Enter the Frey

Chapter 14

Selena slipped into the castle via one of the higher windows. The break-in was not as difficult as she’d anticipated since the castle had little in the way of security. There were, however, a vast number of servants milling about the property. These wouldn’t provide too much of an issue, but to avoid having to hurting anybody Selena decided to slip into stealth mode. She had the ability to become almost invisible at will, for limited bursts of time. 

Her intention was to check in on Adam. In all honestly, she found the idea of him alone with the beautiful princess was getting under her skin more than she’d care to admit. As she slipped through the cold, dark hallways—lit up only by sporadically placed torches—Selena overheard the echoes of a conversation.

“It will be fine,” a woman whispered. “I will ensure the trails are suited to your skills and find alternate ways to eliminate the competition if I have to.”

A male voice sighed, “I have a bad feeling about this plan.”

“Trust me as I trust in your strength and skill,” the woman assured. “My plan is foolproof. Pretty soon we will rule over this land.”

“Why is the Elven Prince here?” the male questioned.

“The councilmen are to blame,” she sighed. “They wouldn’t hear of a prince sharing bread with commoners. I had no choice. There is nothing between he and I.”

‘So, the princess is going to try to rig the competition,’ Selena thought. ‘But at least she’s not trying any funny business with Adam.’

She slid past the open room and down the hall until she found another lit up room. Not wanting to startle him, she gently touched Adam on the arm while whispering his name.

“Lena,” he cried, jumping a little before beaming a smile at her. “I have no idea what I’m doing here.”

“Lena?” she frowned.

“Sorry,” Adam scratched his head. “I’m always giving people nicknames.”

“Oh,” she said. “No… I like it. Nobody ever gave me a name before.”

“What have you guys been doing? Did you find anything out?” Adam asked.

Selena gave him brief details of the events of the day, filling him in on their failure to get any real intel, until overhearing the princess.

“Wow, what a b***h,” Adam screwed up his face. “And she said she wanted me to enter. Why? So she could rig it for me to lose?”

Adam paced the room angrily as he spoke. It didn’t seem as though he was getting on too well with the princess. This thought made Selena a little warmer inside. She was dreading venturing back out into the cold, dark night. 

“Well… I should get back—”

“No,” Adam grabbed her hand. “It’s freezing out and Ziel took your cape. You should stay here. She’s busy with Prince Theo so I’m sure she won’t bother me till morning.”

Adam pulled her into the bed, and it became to difficult to say no to the warm, comforting bedsheets as they enveloped her cold flesh.

“You’re so cold,” Adam mithered, rubbing her legs to generate warmth through friction. “Here, steal my body heat.”

He wrapped her up in a manner he called ‘spooning’ with his arms crossed over her chest. As they lay together, waiting for their body temperatures to homogenise, Adam told her stories about his homeworld. About school, and family life and bullies. It sounded so strange and foreign, to live in a world with some basic level of safety and peace. 

Eventually, he fell asleep, and she nestled into him, trying to get a couple of hours of rest before dawn.

###

Selena woke just before the sun was due to rise. She wiggled free of Adam’s embrace and slid from the bed, planning to be out before the servants rose. 

‘Too late,’ she thought, as she edged into a hallway that bustled with life and noise. It seemed preposterous that one woman could need all of these to tend to her. Women carrying jugs of water, piles of blankets and platters of fruit. 

‘While people are starving in the streets,’ Selena sighed. She didn’t like this princess one bit, and it wasn’t just because the woman was clearly trying to seduce Adam. Greed, grand social status and gluttony were not qualities Selena rated highly. If the people in power had any morals or ethics, the world wouldn’t be at war and people wouldn’t be suffering for it.

Using her smokescreen ability, she whisked lightly past them, eluding their sight. Scaling the wall of the castle was a breeze as the uneven brickwork made for easy climbing. When she reached the bottom, Selena dashed back to the town centre to locate the others. Hopefully, they would be sleeping in the abandoned barn she’d left them at. 

A mile or so from the tree-lined embankment she found the dilapidated barn. Darian, Jack, and Aim were still sleeping in a pile on the hay. When her presence woke Jack, he jumped up like a startled rabbit, with hay sticking to the sweat on his face. 

He poked the others gently, stirring them back to reality from whatever dreams they might have been having. 

“Come on,” Jack said. “Day one of the tournament starts soon.”

They gathered their belongings with lacklustre sighs as they brushed off the hay and straw. That was as much of a hygiene schedule as they could afford, given their lodging situation. With no running water, they would have to stop off at the river if they wanted to bathe. Though, Selena figured the guys wouldn’t be too worried about their various odours, given they were due to spend the day in a crowd of equally unwashed masses. 

They were among the first to arrive at the arena, so made sure they grabbed seats close to the front. That way they would be able to communicate with Ziel if they needed to—in theory.

