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“Only the best have been chosen.” He pauses on me, a small frown forming between his brows. Clearing his throat, he pastes on a fabricated smile and focuses on the Caligo to my left.
“The second trial will showcase your skills with weapons, which I hope will reveal some of your talents. And the third and final trial of the competition will test your powers.”
A few smug faces glance over at me at the mention of powers.
“And what of those that don’t have anyusefulpowers?” a competitor to my right asks.
The look he gives me tells me all I need to know about him. I make note of him—his shaved head and bulky stature.
“All competitors will stay in the palace and continue on with all three trials. Unless”—the lithe man glances at me, a glint of malice in his eyes—“they are found to be too injured to continue.”
Ah, so this is their plan to get rid of me. Beat me not only as payback for Ryuu’s attempt to make them listen but also to make sure I don’t make it through each trial to continue on. And from the savage looks from some of the competitors, they have figured it out too.
“This competition will not be easy. It will test you; push you to your limits and beyond that. We only want the best, after all.” The lithe man chuckles.
“The best three competitors of all three trials will be rewarded with a meeting with the royals and a celebration in their honor.”
A few of the men and women straighten up, a look of shock slashed across their faces.
It seems that little piece of information was kept secret. Jarek must have found out through the rebels. Which means the rebels have far more connections than I realized.
I push it to the back of my mind and try to focus on the lithe man now droning on about safety and rules.
“Use your time to train wisely, and rest and enjoy the amenities the palace has to offer,” he says.
None of which I will ever see. Not as long as Amaro has his way, nor when I meet the Breaker. Something I have to look forward to.
“Lieutenant Amaro would like to say a few words.”
The lithe man moves back to his seat as Amaro steps forward. The entire room grows silent and still as he quickly commands the attention of everyone here.
“As you might be aware, we have aspecialguest this year.” Amaro spawns a serpent’s smile as he glances over at me. “It is a strange happenstance to occur, considering how desperate the rebels have become to destroy everything we have worked so hard to build here.”
I ignore the glares sent my way and plaster an indifferent look onto my face as Amaro continues his little speech meant to ensure all competitors distrust me.
“Therefore, for the good of the competition, we have made some slight adjustments to ensure your safety.”
Some of the Caligo frown at me as Amaro causes a seed of doubt to grow inside their minds.
“I heard she is in a cell?” asks a woman with high cheekbones, short blue hair, and a beautiful black studded dagger.
“How do we know she is not a rebel?” another asks, though I ignore them all to stay focused on Amaro.
A spark lights up in his eyes as his smile turns to a sorrowful frown.
“I am afraid there’s nothing I can do. Rules are rules, and all entreeschosenmust compete.”
“How do we know she can even fight?” someone sneers from the left of me. “She could be wasting our time here.”
The lithe man jumps to his feet, an excited expression on his face. “Why don’t we have a little display? Something to show us what she has to offer.” He glances right at me. “Seren can prove to us her worth and show us her…skills.”
I fist my hands at my sides as his eyes move down my body, his lecherous grin forming makes my skin crawl.
“Garath, you will be her opposition,” he says.
“Yes,sir.” Garath, a beefy man with pure white hair, steps forward, a savage smirk on his face meant to unnerve.
“No weapons. We do not know what unlawful tricks she has learned among her own,” the lithe man says.
