Page 13 of This Shattered Star

Not unexpected. But unpleasant, nonetheless.

“Please.” I nearly choked over the word. I needed to getout. “A simple walk through the gardens, then.” Rarely did I beg, or try to reach a compromise with her. But this room was running out of air.

She hesitated, glancing at those dancing nearby to ensure there were no prying ears. “Gideon won’t be escorting you anywhere. The first trial is in three hours,” she whispered hurriedly.

“Three hours?”

A handful of people turned their heads to look our way.

Waving them away with a glare that promised death, Diana fixed a stray wisp of hair away from her face. I hadn’t noticed moments ago, but she looked… disheveled. Stressed. And Diana Fennhaven neverstressed.Sheplowed, constantly, like a bull with sharp horns ready to pierce anything in its path. Nothing ever shook her.

Except for right now.

She squared her shoulders; sharpened her horns. “His Majesty is giving you all just enough time to change and gather in the Dome.” The hollowed-out section of the castle that allowed spectators to look down on us as we fought for our lives.

It was as if someone had my lungs in the palm of their hand and squeezed mercilessly. “Why hasn’t he said anything yet?”

“The king can do whatever he pleases.” It was a reprimand, but she sounded just as angry as I felt.

I spun, searching for Theia, Brannon, and Kodhan. They no longer stood by the refreshments. “The others don’t know.”

“Thecompetitorsdon’t. But word is moving quickly amongst us in court.”

When I rounded back, I noticed Kodhan’s father had disappeared from Diana’s group. Hopefully to warn his son.

We were allies now, after all. If he, Theia, or Brannon weren’t prepared, it could mean the death of us all.

My hands crept to my thighs, blanketed with layers of skirts. Thighs that didn’t have blades strapped to them. “Let me return to my rooms. I must retrieve my weapons.”

“The doors to this room are locked under the king’s magic. You will be given weapons when the time is appropriate.” Diana grabbed hold of me before I could bolt. Her grip was nothing like Kodhan’s. Her nails bit into my skin, hard enough to leave marks.

“How can you be sure?” Desperation clawed at me. “I needmyweapons,now.” They were my greatest means to survival.

“Keep your wits about you, girl. And don’t say I never did you any favors,” she hissed, and left me standing there, dumbstruck, looking like a disoriented fool. She disappeared into the crowd, aiming for the court members she’d originally been speaking to.

I needed to find one of the others before my legs gave out from underneath me.

“If I may have everyone’s attention,” Maverick called suddenly from the dais. Not a single member of court stood by his side.

Panic wrapped heavy chains around my throat as the crowd slowed their frenzy. Soft murmurs of confusion drifted through the air as I shoved past people once more, hurrying to make it out of the center of the room before everything went straight to the pits of the Underworld.

An arm looped around mine before I made it by the wall nearest to the exit. “There you are,” a feminine voice lilted. Copper hair shone in my periphery.

“Theia.” The tightness in my shoulders eased for a moment. But instinctually flared right back up at our close contact.

From the Forest of Oblivion to the Phantom Rivers, whispers drifted across all corners of Aedreath like the wind, carrying with them rumors of contagion. Baseless rumors. Though my curse was many things, it was far from contagious.

That didn’t stop people from believing what they wanted to. From fearing the slighted hand of an angry god.

Rarely did someone deign to touch me, save for Gideon, Diana, or Maverick. Even then, Diana’s hand was nothing short of cruel.

Anything else was foreign. And highly uncomfortable.

“The king, he’s going to—”

“I know what he’s going to say. Jareth told us. It’s why I came looking for you.”

Low murmurs buzzed throughout the room. And the music ceased entirely.