"Impressive," the Queen said, sounding genuinely surprised. "Most humans break within hours. You lasted the entire night with your mind intact and your magic holding."
"Where's Draven?" Elaria demanded.
"Completing his own trial. He's fine. Passed with equal success, though he was considerably angrier about it than you were." The Queen waved her hand, and suddenly Elaria could feel the bond again.
Relief flooded through her as Draven's consciousness rushed back into her awareness. He was alive. Whole. Furious, but unhurt.
"Challenge one complete," the Queen announced. "Challenge two begins now."
The platform beneath them transformed. Suddenly they were standing in what looked like Astoria's throne room. But wrong. Everything was dark, twisted, covered in shadow and corruption.
And on
