The Faerie Games

by Michelle Madow

  My stomach knotted in disgust. Because none of this was simple.

  It was brutal and twisted.

  “Now, I want you all to stand up and give me a twirl,” he instructed.

  Octavia was the first to stand. When she twirled, her long, ocean blue gown transformed into a short, skirted fighting outfit with matching thigh-high boots. When the red-winged guy next to her spun, his elegant tunic shifted into a plainer one belted at the waist, his breeches tucked into flat boots that went mid-way up his calves.

  The rest of us followed suit, our formal wear also changing into fighting gear. I wore the same light blue mini dress Bryan had me practice in while training in Devyn’s house.

  “What a fierce group of champions.” Bacchus eyed us appreciatively. “Your stylists were told about the first competition being today, so they could cast the appropriate spell on your formal wear. They were also placed under a charm so they wouldn’t reveal the secret to you. Because what fun would it be if the secret was spilled early?” He laughed again, clearly entertained by himself.

  Most of the other players laughed along, as if Bacchus was the wittiest god in the universe.

  Of course they did.

  I had to remember that the Games were rigged. It was in our best interest to make sure the gods liked us.

  So I threw in a laugh of my own, although I would have bet my eyes looked as hollow and empty as I felt inside.

  “Now, for the rules!” Bacchus rose his goblet with so much force that wine splashed over the rim, and we all sat down to listen. “The golden emperor wreath is hidden within the walls of the citadel. To learn its location, you’ll go to the main forum in the capital city. There will be signs on the road to direct you there. You can either use the transportation waiting for you outside of the villa, or go by foot. In the forum, you’ll receive instructions for where to go to find the wreath.”

  “Will the instructions be hidden?” Antonia asked, her forehead creased with worry.

  “The instructions will be apparent once you arrive in the forum,” Bacchus said. “And remember—this is an Emperor of the Villa competition. Injure the other players all you want, but you’re not in the arena yet. Which means no killing allowed. And like all competitions in the Games, harming any fae or half-bloods is prohibited. Break these rules, and your fate will be in Juno’s hands.” He glanced at me, scowling. “The queen of the gods is rarely as merciful as she was this morning.” He paused for a few seconds to let that sink in, then leaned forward and looked over all of us with giddy anticipation. “Now, stand up and follow Vesta to the entrance hall. Once she opens the front doors, the Emperor of the Villa competition will begin!”

  41

  Selena

  I trembled as we made our way to the entrance hall, although I held my head high, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. The others were only a muffled buzz in the background.

  Because this was it. The first competition.

  The Faerie Games suddenly felt more real than ever.

  “Any injuries sustained during this competition will heal once one of you claims the wreath.” Vesta said once we were all gathered in the entrance hall. “Are there any questions about the rules?”

  No one said a word.

  Were they as anxious as I was?

  Looking around, it didn’t seem like it. Bridget stood in front, confident and prepared. Octavia stood in fighting stance, eager to demolish anyone in her way. Felix was off to the side, way too calm and relaxed given the situation. Julian focused on the doors, his eyes hard, ready for battle.

  Cassia stood next to me, and she gave me a nod of encouragement. My nerves calmed slightly. Even though there was no official alliance between the two of us, I trusted that we had each other’s back.

  Except Bryan and Finn had specifically told me what to do in the first competition.

  I wasn’t supposed to win.

  The first Emperor of the Villa ended up with a target on his or her back once the week was over, because the two players who survived the battle in the arena—and their alliance members—were gunning for them. And while the first Emperor of the Villa could go far in the Games by making a strong alliance from the start, he or she usually never won.

  Get selected for the weekly arena battles too many times in a row, and you were bound to lose one of them, no matter how great of a fighter you were.

  I was supposed to befriend this week’s Emperor of the Villa and grab a spot in his or her alliance. But I wasn’t supposed to be the Emperor of the Villa. It was too early in the Games to get blood on my hands.

  But I still had to try in the competition. I needed to land in the middle of the pack. I couldn’t look so strong that I was a threat, but I also couldn’t look so weak that I was unwanted in an alliance.

  I could do this.

  I had to do this.

  What if I helped Cassia win the wreath? I doubted she’d nominate me for the arena fight. She seemed genuine. I truly did trust her.

  Prince Devyn had told me to trust my gut. So I gave Cassia a reassuring smile, and by the way she returned it, I knew an unspoken alliance had formed between us.

  “I wish you all the best of luck,” Vesta said warmly. “I’ll see you again once the Emperor of the Villa has been crowned.”

  She raised her hands, and the double doors swung open.

  Six tan horses with flowers woven through their manes and tails were scattered in the front yard. None of them were saddled.

  Looked like we’d be riding bareback.

  Bridget moved like a bullet, zooming down the steps and leaping onto the closest horse’s back. She kicked her heels into her horse’s sides and left us in the dust.

  Some champions chosen by Minerva had super-speed. Apparently Bridget was one of them. Good to know.

  The rest of us ran toward the horses, although not as fast as Bridget. Except for Molly. She shifted into a hawk, landed on another horse’s back, shifted back into her natural form, and took off in a heartbeat.

