A Power of Old by Bella Forrest

Author:Bella Forrest [Forrest, Bella]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-01-09T00:00:00+00:00

Ash

Lithan and Qentos led the way to the pavilion. The remaining royals, Memenion, Hadalix and the abomination that was Queen Trina, were already gathered and waiting. I tried my hardest to avoid looking at the queen. Whenever I did, pictures of Julian’s malnourished body would flicker through my mind, and I could recall Ruby’s desperate cry for help when Queen Trina’s barrier had come down around the cell. I didn’t want to ever remember Ruby trapped and miserable like that, and I certainly would never let it happen again.

Each of the royals were permitted to bring a maximum of two ministers from their kingdom with them. I had been one of Queen Trina’s advisors, and I looked around to see who had been roped in as my replacement. As we got closer to the pavilion, I recognized a face—it was an older woman, one I’d never really spoken to much, who went by the name of Idiana. She was reputed to be tough, but also extremely intelligent…far more intelligent than the ministers of Hellswan, that was for sure.

Memenion greeted me with a nod as I stepped up to the pavilion, but Hadalix and the ministers ignored me completely. I could almost feel Queen Trina’s gaze on me, no doubt mocking me, but I still refused to look in her direction.

“Kings and Queen of Nevertide.” One of the Impartial Ministers stepped forward. “Today we fly to the Dauoa Forest to commence the trial.”

What?

I heard the sharp inhale of our collective breaths. Had the ministers gone mad?

“What is the meaning of this?” Hadalix bellowed from beneath his arch.

The Impartial Minister didn’t even bother looking in his direction—in fact, he wasn’t looking at any of us, but straight ahead as if we weren’t even there.

“You heard me. The Dauoa Forest. The integrity of the Imperial trials will not be questioned, King Hadalix. Not by any sentry here,” he warned.

“The forest is forbidden!” Hadalix continued, ignoring the minister. “Not a soul has been in there in my lifetime. For good reason!”

“Rumors and myth, Hadalix. Have you let yourself be swayed by common talk?”

The king scoffed, but his face had drained of all its color. The rage was an act—it was mind-numbing fear that was making Hadalix speak as he did, and I didn’t blame him.

I looked at Memenion questioningly. The king returned my gaze with a short shake of his head. Clearly this latest insanity of the ministers made no sense to him either.

“Did you learn nothing from the last time? More bloodshed on your hands—is that what you want?” Hadalix raged.

“We are not going to alter the traditions of centuries just because you are afraid,” the minister replied. Queen Trina laughed cruelly. I hadn’t seen her expression when the minister had announced our destination, but I wondered if she had already known. That, or she thought herself truly so powerful that the Dauoa could not harm her.

My father’s old warning came back to haunt me.

The dead remain to whisper in the trees, boy—never venture into the Dauoa or you’ll come back a half-creature, more demon than man.

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