by Megan Linski
My heart rate began to slow. A hated emotion festered in my chest. Hope. “You think so?”
“Yeah,” Odette piped up. “He needs you to win! Both contestants have to survive in order to take the crown.”
A glum cloud settled over me. “You’re right. He wouldn’t let me die.” If only for the fact that he needed me to win.
“I don’t think that’s what she meant,” Kiara said, with a quick glance at Delmare. But I was barely listening. I rose to my feet.
“Come on, girls.” I was still a little unsteady, but I was starting to get my bearings back. “I’ve gotta get back out there.”
Delmare was right. I had to pull myself together. Right now, I looked weak, and if I continued to behave that way the other contestants would eat me alive tomorrow. I couldn’t afford to look incapable. If I was going to be a queen, I needed to act like it.
I intended to head back to the ballroom, find Ethan, and stick to him like glue the rest of the night. He would protect me, and it’d look better if we gave a united front. This might be a dance, but it was more like a battlefield. People intended to divide us tonight, so they could get in our heads. It would be much harder to do that if we were together.
Except there was one problem. We ended up getting lost. The palace was massive, and I’d been in such a hurry to get to a restroom that I hadn’t looked where I was going, and neither had anyone else. I remember the powder room being right off the main hallway, but we’d obviously taken a wrong turn coming out, because we were nowhere near the ballroom now. The music kept getting quieter and quieter as we continued to roam the castle’s dark halls.
“Shouldn’t there be a servant or something, to tell us where to go?” Delmare complained. “We’ve been walking forever.”
I went to respond, but I heard harsh and hushed voices ahead of me. One of them sounded like Gabby.
I put a finger to my lips to tell the other girls to be quiet, and we pressed against the wall. Gabby’s voice, along with Elijah’s, rang out in a sharp whisper from around the corner.
“Waldron’s death was supposed to deter the other contestants. It didn’t do a damn thing!” Gabby hissed.
My eyes widened. They were talking about Professor Waldron’s murder. I pressed myself even closer to the wall, and the girls huddled around me.
“I wouldn’t say it didn’t have benefits. Cibor was a notable opponent for the alicorns, and he dropped interest in the Contest after I took care of Waldron. Albin and Krystyna are laughable replacements,” Elijah replied.
My blood ran cold. Elijah took care of Waldron? Did that mean… he killed him?
“You should’ve done a better job,” Gabby spat. “It wasn’t enough.”
“I tore his organs out and put him on a spike. I’m not sure how graphic you want me to go,” Elijah replied coolly.
Odette made a small sound, but Delmare wrapped her hand around Odette’s mouth so she’d be quiet. My heartbeat quickened when there was a pause— but then the two resumed their conversation.
“I get that it made a few people drop out. The competition is much easier to conquer, but we needed Ethan to quit. He’s our biggest challenger,” Gabby hissed.
“Do you honestly think he and his welp bitch are a threat to us?” Elijah sneered.
“She’s Magdalina’s favorite. That’s a problem for us. She needed to be taken out.”
“That was your task, and you failed. It was your fault Morgan got the bad end of your spell instead of Sosna.”
Kiara grabbed my arm. I grabbed her back and held on tight.
“I didn’t intend to hurt Morgan,” Gabby said slowly. “You know that was an accident.”
“You should’ve checked before you cast the curse!” Elijah said, voice rising.
“I would’ve revealed my position!” Gabby burst. “The plan was to hide in her dorm until Sosna showed up, and kill her so Ethan wouldn’t pick her for the Contest. If I had known Morgan was going to pull that prank, I would’ve waited another night.”
“Well, your poor execution got us into this situation now,” Elijah said. “Your efforts to take Sosna down should’ve became more desperate after you failed the first time!”
“Magdalina is always watching her,” Gabby insisted. “It’s not as easy as you think. I barely got away with hurting Morgan! The headmistress has her eye on me. Why couldn’t you just take care of the situation altogether, and eliminate Nowak?”
