horse,” I grumble.

Solace doesn’t even lift her head. I finally feel the coach begin to slow down.

I blow out a breath and push back the hair that’s come lose from my sides.

I tap my foot and wait for the coach door to open.

Finally, it comes to a complete stop; and the door opens.

I grab my bow and quiver and throw them over my shoulder.

Rysden looks up at me. He pauses a moment, and his mouth does something.

It’s somewhere between a smirk and a smile. I take his hand and step down.

“What?” I demand.

“Was it a little rough in there?”

I blow a hair out of my face. “I would have been better off riding a horse.” He bites his lip; I’m pretty sure it’s to hide a laugh. “Laugh it up, Prince,” I say, pulling away from him and walk towards the steps.

“Heavenly moons and stars, what did you do?” I turn at Vallis’s exclamation. Horror stretches across his face. He glances down at Solace at my side. “Did you fight with the wolf?”

I scowl at him. “No, I just rode here.”

“And did what?” he asks, exasperated.

“I just rode in that death trap!” I nearly shout and then quickly quiet my voice when I notice people are staring. “I should have just ridden a horse.”

Vallis gives a dramatic shudder and takes a calming breath, closing his eyes. I shake my head at his drama. “Good thing I am always prepared.”

He opens the large bag hanging off his side. “You travel with all that?” I ask.

He scowls at me. “I have to because of people like you.” He steps forward and grabs hold of my bow. I whirl around, but he keeps it out of my reach.

“What are you doing?”

He stares at me like I’ve grown two heads. “You are not taking your bow and quiver.”

“How will I defend myself?” I argue.

His eyes nearly bug out of his head. “It’s a ball!”

“Yes, and I’m the Champion. Shouldn’t that mean...” I stop talking at the look of horror on his face. “Fine,” I huff, putting my bow and quiver in the coach. “I still have my knife anyway.”

Vallis closes his eyes and shakes his head. “I don’t know that,” he mutters to himself. I shake my head at his drama. He goes to work, and it feels like he’s ripping the hair from my head. “Ow,” I say and pull away after a particularly nasty head tug.

“I’ve done children who were more cooperative than you,” I hear him mutter. My head is tugged again, but I stay quiet. After he finishes my hair, he digs in his bag. “Purse your lips,” he orders.

I look at the bottle of lip stain. “Didn’t we already do that back—”

“Purse!” he demands.

I immediately stick my lips out. When he finally finishes, I pull back and look towards the castle. “Do you think anybody is still in there, or do you think they’ve all gone home for the night by now? Shouldn’t we just go back home?”

Vallis turns his face to Rysden. “Prince!”

Rysden smirks. “I’ve got her. Come on, Lady Mercy, before you give Vallis a heart attack.

” Rysden puts out his arm, and I slip my hand into the crook of his arm.

We start up the steps, and I immediately stop and reach down to pull up the front of my dress so I can walk up the stairs without tripping.

“Not so high!” Vallis whispers in horror from behind me. I lower my dress some, noticing what the other females are doing and copying them. When I glance over my shoulder, Vallis is wiping his face with a hankie and muttering into it.

“He certainly is dramatic,” I say to Rysden.

Rysden looks straight ahead. “He is at that, but he’s also the best of the best.” It doesn’t take us long to make it to the top. Each of the couples ahead of us are stopping at the door and talking to the doormen before heading inside. When it’s our turn, we stop at the first man.

“Name,” he says without looking up.

“Prince Rysden and—” Rysden doesn’t get my name out before the man visibly startles.

“Your Highness,” he bows low. “I didn’t realize you would come this way,” he says once he stands.

“Won’t you be entering with the King and Queen?

” I look up at Rysden, but he doesn’t look the least bit ruffled or bothered.

“No, I will be entering with my mate.” The air in my lungs seem to get thinner at those words, and I force myself not to fidget.

“And our wolves as well,” Rysden adds a moment later.

The man doesn’t bat an eye. “Yes, Your Highness.” He scribbles a few things down and then nods to us. “You may proceed.”

We walk forward, and the two large stone doors leading to the castle are pulled open by two men.

I see the man who spoke to us hurry over to another man and shove a piece of paper at him.

