It’s a beautiful day and yet my life has never been uglier.

  The turtle dips back under the water.

  “I didn’t expect to find you here,” the words come from just to the right of me and I tense up.

  I turn, finding Elyjah standing over me. His hands are tucked into the pockets of his black pants and his grey gaze is on me. The sun catches on the grey strands of hair peaking from beneath the black ones.

  I don’t respond to him, wondering instead how I didn’t hear him approaching. As his eyes roam over me, I turn away from him and look back at the pond.

  He doesn’t move away, instead he comes closer. His body heat consumes mine as he sits down beside me. I glance at him to find him pulling his knees up to his chest and resting his arms on them. He turns his head to meet my gaze.

  For a moment we just sit in silence, studying each other.

  Finally, he opens his mouth and I tense, prepared for things I don’t want to hear pass through those pink lips. “This pond has always felt a bit like a scared place to us, a place to find solace and peace, away from the politics of the castle.”

  That’s not what I expected him to say.

  He dips a hand into the pond, causing ripples in the water. “I didn’t expect to come here today and find the source of my current problems already here.”

  I purse my lips at that. “Glad to hear I’m causing you trouble.” It certainly makes things feel a bit more even.

  He huffs out a dry laugh and the corners of his lips pinch tight. “Don’t worry, I’m used to dealing with trouble, you’re not as important as you think.”

  His words are the exact opposite of the ones just a moment ago so I choose to ignore them.

  “What are you doing here?” he asks, surprising me.

  I frown, wrinkling my nose at him. “What do you mean?”

  “In TheCalling. What are you doing here? You’ve made it clear you don’t like me or any other royals, but you signed up to become my champion. Yet, the moment we tried to let you in, you ran as if your tail was on fire.”

  I try not to cringe at the mention of fire coming out of the mouth of a Fawcett. Years of training is the only thing that keeps me with a straight face. “You’re in no position to get my secrets,” I finally settle on saying.

  “So you’ve repeatedly said,” he mutters. He continues to gaze at the pond, his grey eyes a whirl of emotions. “You and Walker are a lot alike.”

  “As I keep being told.” I don’t really like the comparison and it’s been brought up multiple times.

  “You’re so secretive but intriguing. I know I should stay away from you because you threaten everything I’ve been working toward.” The cryptic words send goosebumps along my skin, amplified when his grey gaze turns to look at me. “But you…” He purses his lips as he seems to debate on his next words. “You…” He shakes his head as if the motion can clear it. “I should know better than to allow myself to soften towards you,” is what he says but I can’t help to think he was originally going to say something different.

  Soften towards me? Since the day I left the secret study, he’s been nothing but distant, the way I need him to be. “You’ve been avoiding me,” I remind him.

  “Is that what you think?”

  “Has anyone ever told you that you and your friends seem to talk in a lot of circles.” I rub at my temples, trying to keep up with his words, not sure how much to read into them.

  “I’ve heard it once or twice,” he says with a small laugh. When his eyes turn to me, they’re surprisingly… hot. His gaze moves over me slowly, traveling all over my face. “You’re dirty,” is finally the odd thing to come out of his mouth.

  Huh?

  My lips part slightly in surprise and I wipe at my face, ignoring the way my heart pounds quicker in my chest. “I just left training.”

  Why am I even sitting here talking to him? I need to get up and leave, get away from him and his inquisitive gaze.

  He smiles slightly before reaching out a hand and hesitantly wiping the side of my cheek. His thumb feels warm and heavy against my skin and I catch myself holding my breath.

  I’m a stranger to intimate touches from others and the feel of Elyjah’s skin along mine... It’s almost like when Walker kissed me, but different in a way I can’t quite explain.

  I know I should pull away from him but I find myself unable to as I continue to watch him.

  Finally, he pulls his thumb back. His dark gaze searches mine. “You’re a problem, Roxanna.”

  “Why?” I can’t help but to ask.

