by Ravyn Fyre
Looking over the two males in their group, I deduced the blond with the gold and red highlights was the male she referred to. I had a hard time imagining the bald hulk standing next to him with a full set of feathers. I might be stereotyping, but my money would be on the blond if I were a betting woman. As I processed this new information, I found it hard to believe it was a coincidence that both of the victims were close to Onyx. I just needed to find the connection. My mind was full of theories as I watched their interaction. I was zeroing in on a small spat between Onyx and Anolla that seemed to unfold before my very eyes. I hedged forward. I needed to hear what they were saying.
Nudging my way in their direction as inconspicuous as I could manage, my steps halted when I heard Onyx growl in annoyance, “I need to know what she’s hiding. When did you grow a conscience?”
“Since the last time we were together, and my fairy dust mentally damaged that poor girl. I’m not ready to ruin another person’s life. I’m here because I have a gift, and these people will help me hone it for the good. I don’t care what you say. I’m not doing it. Grow up, Onyx. Until you become queen, you are not the boss of me.” Anolla flitted away angrily as Cenara called order to the room, drowning out her last statement. But I could have sworn I heard her say, “Which I highly doubt will happen!”
Chapter Seventeen
Still reeling from the conversation I overheard, my mind went into overdrive as I tried to fill in the blanks. Assumptions were never anyone’s best friend, but my instincts screamed they were talking about me. I highly doubted Onyx was aware of my time-travel, but if I valued my life, I shouldn’t dismiss it either. Kalen’s reaction to my presence was not something I could hide or take back. Our attraction to each other was on display for everyone to see. It might not have been as apparent as our first interaction, but it was enough to cause concern. When I looked at it from that point of view, it wasn’t a far-fetched idea; she merely considered me as her competition. Considering the last time I was here she declared she was the king’s mate, it made sense Onyx wanted to eliminate anybody she felt threatened by.
Cenara clapped her hands from the front of the room, pulling me from my thoughts before she addressed the room, “May I have your attention, please!” When it took another minute before the chatter died down, she was barely able to conceal her annoyance at having to corral a bunch of adults acting like children. Putting a fake smile on her face, she announced, “Listen up, everyone. I know some of you are itching to get started because you think you know all the rules but humor me for a minute. I’m positive you’re going to want to hear the NEW things we have planned for the trials this year.” Pausing for effect, as the room erupted into chatter, Cenara waited for everyone to quiet down before she continued, “I thought that might get your attention.”
A few snickers could be heard in the crowd. With a wave of her hand Cenara levitated into the air. The act in itself was cool until I noticed the source of her power. She was using the air of her hecklers to fuel her wind supply. I was seconds away from interfering and ruining any chance I had at being successful when the people in question slumped to the floor, gasping for breath. Thank goodness they were alive. Cenara floated to the ground slowly, oblivious to gasps throughout the room. Her gaze raked the room in an open challenge. When it was apparent no one would oppose her, and she controlled the conversation, she continued, “That’s better. Please hold ALL remarks, and sounds, for that matter, until I’m finished. I’ll leave the floor open for questions I didn’t already cover during my spiel. However, I want to make it perfectly clear, there is nothing you or I can do about reversing the changes made. So save yourself the trouble, work hard, and accept the hand you’ve been dealt.”
When silence followed, she nodded once and continued, “A week ago, planets in our alliance launched a formal complaint. It seems they feel there are those of you who have an unfair advantage with our current system. To be more specific, since positions ride on placement in the trials, they claim anyone with past knowledge has a higher possibility of success. In particular, they refer to descendants or relatives of past trial participants; considering the trials have never been altered, they have a point. In addition, a second motion was also included in the complaint asking to bar all relatives of the current council from the competition.”
Beatress gasped next to me but held her tongue as Anolla, Castice and Onyx raised their voices in outrage. Knowing the four near me were council relatives, I was surprised when a commotion to my right drew my attention to a fifth council relative. Beatress didn’t mention knowing him. It made me wonder why not. Two men struggled to hold back a man with light brown wavy hair and golden highlights. One was holding his arms and the other covering his mouth. He stood a little over seven feet and looked like a golden god. His skin shimmered like it was covered in glitter, contradicting his snarling demeanor. Technically, his silent attempt wasn’t breaking her request, but it didn’t look like his friends were willing to find out.
Silently cursing myself for not taking the time to learn everything I could before jumping back in time, I studied the reactions of his companions. I contemplated their abilities as they struggled but maintained their hold on him. Outward appearances could be deceptive, and even though they weren’t short by any means and were holding their own, Golden Boy had more than a foot on them. One of them looked deathly ill. His stark white hair and violet eyes stood out against his skintight black outfit. If I had seen him alone on the street, I would have bet money he had one foot in the grave. The fact that he was one of two holding back the golden boy made me wonder if it was all a disguise. If he was trying to look like the undead, his albino goth vibe went a long way in pulling it off.
