A Kingdom of Fire and Fate (Stars and Shadows) by Holly Renee

Author:Holly Renee [Renee , Holly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-16T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

THALIA

Sorin was here.

The fact both frustrated me and made me more nervous at the same time.

I was meant to impress King Henrick, to make him fall for me so I could gather as much information as was vital for our kingdom, and now, I was supposed to do it while Sorin watched me.

I was supposed to do it with the knowledge that the king was definitely working with our enemy and possibly using blood magic to do so. Was that why he was looking for a Starblessed bride? Would he be using one of us to strengthen the blood magic that he possessed or King Riven? I hated to admit that part of me thought that King Henrick could be good. He was charming and handsome, and I had seen no signs of blood magic in his kingdom. The only magic I could feel was that of the other Starblessed.

“The second trial,” King Henrick spoke as he moved in front of the remaining ten Starblessed, and I drew my attention back to his face.

I tried to focus on his words, but my mind kept wandering back to Sorin and the way his hands had lingered on me the night before, the way his words had echoed in my mind long after he left. I couldn't let my emotions get in the way of my mission, not now. Not when so much was at risk.

It was difficult enough to maintain my composure around King Henrick, with his piercing gaze and charming smile, but now I had to do it with the added pressure of knowing that Sorin was watching my every move.

I stole a quick glance in his direction and found him leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. There were many others standing near him. Representatives from different regions within the human kingdom, but I noted no fae. Sorin was watching me with a mix of intensity and something else I couldn't quite place. It was almost as if he wasn't sure whether he wanted me to succeed or fail in my mission.

My breath caught in my throat, but I forced myself to look away, to look as if he meant nothing to me as I looked back at the king.

I was staring at the king as he spoke, yet I was suffocating in Sorin.

"This trial is one of combat," King Henrick spoke, and a heaviness settled in my stomach. "With the many wars that have been happening in our surrounding kingdoms, I need to know that I have a queen at my side who will fight for my land just as I will."

There were so many words that he wasn't saying. So many secrets veiled behind his carefully wielded words.

I knew the moment they asked us to dress in leathers rather than fine dresses that today's trial would be different, but this hadn't been what I expected.

"We will be fighting one another?" one of the girls asked, and her voice shook around every word.

King Henrick stopped, and his lips turned down into a frown.

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