The Wishing Round (The Queen Trials Book 2) by Penelope Wright

Author:Penelope Wright [Wright, Penelope]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2022-12-31T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

“Ladies,” Pribella says, and finally, her voice has the kind of authoritative note it needs to break through the thick layer of animosity coiling in the air between Snow, Odessa, and myself. “You are all here because you love King Ergondy and he sees enough in you to allow you to remain and continue to try to earn his love in return.”

Wow. How romantic.

I feel my body go limp; I’m no longer tense with rage. Odessa has regained her breath, though she massages her throat where I punched her. In unspoken agreement, she climbs down from our table and reseats herself. I sit, too, and pull Snow, the last one standing, down into the chair beside me.

Pribella glares at the whole room. “There will be time for shows of force later,” she says, every word cut and snipped like it was fresh out of surgery. “But now, if we can all control ourselves…” She pauses for a long moment and stares at me. As if I’m the one who just caused the whole scene. I guess I am the only one who punched somebody – accidentally or not – so I absorb her glare and don’t send her one of my own in return. “I can continue with your orientation and we can discuss what I’m sure you’re all excited about: the Wishing Round.”

The Wishing Round? Something about that sounds slightly familiar and I wrack my brain for the reason why.

Most of the other women wriggle in their seats, obviously excited. They know what she’s talking about, even if I don’t. Pribella walks silently yet dramatically around the room, placing a sheet of paper and a pencil face-down in front of every occupant. At her slow pace, it will take her a good minute or two to get to me.

The Wishing Round, the Wishing Round… I know I’ve heard those words before. Did Snow talk about it in a dream? Or Glory? No, it wasn’t that. My mind flashes through everything I’ve done lately, discarding one event after another, but then I’m picturing myself at the winnowing, before I knew it was a contest. I’m in my stall with Draken, and it feels right. Did he say something about it? No… but the location is correct.

Suddenly, I remember. I see Javarra’s face, in the replay we all watched after the winnowing, and before we stoned the women who failed. I see her up on the Maxscreen in her own stall, pleading with her lover, Garill, the man who tricked her into making the wrong choice and ruining her life.

I can’t remember Javarra’s exact words, but I know the gist of it. I picture her, her face larger than life on the Maxscreen, tears each as big as one of my own hands tumbling down her face while she explains to him why she entered the Queen Trials. “I didn’t want to do it, Garill,” she chokes out. “My mother made me. She said I was the only one in the whole locality who might make it to the Wishing Round, and that I had to do it.

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