  “Because your eyes may be the color of the ocean, but I can feel the fire in your soul. It makes me feel like I’m playing with flames and I’m sure to get burned, but I don’t care.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Just make it through one more ball and then you can get the hell out of here.

  I let out a sigh as I sit down on my bed, placing my head in my hands.

  Just put the fucking dress on, Roxanna, and stop being a crybaby.

  The Culling is tomorrow, but before it begins the royals will be hosting a ball to celebrate the sendoff of the competitors. To me, it’s like they’re doing a ritual before a sacrifice because that’s all this is, a party before a bunch of people are sent off to die.

  Not like they didn’t know what they were getting themselves into. What you were getting yourself into.

  But I didn’t plan on the royals not being… royals.

  I mean sure, Elyjah, Orrael, Orrtyn, and even Walker may dress like royalty in their fine clothing with their perfectly tamed hair, but they aren’t what I expected. They haven’t been what I anticipated since the moment I met them, especially Elyjah.

  It makes me feel like I’m playing with flames and I’m sure to get burned, but I don’t care.

  What in the hell am I supposed to do with such a sentiment?

  Ignore it.

  But as much as I’ve tried to push the words away, they’ve done nothing but rattle around in my head, teasing me, confusing me.

  Maybe Conrad can set my head right.

  I lift my head to draw out the note from under my pillow that my mentor has somehow managed to smuggle into my room.

  Midnight.

  There’s only the one word, but I know that it’s from Conrad and that it means to meet him in the forest behind the castle at midnight.

  A part of me is excited about seeing the man who has been the closest thing I have to a father for the last decade. A bigger part of me is afraid. Afraid that he’ll see my wavering and doubt, like a star shooting in the night sky, bright and clear.

  What will he say when he realizes I’ve started to doubt the plan of vengeance that we’ve worked for since the day the castle burned down around us? That I’ve started to feel things that certainly aren't hate for the men who I’m supposed to stab in the back?

  He’ll say I’m a traitor, an embarrassment to the Deightyn name.

  And he'll be right.

  “Amelia, come here,” Kalice says. A bright smile adorns her face as she brushes away a stray blonde lock.

  I trudge over to her, trying to hide the toad in my hand behind my back.

  Her smile widens, her red-painted lips curving up. “What do you have in your hand?” She raises a brow and talks in the low voice she reserves only for me.

  My eyes dart around looking for Elthel, the servant that’s most often tasked with keeping an eye on me. She’s the worst, always trying to interrupt my fun and dragging me off to stupid dancing and etiquette lessons.

  “Amelia,” my sister’s sing-song voice is light as she squats down in front of me. Her vibrant blue eyes search mine before she lets out a tsk. “What are you hiding, Melia?”

  I search around for Elthel again before sighing and holding out the big toad for Kalice to see. She lets out a gasp, her eyes locking in on the creature who lets out a croak. “Melia,” she hisses, her eyes searching the small corridor. “You know you can’t have that in here, mother would freak out, you know she’s scared of animals.”

  She’s right, mother isn’t a fan of animals, especially ones such as toads, saying the little creatures freak her out and they jump around too much.

  “I know, but look at how cute he is,” I tell her, petting the slick skin of the small creature.

  Kalice sighs and shakes her head. “You can’t keep it,” she warns me before getting to her feet.

  “Are you going to tell?” I ask with worry.

  A small smile touches her lips and she places a hand on my shoulder. “Of course not, little sister, but we need to get rid of it before someone else sees it.”

  I frown at her, not wanting to let my new pet go but knowing she’s right, no one’s going to let me keep it and I can’t keep it hidden forever, Ethel seems to have a nose for sniffing out anything fun, she’ll find the toad before bedtime if I keep it.

  “Let’s take it out and let it free.” Her eyes drift around before she runs a hand down the fluffy pink dress she’s wearing. “Let's do it quickly, the Fawcetts are on their way here and I’d like to spend some time with the prince.” At the mention of the boy I always hear her droning on about, her lips widen into a smile before she shakes her head and looks down at me. “After they leave, maybe we can sneak out for a bit and you can play with any creatures we find in the forest.”

