She shrugs, fistfuls of my hair grasped in her hands. “I dunno. Just different somehow.”
I struggle to see how a Trial could be different, seeing that each one is as bloody and brutal as the last. But the little information makes me feel even more unprepared for what is to come, and I try not to dwell on the unease curling in my gut.
Ellie soon gives up on my hair with a huff, deciding to let it lay limply down my back. She then adds powder to my face before smearing a bit of black onto my lashes. “There,” she says, studying me. “No more looking like you slept in garbage this morning.”
I snort. “Plagues, aren’t you coming out of your shell.”
She reddens before a knock on the door has her scurrying up to answer it. Lenny looks down at her and smiles, only causing her flush to deepen.
“Ready to go, Paedyn?” He drags his eyes from Ellie to meet mine.
When I meet him in the hallway, we begin our walk down the intricately decorated halls. As we zigzag through the maze that is the castle, I try my best to make a mental map of the layout.
One left, two rights, another left . . .
We are soon back in the large entry hallway that stretches to the even larger doors we first entered though two days ago. Lenny leads me to another pair of ceiling to floor doors a little further down the wide corridor as he murmurs, “The throne room. This is where you’ll be having your meals with the other contestants.”
Before I have a chance to spout off questions, he nods to the guards standing nearby, silently ordering them to push open the looming door.
And at first, no one seems to notice me.
They are all sitting around a long, wooden table at the center of the marble floor, so at odds with the delicate beauty of the throne room. As for the Elites surrounding it, they talk comfortably to one another, seeing that many of them likely grew up together.
I take a deep breath and begin walking slowly towards the table. Eight pairs of eyes flick in my direction, looking me up and down as I make my way over to them.
Of course I’m the last one to show up.
I pull out a chair at the end of the table next to Ace, reluctant to sit beside him, but relieved to be seated so everyone can stop staring.
Except that they don’t.
I feel their gazes and look up, unable stop words from tumbling out of my mouth. “So, what’s for dinner?”
I let out a sigh of relief when the girl sitting on the other side of Ace snorts and leans over the table to look at me. Her bob of wine-red hair shines in the late afternoon sunlight streaming through the window, competing with the shiny silver hoop in her nose. “I keep asking the same question!” Her honey eyes seem to glitter with mischief. “I’m Andy.”
“Paedyn,” I say, offering her a small smile.
“Well, if we’re making introductions,” a deep voice carries from the other end of the table, “I’m Braxton.” I look up to see a huge, dark-skinned boy tipping his head towards me.
Brawny.
I nod at him as a higher male voice calls out, “I’m Jax!” I look down the table at him, taking in his shy smile. Names are now being shouted across the table. Other than Hera and Ace who came from the slums, it’s obvious that everyone else is well acquainted.
“I’m Sadie.” I turn towards the voice to see a girl with warm skin studying me. Her stare is assessing, curious. The girl beside her tips her chin up and clears her throat, drawing my attention her way.
“Blair. Pleasure to meet you, Paedyn.” She spits out the words like they leave a vile taste in her mouth, all while looking down at me like I’m something sticky on the bottom of her boot. I get the immediate impression that this girl wants nothing to do with Mundanes, let alone anyone who calls the slums their home. Her lilac hair spills over her shoulders, contrasting against the brown eyes glaring at me. She’s stunning, yet startlingly cold.
“The pleasure is all mine, Blair,” I say coolly. The hungry look in her eyes makes me feel as if I’m going to be her next meal.
And then a deep and annoyingly amused voice comes from the end of the table, directly across from me.
“And I’m Kai. But you already knew that.”
Chapter Twelve
Kai
She’s here.
Kitt was howling with laughter when he discovered exactly who Paedyn Gray was, though, a flick of one of my knives shut him up real quick. But even while raising his hands in surrender, he couldn’t stop babbling about how funny the whole situation was.
And he’s right. It is laughable. The Psychic girl who unwittingly saved a prince she clearly couldn’t care less about is now rewarded for it by being forced into Trials that could kill her.
And now she’s sitting right in front of me.
After washing my body of the sweat and blood that accompanies a long day of training and torturing, I made my way to the throne room. Soon after, Braxton shuffled in, followed by Jax who’s still bouncing with excitement.
The rest of the familiar group followed shortly after, along with a boy and girl I hadn’t recognized—the ones from the slums. The seats around the table filled up, leaving the two at the head for the king and queen and one beside me for Kitt.
But right as we all get comfortable and begin idle conversations about the same regurgitated conversations we’ve spoken of for years, something happens.
She happens.
She walks in.
Taking the seat across from me, not even glancing in my direction, she says, “So, what’s for dinner?”
She speaks confidently, even as her fingers fidget, spinning the ring on her thumb.
Interesting.
Introductions are quickly exchanged between Andy, Braxton, Jax, Sadie, Blair, and the newcomers Ace and Hera. And yet she still hasn’t even bothered to look at me.
That just won’t do.
“And I’m Kai. But you already knew that.”
That finally gets her attention. The corner of my mouth twitches with the ghost of a smile when her eyes lock with mine. Her lashes are darkened with makeup, contrasting against the bright blue of her gaze. Soft, silver waves tumble over her shoulders and into her face, and I have the sudden and annoying urge to push the strands out of her eyes, if only so I can see them better.
“Yes, unfortunately, I did already know that.” Her soft smile is in total contrast to the sharpness of her gaze.
Our eyes snap to the large doors when they groan open, my attention now fixed on Father and Mother striding through them. No, the king and queen striding through them, looking every bit the part. They glitter in the sunlight that streams from the huge windows surrounding the throne room, light reflecting off their crowns and jewels as they make their way to the table. I’m used to this formality, the king in a fine suit while the queen shimmers in an elegant dress. Father looking stern and severe, while Mother looks serene with her shining smile.