Page 42 of The Throne Seeker (Vallorian #1)

R ose’s mother and Zareb joined her at the far table in the grand hall as she continued to shake from the extreme temperature drop from the hut. The rest of the contestants were all already sitting at separate tables, waiting for the deliberation of the placements.

Her mother wrapped a blanket around her, rubbing her shoulders to warm her.

Rose gripped it tightly, shivering in the pink dress she had slipped back on.

“Well, if Lord Martin didn’t already think we are hiding something, he does now.

It’s only a matter of time before he finds a way. Ugh, I can’t wait until this is over.”

Zareb placed his foot onto the bench, resting his forearm onto his propped-up thigh, leaning in. “We have more enemies than just Lord Martin. The entire council was furious; if they didn’t want Rose as queen before, they definitely don’t now.”

She admitted publicly challenging the council on rally night might not have been the wisest decision. That night, she knew she had gained a few enemies—but she had hoped the majority, including Lord Barron, were on her side. However, it seemed that even his support was diminishing.

“Bless the gods above, the seer didn’t ask any questions,” her mother said in relief. “I can only imagine how that would’ve gone.”

Her mother was right. It was a stroke of luck, plain and simple.

Her gaze settled on Tristan at the front table alongside the queen, Harriet, and Roman. “Do you think Tristan and I did as well as the others?”

Zareb was the one to answer. “We won’t be sure until the high council makes their decision.”

A few minutes later, the doors opened, revealing the king and the high council—they had decided.

The grand hall fell silent.

The king wasted no time in announcing, “It is my honor to reveal the placement for the second challenge.” He opened the small parchment in his hands.

“In fourth place, we have Rose with thirteen points. In fourth place, Tristan with twenty-eight points.” A wave of surprised murmurs came from the court.

“In third, Emmett with thirty-one points. In second place, Dawnton with forty-eight points, and in first place, we have Grant with fifty-four points!”

A loud applause filled the grand hall as Grant stood to bask in his victory, flashing a broad, self-assured grin.

Rose’s gaze fell to her drink. She’d come in dead last. She should have expected as much. If she needed any more confirmation of how the council felt about her evasion of the challenge, this was it.

Nonetheless, she clapped alongside the rest, careful to keep her face free of disappointment. But she understood now she was fighting an uphill battle. How was she supposed to have any chance of winning this if the entire council was against her?

Across the room, Tristan’s solemn face frowned grimly, gazing downward.

“He must be so disappointed with himself,” her mother said with pity. “You should go talk to him.”

She would, but something more urgent pressed on her.

The phoenix had warned her she’d have to face an ancient enemy to protect the future of Vallor.

And now, the seer had mentioned this Blood King.

She had no recollection of reading or hearing such a name, but she couldn’t help but wonder if they were interlinked somehow.

“I’ll talk to him later,” Rose said, shoving the ache for Tristan aside.

“But I haven’t told you everything that happened in the hut.

” She lowered her voice, fully aware Zareb was listening.

“The seer… she spoke into my mind—I don’t know how, but she warned me I was in danger and that I should leave. ”

Her mother stilled. “In danger from who?”

“She mentioned someone named the Blood King. Have either of you heard of that name?”

Both shook their heads.

Rose’s shoulders sank with disappointment.

Her mother’s anxious eyes searched the air. “I’ve been worried something like this would happen. There’s been too much going on since we arrived to be a coincidence.”

Rose agreed. She needed answers.

“I need to find the seer. Maybe she can tell us more about this threat.” Her gaze landed on Zareb. “Can you find out where she is staying?”

Zareb was already straightening. “I’ll find out what I can. Stay here,” he instructed, leaving them and disappearing through the doors.

The next thing Rose knew, a pair of furious golden eyes were coming straight for her. She groaned internally; if there was someone she didn’t want to deal with right now, it was Roman.

He seemed to already have his fighting gloves on as he said, “I need to speak with you.”

“Now isn’t a good time,” she said, trying to defuse whatever fire was burning behind his eyes.

