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  The process continued throughout the morning: a terrified scream, then silence, then laughter. Alec took to people-watching to distract himself. A few boys wrestled, more than likely trying to show off to the girls. Several others sat alone, shaking their legs with nervous tension. A skinny fellow toyed with a sling, knocking off small stones stacked on a larger one. Someone else stood with him, apparently getting a lesson.

  Alec leaned forward and squinted. It wasn’t hard to recognize Nolan. His crumpled clothing, spectacles, and mop of messy brown hair could belong to no one else. Alec slid from where he’d been sitting and walked over.

  “Try it like this,” the skinny boy said. He held an empty sling in his hand then flicked it over his head to release an imaginary stone. He handed the sling to Nolan.

  Nolan stood in a silly squatting sort of stance. Alec snorted, trying not to laugh. Nolan glanced from the corner of his eyes, swung the sling once, and released his imaginary stone.

  “Hey! Not bad,” the boy said. “Let’s try it for real this time.”

  Nolan put a small rock in the sling, gave it a fling, and released. It struck the base of the large rock, missing the smaller ones entirely.

  “At least it’s going in the right direction,” the boy said.

  Nolan laughed. “Perhaps we should clear the area before I try again.”

  “No, no … very good for a first try.” He bent to pick up another stone. “You should have seen my first go. I was standing in the field with my father. He said that I …” His voice trailed off as the Strength captain approached and motioned for him. The smile on his face disappeared. “Well then. I guess I’ll tell you the rest later. It’s a good story.”

  “I’m sure it is, Rylan. I’ll be looking forward to it,” Nolan said, holding the sling out to him.

  “You keep it. It’s a spare.” He smiled weakly. “Besides, you need the practice.”

  Nolan laughed. “That I do.”

  Nolan placed a stone in the sling, rocked it back and forth a few times, and whipped it toward the rock. This time, the small stone whizzed overtop and barely missed the leg of another boy. He shot Nolan an annoyed glare. Nolan held up his hands in apology.

  “I didn’t realize you had to fend off wild animals in Alton Manor,” Alec said.

  Nolan ignored him and slung another stone. This time, it skidded across the ground, hitting the trunk of a nearby tree.

  “Maybe you should take up something else,” Alec said. “Range weapons don’t seem to be your talent.”

  Nolan stopped mid-swing and glared at Alec. The rock, instead of shooting forward, flew straight up. Nolan took a step back and winced as he caught it in his palm on the way down. “So you came over here to insult me again? First, I am a coward. Now I am clumsy?”

  “Crows, I didn’t mean to …” Alec kicked the ground, picked up a stone, and whipped it at the large rock. It hit the smaller rocks with an echoing crack. He’d had all night to think over things. He’d over-reacted and taken his frustrations out on Nolan. He’d lost his temper. Again. Though he didn’t agree with him about doing nothing when the Rol’dan tormented him, he also knew Nolan was only trying to help. Alec sighed. “No, I didn’t come to insult you. I guess rudeness comes naturally.”

  “As well as other things.” Nolan motioned toward the rock pile. “I’d offer to let you try the sling, but you don’t need it.”

  It was a pretty good throw. Good thing, too. He’d chucked it hard enough it would’ve left a mark on someone. He turned and found Nolan watching him, brown hair hanging over sun-reddened cheeks. His wire-rimmed spectacles sat askew, probably from the beating he had received from his brother. Alec cleared his throat. “I’m … I’m sorry about yesterday.”

  Nolan’s mouth quirked up. “I know.”

  A gut-wrenching scream turned everyone’s heads. This time, it was not a scream of fear, but of agonizing pain, like a pig slaughtered on a hunt.

  Alec forced saliva down his dry throat. “What was that?”

  Nolan sighed. “Well, Rylan won’t need his sling.”

  He tore his eyes from the hill. “What do you mean?”

  “Strength users typically are trained with large, blunt weapons. A sling will do him little good.”

  A Strength Rol’dan? That skinny kid? No. He couldn’t be.

  The Strength captain stepped toward him, breaking Alec’s shock. A crooked-tooth sneer poked through the bush of his beard. “Deverell. You’re next.”

