Tournament by Kaye Draper

Author:Kaye Draper [Kaye Draper]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-01-10T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 24

The last challenge of the tournament was upon us faster than I thought possible, and yet, it felt like it had been ages since I left Larkwood, rather than a little over one action-packed month. I wanted to get back to my comfortable, quiet home. I missed the interactions I had with the residents of the place I had stewardship over. I missed my work, and my play, and the feeling of home.

But I was afraid that when I did finally return home, all of that would be changed. Larkwood would suddenly grow into a thriving part of the kingdom, and my home would no longer be just my home. It would also be home to a handful of men who, all things considered, I barely knew. I had a feeling my comfortable, quiet way of life was about to disappear forever.

However, I had a duty to my people. The people of my hometown of Mistvale, and all of Larkwood. I was their steward, the voice of the king and queen. I took their trust in me seriously. Whatever changes came my way, I would handle them the way my father and both my mothers had raised me to, with dignity and level-headedness.

Still, I was unsettled as I rode out of Brightfall and toward the Untamed Wood, where the final challenge would take place. I knew in my soul exactly who I wanted to win this silly tournament, but I feared my choice in the matter might be overruled if things didn't go well. Or if the men of Raven team didn't meet whatever goals the king and queen of Elfhaven clearly had in mind.

I knew I was caught up in some kind of political machination. It was just the way things were. The king and queen could be frustratingly mysterious about things sometimes. I trusted Ama's parents to take my best interests into consideration and lookout for my welfare along with whatever other schemes they were involved in. I just didn't know if what they thought was best for me would match up with my own thoughts on the matter.

Sighing, I let Balefire have his head as I watched the dense, impenetrable ancient growth of the Untamed Wood draw near. There were plenty of ominous tales about the sacred forest on the outskirts of the capital, but most of them were blown out of proportion. While there were dangers to be found there, just as in any other truly wild place. But you could avoid most of those dangers if you honored the nature spirits who called the forest their home.

All the small, powerful, and sometimes mercurial things that humans called "fairies" tended to gather in the ancient wild places, away from the people-shaped fae and the magicless humans who shared our kingdom. Some humans couldn't even see the wee folk, as they called them when they lumped all the not-so-human looking magical beings together—though most were by no means small. But even the completely magic-blind among the

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