Page 144 of Taste of Thorns

The second sweep I locate my name. My trial partner? Linette Smyte.

I don’t know whether to be elated or disappointed. It isn’t Henrietta or Odessa’s old best friend which, considering bothhave tried to kill me, is a plus. Then again, I’m pretty sure Linny hates me as much as her sister does. After all, she was the one who trashed my room. She just hasn’t chosen to express her dislike for me through acts of attempted murder.

I’m still staring at my own name, when a voice next to me says, “You’re paired with a shadow weaver. There’s a surprise.”

I turn my head to find Stanley scowling at me.

“So what?” I challenge.

“You’re the only commoner to be paired with a shadow weaver. That’s a massive advantage.” I scan the list. He’s right. I am. “It’s ’cause you’re fucking the Princes.”

I don’t want to waste mental energy on this. Plus I’m trying to embrace who I am and the situation I find myself in. I’m going to own it.

“Probably,” I say with a smug grin.

A couple of people overhear this. Some roll their eyes or start whispering but a couple more snigger. I don’t think they care. Or they’re not busy being consumed by jealousy and actually respect me and my choices.

“Slut,” Stanley spits.

“Wishing you all the luck you deserve, Stanley,” I say, the smile not slipping from my lips.

He huffs and moves away and then the first names are being called. Thorne and Beaufort have been paired together which seems way more of an advantage than me with Linny. Dray gets called up with one of the other shifters. Henrietta Smyte is paired with Kratos and the other two Hardies with each other.

Linny is the last shadow weaver to be called and when my name is read out with hers, there are stunned gasps among the students as well as some members of the crowd. I’m guessing most people were so focused on their own partners, they’d paid no attention to mine.

I’m used to being called last for the trials and so it’s strange to walk out of the Slate group towards the giant fence with all the other students watching. I try my best to bear Beaufort’s words in mind, smiling at the people I pass and not scowling. When I reach the fence, Linny is already there.

“Hi,” I say, in my most friendly voice. We may not be actual friends but we are going to have to work together.

Linny ignores me, staring straight ahead at the fence with a look on her face so sour it could curdle milk.

All my preparation, plus that last-minute scramble, and I’m stuck with a mute and uncooperative partner. Great!

The whistle blows, I follow Linny through the doorway and find that everything we thought we knew about this trial was wrong.

We are not by the side of a frozen lake.

We’re some place else.

Chapter Fifty-One

Thorne

“Where’s the lake?” I say, as we step through the doorway and into a mountainous landscape.

Beaufort swings his gaze around. “Did they send us to the wrong place?” he says.

Unless this is an act of sabotage by Bardin, I doubt it. The trials are organized with meticulous precision. A mistake like that is not possible.

My assumption is confirmed when I spot a scroll of paper a yard from our feet and pick it up. Our names are printed along the side. “I don’t think so.”

“Fuck,” Beaufort says, starting to pace, “this can’t be right!” I snap off the bind holding the scroll tight and unfurl it. “What does it say? Are we meant to find our way down to the lake? Is that it?”

I scan the text printed across the page. There’s no mention of a lake. None at all. How did the professor get this so wrong? Did the Madame deliberately lie to him, ensuring the professor would be at the lake, far away from where Briony needs him?

Or did he feed us false information?

Either way, the shadows inside me swirl with discomfort. I reach for that new connection with Briony. She’s far away.