It felt so strange to compete like this against my friends, but then I remembered what was at stake. I needed to win this Trial. I could only hope that my friends understood that I couldn’t let them beat me.
I coaxed more magic from my belly and put everything I had into increasing my speed. Even though Meegana’s element was water, I shot ahead, moving faster than her. The crown prince was right. I was stronger than her. And for the first time since Norivun had taken me from my village four months ago, I truly felt like a queen ascending to her destined throne.
I was the strongest female here.
A grin split my face as my confidence at another victory reared, but just when I thought for certain I would reach the bottom, the water disappeared, and I screamed.
I tumbled through a huge pocket of air resting in the water above the sea floor.
Meegana’s scream came next as her water elemental affinity proved useless as the magic around me grew.
But it wasn’t my magic. It was the test’s magic. The test creators must have planted this pocket of air here, forcing someone with a water elemental affinity to use another power.
But Meegana continued to fall. With a shapeshifting and sensory affinity, she had nothing.
“Meegana!” I screamed just as she was about to hit the bottom of the air pocket.
I shot a stream of air magic out, catching her before her body could break.
It all happened so fast that she only had a second to recover before I released her, and she dove back into the water at the bottom of the air pocket.
To my right, Beatrice hadn’t slowed. Her earthen tunnel had cleaved right through the air pocket as her telekinetic magic threw every predator that threatened to ram it far away from her.
Still, despite how strong both of them were, I reached the bottom of the sea before either of them.
The glowing trinket waited, beckoning me with its light. It was a golden crown studded with jewels and precious gems that had been enchanted with radiance, making it glow like a beacon.
My hand burst through my fire-encrusted bubble, my flames not burning my fingers. I snatched the crown from the sand and reversed course.
Beatrice let out a wail of fury when she reached the bottom and the trinket was gone, but Meegana only grinned. Her smile was so bright when I flew toward the surface of the bay.
My magic shot me upward. Power sang in my blood and heated my heart.
I would win this Trial.
I would become the next queen.
And I would marry the prince and claim him as my mate.
When I exploded through the surface of the Bay of Nim, the archons’ eyes went wide, and a grin spread across Prince Norivun’s face. Out of the water, my air affinity excelled. A gust of wind blew me toward the shore, and a new victory was within my grasp.
Georgyanna still stood where I’d left her. When I realized she hadn’t moved at all, shock flitted through me. It was as though she was trying to lose.
Frowning, I calmed my magic and let my air release me as I dropped to the sand.
The second I came in contact with land, a jolt of pure electricity zinged along my soles. I screamed in pain as my entire body seized. Electric currents coursed through me, burning me from the inside out.
Oh gods!
A roar of fury came from Prince Norivun as his wings flexed, and a cruel smile spread across Georgyanna’s lips.
No, no, no.
I’d relaxed my magic too much. I’d let my protective Shield down just enough for Georgyanna’s magic to take hold.
Before I could react, the Kroravee native plucked the crown from my electrified fingertips as her lips widened in a gleeful smile.
She gave me her back and flounced toward the king.
I burst through her magic and lunged toward her, but I was too late.
Bowing low, she lifted the crown to King Novakin.
“Your Majesty, may I present you with the trinket that was waiting at the bottom of the sea. I do believe this makes me the winner of test two.”
CHAPTER 28
Taberitha Wormiful grinned as I sputtered, “But, she can’t . . . I mean, how can she do that!” Water dripped from my clothes, and hair stuck to my cheeks while my chest heaved.
Norivun leveled a deadly scowl at Georgyanna just as Beatrice appeared at the top of her earthen tunnel, and Meegana shot out of the water and landed on the beach only feet from me.
But King Novakin only gave a low laugh and accepted the crown from Georgyanna’s outstretched hand as the other two females and I stood with gaping mouths.
Beatrice and Meegana gave me a bewildered look as the king eyed Georgyanna thoughtfully. “Cunning and cruel. Two traits that would make a fine queen indeed.”
My denial that Georgyanna would actually be declared the winner withered and died when I saw the king’s approval. He applauded what Georgyanna had done. Of course he did. The male was a monster. The true monster here. And then there were the rules of the Trial. These tests could be won by any means necessary.
My entire body slumped as the absolute devastation of losing test two hit me. Georgyanna had no doubt felt similar when I’d won the first test by outsmarting her, and now I’d lost test two because Georgyanna had outsmarted me.
It was cruelly ironic.
Sir Featherton clapped his hands. “What a delight! A true competition! We now have two females in the running for our future queen. Since Lady Seary won the first test and Lady Endalaver won the second test, they will compete in the final test tomorrow. Ladies Ockson and Leafton, you have my deepest condolences on your losses, but seeing as neither of you has won a test yet, you shall be removed from the Trial. The king will ultimately decide who your betrothals will be and will let you know following the final test.” Sir Featherton bowed at them as my heart beat even harder.
Meegana and I shared a fearful look. She was out of the competition? Just because she hadn’t won a test yet, she was no longer in the Trial?
I squeezed Meegana’s hand as worry etched her features. I knew she was thinking of Nuwin.
“He might still be your husband,” I said quietly. “This could still work out in your favor.”
Tears brimmed in her eyes. “But he’s the king’s second son. How can he possibly be given to the third or fourth winner? Surely, he’ll be betrothed to the runner-up of the Trial.”
I frowned, my eyebrows pulling together. Something told me the king didn’t favor anyone, even his own son, if another was stronger.
Enraged pulses of power beat from Norivun’s aura. His jaw locked tightly as his murderous gaze stayed latched to Georgyanna.
But he must have felt me looking at him, must have felt my plea.
Prince Norivun and I exchanged a weighted look. His brow grew heavy, as though the entire realm rested upon it. Neither of us had expected that the final test would come down to only two. Which meant I had to win the final test.
Otherwise, the prince would be forced to marry Georgyanna.
Everyone mistphased back to the castle and arrived in the courtyard we’d initially departed from. Since the king was watching, Prince Norivun didn’t approach me, but the look he continually gave Georgyanna could have melted glass.
“I believe celebrations are in order, don’t you think?” Taberitha Wormiful said to test two’s winner.
The tall and lithe Kroravee archon stood as regal as a royal. One would think she was the reason Georgyanna had won, given her proud aura.