The other guy sported electric blue hair and had skin so pale it was almost see-through. With everything visible, it was hard not to miss the metal skeletal structure running throughout his body. If I had to guess, I would say he was some kind of cyborg. I watched in fascination as his muscles contracted and retracted as he worked to hold back his companion. Shifting my gaze to Cenara, I waited for her reaction to the discord. I willed my heart to calm as I weighed the odds of what would happen next. Would she suck the life out of the four making a scene, which included my arch-nemesis? Did I want that to happen before I knew her real purpose? Fuck! Too many questions.
Cenara’s voice cut through the montage circling my brain when she cried, “Enough!” I felt the word tremble throughout my body. When the cries and movement froze on the lips of Castice, Onyx, and Anolla, I began to appreciate our babysitter’s abilities. Shifting my gaze to the fifth descendant, I was relieved to see him no worse for the wear. He shook off his companions and glowered at them, silently conveying he had control of himself while at the same time telling them to back the fuck off. He straightened to his full height, which must have been more than seven feet, and did an excellent job of acting like he could not care less that everyone in the room was ogling him. You could tell the attention happened often.
Clearing her throat Cenara said, “I trust we won’t have to do that again.” With one eyebrow raised in challenge, she looked about the room one more time before she continued, “Alright, moving on. As I said before, the motion was placed, but if you had let me continue, you would have heard me say we DID NOT accept. While it’s not often, it isn’t unusual for the council’s descendants to end up as participants. What is uncommon, though, about this year's trials is that there are five. It’s a well-known fact that most of them know each other and had ample opportunities to form bonds, putting us in a precarious situation. Although those on the council agreed with the council’s notion, relatives might have an unfair advantage. They also realized we couldn’t afford to exclude five powerful Sixers based solely on family ties. So, they altered the rules to give everyone a fair chance in a show of solidarity.
As you all know, positions are determined by how well you compete over the next three days. In the past, you were allowed to choose who or if you worke
d with anyone. Well, not anymore. Starting tomorrow, we will split into five groups based on your abilities, and those people will be your team for the duration of the trials. We tried to make them as even as possible, but considering what we had to work with, it was a little tricky. Each team can win regardless if they feel they are underpowered. You might have to get creative, but it’s possible. As you know, it is in our best interest if you succeed, and for that reason, I promise we will do everything in our power to keep you safe.
Which brings me to the next topic of interest. We moved the location of the trials. Instead of using the obstacle courses in our controlled arena here on planet Strixton, the powers that be have decided to use real-world situations and environments to test you. We selected three planets based on the following criteria. They had to have breathable air, hazardous terrain, and many beasties to weed out the weak. In other words, you’ll find monsters but shouldn’t come across an intelligent species that could aid you in your endeavors. Daily, we’ll drop the teams off at an equal distance from the finish line with nothing but the clothes on your back, a map, and the abilities of your teammates to get you to the extraction point by sundown the same day. Placement will not only be based on how quickly you get to the extraction points but also on how well you work together as a team. Your time will stop when the last member of your team reports in. Instructors will be watching and they’ll make every effort to ensure your safety. However, we’ve never done this before, and nothing in life is guaranteed. Now that you’ve all been so gracious in not interrupting me, I’ll open the floor for questions before I continue. Remember, I’m not here to listen to you bitch about your lot in life. No need to bring up the unchangeable.”
Surprisingly enough, a timid girl close to the front was the bravest among us when she asked, “Why are there five teams?”
Cenara did little to hide her annoyance when she rolled her eyes and responded, “Seriously!” With a big sigh of defeat, she shook her head and said, “I would think that would be obvious, but let me spell it out. There are twenty-five contestants and five council descendants. To keep the five from working together, we split them up into five teams. Mathematically that means each team will have five members. Makes sense, right?” Without waiting for the girl who was now cherry red with embarrassment to reply, Cenara moved on, “Next question.”
“What’s stopping the new locations from being leaked?” A guy called out from behind me.
“The rules could have been leaked but seeing as each team has one council descendant, we figured it puts everyone on the same playing field. However, the council didn’t choose the locations. We’re fairly confident no one will have an edge over anyone else. Next question.”
“What happens if we don’t make it to the extraction point or if no one makes it?” Zoar asked with his tail tucked between his legs.
“With the power levels in this room, I’m fairly confident it will be a race to the finish. One I’m looking forward to watching, but as I mentioned earlier, we’ll have guards posted for your safety. Someone will be on standby, if your team finds themselves in dire need of assistance. Next question.”
“Wait. If someone rescues us, how does that play into our placement? Are you looking for our best two out of three?” Asked a stout man standing next to me with long black hair.
“In the real world, if you fuck up, you could get yourself and those around you killed. No second chances. No best two out of three. Just game over. So, let me ask you this: Do you think someone in need of rescuing deserves to be number one?”
As the guy next to me opened his mouth to answer, Cenara interrupted him and said, “If you’re smart, you won’t answer that question. We’re looking for the best of the best to fill our top positions. Simply put, you’re not the best if we have to rescue you. Everyone will have a spot based on how they perform. This is a test, treat it as such, and you’ll do fine. Next question.”