  Alec froze. What waited for him over the hill?

  “You’ll do fine,” Nolan said. “Just don’t be yourself.”

  He whipped his head toward Nolan, ready to explode, until he saw Nolan’s concerned face.

  Alec relaxed. “I’ll try.”

  Nolan smiled grimly. “Good.”

  “Deverell,” the Rol’dan said again. “Any time now.”

  Alec nodded and numbly followed the Rol’dan, wondering what trouble he’d get himself into this time.

  ***

  The clouds seemed closer and thicker on the hill. Alec looked from the gray, puffy mass and met the faces of a group of grinning Rol’dan. A short distance away, a stone slab bridge stretched over a deep chasm. A second group of Rol’dan—including several black-robed Healers—watched from the other side. Alec felt as if he’d become part of some demented entertainment, much like wild animals fighting to the death. He wiped his hands on his breeches, gripping his hands into fists. Crows take them. Why did the Rol’dan have to make them feel so helpless and small? They stripped them of any defense and surrounded them, watching with morbid fascination. He filled his lungs and released it in a rush. Get it over with, Alec. And don’t do anything stupid.

  A groan grabbed his attention. The skinny fellow clutched his legs and writhed in a tight ball on the ground.

  “Coming into the Shay of Strength can be excruciating,” a woman said as she strolled toward Alec, wearing a gown cut far too low to be respectable. He forced his eyes away from her neckline to her smiling face. Her hair was almost black and tied loosely behind her head. She didn’t seem much older than Alec, perhaps a few years, but she was definitely old enough to be completely woman.

  “I’m Kella. I’ll be implementing your trial.”

  “You?” Alec asked, hardly believing his luck.

  She stepped in very close and studied Alec’s face. Then she gave a quick passing glance over the rest of him. Alec swallowed hard.

  “This one’s adorable,” she said.

  The Rol’dan snickered.

  Adorable? Puppies were adorable, not men.

  The girl reached around him and, for a moment, Alec thought she would kiss him. But then he realized she had tied a thick rope around his waist.

  “There you go … nice and comfy.” She smiled close to his face, her soft breath brushing Alec’s cheek. And then she walked away.

  Alec watched her retreating form with great interest. Her hips swayed nicely from side to side. As she crossed the bridge, she glanced over her shoulder and smiled, almost making Alec forget the rope.

  Alec followed the path of the rope along the ground to the chasm where it stretched to the other side. Kella, now across, picked up the opposite end of the rope, and her eyes flared with red light. Alec groaned. So that’s what the screams were about—she was going to pull him over the edge.

  The rope went taut. Alec dug in, pulling in the opposite direction. On the ground ahead, foot-sized trenches plowed the earth and disappeared into the chasm below, the evidence of the people who had gone before.

  Across the distance, Kella smiled, eyes red as fire. She was taking her sweet time. As she hauled Alec toward the edge, the tops of the trees loomed in the chasm below. She gave a final yank. Alec jumped as his feet lost purchase. His heart leaped into his throat.

  Time stood still. Alec propelled forward and slammed hard against the side of the slab bridge, his chest aching as breath left him.

  He wheezed, attempting to fill his lungs. Grapp
ling, his sweat-coated hands slipped over the moss covering the bridge’s side. He reached, stretched, and at long last, his frantic fingers found a hold. But his victory was short-lived.

  Alec’s body jerked away, and he soared toward the dark, cloudy sky. He choked back a scream. By Brim, he was going to die! As the rope stretched tautly, Kella yanked Alec down to the opposite side of the chasm. The ground came all too quickly, the scenery blurring by him. He braced his legs, attempting to catch his fall. As he slammed onto the ground, the bones in his legs crack, followed by searing pain. The cheers of the Rol’dan rang faintly over the pumping blood in his head. Alec could hold it no longer; he screamed.

  He opened his eyes, expecting to see the sky, but instead Kella squatted over him. She ran her fingers through his hair.

  “You are a brave one.” She smiled. “However, it would’ve been better if you had taken the fall. I would’ve caught you, silly boy.”

  She stood, and two other Rol’dan came in her place and healed him.

