‘Pae is not going to be happy about you scrubbing the tub.’

I singsong my warning, smiling at her crouched form as I say it.

With brown hair tied up in a knot, Ellie whips her head towards me, sending wispy strands blowing into her eyes. ‘Then she never need know about it.’

I cross my arms, looking down my nose at her teasingly. ‘And you trust me enough not to tell her?’

Ellie lifts her sponge, dripping water as she points the dull end at me. She smiles softly. ‘If I go down, you go down with me. Besides, I’m her maid. This is what I do.’

I sigh, leaning against the door frame of the bathroom. The entirety of Paedyn’s room is spotless, seeing that she’s been gone for nearly a full week now in the 1rst Trial. All of it is very unnerving, and I don’t like the idea of Pae being in these special Trials. It’s hard enough to survive as it is.

At that gloomy thought, I turn my attention back to Ellie now loudly scrubbing the bottom of the tub. ‘Any ideas for her next gown? The second ball is already in a week.’

‘Not really.’ She’s forced to raise her voice over the water that is now running. ‘Who knows what color she will be wanting next?’

‘Well, I’ll just have to wait for her to tell me, then.’ I say this con1dently, as though I know for a fact that she will be coming back alive today. ‘Because the silver dress will be di cult to top. Ugh, she looked so stunning with the drooping sleeves and slitted skirt—’

‘And you didn’t even get to see her turning heads at the ball.’ Ellie peeks up at me, pressing her lips together in a knowing smile.

‘Well,’ I say, Rustered, ‘I was there to help her get ready and wish her luck, of course…’

‘Right.’ Ellie’s smile is far too mischievous for her sweet features. ‘Because you were busy seeing your boy.’

‘He’s not… He’s not my boy, Ellie,’ I scold despite the smile beginning to

form on my lips. ‘And I don’t regret sneaking out one bit. I took him to the Fort, and we talked for hours about every little detail.’ I can feel my cheeks heating at the thought. ‘He told me that he had a dog growing up. Well, it was a stray that would come and visit him, but isn’t that adorable? I learned all about his favorite things and how he prefers green apples to red— Oh! And he said my hair is – and I quote – very bouncy.’

I beam, forcing myself to take a breath. ‘Anyways, I’ve seen him almost every day since. Sometimes we meet halfway, or I leave early in the evening so I get to the slums before dark. No one seems to care where I go, so long as I’m back in time to make Pae’s dress.’

Ellie lets me 1nish my squeal before saying, ‘Wow, you really are falling for him.’

I still my dancing feet at her words. Falling is not what I do. No, I trip into love, unable to slow down long enough to question these feelings or the person I’ve dumped them on. But I’ve liked boys in the past, and nothing compares to how easily I’m tripping into this one.

‘Have you told Paedyn?’

I blink out of my daze. ‘Hmm?’

Ellie narrows her eyes slightly. ‘You haven’t told her, have you?’

I huI, plopping down on the spotless Roor beside her, one I’m suspecting she scrubbed before I arrived. ‘No, I haven’t. But I will! Just not… yet.’ I pick at my 1ngers, falling into the same dilemma I’ve had since being reunited with Paedyn. ‘She has so much on her plate at the moment, and she needs to keep her focus on the Trials. I don’t want my love life to be a distraction for her. Because, trust me, Pae would not stop until she met Mak and approved.’ I shake my head, making up my mind. ‘No, I can’t have her losing her focus or worrying about anything to do with me when her own life is at stake.’

Ellie’s silent for a long moment before nodding slowly. ‘She won’t be happy about being left in the dark.’

I smile, small and teasing as I nod towards the bathtub. ‘Same goes for your cleaning, my dear Ellie.’

Before she can splash me with water, I hurry from the room, shouting, ‘I’ll be back! I’m oI to meet my boy!’

It’s an eIort not to skip down the hallway in excitement. I can hardly contain my anticipation to—

I nearly run into a large 1gure rounding the corner.

In the midst of my sputtered apology, my eyes trail up to the green ones boring down at me. I blink, horri1ed by what I’ve just done, and sweep into a curtsy.

‘Your Majesty!’ I squeak. ‘I am so very sorry! I really must get better at watching where I’m going, especially in such a crowded castle where—’

A large, raised hand has the remaining words dying in my throat. My eyes Rick from the palm hovering before my face to the man standing behind it.

Everything about the king is large and looming. He stands well over a foot above me, and his piercing gaze feels as though it might cleave me in half. Swallowing, I stand before him as his scrutiny sweeps over me, lingering on my messy hair and crumpled clothing.

When his silencing hand 1nally falls, I feel oddly stripped bare before him. ‘And who might you be?’

