I wasn’t sure there was anything to say to this, so I pressed my lips together.
“But...” he said, “I’m not here to question your decision. I’m here to weed out the weak from the strong.” He said this with a raised eyebrow as if he were trying to tell me he was here to weed me out.
“I’m many things,” I said, “but weak is not one of them.”
To my surprise Knight Kelsus laughed. This was the type of comment that had always earned me disapproving glances from Papa and his friends—male and female alike—but it seemed Knight Kelsus wasn’t plagued by their same sensibilities.
“I’m glad to hear that,” he said, returning to his seat behind the desk. “Please, sit down, Ms. Flagfall. Let’s make this official.”
I sat on the chair across from him, placing my hands on my lap and keeping my back ramrod straight, the way my governess had always instructed.
Knight Kelsus smiled again, something he seemed to do a lot, and said, “At least I won’t have to teach you to sit straight. You’re already a master of that skill, I see.”
I smiled a bit, lured by the Knight’s easy manner. It felt wrong to do so. Papa was gone, and no mirth should exist when he did not, but I wasn’t here to mourn him, was I? I had a role to play and hiding how I truly felt was part of it.
The Knight pulled out a piece of paper and a thin dagger from one of the desk drawers.
“This is the contract that will bind you to the White Queen.” He pushed the piece of paper in my direction. “Read it carefully. It must be signed in blood.”
My eyes snapped to his. He fingered the dagger and started pushing it in my direction. “You may borrow this.”
“No, thank you. I have my own,” I said, then pulled Papa’s dagger from the hidden spot at my waist.
Knight Kelsus smiled crookedly. “I have a feeling you will do just fine amongst our ranks, Ms. Flagfall.”
I looked down at the contract, my thudding heart quieting slightly. Apparently, there would be no test to check my blood, for what Trove would be stupid enough to offer herself as a Challenger.
Taking a deep breath, I read the contract.
After someone became a Challenger, they didn’t automatically become Pawns. No. A Challenger had to earn his or her place on the Board. I had known this in the general sense, but the contract made me privy to the exact way the entire process worked.
And it was a more elaborate affair than I had imagined. First, it consisted of competitions between challengers. Before any challenger had a chance to fight to become an actual Pawn, he or she had to beat at least one other challenger. The contests took place under a code of honor where cheating was severely punished. For fairness’ sake, Challengers were given eight weeks to prepare.
The contract was long and intimidating to read, but it was the final clause that made me hesitate the most.
“The contract may not be discussed with anyone outside The Board, doing so is punishable by death. Lastly, a Challenger who fails to succeed in becoming a Pawn forfeits their life in benefit of the honorable White Queen if a pardon is not issued by the winner.”
In benefit of the honorable White Queen.
In benefit.
The words seemed to jump at me as I read. They were written in black ink just as the rest of them, but in my mind, I saw red. The blood the Queen would take from me for her benefit.
“That is the last clause for a reason, Ms. Flagfall,” Knight Kelsus said, watching me closely. “Make sure you understand its meaning.”
“I believe I do,” I said, reminding myself that my life had been forfeited already.
I had no one to go to. The Black King had taken everything from me. No respectable gentleman would marry me without a dowry. And the only person I cared for in the world was in the king's monstrous hands. My life was nothing. I’d thought myself special, important, but I was nobody.
It was only here, inside the enclosure of this White Palace, where I might find a way to change that.
So I pricked my finger with Papa’s dagger and, using the quill Knight Kelsus offered, I signed my life away.
CHAPTER 6
The next morning, I was given a white uniform like the one Pawns wore, except without an insignia on the right sleeve of the jacket. Wearing trousers was an interesting affair and took some getting used to, but after a short time, I was forced to admit they were much more comfortable than skirts, even if not airy enough for summer.