  Chapter Nine

  ALEC DRESSED EARLY, hoping to find Taryn before their next challenge. There were only two days before they’d be going their separate ways: She would head south to Galva, and Alec would return to Alton.

  So why did he care if he never saw her again?

  He barely knew her. And the chances he’d go to Galva anytime soon were thin. But there was something about her that made him go all numb and stupid, and as dumb as it sounded, Alec didn’t want to lose that feeling.

  He stepped out of the tent and did a quick scan. Usually, only a few hung around this early, but today, a stream of people headed for the lodge. The Challenge of Speed was today, nothing else as far as he remembered. Why then all the interest with the lodge?

  A pair of girls walked back. Alec almost asked them what they knew, but their conversation quickly changed his mind.

  “King Alcandor? I can’t believe he’s here.”

  “Did you see him?”

  “No. I’ve heard he’s wonderfully handsome.”

  The girls giggled.

  “Sean said he arrived in the middle of the night.”

  “How would he know?”

  “No idea. I’m just telling you what he said.”

  “He can’t be right. No one ever travels with the Dor’Jan wandering at night.”

  The first girl laughed. “King Alcandor doesn’t fear the Dor’Jan. He’s much too powerful for them. I’ve even heard he travels alone.”

  The two girls continued to jabber as they darted away.

  Alec stood frozen, hardly believing what he’d just heard. The king? Here? He glanced at the lodge. He couldn’t believe it … wouldn’t believe it. He wasn’t about to trust gossip from ridiculous girls. But there was one person who’d tell Alec the truth.

  Alec went the opposite direction of the others, catching more snippets of information on the way. He arrived at Nolan’s tent feeling both angry and annoyed that so many people would be excited about a rumor.

  Nolan was awake, standing outside, and staring at the lodge. Alec put a hand on Nolan’s shoulder, making the scribe gasp and whirl around.

  Nolan relaxed. “Alec.”

  “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you. Thought you saw me coming.”

  “I’m fine.” Nolan glanced at the lodge again.

  “So, uh …” Alec said. “The king arrived last night?”

  Nolan frowned as he continued to stare at the lodge.

  “It’s true?”

  Nolan shrugged. “I’ve never known him to come to the tournament before, but it’s possible, I guess.”

  “So you don’t know?”

  “No,” Nolan said.

  As they stepped off, Alec matched Nolan’s stride. Unfortunately, Nolan knew no more than himself. As they walked toward the morning gathering, Nolan kept glancing back to the crowd. He was usually so calm, but today he acted like a bear might jump out and maul him.

  “How are you doing, anyway?” Nolan asked. “I heard you had quite a fall at the Strength challenge yesterday.”

  Alec grimaced. “Um, I’d rather not talk about it.”

  “At least you didn’t get into any arguments.”

  Alec snorted. “I suppose.”

  They continued in silence before Nolan finally said, “Are you ready for your next challenge?”

  “Well, I’m ready for the nightforsaken thing to be over with, that’s for certain,” Alec said. “Then I can go home to normal life.”

  “Your life is anything but normal, Alec.”

  “It’s normal enough for me. Besides, I miss the sword. I feel as if I’m going soft.”

  Nolan laughed. “Soft? Try being a scribe.”

  As they continued on toward a grassy hill, a mischievous smile crept on Nolan’s face. “As soft and girl-like as you’ve become, you might have to shake the dust off of your sword arm today.”

  Alec stopped. “Swords?”

  Nolan answered with a grin.

  “We’re being tested with swords?” Alec asked again. He felt like he’d just inherited a fortune.

  Nolan shrugged in response, but the mischievous grin on his face answered his question. “Don’t forget that this is to test for the Shay of Speed. Even on a good day, you can’t best them.”

  “I’m used to losing,” Alec said. “Father beat me all the time. But at least I won’t be helpless. These nightforsaken trials make you feel like you can’t do anything.” Alec quickened his steps. He’d lose, but he’d make a good show doing it. For once, he couldn’t get to the trials soon enough.

  ***

  When they arrived, most had already assembled in a large circle around a grassy hill. Taryn wasn’t hard to spot with her golden curls.

