Page 14

Chapter

Thirteen

I walked into the gym, surprised to see Tamra and Oz already in the midst of their morning workout.

“I guess you’re in for a harder workout today,” Tamra teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Oz grinned, his arm around his sister’s shoulders in a gesture of camaraderie.

“And what makes you say that?”

“You’ll have to work harder to keep pace with me,” Tamra retorted as the two took off.

Of our group, Tamra was the most accomplished with each of the tasks, having mastered three of the four thus far.

As most inductees scattered to their preferred trials, I noticed a cluster of girls lingering in the back of the gym, their voices buzzing with excitement.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I drifted closer.

“My money’s on Dainan,” one of the girls said.

“His loss last time was just a fluke.”

“Not a chance,” her friend disagreed, eyeing a towering figure across the room.

“Alvar is massive. Look at him!”

Alvar stood out among the crowd with his imposing presence and sharp features.

His shoulder-length hair pulled back to reveal a face etched with determination.

In contrast, Dainan’s waves of hair fell into his eyes, giving him a more disheveled yet charismatic look.

Their fiery hair seemed to dance with their movements, mesmerizing in its own way.

Deciding I didn’t need to witness the outcome of them circling each other on the mat, I headed towards the track area.

As I stepped through the glass doorway, a familiar devilish grin greeted me.

“Morning, Brida,” Marsh said, his smile broadening as he saw me.

As much as I’d questioned Marsh and feared his intentions the first few weeks, he’d become a confidant, a friend.

“Marsh,” I replied, feeling a rush of warmth spread across my cheeks.

“How’d you sleep?” he asked, casually stretching, his sleeveless leathers accentuating every defined muscle.

My gaze traced the lines of his physique as I thought of the wind whispering from last night…

Focus .

“Are those…” Marsh’s eyes lingered on my outfit, his expression both amused and intrigued.

“They are,” I responded with a grin.

“I thought my running partner might appreciate a little court representation.” I’d chosen to wear my Court of Whispers leathers, which, though black, shimmered with a violet hue at the neckline and cuffs.

Marsh stepped closer, his fingers grazing the edge of my neckline.

The brief touch sent a tingle racing down my spine.

His eyes, stormy and intense, held a flicker of warmth that drew me in, as if daring me to step closer.

“Purple suits you,” he said softly, stepping back to prepare for our run.

“Maybe it will become my favorite color,” I replied as I took my place beside him and took off.

As we ran together, conversation flowed.

We’d settled into a rhythm—knowing when to push and when to ease off.

Our pace shifted, but we never slowed.

Each lap made me feel stronger, more in tune with my body.

On our eleventh lap, I gasped, “What’s the deal with the Giaxia festival?”

“What do you mean?” Marsh’s breath came in controlled bursts, sweat slicking his brow.

“Is it like the festivals in villages? Simple stuff. I figured it might be more elaborate here.” I nodded around the track, trying to catch my breath.

“Giaxia is the Primal of the Eternal Court. They handle the festival planning. It’s not as grand as in Hadash. Here, they’ll have a feast, light candles outside the Eternal House, and everyone makes their offering. Then, they get the afternoon off.”

“And in Hadash?” I pressed as our speed increased.

“There’s a crater five miles west of the court; the mountains around it are stunning. They hold a huge feast in front of the caves.”

“Have you ever seen the caves?”

“I have,” he said, glancing at me with a smile that made my stomach tighten.

“They’re beautiful, but not the most beautiful thing I’ve seen.” He flashed a dimpled grin.

I refocused and quickened my pace.

“Stop being such a flirt,” I teased and pushed ahead.

As we finished our run, I wiped sweat from my brow and caught my breath.

“I’m meeting Emia at the Zenith next,” I said, “I’m getting closer to finishing it.”

Marsh’s smile was reassuring.

“I’m sure you’ll get it done soon. And you’re still working on the other tasks?”

Nodding, I said, “Yes. I’ve gone to the pool a few times after dinner with Lil, and Kadian has dragged me to the wall a few times. Not going to worry about the Court of Shadows just yet.”

Marsh raised an eyebrow, a curious expression resting across his face.

“I appreciate your confidence.” We laughed before I made my way towards the next obstacle.

As I walked away, I thought about how Marsh had stepped in to help me with my invitation.

Without his help, I wouldn’t be here.

I wasn’t sure if he knew how much that meant to me.

For now, I focused on the next challenge.

???

