Trial by Fae (Dragon's Gift The Dark Fae #1) - Linsey Hall Page 0,19
Wish Stone, an ancient carved stone ball that will grant you one single wish. Anything you desire will be yours, short of eternal life.”
Hmm. Not a bad prize at all. I could use one of those. No wonder so many people were here. They’d have their greatest wish granted.
Maybe I could find the identity of my mother with it.
No. I’m fine without it.
I just needed to stop her; I didn’t need to know her.
“Survival is only part of the competition,” the Fae announcer said. “You will receive points for physical skill and showmanship—both with your daring and your magic.”
Shit.
My magic wasn’t that impressive.
Sure, I could create any kind of magic I wanted, but if anyone saw me do it, they’d know what I was.
I could not let that happen.
In a pinch, I could create temporary magic, but I’d have to really need it. Otherwise, my innate talents weren’t all that showy. I could transport, amplify other magic, and appear as a vision inside someone’s mind. Not to mention my slight seeker sense and increased speed and strength. But none of that was the flash-bang stuff that got you extra points in a competition like this. The only cool-looking power that I had was my ability to make a lightning whip that joined with Aeri’s. Without her, I couldn’t do it.
So I’d just have to be clever. And daring.
Done and done.
The Fae announcer floated a bit higher into the air to make sure that she had everyone’s attention. “Because of the risks involved in such a competition, we request that you sign your life away.”
Huh. Even the Fae were afraid of litigation.
A heavy piece of parchment appeared in the air in front of me, along with an impressive quilled pen. The glowing text on the paper was minimal.
Should I die during the Trials of the Fae, I vow that I will not haunt this realm or seek vengeance for my death. Nor shall my family, friends, or acquaintances.
Well, I couldn’t speak for Aeri, but it wasn’t like I was going to not sign and not compete. This wasn’t any more dangerous than my real life. Hell, just by being born as a Dragon Blood, I’d pretty much signed my life away to a gruesome death one day.
But I didn’t want to sign my real name. They might be able to track me with that. And if the king really was that interested in me…
I glanced up at his box, trying to be subtle.
His gaze was still on me.
Shit. Double shit.
I picked up the pen and started to sign another name—Elizabeth Keane. But the pen wouldn’t move.
Ohhhh, tricky Fae.
Tricky, tricky.
I tried a second fake name just to be sure—Katherine Torrence. The pen glowed red.
Crap. It was going to tell on me.
Hastily I scribbled my real name. Mari.
The pen glided smoothly.
Well, that was bad news.
Hopefully the king wouldn’t inspect the contract. He might not even know me as Mari—Mordaca was my public name, after all.
After I signed, the pen and paper disappeared. I looked up.
The announcer grinned widely, raising her hands high above her head. “Your first challenge will be to collect as many glowing prizes as you can.” She held out her hand, and a goblet appeared, hovering over her palm. It glowed with a golden light. “And remember, showmanship counts! So if you want to make it to the next round, be entertaining.”
There was a rumble of excitement through the crowd. I shifted, getting ready for whatever was to come.
Survive. Big magic. Get points.
“And let the games begin!” She rose up toward the trees, spinning as she went. Her hand swept low by her side, magic flowing from her fingertips. The arena in front of me filled with trees and plants, then with a few ponds and rock outcroppings. The people in the stands still had a good view because they were up high, but down here, there was plenty of cover and terrain to work with.
Then the monsters came.
First, I heard the roar.
A half second later, an enormous beast appeared in the middle of the arena. It was a wolf-like creature, with black spikes for fur.
To the left, three banshees appeared. They hovered in midair, their ragged dresses floating around their ephemeral forms. Black hair hung in their faces, and their eyes glowed with a blazing fury. They shrieked, and I slapped my hands to my ears.
Banshee cries came before death.
They were announcing it.
It was a given that one of us would die here. Maybe more.