Georgyanna preened and adjusted the crown on her head. “Why, Lady Wormiful, I would be delighted.”
The crown shone from Georgyanna’s silver hair, the gold flashing in the sun as the jewels sparkled. She wore the crown so easily, as though she truly believed she was born to rule.
Anger stirred in me again, and I took a deep breath. The crown that I’d retrieved from the bottom of the bay had been given to Georgyanna by the king. It was a gift for winning the second test—the test that should have been my victory.
A sick feeling twisted my stomach as they ambled away, loudly discussing their territory’s clever win.
“Norivun?” the king said, a guileless smile on his face. “Let your mother know the outcome of the second test, if you will.”
Prince Norivun’s nostrils flared, but he gave his father a stiff nod and strode back to the castle.
Still shaking from what happened, I approached Meegana. “Do you want company?”
Beatrice had already left, stalking back to the castle as soon as we’d arrived in the courtyard, but Meegana had stayed. A cool breeze ruffled our clothing. I’d dried us with my air affinity before we’d mistphased, but the wind was still biting.
She shook her head. “Even though I would rather spend the day with you, I need to find my mother and tell her what happened.” Worry lines appeared around Meegana’s eyes as she wrung her hands. “She’s going to be so angry that I won’t be queen.”
I bared my teeth. “Just because you won’t be the next queen doesn’t mean that you’re not strong or worthy, and if your mother doesn’t see that, then the fault lies with her.”
Meegana laughed humorlessly. “I think I might have said something like that to you when we first met.”
“You did, and you were right. Just remember that when you speak with her.”
“I’ll try.”
I squeezed her hand.
Behind us, the king was speaking with Sir Featherton. The two were in deep discussions but they were behind a silencing Shield so nobody could hear them.
“I’ll send a prayer to the Blessed Mother for you that you’ll marry Nuwin,” I whispered to her.
A smile parted Meegana’s lips, a true smile. “Thank you.”
We headed opposite ways, and I hurried back into the castle. Not surprisingly, Sandus was waiting for me at the gate. He didn’t say anything as he fell in step beside me, which made me think Norivun had found him and told him already what had happened.
I was glad he didn’t bring up my loss because the last thing I wanted to do was discuss it.
“Have you seen Cailis?” I asked instead as we rounded the corner toward the prince’s private wing.
“She’s waiting in the Exorbiant Chamber for you.”
When we arrived back at my chambers, Cailis was pacing by the courtyard doors. The second I closed the door behind me, she ran to me with wide eyes and grabbed both of my hands. “How did you do?”
I shook my head.
“You lost?”
I nodded. “Second place. Meegana and Beatrice have been removed from the Trial. The final test will be between Georgyanna and me.” I briefly explained what had happened and how Georgyanna had tricked me.
“What a cunning witch.” Cailis seethed, and the look was so protective and reminiscent of our childhood that I couldn’t help but laugh.
“This is one fight you can’t shield me from, Cailis.”
“But you’re stronger than her. You can beat her.”
I forced a smile, then rubbed my temples as I tried to stave off the headache that was brewing because it wasn’t just the final test I had looming over me. “Have you heard about the Isalee field?”
She cocked her head. “No, is something wrong?”
I told her about the black crops. “That’s what the prince came to tell me about, before my test.” Sighing, I sat on my bed and hung my head. I’d been so consumed with the second test that I hadn’t properly considered what the dead crops in Isalee meant. “Do you think everything I’ve been doing is for naught? If all of the crops are eventually going to lose their orem once more, what’s the point of me trying?”
She sat at my side. “You’re certain the field is truly dead again?”
“It is. When I touched the soil, it felt just as devoid of life as it had the first time I visited it.” I stood and went to the courtyard door.
Outside, my private garden shone brightly. Vivid colors burst from every plant and flower. Scented blossoms perfumed the air. Warmth kissed my skin when I opened the door, and the breeze flowed in.
“I just don’t understand it, Cailis. How can this courtyard still be alive but that field dead? I did the exact same thing there as I did here. My affinity, if anything, is stronger now, so I don’t understand why the crops died.”
My sister came up behind me and wrapped me in a hug. She shrugged. “I wish I knew the answer.”
I encircled her forearms with my hands, gripping her tightly as fear dashed through me. “If it’s true that my affinity can’t save the fields, and if the celestial bodies don’t replenish our continent’s orem at the next major event, then our entire race—”
I couldn’t say it.
Cailis squeezed me harder. “We’ll all starve,” she finished. “Unless everyone leaves this continent, and we abandon our frozen home.”
“Just like some of the council members want us to do.” I pulled from her embrace and frowned as I turned to face her. “Just like some of the council members want us to do,” I repeated as my frown deepened.
A flash of what I’d felt in the field this morning hit me like a thunderclap. That feeling that something had been . . .
I spun toward the door, my mind racing. “Cailis, I need to go. I need to find the crown prince and visit that field again.”
Sandus led me to the training room, telling me along the way, “The prince needed to blow off some steam after telling the queen what happened at the second Trial.”
I frowned. “What do you mean? What’s he doing?”
“You’ll see.”
Scents from food baking in the nearby kitchens wafted in the air when we stopped just outside of one of the large training rooms. My eyes popped open when I spotted the prince, Haxil, Nish, and Ryder sparring.
The urgency I’d felt at returning to Isalee came to a sudden halt. All four males were shirtless, their wings tucked tightly to their backs as they rolled, struck one another, and fought. Their sparring made a tingle grow deep in my belly, and it wasn’t just from the glistening sweat beaded on the prince’s chest or the way his muscles bunched and moved every time he dodged a blow. It was more because something about their dance called to me.
I brought a hand to my stomach, to where my magic resided. It pulsed stronger and more fervently than it normally did, and a memory of what Queen Lissandra had revealed surfaced, about how her affinities had manifested slowly over time. I couldn’t help but wonder if a warrior affinity truly was still sleeping within me. Matron Olsander had sensed more in me, but nothing had yet shown itself.
Grinning, Sandus called out, “Don’t look now, Nori, but a beautiful young female is watching you.”