They didn’t make me crop my hair, for which I was glad. I had thought it would be mandatory, but that was not the case. Vinna said that as long as I kept my curls out of my face, no one cared how long they were. So I found a dark piece of leather that matched my brown hair and tied it back at the nape of my neck. As I finished dressing, I found that I missed my makeup and felt a bit naked without it, but I decided that was only a vain discomfort.
“Yeh look sharp,” Vinna said as I stepped out from behind the changing screen in our dormitory, a long room with simple cots assigned to the four White Pawns and three Challengers of Knight Kelsus’s Quadrant, the second on Queen Lovina’s Board.
“So tall and elegant,” Vinna said. “I wish I looked half as good.” She tugged at her jacket and shuffled in her tall black boots.
“Don’t say that, the best perfumes come in the smallest bottles,” I told her.
“Huh?” She wrinkled her nose, looking confused.
Did she not know perfume and how expensive the best essences could be? I thought of my favorite fragrances back at home, wishing I could show her what I meant, but pushed the desire away almost as quickly as it reared its head. That life didn’t exist anymore, the Bianca who’d loved balls and fancy gowns was dead... or more accurately, was in the process of dying. This new life stabbed me a little bit harder every chance it got.
“So what now?” I asked.
“Breakfast,” Vinna said, motioning for me to follow.
We left our Quadrant’s dormitory, which was located in a squat building close to the gates and away from the palace itself. A replica of our dormitory was next door, which likely belonged to the Pawns and Challengers in the First Quadrant.
Past that sat two more buildings, quite more spacious than ours. The Rooks’ and Knights’ dormitories, I imagined.
“Those are the Rook and Knight dormitories,” Vinna said, confirming my guess. “The Rooks’ are better than ours, actual beds and nicer facilities, but much the same. The Knights is fancy, with a library and rugs and curtains. They have separate rooms. Must be grand, don’t yeh think?”
I said nothing. I knew exactly how it could be, but I needed to forget about those types of comforts. They belonged to the rich, and I was poor now, though thankfully I had a roof over my head, clothes, and food. The beauty of the gardens and palace beyond seemed to count, too—at least until I remembered I’d had to stuff bloodshade leaves into my mouth before anyone woke up and discovered what I was. Not to mention the fact that I had signed my life away in blood.
All the dormitories were made of white rock and appeared resplendent under the morning sun. That was until I glanced toward the top of the hill and saw the Queen’s Palace sparkling like a giant diamond.
The palace stretched out behind a luscious, labyrinthine garden, and occupied approximately two city squares. It was three stories tall with hundreds of windows on all sides—some of them arched, some of them perfect rectangles. At each end, blue-green copper domes topped four towers that were higher than the rest of the building. Each stone was pristine white, some carved into shapes that gave the structure added interest.
We passed under a large oak with sweeping branches, and I was assaulted by the ridiculous idea of reading a book under its shadow and passing the entire day in fictional bliss.
No more of that, Bianca. Get used to it! I chastised myself.
Instead, I focused on what was important, figuring out how to stay alive by getting to know my competition.
“Did Knight Ferko really decapitate the
last Rook who fought for the post of Knight?” I asked. Knight Ferko ran the First Quadrant and was infamous for his cruelty.
Vinna rolled her eyes. “Folks sure love a villain. Everyone knows Knight Ferko, the Decapitator. But do they know Knight Kelsus? No. Who would remember the man who pardons all poor devils who fight him?” She shook her head.
I swallowed hard. How could I ever hope to defeat a man who chose to decapitate when he could pardon?
“What about the Bishops? Where do they sleep?” I asked.
Vinna pointed toward the palace at the top of the steep hill. “Close to the Queen,” she said, lowering her voice. “They’re queer folk, those two. Don’t like either one of them. If yeh see them, yeh turn tail and run the other way, yeh hear me?”
I nodded. I would worry about the Bishops when the time came. For now, I would have my hands full with learning as much as I could about the four Pawns in Knight Kelsus’s Quadrant. It was one of them I had to defeat, which included Vinna. Looking at her sideways, I wondered why she was being so nice. I guessed because before I could get to her I had to beat any Challengers who’d joined the ranks ahead of me.