  “Hey,” Alec said, “Taryn’s over there.”

  Nolan didn’t seem to hear, he was so distracted. Alec waited, then he nudged him to get his attention.

  Nolan gasped and whirled toward him.

  “It’s me,” Alec said, hands up defensively. “Crows, Nolan. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Just worry about your challenge.”

  Even though he hadn’t known Nolan very long, Alec knew a lie.

  Taryn brightened when they approached.

  “Hi, Taryn,” Alec said. “How have your tournaments been?”

  Her violet eyes met Alec’s. “Better than most. I seem to be getting away without a scratch. Even in the Accuracy trial, the arrows missed me completely.”

  “That’s quite an accomplishment,” Nolan said.

  “I know! If I didn’t know any better, I’d think someone was protecting me.” A strange expression passed over her face, and she darted a quick glance toward the Rol’dan. General Trividar spoke a few words to his soldiers and then disappeared with his Speed.

  “I’m sure it’s all luck,” Taryn said. “I can’t imagine coming away from this sword trial without a scratch. You would know, wouldn’t you, Alec?”

  At first Alec wasn’t sure if she was criticizing or complimenting him. But from the admiration on her face, he guessed it was the latter. Alec cleared his throat, excitement churning in his stomach. He wiped his sweaty palms on his legs. Even though he struggled to put two words together when around her, Alec couldn’t wait to show her how well he swung a blade.

  A woman dressed in the male Rol’dan tunic and breeches stepped forward. Her hair hung down her back in a thick braid. She was in her middle years and much plainer than the girl who’d broken Alec’s legs.

  “I am Captain Rohonin,” the Rol’dan said. “Today, we will search for the Shay of Speed.”

  As she explained the marvelous attributes of the Shay of Speed, and how it was superior to any other dumb power sect, another group of Rol’dan approached.

  General Trividar crossed the field, but all heads turned to the man beside him. King Alcandor, the supreme ruler of Adamah, had visited them after all.

  Alec’s jaw dropped.

  King Alcandor wore a uniform not too unlike the Rol’d
an soldiers—leather breeches and a tunic—except instead of a leather jerkin, he sported an expensive-looking vest. His ground-length cloak billowed behind him, reflecting light in the golden fabric. A crown, of sorts, rested against black hair. It was more of a circlet—three intertwining gold bands with an unusual stone set in the center of his pale forehead. The stone changed colors with every movement he made. His ice-blue eyes scanned the group, pausing intermittently on a person from time to time.

  Nolan mumbled something Alec didn’t understand, and then he darted around the outside of the circle and ducked behind a group of nearby Rol’dan.

  “What’s that about?” Taryn asked.

  “I have no idea. He’s been acting funny all morning.”

  Taryn didn’t seem too worried, for her eyes drifted back to the king. Alec pressed his lips together. He guessed some might think the king was handsome. Several of the other girls whispered to each other, giggling. Alec should hate him—that’s what his father would want. But curiosity pulsed through him. His father told him King Alcandor never aged—he looked exactly the same as when Father was a boy. There were also tales that claimed he was centuries old. Crows! How did a man live that long and still look so young?

  “Have you seen the king before?” Alec asked.

  “No,” Taryn answered. “He’s not what I expected.”

  Alec grunted. “Me either.”

  “You may continue, Captain,” King Alcandor said as he took a place next to the other Rol’dan.

  Captain Rohonin blushed, then regained her composure. Even she acted like an idiot.

  “You will be first,” she said to a dark-haired boy across the circle.

  He sauntered forward, looking to his friends. Alec folded his arms across his chest and grinned. This would be good. As soon as the boy turned, Captain Rohonin thrust a sword into his hands. He had barely enough time to move when her sword crashed against his.

  The boy backed away, flinging his sword in pathetic swipes as he tried to block the captain’s blows. Occasionally, her sword would meet flesh and the boy would yelp.

  Golden light shimmered in the captain’s eyes. Her Speed increased until her blade was nothing but a blur. When she stopped, the dark-haired boy lay curled on the ground, his arms and legs covered with numerous cuts. A trio of Healing Rol’dan surrounded him and got to work.