His voice is deep in a way that is far from comforting. I shift on my feet, attempting to sound at ease as I say, ‘I’m Adena, Your Majesty. What a pleasure it is to meet you!’

The smile he gives me is menacing at best. ‘Let’s not lie to your king, Adena. I’m likely the last person you wish to see, seeing that you’re in such a hurry to 1nd someone else.’

My mouth opens and closes several times before words begin to fall out. ‘Oh, well, I just have a lot of work to do before the next ball and was hoping to get a head start on things. You know, picking fabric and calculating measurements—’

His hand lifts once again.

‘I haven’t seen you before,’ he says evenly. ‘Why are you here?’

‘Oh, I’m Paedyn’s seamstress.’ I say this as cheerily as I can muster. ‘She sent for me since I’ve gotten quite good at making clothes for her over the years.’

it?’

He contemplates this with narrowed eyes. ‘You are close with Paedyn, I take

‘Yes, very.’ I smile, relieved to be talking about something so comforting.

‘We’ve lived in the slums together for years. So, it’s no shock that we are the best of friends!’

‘I see,’ he hums. ‘She must be very happy to have you here with her.’ I nod. ‘Oh, yes, we both are!’

‘Well, you will be happy to know that she survived this 1rst Trial.’ His tone is dull, as if he’d been hoping for a very diIerent outcome.

I suppress my relieved sigh. ‘Of course she did! I’d expect nothing less from Pae.’

‘Pae,’ he repeats softly, lifting the edge of his mouth in that unnerving way.

‘How sweet.’

I do my best to keep the smile on my face, even as I’m shifting uncomfortably on my feet. I’m about to attempt a quick curtsy and swift escape when he sighs. ‘Yes, how fortunate that Pae was not one of the casualties this Trial.’

I blink. ‘Um, if you don’t mind me asking – Your Majesty – who were the casualties?’

He shrugs slightly, as though these deaths mean little to him. ‘Sadie – a shame. I’m close with her father. Oh, and the Veil girl from the slums, though that was unsurprising…’

His voice fades, mu ing as my ears begin to ring. My eyes 1x on the wall behind him, glazing over as the gravity of his words weigh down on me.

Hera is dead.

All I can think of is Mak. Of the guilt on his face when he 1nds out, the agony in his voice following every word after.

‘How terrible,’ I say shakily. ‘I’m so sorry to hear that.’ His voice is eerily cheery. ‘Such is the Trials.’

When he says nothing else, I sink into a wobbly curtsy. ‘It was an honor meeting you, Your Majesty.’

I move to scurry past him and startle when his booming voice follows me down the hall. ‘Oh, I’m sure we will be meeting again, Adena.’

Late afternoon light paints Loot in a warm glow by the time I step onto the busy street.

I would have run the whole way here if it weren’t for my lack of endurance proving that to be di cult. But I followed the path down by the Bowl Arena with much more haste than usual.

The street is packed with shouting customers and squealing children. I push my way through as politely as possible, eyes trained on the crumbling building that houses his shop and home.

I’m not sure how I made it to his looming door, but I’m suddenly standing before it. I raise a hand to knock and—

And the door swings open. I still at the sight of him.

He’s standing there, eyes glossy and brimming with a guilt that tells me he already knows why I’m here.

‘I felt you coming,’ he whispers, voice weak.

My eyes drift to the crumpled paper clutched in his hand, catching the familiar lettering scrawled across it.

A Ryer for the Trials.

What a horrible way to find out.

Tears well in my eyes as I take a step towards him. ‘Oh, Mak…’

His composure crumples before his body suddenly crashes into mine.

He slumps against me, shoulders shaking as I wrap my arms tightly round him. The Ryer showcasing Hera’s death Rutters to the ground, forgotten in the wave of emotions threatening to drown him. His body shudders against mine, limbs limply draped round me.

‘She’s gone,’ he chokes out. ‘She’s gone, and it’s all my fault.’

Sni ing, I whisper, ‘No, it’s not. Don’t you go thinking this is your fault.’

Sobs rack his body, shaking the two of us where we stand in the doorway. ‘It should have been me.’ His arms clutch my waist, holding onto me for support. ‘It should have been me.’

‘Shh.’ I run a hand down the back of his hair, feeling hot tears slip from my eyes. ‘It’s gonna be okay.’

‘Dena.’ His voice is a whisper, a guilty confession. ‘It should have been me. I wish it was me.’

‘Don’t say that.’ I squeeze him tighter, feeling his body shake with each breath. ‘I need you.’

‘Don’t,’ he murmurs against my hair. ‘I’ll only disappoint you.’