  But why had Bridget and Molly taken horses? With Bridget’s super-speed, she could run just as fast—or perhaps faster—than a horse. Molly could shift into a horse, or into an animal that ran faster than a horse.

  The answer hit me a second later. Because there were six horses and eleven of us. The five of us who didn’t get a horse would have to travel by foot, which would be a massive disadvantage in the competition.

  Bridget and Molly had taken horses so two champions would have less of a chance at winning the wreath.

  Now there were nine of us left, and four horses remaining.

  All hell broke loose as players ran for the horses. The gold orbs zoomed around us. Everyone had someone on their heels except for Cillian—Pluto’s chosen champion.

  Bryan and Finn had warned me that everyone would be afraid of Cillian. Pluto rarely chose a champion, and those he chose veered toward being psychopathic. Gifted with magic over metal and stones, Pluto’s champions won a high percentage of Games they played in. So people didn’t want to mess with his champions, unless they were forced to battle against them in the arena.

  Cillian hopped onto a horse and left us in his dust.

  It seemed to be every person for themselves. And I couldn’t afford to look weak by getting shut out of the competition right out of the gate.

  I ran to get a horse of my own.

  When I was halfway there, a blast of water smacked me from behind. It knocked me to the ground with so much force that the wind whooshed out of my chest. The water splashed around me, and I was drowning in it, unable to breathe. Pain rang through every bone in my body. I could barely think to move, let alone to get up.

  But I refused to go down that easily. Especially at the hands of Octavia. She had to have been behind the attack, since she had elemental power over water.

  I pushed through the pain and forced myself to sit up, surveying the scene around me.

  Julian and Vulcan’s champion—a guy whose name I forg
ot but who was gifted with elemental control over fire—fought near one of the horses. Julian wielded two longswords as Vulcan’s champion used both hands to throw fireball after fireball at him. Julian expertly used his swords to fend off each ball of fire that came his way. They both moved so fast that I could barely follow what was happening between them.

  Octavia and Antonia battled it out near another horse. Antonia held a bow and arrow, a quiver strapped to her back. She pulled seemingly endless arrows out of the quiver and shot them at Octavia.

  But Octavia created a shield of ice to protect herself against the arrows. Then she produced icicles out of thin air with her other hand, shooting them toward Antonia just as Antonia shot arrows toward her.

  Antonia easily avoided the icicles.

  So Octavia pelted Antonia with a stream of water, knocking Antonia off her feet so her back crashed down on the ground. Before Antonia had a chance to get up, Octavia shot four icicles through her hands and feet, pinning her in place.

  Octavia jumped on the horse and rode past Felix, holding out her hand and pulling him up with her. He slipped gracefully behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and the two of them galloped off into the sunset.

  Now I knew whose side Felix was on.

  Mercury’s champion—a guy with white wings whose name I also forgot—almost made it to the other horse.

  But the ground cracked open in front of him, stopping him in his tracks as thick vines coiled out of the dirt and wrapped themselves around his ankles.

  Cassia. She sauntered toward him, green magic and large rocks swirling around her like she was an earth goddess.

  Mercury’s champion tried to fly free, but the vines held on tightly. And now, as Cassia got closer, she pelted her rocks toward him.

  White magic shot out of his palm, knocking the stones out of the way before they could reach him. His magic swirled and gathered around his other hand, and he blew gusts of wind at Cassia to slow her approach. During all of this, he flew up so he was a foot above the ground and pulled on the vines holding him down, stretching them so tight that they looked like they were about to snap.

  If they broke, he’d get to the horse before Cassia.

  I needed to help her.

  Everyone was too caught up in their own battles to pay me any attention. They must have thought Octavia’s blast of water had put me down for the count, like it had for Antonia, who was still pinned to the ground by Octavia’s icicles. The icicles were starting to melt, but Antonia was unconscious. Probably from the pain.

  I glanced at Julian, who was still holding his own against Vulcan’s champion. I wasn’t sure why I wasted time checking on him, but relief coursed through me when I saw that his sword was close to slicing through one of Vulcan’s champion’s arms.

  Then I heard a snap, and I turned back to where Cassia was fighting Mercury’s champion. He’d freed one ankle from the vines. The other didn’t look far behind.

  He was focused on his fight with Cassia, which meant I had one chance to catch him by surprise. After that, he’d know I was coming for him.

  My magic sparked and crackled under my skin. Jolts of it buzzed through my body, ready for action.

  But I made sure not to gather too much magic. Too much, and I’d kill him instead of knocking him unconscious.

  Luckily, chosen champions were as resilient as full-blooded fae. I’d practiced this on Finn. I could do this.

  I raced forward, grabbed onto his ankle, and released my electricity into him.

  He screamed, his back arching so his chest pointed up to the sky. Bright bolts of lightning lit up his skin. A final rush of wind burst forth from his palms, then his eyes rolled back into his head, and he collapsed onto the ground.

  He was splayed out on the grass, motionless. He looked dead.

