Evermore Academy (Evermore Academy #3) - Audrey Grey Page 0,112
her, she was sitting on the giant pile of Twizzlers, chewy SweeTARTS, and gummy worms in my bedroom, right before I closed and locked the door. “Nevermind. You have to go.”
“No. I go where you go.”
“Ruby—”
“You never fight alone, remember?” She strokes my cheek, fully prepared to go out there and risk her life for me. How does someone so tiny manage to be so brave?
“This time, I do.” I pluck her from my neck, kicking and squirming, and hold her in front of me. “But I have another mission for you. Think you can do it?”
She nods so hard I almost lose purchase of her.
“I need you to go be with Mack, keep her spirits up no matter what. Can you do that?”
Ruby’s arms cross, and I can tell she wants to remind me that Mack is her mortal enemy, but then she scrunches her face into a determined look. “Consider it done. I just wish I could do more to help.”
“I’m not sure anyone can help me now,” I tease darkly.
“Let’s just hope he draws your blood,” she says, flitting back and forth in front of me.
“I’d rather hope I draw his,” I murmur, setting my focus on the door standing between me and the place my fate will be decided.
“If he spills even a drop, your engagement contract is broken.”
I freeze. “What are you talking about?”
A blush fires over her cheeks.
“Ruby, you can tell me, I won’t be mad.”
“The day Inara made you fall down the stairs, while the prince was healing you, I opened your phone.” She hides her eyes. “I only wanted to play that candy game.”
Candy Crush. Aka the keep Ruby busy app.
She peeks between her fingers, gauging my mood. “I saw the message from the mad one’s dad.”
“Mack?”
And then, like a lightning bolt, I remember glancing at the text right before I entered the stage. It was the information inside that seemingly innocuous text that made me challenge Hellebore in the Nocturus.
Nick had made several amendments to the contract that Hellebore’s team signed off on. Most importantly, though, was the line that specified if Hellebore spilled a drop of my blood, I could petition to have the engagement contract severed.
My injuries must have affected my memory and I completely forgot about the text. Something tells me Hellebore didn’t look at those amendments carefully, and it was buried beneath the countless new ones.
Newfound purpose sweeps through me as I grab Ruby and kiss her. “You are the most wonderful sprite that’s ever lived. When this is over, I’m buying you whatever you want.”
“A baby sloth?”
“We’ll discuss it later,” I amend. “Now go and make the mad one smile.”
She performs a bizarre salute before disappearing through the crack in the partially open door.
As I follow, entering a large sandy circle surrounded by packed stands, the iron doors slam shut behind me.
But I’m not afraid.
Not anymore.
Before this is done, I’ll make Hellebore spill my blood and then our contract will be over.
48
The energy inside the stadium is like nothing I’ve ever felt before. Anticipation, excitement, and bloodlust swell the air, and magic—magic is everywhere. A sampling of power from each court. I can feel the different energies swirling over my skin, begging to be harnessed. The cold bite of Winter. The floral sweetness of Spring. The damp rot of Autumn. And the fiery kiss of Summer.
A royal from every court sits in the boxes above, unknowingly offering me their magic.
A ring of magical flames dance across the arena sand. Once we enter, we can’t leave until one of us dies or begs for mercy.
Magus trots over, his hooves sinking in the sand, and leads me to a table with weapons outside the circle. Eclipsa waits in my corner opposite Hellebore’s. She gives me a subtle nod.
I stare down at my choices, muttering, “Where’s a good old Remington pump shotgun when you need it?”
We decided beforehand the weapons I would choose. Nothing fancy. I’m not ready for that. I pick my three—a shortsword, a crossbow, and an axe—and then stroll to my corner. I’m decent with the first two and debatably proficient with the last.
I can’t see what Hellebore chose. He doesn’t have anyone in his corner, but he probably assumes he doesn’t need one.
Eclipsa holds up the shortsword and I give a thumbs-up. The last Nocturus, Asher tossed Valerian his sword, but since I don’t want to get seriously injured before the trial begins, Eclipsa walks my weapon up to me.