“You know why I couldn’t do that. The prince is too powerful. If I had tried anything against him, and failed, Queen Antonia would’ve suspected me first, as I’d be the obvious choice. Then she’d have my head.” Elijah’s tone was thick with disgust.
“It doesn’t matter.” Gabby’s tone was nervous. “We can eliminate them during the Contest. It’s a dangerous competition. People die every time.”
“Forgive me, but I think we’ll be too busy worrying about saving our own necks to be preoccupied about slitting theirs,” Elijah said sarcastically.
“We still need Sosna’s blood,” Gabby said. “Even after this is all over. Otherwise, our deal with the Black Claw is null and void.”
I was so stunned I couldn’t move. Elijah and Gabby knew about the Black Claw’s plan to use my blood to raise the Dark God? How?
“I’m well aware.” Elijah’s voice had grown cold. “It’s something to worry about after the Contest is over.”
“We need to worry about it now. If she dies during the Contest, we have to gather a large enough vial to perform the ceremony.”
“We’ll make it work. The Black Claw wouldn’t have declared me the Hidden King if they didn’t believe I’d fulfill their dark prophecy. They claim I’m the one they’ve been waiting for.”
“And are you?”
“Is there any doubt?”
There was silence for a moment, and Elijah said, “Come. We need to get back to the party, before we’re missed.”
The four of us along the wall started, but their footsteps faded in the opposite direction. We didn’t move away from the wall until it was clear both of them were out of earshot.
Holy shit. Elijah was in with the Black Claw. The cult had him in their pocket. They’d proclaimed him the Hidden King.
I don’t know why I was so surprised. This should’ve been obvious from the beginning. By the gods, how could I have been so stupid? The signs were right in front of me all along. Guess I should’ve spent more time solving murders instead of chasing after the Phantom.
If Elijah won the Contest and was put on the throne, Malovia’s worst nightmare would come true. The Black Claw would have total control of the monarchy, the country, and everyone in it.
“What the hell was all that? Did Elijah just confess to murder?” Delmare asked.
“And Gabby, too. She tried to kill Emma!” Odette peeped.
“We need to tell the authorities about this,” Kiara said. “Elijah and Gabby will be kicked out of the Contest for such crimes.”
“No,” I said slowly. “They won’t be.”
The girls gaped at me. “What are you talking about, Emma?” Delmare asked.
“We don’t have any proof,” I said. “What’s it going to look like if I accuse them of murder on the night of the King’s Ball? People will think I’m trying to get them kicked out, so Ethan and I have a better shot at winning.”
“But… we heard them with our own ears,” Odette said.
“We didn’t record it,” I said. “Without evidence, it’s our word against theirs. We don’t have any proof.”
Delmare frowned. Kiara and Odette both dropped their gazes in defeat. They knew I was right.
“Should we tell Ethan?” Delmare asked.
I hesitated. Ethan had the right to know about this. But at the same time, the King’s Contest started tomorrow. This would be a huge distraction. He’d be so busy trying to get justice for Waldron that he wouldn’t focus on winning the Contest, and there’d be a bigger chance we’d lose.
Everyth
ing rode on us getting that crown. This would have to wait.
“We need to keep this a secret, for now,” I told the girls. “I’ll tell Ethan what Elijah did after the Contest is over. Then he might be able to do something about it.”
Kiara nodded. “Right. None of us will say a word.”
“Not to any of the boys, either. They’ll tell Ethan,” I said sharply when Odette opened her mouth. “This stays between us girls.”
“Ooh, a secret.” Odette’s eyes widened. “Don’t worry, Emma, we’ll keep this on the down-low.”
“But Gabby said they would try to kill you during the Contest. Shouldn’t we be worried?” Kiara asked.
“They can damn well try.” I narrowed my eyes. “All I can say is, they’d better watch their backs.”