“You have a lot of nerve jolting Tristan in front of everyone. Right before the second trial? How could you do that to him?”

Tell him , she scolded herself . Tell him the truth. Tell him you were only protecting the people you love. Tell him that you didn’t want to entertain Grant.

She opened her mouth to speak but didn’t know which lame excuse would squelch the fire burning in his eyes.

Roman scoffed at her lack of defense. “Is this you still playing games?”

“Enough!” Tristan said, appearing behind his brother.

Roman spun to face Tristan. “She’s using you, Tristan. Everyone can see it. Why can’t you?”

Tristan’s confident gaze didn’t waver. “Father doesn’t see it that way, and neither do I. That should be enough for you.”

“You both have blinders on, and you refuse to take them off. I won’t let you throw your life away for someone who doesn’t deserve it. Mark my words—she’ll ruin you, just like she ruined Xavier.” With that, Roman stalked off.

He might as well have tied her to a stake and let the flame take her.

Rose let out an exhausted sigh, resting her elbows on the table and planting her face into her palms.

Her mother put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“He doesn’t mean that,” Tristan said.

“Oh yes, he does.” She lifted her head to watch him strut away. “And I wouldn’t be surprised if your sister and mother are right behind him, helping him plan a way to be rid of me for good.”

Tristan sat on the bench next to her, lowering his voice. “Listen, Rose. We need to talk.”

She swallowed hard. “I know; I’m sorry today went… well, how it went,” she said, not knowing how else to say it. “With Grant, the trial—it was my fault.”

Tristan shook his head. “No, it wasn’t; the council has had it in for us from the start. Either way, we won’t have much time to dwell on the loss. They’ll announce it soon, but my father told me the third challenge is tomorrow.”

“What?” she whispered, her eyes wide. “What’s the challenge?”

“He wouldn’t say, only that the goal is to retrieve the sun medallion again,” he explained with a bitter tone, then his face softened. “But listen, Rose, there’s something else I need to tell you?—”

Before he could finish, Zareb returned. He bent over, whispering into her ear, “She’s staying in a room at the castle. I found out where, but we should go now. She’s planning to leave soon.”

The opportunity was too important to miss. “I’m sorry, I have to go,” Rose said to Tristan. Before he could begin to protest, she added, “I promise I’ll find you later.”

Tristan’s back straightened as his eyes flitted back and forth between Rose and Zareb, narrowing. “And just where are you going? They’re going to announce the third challenge soon. You need to be here.”

“I’ll explain everything later,” she said, not wanting to miss her chance. “Please, I’ll find you after. I promise.”

Before Tristan could respond, she followed Zareb out with her mother close behind, leaving Tristan’s fuming alone at the table.

Zareb led them through the winding maze of corridors, far away from the festivities in the grand hall.

Their footsteps echoed through the empty halls as they briskly walked across the smooth, golden sun emblem set in the stone beneath them.

The halls were dimly lit by flickering torches, darkened as storm clouds continued to loom through the cathedral windows, spreading dark shadows onto her pink dress.

She gripped the skirt in fistfuls, lifting it off the floor to keep up with Zareb’s pace.

The three reached the door in record time as Zareb spoke to the guard on duty. “We wish an audience with the seer.”

“I was told to let no one enter,” the guard replied.

Before Zareb could retort, Rose stepped in. Using her most convincing voice, she said, “Please, we’ll only be but a moment.”

The guard’s gaze locked with hers, and she could have sworn a thin haze crept across his eyes. The soldier sighed. “Be quick about it.” Without another word, he sidestepped to let them enter.

Zareb knocked on the door. After a long moment of silence, he knocked again. No reply.

He looked at Rose, asking what she wanted to do.

“Hello?” she said calmly, stepping towards the door. “Is anyone there?”

Still nothing.

Zareb took the initiative to try the handle. The door was unlocked, its hinges creaking as it opened wide.

“Hello?” she called out again. “It’s Rose. Please, I just want to talk.”