We made our way to the dining hall, the same building where I’d met Knight Kelsus last night. As soon as Vinna and I entered, everyone went quiet and turned their attention to me. Some regarded me curiously, but most seemed hostile, as if I’d come to steal their breakfast, which, in a way, I had.
At the end of one of the tables, Knight Kelsus rose. “Welcome, Challenger Flagfall.”
No more Ms. Flagfall? One more reminder that the person I’d once been was dead now.
“Everyone, this is our new Challenger. She signed the contract with me last night, so she is, for the moment, in my Quadrant,” Knight Kelsus announced. “Do you wish to contend, Knight Ferko?”
A man at the end of the second table rose to his feet and walked in my direction, his boots clicking against the stone floor, his cropped black hair thick against a pale scalp. He stopped several paces away from me and eyed me up and down. I inhaled deeply and held his red-tinged gaze.
Something about his face made me blink and look closer. The shape was a gentle oval with a narrow chin and a jaw as smooth as a baby’s bottom. I startled in surprise. Knight Ferko wasn’t a man at all. Knight Ferko was a woman.
She was a few inches taller than me and looked no more than twenty-five, though she had to be much older, kept young by the vampire blood that made her a Knight of the White Court.
“No, I don’t want her,” Knight Ferko said after assessing me. She waved a dismissive hand in my direction and retook her seat.
Anger stirred in my chest. How could she dismiss me that way after one simple look?
The contract had stated that both White Knights had a right to claim new Challengers. The Knights would first discuss things amicably, and if they didn’t reach a decision, the Challenger would then be allowed to choose.
I would have definitely gone with Knight Kelsus over that arrogant, heartless, and... decapitating woman, if asked to choose, but being dismissed so readily certainly hurt my ego.
I turned up my nose and followed Vinna to Knight Kelsus's table.
Sitting with my back toward the wall, I was able to observe Knight Ferko’s table and its occupants.
“Bunch of thugs,” Vinna said, noticing my interest in the Decapitator’s chosen. “You’re better off with us.” She picked up her plate and began to pile food on it.
I followed her example.
Still intent on the other side, I grabbed a lukewarm roll from a basket and stuck a dab of butter in its center. As I waited for it to melt, I counted four additional females and three males at the opposite table. Three of the females and one male had Pawn insignias on their arms. The others must be Challengers like me, since they bore no insignias.
Forcing myself to forget about the arrogant Decapitator, I focused on breakfast and observing my group. There were two male Pawns and two female, including Vinna, plus two male Challengers.
I eyed them surreptitiously. I had to defeat one of them, but which? How would I do it? What test would be set out for us? They were chosen at random, according to the contract.
One of the Challengers caught my eye. He was close to my age, thick as a fattened pig and with little beady eyes and bristled brown hair to match. He bared his teeth and slid a finger across his throat.
I glanced away, a sudden stab of fear piercing my heart.
Oh, dear!
What had I gotten myself into? I wasn’t good at anything besides dancing and fanning myself, and I doubted either one of those talents counted for anything. Would eight weeks be enough to get me ready for the challenge?
I clenched my fists, making the small wound on my finger smart. I had signed the contract with my blood. That had to count for something. I was brave. My heart beat strong and willfully in my chest. It always had. I would make that count, too.
I had eight weeks before I needed to prove myself, and I intended to do everything within my power to learn what I could during that time.
CHAPTER 7
Knight Kelsus might have been all smiles and manners at meal time, but he was a despot the rest of the time. He had the audacity to make us run. Run! Of all things, and in senseless circles, no less.
His Pawns—Breen, Petru, Vinna, and Alben—were practically gazelles, galloping up and down the hills behind the palace, a forest as thick as the hairs on my head. In fact, they were all gazelles, even the other Challengers—Miron and Skender, the pig-looking one—while I was nothing but a decrepit turtle without hopes of ever making it to the finish line.
