I hear the sickening sound of steel sinking into skin and bone before Hera is flickering into view in front of him, the blade buried in her small chest. She blinks up at him with tears slipping down her face before buckling to the ground.
Triangles are being pressed against hearts for the dead girl as the rest of the final fight flits across the screen. I barely watch Kai running towards the crowd with Jax dying in his arms before the scene cuts to one last shot of the Elites, covered in blood and bloodthirsty. And then the screen goes dark, and the crowd is only silent for a breath before erupting into applause.
I barely hear Tealah as she begins speaking to the cheering audience, thanking them for joining us in watching the first Trial. “Oh, and don’t forget!” she practically squeals. “Your vote is more important than you know. Honor to your kingdom, honor to your family, and honor to yourself.”
The crowd recites the motto with her, and then they are free to leave. I watch hundreds of people shuffle between the rows of benches and through the wide tunnels leading out of the Bowl. They toss their votes into giant glass bowls beside the exits as they pass, not realizing the power they hold with the name they scribble down.
I hate the lack of control I have or the fear constantly following me. I hate feeling so helpless. So powerless. So Ordinary. I am competing in games meant to flaunt the powers and strength of the Elites—the powers I don’t possess.
Yet here I am. Alive.
And I intend to keep it that way.
Someone is following me.
I was heading back to my room after dinner when I suddenly felt someone close behind. I whirl, my hand flying to the hilt of my dagger on instinct. My eyes meet wide, startled green ones before I quickly avert my gaze. “Easy, Paedyn!” Kitt laughs, raising both hands in surrender. “You’re jumpy today.”
I turn on my heel and begin walking down the hallway again. “Well, don’t sneak up on me and you don’t have to worry about getting stabbed.”
“I have a feeling you’ll stab someone for less than just sneaking up on you.” I can hear the amusement in his voice, coating his words.
The hint of a smile has me ducking my head to hide it when he falls into step beside me. We are heading down the hallway towards my room when a firm hand grips my wrist, and I’m pulled into one of the many hallways branching off to my left.
I open my mouth to object, but even with his back turned, Kitt senses it. “Don’t stab me yet. I want to show you something.” He tosses a grin over his shoulder as he leads me through the maze of hallways.
I’ve finally learned my way around the main corridors, but when it comes to the dozens of small hallways scattered throughout the castle, I’m completely lost. Kitt easily navigates them, winding in and out of different corridors, passing other sections and rooms of the enormous castle I’ve never even seen. I’m sure he could find his way through the palace blind, a skill that only comes with growing up in this maze he calls home.
Golden sunlight warms my face when Kitt pushes open a large wooden door at the end of a hallway, nodding to the Imperials guarding it before we step out into the balmy evening. My breath hitches. I’m surrounded by color, by life. A wide stony path lies before us where several others branch off, all surrounded by hundreds of flowers.
The gardens.
It’s beautiful, breathtaking. Living in the slums, surrounded by dreary alleys and dull colors, I’d nearly forgotten how bright the world can be. Every place the cobblestone isn’t touching is teeming with flowers and plants of every kind and color. Pops of fuchsia and royal blue stand out among the pale yellows and lavender. Statues litter the garden, dark vines clinging to several of them.
It’s the neatest kind of chaos I’ve ever seen, with rows of flowers crowding around the paths, creating a railing of blossoms and foliage. Each of the stone walkways loops in a large circle, creating several rings around the massive fountain at the heart of the garden.
I’ve never seen anything so bright, so vibrant, and I have to blink rapidly, nearly blinded by the colors bombarding me. Between my blinks, I can see Kitt watching me curiously, contently.
He clears his throat and takes a step onto the path, guiding me beside him. “I promised I’d show you the gardens one day.”
My eyes sweep across the flowers as we slowly walk along a path. Kitt is content to fill the silence by telling me of Kai and his adventures in this very garden, pointing to the statues they’ve toppled over or the fountain they couldn’t resist taking a dip in. I snort at his stories despite my best efforts and clamp a hand over my mouth to stifle the sound.
I stop abruptly, throwing caution to the wind when my curiosity gets the better of me. “Why? Why do this?”
“Why do what, exactly?” He’s trying not to laugh at me while I’m trying not to hit him for that exact reason.
“Take me out here. Tell me personal things and…” I stumble over my words in frustration.
I dare a glance into those green eyes that match the foliage around us when he slowly says, “With the…future that I have, it’s hard to meet people. Really meet people. Get to know them. Most of the people in there,” he points towards the stone wall of the castle, “they want something. And they’ll say whatever they think I want to hear to get it. But you…”
My dry laugh cuts him off. “But I tend to say things I likely shouldn’t.”
“And I tend to enjoy hearing those things,” he says softly.
My eyes wander over the flowers rather than meeting his gaze. “Then I will keep that in mind the next time I wish to tell you off.”
I bite my tongue as soon as the words tumble out of my mouth. I may say whatever I please to Kai, but this is the future king. If I wish to keep my head, I’ll have to learn to hold my tongue.
But the boy beside me only laughs, seeming less kingly by the second. “Good,” he chuckles, “because I have something to ask, and I expect nothing but brutal honestly from you.”
I swallow.
There is nothing honest about me.
“The Trial…” he says slowly. “Your thoughts?”
I choke on my scoff. That was certainly not the question I was expecting. “My thoughts? You mean, other than the obvious?”
He stops walking to take a step closer to me, dwindling the little distance between us. “And what would the obvious be?”
My eyes are pinned to the top button of his shirt, so I don’t have to look into his father’s eyes. “That these Trials are a twisted way to celebrate a tragedy.”
And there I go again, biting my tongue too late. But there’s something about this prince that makes me reckless, makes me want to tell him exactly what is wrong with everything he thinks he believes.
“Tragedy,” he echoes, his voice even. “You mean the Purging.”
“Yes, the Purging,” I breathe. “The banishment of thousands of people and the continuous killing of them that follows.” I’m practically spewing treason, but I can’t seem to stop now that I’ve started. “Those are your people, Kitt. Innocent people who are still being killed today because of something they have no control over.”
He stares at me while I stare at his collar, avoiding his gaze. “The Purging needed to be done, Paedyn. You know that.”