Her heart stopped beating.

The room was in utter chaos. Chairs lay overturned, and the table was toppled on its side.

Once neatly stacked, books and papers were now strewn across the floor.

The bedsheets and pillows were left in disarray, having been tossed about.

Even the mirror on the wall was broken, sprinkling shattered glass in its wake.

“Gods in the lost city above,” her mother whispered, covering her mouth in horror.

As quick as a whip, Zareb drew his sword, crossing to the opposite side of the room to see if it was clear.

“But she was just here,” the soldier said, coming in behind them, his face blanched white. “No one has been in or out of this door.”

“What do you think happened?” Rose asked Zareb.

Zareb checked the window. “There are no signs of blood.” His eyes scoured the room again. “I don’t think she’s hurt, but there was definitely a struggle.”

“I’ll sound the alert,” the soldier said, dismissing himself to tell his captain down the hall.

Rose’s chest tightened, her hopes of gaining answers gone. “Who would do this?”

“I can only make assumptions,” Zareb said, his eyes still darting around.

“We should leave,” her mother said. “I don’t like this. Any of it.”

Rose couldn’t help the feeling that the seer was missing because she had chosen to protect her, because someone hadn’t liked that.

And she would wager all the riches in Vallor that Lord Martin was involved.

Punishment for withholding what the seer knew.

What she might have seen. For evading their trap.

Maybe, just maybe, the seer had heard her internal plea, and because the seer had listened… she could be dead.

Rose didn’t dare to think of it.

Zareb crouched to examine the candlesticks scattered across the floor. He pinched the wick, and a wisp of smoke spiraled upward. “It’s still warm.” He sprang back up. “She couldn’t have gotten far.”

Hope sparked within her. “Then there’s a chance we can still find her?”

“Maybe.” His eyes shone with determination.

“I’ll help the castle guard… but I’ll take you back to your room—” She opened her mouth to protest, but he interrupted.

“No. Whoever did this could still be in the castle, and I can’t find them if I’m too busy worrying about you.

I’ll take you back to your room, and you’ll stay there until I come for you.

Don’t let anyone enter.” He handed her a sword. “Keep this with you.”

She wanted to argue, but she bit her tongue. She recognized that headstrong look all too well. She’d have to do it his way if she wanted a chance to find the seer. Her mother would only be his ally in his cause. Arguing would be a waste of time.

Reluctantly, Rose accepted the sword. “Fine,” she agreed, taking the hilt into her hands.

Rose paced in her room like a caged animal, surprised her steps hadn’t worn a path into the rug.

She couldn’t shake the image of the seer’s room.

Guilt gnawed at her from within. She’d heard nothing but silence since the alarm had been sounded more than an hour ago, if the dying flames in the fireplace were to be trusted.

She bit her lip as she spun on her heel to pace back the other way. She still didn’t understand how in Vallor someone managed to enter without the guard noticing. Was Lord Martin’s anger so great that he’d go as far as to kill her?

A splitting scream pierced the silence.

She whipped to face the door.

It had come from the hall. She was sure of it. She’d recognize that scream anywhere.

Her mother.

Fear caged her heart as another scream came, calling out her name this time.

She didn’t think as she sprang into action, snatching the sword Zareb had given her. She burst out the door, sprinting towards her mother’s room, going as fast as her feet would permit.

Her mother couldn’t be hurt. She wouldn’t allow it. She pushed her legs faster.

As Rose rounded the corner, someone seized her. Before she could even make a sound, a hand pressed a white cloth over her mouth and nose.

“Shhh,” a male voice whispered.

The pungent cloth stung her nose, the scent from an herb she knew all too well—the leaf of the Choloar plant. She struggled to escape the stranger’s hold, but it was too late. She’d already inhaled too much of the toxic scent.

Her body became numb, her arms falling limply to her side. Before her legs gave out, the large figure caught her, lifting her into his arms as if she weighed no more than a feather.

All consciousness slipped away as her world faded to black…