I pressed a hand against a tree and leaned forward, my breakfast of hard cheese and bacon threatening to reappear.
Today, I’d been a little better than a week ago, but I was still last. My shirt was soaked in sweat, something I would never get used to, and my feet throbbed inside my leather boots. The only good thing was that the blisters on my small toes were healing since I’d finally broken in the boots as Vinna said I would, which suddenly reminded me I had somewhere to be.
I ran away from the trees and into the open. Alben had said I would start sword practice with him and Vinna today, though I didn’t know how I would survive more exercise. Making people get so breathless should be against the law. I was sure my heart only had so many beats to give, and this week’s training had stolen half of them.
Heart thudding some more, I got to the sparring field to the west of the White Palace. I was still only seeing the building from a distance, but in the daylight, its ivory magnificence was dazzling.
The best feature, in my opinion, was the large fountain out front. It was surrounded by white statues of forest nymphs and a labyrinth of perfectly kept hedges and flower beds around it.
“Yeh’re late,” Alben pointed out as I came to a halt in front of him and doubled over, panting. “If yeh’re late tomorrow, yeh will have to go back and run again.”
“What? That’s not fair,” I protested.
Alben raised his thick eyebrows, looking unamused. His demeanor wasn’t friendly at all—not like it had been up to this point. I straightened to attention, another thing I’d quickly learned after Knight Kelsus had made me muck out horse poop in the stables when he caught me smiling at a butterfly instead of listening to him ramble about the proper way to care for my horse, an ugly brown beast he’d assigned to me.
Maybe Alben had finally decided I was a real Challenger, and I could soon take his spot, while he was be sent back home. In the last week, I had learned he was the newest Pawn in Knight Kelsus’s Quadrant, therefore the one I’d have to challenge if I became the top Challenger, a post currently occupied by Miron.
Vinna came over and handed each of us a sword. It was long and thin with a protective hilt for my hand. Good, at least I wouldn’t lose my fingers.
Alben gripped his sword and held it straight up, the blade creating two symmetrical halves of his bearded face. He inclined his head, staring point
edly at my sword.
Understanding his meaning, I mimicked him. He watched my posture and nodded approvingly. Next, he kicked a foot back, bent his knees, and extended the sword, aiming it straight at my heart.
He gestured for me to do the same. I complied.
My heart beat faster. Would Alben cut me? The contract specified that no one could kill me during training, but it didn’t rule out cutting or even maiming.
But I was wrong to be scared because our blades never touched. Instead, Alben simply guided me through a series of poses that he silently encouraged me to imitate. Not a word passed between us, and to my amazement, I found the exercise calming and graceful.
“It seems yeh’re a natural at this,” Alben said in his usual cheerful tone as we finished our lesson.
“It was easy,” I said, surprised. “Almost like dancing, which I’m definitely good at—but that was far from a real sword fight.”
Alben shrugged. “Form’s important. The rest should come to yeh.”
“Alben’s right,” Vinna said as we headed away from the palace and back toward our dormitory.
I smiled, feeling a bit more hopeful, so far I’d been terrible at running and even worse at riding that beast they called a horse. The four-legged creature had to be a mule in disguise, considering how stubborn it was. It was nice to be good at something.
“Not that I’m complaining,” I said, “but why are you two being so nice to me?”
“Teaching yeh is our duty, Bianca,” Vinna said. “Part of our Pawn contracts.”
Pawn contracts? There must be a contract at every level, I realized. I stored the information in my growing bank of facts.
“I doubt this contract states you should do it nicely,” I said. “I’ve seen how some of the other Pawns treat the other Challengers. They shoot daggers at me with their eyes every time I pass by.”
“They’re insecure,” Alben said, peering firmly in my direction. “We know we could take yeh in a challenge.”
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