“I think we may have it tomorrow,” Emia said as we reached the last rung of the ladder.

Of the papers for the clues we’d manage to each gather, we were one short before the wind knocked everything from us.

The magic in the Zenith only permitted one attempt per day.

“If we’re lucky!” I said as I wiped the sweat from my brow.

“Lil’s over there.” I saw the jovial blonde waving in the distance.

“Tell her hi from me. I’m going to head over to the track.” My gaze found its way to the track, where I saw a tall, dark-haired Fae aimlessly wandering around.

I laughed as my gaze returned to Emia.

Derek and Emia were from the same town, Retia, not too far from Azmeer.

My eyes locked back to Derek.

He was handsome, shy like Emia, and soft-spoken from the few words I’d heard him utter.

“Stop making it so obvious!” Emia snapped her fingers in my face, bringing me back to attention.

“Alright, alright. Go, tell Derek hi from me, and we’ll see you at dinner… Maybe.” I grinned as I made my way towards Lil.

“How was the pool?” I asked.

“It was illuminating,” she said, linking arms with me and leading us towards the gym.

“Turns out the king is unwell and in worse shape than they’re letting on. They think he has a year, but it might only be months.”

I thought back to our first evening in Azmeer, “ He is not doing well—far worse than he’s been letting on. ” “ Only a handful know, but the news won’t stay hidden for long. ”

They must have been discussing the king.

Gods, a possible coronation, and a Courting.

“Certain ordinances need the king’s approval, and those who don’t want to wait for the next king are pushing their agendas.” Lil opened the gym door for me.

“I think,” Lil said, her eyes lighting up, “it’s time to clean up and grab some lunch. What do you think?”

“Even if I said no, I don’t think I’d have much choice,” I laughed as we headed toward the exit.

“That’s true, but I’m glad you think you have a say when it comes to food.”

“Please,” I said, “I know better than to get between you and Kadian where meals are concerned.”

Lil grinned.

“I’m hoping there’s more than just salad for lunch…”

Just as we were about to exit, a voice rang out, “Hey, Lil.”

We turned to see Prince Alvar approaching, with Prince Dainan trailing behind.

Lil’s grip on my arm tightened as she pulled me closer, placing herself in front of me.

Her relaxed demeanor shifted into something more guarded.

“Alvar,” she said, her tone flat.

“Oh, come now, don’t act like you’re too upset to see me. It isn’t my fault I kicked your ass at cards the last time I saw you.” Alvar said with a smirk.

He had a rough charm, the kind that only added to his allure.

“You only won because you’re an absolute cheat, Alvar. And you know it.” Lil shot back.

I found myself stunned into silence at the way Lil spoke to them.

She knows them. Better than she let on.

Alvar’s laugh was warm, his voice deeper than Dainan’s.

It carried a kind of easy warmth that made it hard to stay annoyed with him.

“Rai’s around here somewhere. I’m sure he’d be happy to see you.” Alvar said as he pulled his rolled sleeves down.

“I’m sure he would, but alas, I’m very busy,” Lil said, gesturing to me.

“Ah yes, and who is your friend?” Alvar asked, stepping closer.

“Brida,” Dainan said.

I’d nearly forgotten he was there, so quiet and still.

Lil’s gaze flicked to me, a mix of irritation and anxiety.

Shit. So much for keeping our encounter to myself.

I found my eyes continuing to drift between the three of them, unsure who to focus on next.

“Is that so? How do you know her, Brother?” Alvar turned to Dainan, who remained composed.

“We met at the library,” Dainan said, his gaze fixed on something distant as if he were done with this conversation.

Lil’s eyes narrowed, disapproving.

Alvar turned to me, “If you spend any regular amount of time in the library, you will no doubt run into this one.” He looked back to his brother, “The only thing he loves more than kicking my ass is reading,'' his smile became wicked. Dainan’s expression didn’t change.

“We need to go,” Lil said, her arm tightening around mine as she led me away.

“I’ll let Rai know you’re here. We should get together soon. You can even bring Brida,” Alvar called after us, his laugh trailing behind.

Dainan stayed silent, his expression unchanged.

“I doubt it,” Lil said, glancing back at them.

As we rounded the corner, I couldn’t help but look back despite Lil’s firm grip on my arm.

I could sense the tension in her, something unresolved.

Lil’s demeanor suggested that whatever history she had with them, it wasn’t pleasant.

Her gaze fixed on me, her eyes sharp.

“You have some explaining to do.”