“Now, we being day one of the trails—a battle royal between the forty-four contestants. Only the top five strongest men will be left standing!” a commentator announced before a scantily clad woman led the warriors onto the stage. 

“This stage will act as the ring. All who are killed, knocked out of the ring, or rendered unable to fight are disqualified. This is the only rule!” the announcer shouted. The crowds cheered as they saw their favourite fighters emerge from backstage. 

Aim whooped and cheered when Ziel appeared, jumping up out of her seat to wave at him. He gave her an embarrassed nod and motioned for her to sit, which she did while smiling like a loon. 

“Begin!” the guy shouted, and after taking a second to size up the opponents, one of the larger men began to sweep his arms wildly, knocking smaller warriors from the ring. Prince Theo ducked out of his way, spun behind him and loped his head off in one swing of his sword.

“Ouch,” the girls cried in unison, wincing at the b****y scene. It didn’t seem to bother Jack or Darian, who were both paying more attention to the cheerleaders making their way up the aisle toward the stage. One of them made eye contact with Darian and winked as she passed.

As the fight continued, becoming increasingly b****y and gruesome, Selena watched through her splayed fingers. Though a professional assassin, she did not thirst for the sight of blood like her companions who were now sat forward on their seats, transfixed with white knuckles grasping the chair arms. 

“There’s no way Ziel will get knocked out,” Jack commented. 

“That prince guy looks a pretty solid contender as well,” Darian input. Neither could peel their eyes from the stage.

Aim, on the other hand, had lost all interest in the fighting. She was waving her hand wildly, trying to get the attention of a food vendor with little success. 

“Is it just me?” Selena asked, “Or is Ziel working with that other guy?”

“Yeah,” Jack laughed. “He seems to be. I just never pictured Ziel as a team player… being a member of his team and all.”

Ziel was linking arms with the shorter, rag-wearing fighter who’d sighed up just before him yesterday. They used their joint stance to see in all directions and anticipate attacks from all sides. There were no rules, and five people had to get thought the round, so it made sense to team up with other strong fighters rather than try to pick them off. Ziel was clever enough to realise this. 

In a flurry of kicks and shoves, the team of two managed to all but clear out the stage. A mammoth of a man remained, picking up smaller fighters by their heads and tossing them about like ragdolls. The valorous looking prince, a tall dual-sword-wielding warrior and a fellow assassin were the only others remaining. One of them had to go. The prince turned toward Ziel and his companion, obviously figured it was easier to pick off a single target and went for the assassin. A short scuffle later and the assassin was laid out at the feet of the prince and the announcer was booming the results.

The five fighters lined up on the stage, waiting to be led to the next part of the trial—the obstacle course. The cheers from the crowd were deafening as they moved toward the start of the course. Ziel pushed his way to the front in typical Ziel style, and Selena got the feeling the other fighters were happy for him to take the first try.

“Now is time to place your bets on your favourite to win!” the announcer cried. “We have Prince Theo, Ziel the Halfight, Krag the giant, Jaxon the warrior and this guy… what’s your name again?”

“Leon,” the peasant fighter said quietly.

“There you have it, folks! These five brave fighters will run the gauntlet at increasing pace until only two remain.”

A series of spinning logs set above metal spikes and surrounded by boulders on ropes compiled the first portion of the course. Ziel shot across with ease, followed but the prince, the warrior and the ragged guy who moved so fast you could blink and miss it.

“Woah, that guy has some serious speed,” Selena gasped.

“Hmm, he might be an issue,” Jack agreed.

The big guy was the last to edge onto the logs with more trepidation than the others. His lumbering frame wasn’t designed for feats of nimble agility. He took two steps and slipped from the rotating log, falling arse first into the spikes below.

“Ooo, Krag is eliminated!” the caller announced. An entire section of the crowd fell into despair, throwing their betting slips into the mud and booing.

The next portion of the assault course was a series of moving blocks, set above a stream of lava. They interlocked and moved in seemly random patterns, impossible to predict. Yet, Prince Theo seemed to have no trouble anticipating their movements and made it across with ease. Leon took one look at the blocks, gazed over at the platform and took an enormous leap.  

“What the heck?” Darian cried. “Nobody can jump that far!”

“That was pretty mad,” Aim agreed.

Next, it was Ziel’s turn to take the leap. He jumped onto the first block, tried to dash to the next and mistimed it, falling into the lava.

“No!” Selena cried, jumping from her seat. 

The unthinkable had happened. Ziel was gone. She should be happy to be free of his binding spell… and yet…

With a gurgling slosh, Ziel emerged from the lava and wiped the boiling liquid from his form, almost splashing it into the crowd. He growled, turned to the structure of the assault course, and began to kick away at it—bringing it crashing down into the lava.

