Thorns of Frost (Fae of Snow & Ice, #2)(94)

My breath stuttered. Pain sliced through me as the burn from the electricity set my nerves on fire. Through the haze of my sizzling essence, I glanced toward the other female. I thought for certain Georgyanna would be in a similar state, but the twisted smile on her face made my heart nearly stop.

This new challenge wasn’t the test’s magic. Georgyanna was using her affinities against me. Again. Just as she had during the second test and when she’d tried to kill me on the balance beam.

She seemed to sense the second I did that I was weaker than her. A maniacal cackle split her lips as her constructo affinity stacked the sand, solidifying it into bricks around me. The bricks rose higher, then higher. She was burying me alive.

“No!”

An oily tendril suddenly curled around my mind, and then—

I’m going to die.

She’s going to kill me.

I screamed when thousands of tiny bugs appeared everywhere upon my skin.

I’m being buried alive.

Eaten alive.

Blessed Mother, save me!

The insects crawled along my skin and burrowed into my flesh. I thrashed and swatted at them, but they remained. Eating. Digging. Skittering.

Get them off me! Oh Mother Below!

Brick after brick continued stacking. I kicked at the solid sand, but it was too solid to crumble.

Georgyanna’s wicked grin spread wider.

My vision grew hazy.

Another electric burn skated over my skin. I screamed again.

Burning alive.

Buried alive.

Eaten alive.

Someone. Anyone. Save me!

Something rumbled in my gut. Magic. For a brief second my mind cleared. I glimpsed my magic, reached for it, begged for it—

Georgyanna’s magic increased.

A fresh electric sting seized me as a thousand more insects appeared.

Oh gods! They’re eating me again!

No.

No.

NO!

I’m going to die. I’m going to die.

A small, aching part of me knew that I was losing. Georgyanna was defeating me because something in the Isalee field had caged my power.

And then the crowd was cheering. Through the echo of pain in my mind came the jeers and roars.

A commanding voice spoke over the wildness of the citizens as the brick cage around me abruptly stopped. The bugs halted their burrowing. The knives cleaving my mind pulled away.

And then the sandy bricks burying me alive just . . . melted.

The oily sheen coating my mind finally, blessedly, receded.

I sucked in a deep breath of air as my entire body shook.

The last to go was Georgyanna’s electrical affinity. It felt as if my skin had peeled off my body, but when I glanced down, nothing but smooth intact flesh stared back at me.

I blinked, my chest heaving, as the remnants of Georgyanna’s power fully disappeared.

And then I was staring at what lay before me, shivering in the brutal winter wind as reality refused to penetrate the dissipating fog from my brain.

Standing above me, Georgyanna was wearing the crown.

She dipped low into a curtsy, her fist to her chest as the crowd cheered around us.

King Novakin grinned from his dais as the crown prince yelled with so much fury that eight guards forced him away under the king’s command.

And when I finally accepted that what I was seeing wasn’t a trick of the mind and was actual reality, my heart shattered into a million pieces.

Georgyanna wore the queen’s crown.

Georgyanna had won the final test.

Georgyanna would marry the prince.

I failed.

Sir Featherton beamed as he spun in a circle on the arena’s floor. All of the magical tricks and illusions had vanished. Once more, I was lying on the dry, sandy ground as the citizens of our great continent welcomed their next queen.

King Novakin stood from his throne, and with amplifying magic addressed the crowd. “May I present the next queen to grace the Solis continent, the female who will lead with my son, the crown prince Norivun Deema Melustral Achul. In one month’s time, he shall wed Lady Georgyanna Endalaver, daughter of Kroravee Territory!”





CHAPTER 32





I stood frozen in time. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t speak. How? How has this happened?

I didn’t have time to process any of it before the door opened from the arena’s side, and guards ushered out Meegana and Beatrice. They were both wide-eyed, their faces ashen, and I had a feeling they’d been spectators in the crowd and had just witnessed my downfall.

How has this happened?

The king’s grin grew as he waved toward the two new females that had joined us.

“As you know, I’ve enacted the Olirum Accords, an ancient Solis tradition that once served a great purpose on our mighty continent. Our strength and power shall grow again with each union that blesses our court with a new babe, so without further ado, I would like to announce the additional betrotheds for you all to welcome. Lady Meegana Ockson, daughter of Harrivee Territory, shall marry Lord William Waterline, son of Osaravee Territory.”

Meegana blanched as the crowd cheered more.

The king waved toward Beatrice. “And Lady Beatrice Leafton, daughter of Prinavee Territory, shall marry Lord Dameel Brusher, son of Mervalee Territory.”

Cheers rose higher and higher.

The king’s grin grew. “And of course, our runner-up shall not be left empty-handed.” King Novakin turned his malicious smile on me, and all of the sadistic pleasure he wore shone in that horrifying grin. “Ilara Seary, daughter of Mervalee Territory, shall marry Lord Arcane Woodsbury, the third son of Isalee Territory.”