Page 10 of Fae Games

He placed something papery in my hand and closed my fingers. “There was no mention of anything special planned in the staff room today.”

As I walked past, I opened my hand to find three sachets of salt. Turning around and mouthing a silent thank you, I placed the salt in my pocket. The next time something happened that was too good to be true, I would take a pinch. With each step, the noise became louder, and so did the hammering of my heart.

“Any guesses why everyone’s so excited?” Flora asked.

“Hopefully, it’s not about the death trial.”

“Hopefully,” she said, but there was nothing hopeful about her tone of voice.

Dread trembled the lining of my stomach, and I clutched an arm around my middle, trying to hold down the tea. Whatever was happening couldn’t be as bad as yesterday. Or the attack in the woods. Or the glamor that had tricked me into getting naked in public and sucking off Elijah.

A round of cheers and applause filled the air, and I quickened my pace. “What if they’ve announced the winners of the trial?”

Flora pulled on my arm. “What if they’ve also announced the penalty for losing?”

“It’s not like I have anywhere to hide.” I pulled out of her grip and broke into a run.

I passed the royal portrait, wondering how a female so bitchy could birth two relatively decent sons. Maybe Rory and Caulden took after King Oberon, and the other two were more like their mother. It made sense. I rounded the corner and dashed down to the wooden double doors that concealed the dining hall.

A loud voice boomed out into the hallway. “We’ll give the fifth candidate another few minutes to arrive before announcing the next trial.”

“Shit!” I picked up my pace.

“It’s better than what we originally thought,” said Flora.

“Huh?”

“You said they’d start without you.”

“Right.” I pushed open the door.

The dining room was rearranged into a semi-circle instead of the usual circle around the fire pit. On the wall opposite the floor-to-ceiling windows stood a podium with King Oberon and Queen Titania sitting on their thrones.

“There she is,” said the king. “A round of applause for the late Unity Quayle!”

Mr. Whittaker leaned into my ear. “Don’t worry, Unity. He only means that you’re a latecomer. Faeries don’t use the word late to mean deceased.”

“Good to know,” I muttered back, not believing a word.

“Take a seat.” The King gestured at an empty table at the far end.

I dipped into a low curtsey and smiled at the monarch. Queen Titania’s face twisted with disgust. The faerie never liked me before, and I guessed that she had gathered enough information about my antics to form a firm opinion.

As we walked around the back of the tables, we passed one that seated only a single student. She wore a gray smock and not the usual school uniform and dipped her head. It was only the platinum hair that indicated her identity: Lady Gala and she was sitting alone.

Flora gave me a nudge. “Did you see—”

“Yeah.” I hurried past, not wanting Lady Gala to overhear us, and took a seat.

“Very good,” said King Oberon. “The next trial is a contest of beauty.”

“Judged by me,” added the queen.

“Judged by the fairest faerie on the Isle of Fae, Her Serene Highness, Queen Titania!”

Everyone burst into applause, and I forced myself to place my hands together and clap. While the queen lectured the dining hall about the importance of beauty, poise, and virtue in ruling the four Courts, I glanced around.

The four princes sat on a table in the middle of the room, with three of the fated seated in the adjacent table. Lady Aster whispered something to Lady Salix, who turned to the table where Lady Gala sat and giggled.