  I rushed toward him and pressed my fingers to his neck to check for a pulse.

  It was weak, but there. Relief crashed through me at the confirmation that I hadn’t electrocuted him to death.

  I looked up at Cassia. She’d stopped pelting rocks, but green magic still swirled around her, rocks mixed within it.

  She eyed me cautiously, like she wasn’t sure if she should celebrate the win against Mercury’s champion or defend herself against me.

  I stood up and shook out my skirt, which was soaked from Octavia’s water blast. “You did an amazing job holding him off,” I said with a smile. “Want to share the horse?”

  Before she could answer, a deep, agonized scream came from where Julian was fighting Vulcan’s champion.

  Cassia and I twisted our heads to see what had happened.

  Julian stood over Vulcan’s champion. He held his swords over his head, both of them glistening with blood.

  Vulcan’s champion sat on the ground and stared at his arms, his eyes wide in horror. Because his arms ended in bloodied stumps below his elbows. His severed hands were on the ground near his feet.

  Without his hands, he couldn’t use his magic.

  He screamed again and lunged for Julian.

  Julian held his swords up in an x, stopping him. “Do you want to lose your feet, too?” he asked calmly. Too calmly. As if he did this on a regular basis.

  Vulcan’s champion growled at him. He didn’t back down, but he didn’t move forward to attack, either.

  “You don’t have a shot at getting the wreath without your magic,” Julian continued. “But you put up an impressive fight. If I become Emperor of the Villa this week, you have my word that I won’t send you to the arena.”

  Vulcan’s champion stared him down. “You swear it?” he asked.

  “Yes.” Julian lowered his swords. “I swear it.”

  Vulcan’s champion said nothing for a few seconds. “Fine,” he gave in. “Take the horse. But I expect you to hold up your end of the bargain.” His tone was threatening, his meaning clear.

  If Julian didn’t keep his word, Vulcan’s champion was coming for him.

  Julian nodded in respect and swung himself onto the horse.

  Suddenly, Vulcan’s champion bolted toward the horse near Cassia and me. I wasn’t sure how he could ride without his hands, but apparently that wouldn’t stop him from trying.

  Cassia spun to face him, held a hand out, and shot a rock at his head.

  It hit his forehead with a thud.

  His head lolled in a circle, and he fell to the ground in a heap.

  “Nice one.” I gave Cassia an approving nod, and she smiled in return. “So, what do you say?” I asked again, tilting my head toward the horse. “Want to share?”

  Her green magic dimmed around her. “I’d love to,” she said.

  We hopped onto the horse together, sharing it like Octavia had done with Felix. I had my own unicorn on Avalon and was experienced on horseback, so I took the front.

  Julian didn’t take off on his horse until Cassia and I were situated on ours.

  Strange. It was like he was making sure we were set to go before taking off. It was almost like he cared.

  Or maybe he was just sizing up his competition.

  He was seriously driving me insane. So I shook all thoughts of him away as I grabbed onto the horse’s mane, pressed my heels into its sides, and galloped off behind him.

  We might have been last out of the gate.

  But at least we were still in the running.

  42

  Selena

  The sun had finished setting by the time we arrived in the capital city. A beautiful aurora danced in the sky, as it had every night since I’d arrived in the Otherworld. But tonight the aurora’s lights were particularly bright, with pink and purple mixed in with the usual green.

  It was like the sky was celebrating the first competition of the Faerie Games.

  Faeries lined the streets, watching as we made our way toward the forum. They clapped as we trotted by—Julian on the horse ahead, and me and Cassia on the horse behind. Everyone in the citadel was under a spell so they wouldn’t say anything to help us in the
Games, meaning none of them screamed strategic advice at us as we passed.

  They parted as we made our way into the forum, revealing the last person I’d expected to see in the center of it.

  Juno sat on the same peacock throne from earlier. She wore the same deep blue dress, although now she held a golden scepter with a swirling blue crystal orb on top of it. It was similar to Bacchus’s pinecone scepter, but it looked much more magical.

  Her face gave away no emotion as the three of us hopped off our horses and approached her. “Congratulations for making it to this point in the competition,” she said. If she was holding a grudge against me for the events of the morning, she didn’t show it. “The golden wreath has yet to be claimed. So one of the three of you still has a chance at becoming Emperor of the Villa for the week.”

  Julian’s ice blue eyes glinted with determination. “That’s good to know,” he said.

  “Indeed,” Juno said. “You’ll have to ride north to the Tomb of the First Queen to find the wreath. Once you’re there, getting to the wreath won’t be easy.”

  “I’d expect nothing else,” Julian said, already moving to get back onto his horse.

  “Each of you will need a sword crafted by Vulcan’s own hands,” she continued, stopping Julian before he got back onto his horse. He returned to where he’d been standing before her and waited respectfully for her to finish. “Not even the magic gifted to you by Mars can pull such a sword from the godly realm.” She looked at Julian, since one of his gifts was the ability to pull any blade he wanted from what looked to be nowhere.

  Apparently, “nowhere” was the realm of the gods.

  “Where can we find these swords?” I asked.