  I grin up at her, “Deal.”

  My sister was always my rock, my support system, and she died in the fire just like my parents. I promised Conrad years ago that I'd be their warrior, but instead I’m going to be their biggest disappointment… if I allow myself to continue to be manipulated by the royals. Because I know that’s what they're doing, trying to manipulate and use me.

  But I need to put a stop to it.

  I’m not sure if it makes things better or worse that my sister was friends with Elyjah before she died, always happy when the Fawcetts would be visiting our castle for meetings, because it meant she’d get to see him.

  She’d always talk about how cute he was, and look what happened.

  But I won’t let the stormy eyed royal be my destruction like my sister did.

  No, I’ll get my head on right as soon as I talk to Conrad, I just need him to reignite the spark of anger and bloodlust in my heart.

  With that thought in mind, I get to my feet and strip out of my clothes, pulling on the emerald green dress lying on my bed. It’s bright and not a color that I would typically wear, more a fan of darker colors, but it’s needed for the occasion. With a sweetheart neckline, it shows off just a bit of my cleavage, but not a lot, though there isn’t much to see anyway with my c cups. It melds to my waistline before flowing off to just above the knee where a slit starts, falling to my ankle. I glare at the black heels sitting across the room before pulling them on.

  Knowing it’s inappropriate to take her, I store Gwev under my bed. I slide a holster on my thigh on the side opposite the slit and place a dagger in it. I prefer to keep a larger artillery on me usually, but the one dagger will have to do today. I’m sure if push comes to shove and I need to fight, there will be a cake knife lying around somewhere that I can commandeer.

  I pull my hair into a neat braid and take one last look in the mirror and leave.

  I glide to the ballroom, stopping in front of the guards. I wait as they search their little skyboards, the light from the electronics shining in the dark of the night. After they confirm I’m on the list, a guard escorts me to the doors of the ballroom. Entering the ballroom, I find that the party is already well under way. Soft music flows through the room and people converse while others dance.

  Bright colors from dresses of different styles and lengths catch my attention briefly. Servers rush around the room catering to the ball attendees.

  My eyes search the room for my partner in crime, but Brielyn is nowhere to be found. Sighing, I move over to a servant holding a tray of glasses filled with wine. I offer him a polite smile before taking a glass and tossing it back before replacing it with another. The servant’s eyes widen but I ignore him as I reach for another glass. Feeling eyes boring into the back of my neck, I pause with my hand halfway to the glass. Turning slightly, I search for the source and it doesn’t take long to find him.

  My eyes stop on the gold star on the fabric of the man’s black shirt above the Fawcett’s coat of arms before roaming up to meet onyx eyes. At well over six feet, with maybe Walker being the only one around to rival his height, and dark hair pulled back, Samir Luick is an intimidating man.

  You have to be intense, and a whole lot of crazy, to be the queen’s champion after all.

  The man watches me intently, his gaze never breaking mine. His lips are turned down into a frown and his arms are folded behind his back. A sword rests at his hip and I know that it’s almost taken more lives than I’ve taken breaths of air.

  A cold blooded killer.

  A buzz tingles along my skin and I can’t tell if it’s from excitement of the thought of being the one to take this man down someday or fright of knowing that I may not be ready for the task.

  I’m good, but am I that good?

  “Ms. Delamontee.” The soft feminine voice is what finally makes me turn away from the threat across the room but my heart is still pounding in my chest as I turn to find familiar blue eyes watching me.

  Familiar eyes… but not a familiar face.

  I frown at the woman with long brown hair in front of me, trying to figure out where I’ve seen her crystal blue eyes before. She’s short, maybe an inch or two below my own height, with a purple dress hugging her curvy frame. Her plump lips compliment a straight nose and a smattering of freckles on tan skin.

