The following days blurred together, history lessons, dress fittings, learning the ways of the Royal Court. Lyria was overwhelmed. Sitting at the dinner table after an exhausting day, during which she had been asked to recite the names of all thirty packs in the Wolf Kingdom, and had been taunted mercilessly by Aidria for forgetting to name her own pack, she played with her food. It was a sumptuous looking roast, but she simply had no appetite whatsoever.
“You should eat,” Ravelina said, sitting next to her. On her other side sat Aertis, since this was an informal dinner and not a part of the contest. “You need to stay strong for the competition,” she added.
“Why?” Aertis asked, leaning over and stealing a potato slice off of Lyria’s plate.
“We don’t know what the challenges will be, i