“Agreed,” Kiara said firmly, and she nodded. “It’s the job of the ladies in waiting, and the knights, to protect their contestants and make sure they make it through to each task safely. Don’t worry, Emma. The rest of us will make sure Gabby and Elijah don’t tamper with your stuff. You and Ethan just focus on winning that Contest.”
We were still lost, but when we headed in the direction Gabby and Elijah had gone, we found our way back to the ballroom. I didn’t see either of them mingling with the crowd. The only person I recognized was Theo, who was sitting at a table by himself and looking rather forlorn.
The four of us dispersed— Kiara went off to go find Gabby and Elijah. Her idea was to tail them for the rest of the night at a distance, just in case the two of them decided to try to come up with a plan to off me and Ethan. We gave Odette the job of acting natural, so at least one of us didn’t look suspicious. Delmare headed off on her own, to look for Stefan and Alexei.
Before I found Ethan, I wanted to talk to Theo first. He just looked so freaking pitiful. I slunk into the seat beside him and adjusted my skirt. He barely glanced at me. His eyes trailed Odette as she weaved her way around the ballroom.
“You want to tell me what’s going on?” I asked. I flung a leg over my knee and bobbed my foot to the music.
Theo barely glanced at me before finishing his drink. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Bull,” I spat at him. “You’ve been eyeing Odette all night. You’re wearing a fucking rainbow tie because she wanted you to. Something’s up between you two, and it’s more than a little crush.”
Theo sighed and set down his drink. “You’ve caught me, Emma. As has everyone else. What do you need to know?”
“When did you bond with Odette?” I asked. “And why is it taking you so long to tell her the truth?”
Theo paused for a moment, his fingers roaming over the champagne glass, before he said, “I bonded with Odette when we were kids. It’s really rare for that to happen. I was only seven, she six. We were chosen as the lead dancers for the children’s ballet, and, well… when I held her in my arms, I knew.”
“Didn’t she feel the mating bond connect, too?” I asked.
Theo shook his head. “It’s not as obvious for sorceresses. The connection isn’t as strong, not until they accept it. Sometimes it’s easy for a Marked to overlook a bond, or be confused by it. You can feel something, but it might not be what you think.”
Theo scratched his head. “The thing is, it was such a long time ago I don’t think Odette remembers. You know how she forgets… things.”
I nodded my head. Oh, I knew. “You have a polite way of putting how bubble-headed Odette can be.”
He grimaced. “Well… she has a quirky personality, but there’s more to it than she lets on.”
“What do you mean?”
“Odette is on the autism spectrum.”
“Really?” My eyes widened. “I didn’t know that.”
Theo nodded slowly. “Autism isn’t as commonly diagnosed in girls, because they hide their symptoms more than boys do. But Odette had a lot of meltdowns when she was younger, so she was quickly diagnosed. She has trouble when her routine is changed, you know?”
Thinking over Odette’s behavior in the past… yeah, I could see that she had autism. She struggled with social cues, and burst out words when it wasn’t her turn to speak in order to be heard. Her emotions could be over-the-top, and she could get obsessive with her interests— ballet, for example.
“But she seems so outgoing,” I said.
“She’s friendly and loving, yes, but she never had a lot of friends. She was always too shy and had difficulty fitting in,” Theo said. “She must’ve felt safe with you the first time she saw you at the train station. She usually doesn’t latch onto people like that. It takes her time.”
I felt a strong wave of affection for Odette. I think I loved her more than I ever did before in that moment. “I can see why you want to do this the right way.”
“Odette thinks in a different way from most people. She sees the world in an incredible perspective, and I think that’s beautiful. I’d never want to change anything about her,” he said softly. “She’s perfect the way she is. In every possible way.”
Theo’s tone oozed pure admiration and love for Odette. It was touching to hear. “She is perfect. A perfect friend. I hope she can be more than that to you... someday.”