I watch as both men appear flustered before looking up at Rysden.

“You seem to have caused a commotion, Prince,” I say under my breath, knowing he can hear me.

He nods and lowers his voice, so only I can hear. “You must be rubbing off on me.”

“Are you saying I raise a commotion?”

“Everywhere you go,” he says in a low voice right before the doorman opens the next door for us, and we join the line of waiting couples.

“I don’t,” I say in response to his comment. “Why are we waiting in line? Why can’t we just go in?”

Rysden pats my hand. “I forgot how impatient you are.” I elbow him in the side, but he barely moves. I grunt at the impact.

“We are waiting our turn to be announced,” he says quietly.

I sigh quietly. “This is so overkill.” I turn to Rysden and study him a moment.

Sometimes, I forget just how tall he is and how broad his shoulders are or just how muscular his chest is, and who could forget those biceps?

I take a breath and turn away from him quickly, scolding myself mentally.

Stop ogling the Prince. It doesn’t really help because his powerful image is burned into my brain now.

I take a deep breath, which ends up being a mistake because I get a lungful of Rysden.

.. all Rysden . That woodsy smell just after a fresh rain.

I fight the urge to let my eyes roll back in my head.

Rysden moves forward, and I almost miss taking a step with him. He glances down at me. “You good?”

“Yep.” I don’t meet his eyes and will the line to move forward.

Finally, it’s our turn. A trumpeter sounds, startling me.

They didn’t blow the trumpet for anybody else.

The room below us immediately quiets, and I feel my body tense up.

“Introducing Prince Rysden and his mate, Lady Mercy, as well as their wolves Shade and Solace.” The crowd claps as we descend the stairs.

I clench Rysden’s arm tightly, praying I don’t fall on my face in front of all these people.

But Rysden keeps us moving smoothly down the stairs.

We finally reach the floor, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

I start to pull away, but Rysden stops me with a small shake of his head and leads the way across the room.

At first, I’m not sure where we’re headed.

When I figure it out, I immediately try to pull away, but Rysden puts his other hand over mine and holds it in place as we step up the five steps leading to the area where the King and Queen normally sit.

I notice that there are just the two thrones, so hopefully Rysden and I won’t be expected to stay up here.

He guides me over to an area behind the chairs, and I glance up at him, ready to ask what we’re doing.

At that moment, though, the trumpets sound and everyone stops what they are doing and gazes up at the thrones.

A door opens, and the King strides in. I look behind him, searching for Rysden’s mother; but she’s not there.

The room goes silent as everyone bows. I start to bow, but Rysden keeps my hand in place, not allowing me to.

The King looks out over the massive room.

“Rise and welcome to the 221 st Champion’s Ball.

” There’s polite applause, but it dies out a moment later.

“Tonight, we celebrate those who found their spirit animal and of course, our Champion.” He turns towards us.

“Lady Mercy.” The way he says it doesn’t sound flattering.

In fact, he makes it sound like a threat, somehow.

“Come here.” I can feel that Rysden is anything but relaxed next to me, but he gives the look of someone who could care less about tonight.

He leads us forward, and I don’t miss the way that he moves us so that he is standing closest to his father, not me.

“Ladies and Gentlemen. Your Champion,” the king calls out.

People clap and cheer, and it’s louder than it was a moment ago for the King. A chant starts working its way around the room, and it takes a moment for it to reach my ears. “Lady Mercy. Lady Mercy. Lady Mercy.”

I put up my free hand and wave at the crowd, unsure what else I’m supposed to do.

I feel eyes on me and turn my head towards the King.

He stares at me with open contempt on his face, and then he does something peculiar.

He smiles, but there’s nothing warm about it.

My body tenses, and Rysden must notice because he turns to face his father.

But the King is facing out again. “Let us eat and drink and dance,” he calls out.

“The Spirit Trials are over, and we have our new Champion.”

The music starts up again, and people get back to doing just what the king said. Rysden turns to his father. “Where is Mother?”

“She wasn’t feeling well enough to attend tonight’s festivities,” the King says, waving a dismissive hand. He sits on his throne, and it’s clear he’s done talking to us.

Rysden turns to me. “Care for a dance?”