  My eyes drift over to the man standing behind her and just like the woman there’s something about him that tinges at my memory. He’s much taller than the woman, probably just at six feet tall and his blonde hair is buzzed short. He has green eyes, broad shoulders, and a friendly smile.

  My shoulders stiffen. “Yes?” I let my hand rest on my thigh, just over the dagger. Friendly royal faces are ones that can’t be trusted.

  If only I could think that about the four royals who won’t seem to go away.

  The woman lets out a soft giggle and my eyes widen slightly.

  Her lips spread into an apologetic smile as her blue eyes sparkle. She places a hand on her chest, the nails painted a bright purple to match her dress. “I’m sorry, you have no idea who I am, do you? I forget we haven’t been properly introduced even though I feel like I’ve been following your every move.”

  Okay, this lady may be a little insane and a stalker.

  She holds out a delicate hand to me as her blue eyes brighten. “I’m Eydith Bae and this is my husband, Waylyn Bae.”

  Orrtyn and Orrael’s parents. Of fucking course.

  No wonder they look familiar. Not only have I seen older pictures of them, but they look just like their sons, the blue eyes from their mother, the blond hair and charming smile from their father.

  The fucking advisors to the King and Queen who killed my parents.

  If I needed a wakeup call, they’re standing right in front of me with misleading smiles and treacherous eyes.

  Still, I know I can’t give away my true feelings, so I shake the hand in front of me, my shoulders tense.

  Edyith’s hand is unsurprisingly soft; royals always have soft hands since they never do grunt work themselves. Her smile remains kind even as I shake her husband’s hand and take a step back.

  “I have to say we’ve become quite a fan of yours,” she says before I can get the hell away from her and her husband.

  “Oh, are you?” I feign surprise as I glance around the room. Is this some kind of setup? Why in the hell do they suddenly want to talk to me?

  I’ve been here at the castle for weeks now, and yet this is the first time I’ve seen the pair, despite the fact that they live on the grounds.

  It's unsettling to say the least.

  “Yes,” she says brightly as she glances at her husband. “A woman in The Calling was a bit of a surprise but I must say it was very much overdue.”

  “Yes, most aren’t even aware the rules say women are allowed to compete,” Waylyn adds in as he wraps an arm around his wife’s waist. “We’ve been in Eryth attending to the community there, but we’ve been waiting to meet you.”

  Ah, so they’ve been in the home of the original Fawcett kingdom.

  I nod my head, playing the part of a low class citizen impressed with being recognized by royals. “Thank you. Yes, I did have some… push back when I entered, but as you pointed out, the rules allow women to compete.” I offer them a smile, sure that it looks fake since it is, but it’s the best I can do. “I’m very flattered that you’ve noticed me.”

  A big hand lands on my shoulder, and I tense but it’s obvious that Waylyn Bae isn’t attacking me but trying to be friendly. “Not only noticed you, but we’re rooting for you,” he assures me with a wide smile that’s so much like the one I’ve seen on his son’s faces that for a second I’m taken back.

  I blink, nodding. “Thank you.”

  Eydith squints her eyes slightly. “Of course it is unfortunate that you and Walker are both competing, such great warriors. You wouldn’t dare have competition if you were from different generations.” I can’t quite tell who she thinks would best who, out of the two of us, and her words only leave me slightly confused.

  She takes a step closer and I become aware that Waylyn’s hand is still on my shoulder. Eydith’s eyes move behind me before meeting mine. “You do be careful, love,” she reaches out and rubs the arm that her husband isn’t touching in a surprisingly maternal manner. “Like I said, we’re rooting for you…” She lowers her voice as her hand tightens slightly on my arm. “But remember that not everybody is. You must be careful. Keep your eyes open for the attack you expect from the back… it just may come from the front.”

  And with those confusing words, she offers me another smile and a gentle squeeze of the arm before her and her husband are moving away to entertain other royals.