“I don’t want to push her into anything,” Theo rushed to explain. “I never told her I bonded with her, I just waited for her to come around on her own. But watching her be obsessed about finding a mate, when I’m right in front of her…”
Theo’s face twisted. “It’s really hard. It feels like my heart is breaking. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t make her see me as anything more than a friend. And I’m worried it’s going to be that way forever. Or worse, that she’ll get desperate and throw herself at another alicorn— one who doesn’t love her back. Not all Arcanea follow our laws, Emma. Some shifters use people.”
I was sorry for him. Theo really loved Odette. But he wanted her to come to him, not the other way around. With Odette, the only thing that worked was giant neon signs.
“Odette needs something obvious,” I told him. “She won’t get the message any other way.”
“But Emma—”
“You’re not forcing her to be with you. Just… show her your true feelings. I don’t think she has any clue you want to be more than friends.”
Theo smacked his mouth a few times. “I think I’d rather be run through with a blade.”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be overdramatic.”
“It’s not dramatic. This is my mate,” he insisted. “If she rejects me, I’ll be alone forever. I don’t think I could look for someone else. I would prefer to be alone if I’m not with Odette.”
“Odette isn’t going to reject you. Deep down, I know she loves you. She just hasn’t realized it yet.”
Theo stared at the champagne glass, watching the colors of the ball swirl in the light. “I understand. But I’m not willing to take the chance that I’ll lose her for good.”
I felt defeated. This conversation was going nowhere. Theo wasn’t willing to put his heart on the line. And until he did, Odette would never know the truth.
I was relieved when I saw Ethan standing at the head of the ballroom, near the thrones. Luckily, his mother wasn’t there. I hardly cared if I looked dignified as I hurtled myself across the room to his side.
“Hey,” he said. He wrapped an arm around my waist, and I grew warm where he touched me. “You’ve been gone awhile. Anything interesting happen?”
I was almost bursting with the need to tell him everything. There were so many secrets that I was keeping from him… so many things he deserved to know.
But he couldn’t. Not yet. I’d tell him the truth when it was the right time. For now, lying to him was the only way to keep him alive.
“No,” I said. “Nothing.”
“Me either.” Ethan sighed. “This party’s rather boring. I think it’s time we take our leave. We’ve stayed as long as required to be polite.”
Thank the gods. I don’t think I could st
and being here a moment longer. Not only was I tired of being watched and hounded by people, I was starting to get tired. My body was exhausted. I was already worried about how it’d hold up tomorrow. I needed to get as much rest as I could.
I took Ethan’s arm, and we weaved around the crowd so we could get back to the main hallway. On our way out, I saw that Odette was finally paying attention to Theo. She was dancing with him, much like a five year old would dance with their father. Her feet were on his, her arms wrapped around his neck as he walked her back and forth. She laughed, and Theo lit up with the biggest smile in the world.
A couple of snooty old ladies were glaring at them and whispering but that their behavior was improper, but I sent a harsh glare their way, and they quickly scuttled off.
That’s right. I was gonna be the new queen, bitch. The rules were changing around here.
We stepped outside the castle and into the falling snow. I heard raised voices. Delmare had found Stefan. They were having a fight, but I wasn’t sure what it was about. They were screaming at the top of their lungs. The argument seemed like a serious one— not the annoyed bickering they usually had on a daily basis.
Alexei had backed off at a distance, his hands over his ears as he tried to block out the argument. It looked like his empathy powers were going into overdrive now that emotions were running high.
“I can’t take this,” Alexei said, and he pushed past us into the castle to get away from the fight. The argument only increased in volume. The carriage drivers watched the fight in a combination of interest and disgust.
“Irena, would you just calm down?” Stefan said. All playfulness about him was gone, replaced by a stern demeanor. I’d never seen him act that way before.
“Don’t call me that!” Delmare shouted. She got right in his face. “Delmare is my name!”
“Irena is your name, too! It’s your first name!” Stefan took another step forward until they were inches apart. “Why can’t I call you that?”
“Because I don’t like it,” she hissed.
“Why not? It’s a pretty name,” he countered.