Before I could stop myself, I blurted out what I was sure everyone was dying to know, “When do we find out who’s on our team?”
“Thank you. It’s about time someone asked a valid question. You’ll meet your teammates tomorrow morning on the dropship. That is also when you’ll be able to access your gifts. Not much time to collaborate, but we want to see how you think on your toes. Any other questions?” When the room remained silent Cenara said, “Very well; next on the agenda is food, before we move on to sleeping quarters.”
When Cenara’s spiel turned to specifics of mealtimes and the like, my mind wandered back to my mission. The whole point of coming back in time was to get close enough to Onyx to figure out her end game and stop her before she had a chance to carry it out. That would be hard to accomplish if I were on another team or dead, for that matter? The thought of death made me regret my decision, even more when it occurred to me that I might never get the chance to hold my soulmate again. There was no way I was going to let that happen. People were counting on me. They might not know it, but they were. It was time to get serious and use my time wisely. Now more than ever, I missed my gift and would be counting down the seconds until I had it back. It made it that much harder to plan when I didn’t know what I was working with.
Beatress bumped my shoulder, snapping me back to the present when she whispered, “I am so sorry. You can sleep in our room tonight if you want.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?” I whispered back.
“Were you not paying attention just now? Cenara assigned roommates and you are the unlucky soul to be bunking with Onyx tonight!” Sher quietly replied as she looked over at me with pity shining through her fluorescent green eyes.
Chapter Eighteen
My eyes flew to the bitch in question, and I wasn’t surprised to find her staring at me with hatred evident in her eyes. Shit! I wasn’t sure if it were luck or lack thereof, but at least I’d have ample opportunity to figure out what Onyx was up to if we were sleeping in the same room every night. However, that would only work if I made it back each night and didn’t get myself killed during the trials. Oh, and I also needed to make sure she didn’t learn what I was up to at the same time. Speaking of which, I would need to find time to visit Adira and Natashia before bed. There was no way I could risk anything wearing off while sleeping. Not something I needed my enemy knowing. Damn, I wonder what else I missed while lost in my thoughts? I choked on my saliva when Beatress responded, “Depends on when you checked out. Did you miss the bit about the formal celebration dinner being held tonight in our honor?”
Sher pounded on my back as people filed out of the room. I waited until we were the last ones left before I held up my hand in surrender, cleared my throat, and whispered, “Thanks. I didn’t realize I had said anything out loud. Um . . . did she say what we were doing between now and then?”
Beatress and Sher looked at me with their eyebrows raised before they each grabbed an arm and dragged me with them. Sher smiled sweetly at a passing servant before she finally answered me, “You want the short version or the long?”
Cringing at my stupidity, I gave myself a mental slap. There was no way I’d get out of this in one piece and save the day if my head was in the clouds. I swallowed past the lump in my throat and quietly replied, “I’ll take the short version, please.”
“You got it. First, we tour the palace and the surrounding grounds. Then lunch at the pavilion. Next, we get a physical and any necessary shots before we get our uniforms. I think we have an hour or so after that to get ready for dinner.”
“Shots? Why the hell would we need shots?” I exclaimed with a gasp. I hated needles with every nerve ending in my body. I blinked when it hit me that I never once feared or got squeamish when I felt or even thought of Kalen’s fangs. Even though technically they were just larger, shorter versions of my childhood fear. In fact, a ripple of awareness fluttered through my body when I recalled what he had done with them the last time we were together, which made me miss him even more.
“Why wouldn’t we get shot
s? For one, I would refuse to step foot on a foreign planet without a few immunities to the beasties we encounter. I would hate to end up like my Uncle Reamus and his village,” Beatress replied with a shudder.
I waited for her to continue, and when she remained silent, I elbowed her ribs and said, “You can’t just end it like that! What happened to your uncle?”
“Oh, sorry, I was lost in a memory. My uncle contracted celluloplantaceous from a fern pixie while peeing. I guess you could say she wasn’t too happy he used her home as a place to relieve himself,” Beatress answered with an innocent shrug.
“What’s celluloplantaceous?”
“It’s a disease caused by the rydlynch fungi found in the saliva of the fern pixie. As the bite festers, it releases microscopic spores into the air that can infect others. Those unlucky enough to inhale the spores will face excruciating pain as their skin cells morph into fungus cells. The disease requires treatment within twenty-four hours, or it develops a root system. It will literally plant itself in the ground and consume its host. Leaving nothing but a beautiful purple spotted mushroom in its place. Sadly, we lost everyone from my uncle's village. My father and his men burned the village to the ground and poisoned the land. Their way of preventing it from spreading further. It’s considered an infectious species. The area is still barren centuries later and is a constant reminder to my people to be humble. Even with all of our powers, we are not invincible and should take every precaution available to us.”
“Fine, I need the shots. Doesn’t mean I have to like them,” I muttered with indifference.