“And Ziel is out of the running, Folks! He seems pretty mad about it,” the guy announced. Ziel gave him a look that might have turned a less confident man to stone.

As the other three contestants continued along the gauntlet, Ziel stomped over to them.

“I swear, this thing is fixed!” Ziel growled. 

“Oh... I thought you were a goner for sure!” Aim cried, throwing herself into his arms. “What do we do now?”

“The clue only said we have to enter the contest and take the princess’s hand…” Selena reminded them. “She likes Adam. Maybe he can convince her to run off and marry him.”

“Do you really think he has the charms to seduce her?” Ziel scoffed. “I think I’d have more luck.”

Selena smiled but said nothing. There was nothing remotely charming about Ziel. Yes, he was attractive, and he had the mysterious halfight thing going for him, but as soon as he opened his mouth his foul personality dampened any feelings one might develop for him. 

“She really does like Adam. I’ll sneak into the castle later. See what we can do about it,” Selena offered. 

“Whatever,” Ziel huffed. He jumped over the gate and took a seat beside them, ignoring the startled looks from the crowd members at their sides.

“Lava doesn’t kill you?” Selena asked. She realised it was pointing out the obvious, but the fact deserved mentioning.

“I’m not so easy to kill,” Ziel grinned.

While she was distracted, Selena missed out on the action. Hearing the cry of the judicator announce the final two contestants as Prince Theo and Leon meant Jaxon the warrior must have been eliminated. 

The two fighters stood on the stage, the prince posing and the peasant kid looking uncomfortable. Their metal would be tested in a head to head contest that afternoon, for now, the crowd was encouraged to eat, drink and partake in the merriments of the celebration. 

“In a few short hours, we will find out which of these brave heroes will win the prize of three hundred gold coins and the hand of our beautiful princess Grielda,” was his closing statement.

“Prize money too,” Aim sighed. “That would have been nice.”

Ziel stared daggers at her, but she appeared not to notice, too saddened and distracted by the sound of all those coins slipping out of her hands. 

The group moved with the crowd as they dissipated from the stands, moving towards the sounds of music and child’s laughter and the smells of sizzling meat fat, spices and ale. A rumble in her stomach led Selena by the nose to the nearest food vendor, a cheerful woman selling an assortment of meats on sticks.

Reading the prices, and seeing they were fair, Selena passed the woman six coppers and took three of the rabbit sticks. She ripped off the meat with her teeth as she weaved in and out of the crowd, staying on the outskirts of her group. When they stopped at the tavern, Selena rejoined the group and Ziel sent her to the bar for drinks. A couple of patrons at the bar were discussing their bets.

“It’s going to be Price Theo,” one sighed. “There’s no use betting on the other guy. The whole damn thing is a fix.”

“Yeah, but did you see how Leon moved? How can a guy like that lose?” his friend replied.

“Grielda will find a way to ensure it. Even if she has to kill him herself,” the man said with a hearty laugh.

“People around here are saying this thing is fixed,” Selena told the group as she returned, drinks in hand. 

“Yeah,” Ziel motioned at the people on the next table. “I’m starting to think it’s common knowledge.”

After gulping down the ale and wiping the foam from her lips, Selena announced her intention to go and see Adam. He was currently their only hope of passing this trial.

The princess was awaiting her betrothed inside the building behind the gauntlet—a location heavily guarded by guys with swords. Selena was willing to bet Adam was with her. Getting inside might prove difficult if she wasn’t quite as sneaky. Using her fade ability, she slipped past the guards and tagged along with a group of serving maids holding plates of food.

Just before they arrived at the table Selena slinked off, hiding behind a wooden cabinet filled with dusty books and old papers. She could see the princess seated at the head of the table, Adam to her right and the two candidates to her left.

The servants poured drinks and placed mounds of food onto platters. As Prince Theo and Princess Grielda dug in, spooning generous piles onto their plates, Adam and Leon sat quietly. Adam picked at a pile of grapes with little interest and the other guy ate nothing at all.

“Is our food not up to your standards?” Grielda asked Leon, her voice laced with sarcasm and disdain. 

“I don’t eat,” Leon said. He didn’t explain this further and nobody cared to probe him.

The princess and prince made pleasant conversation, like two old friends. They made no attempt to include the other guests and Adam looked happy to be left out. His expression suggested he cared little for the princess, which could be an issue, considering the context of her plan. 

Once they had finished the princess asked Prince Theo to join her in her room to show him something. Adam and Leon exchanged knowing looks, smiling slyly as the royal couple excused themselves. Curiosity got the better of her, and Selena slunk after them, keeping to the shadows and staying a few steps behind.

Once alone, the princess spoke in a whisper. “Is this peasant going to be an issue for you?”

“Honestly? He’s stronger and faster than I can even conceive of. I figured the halfight would give me the most trouble. This peasant boy shouldn’t be able to do the things he can do,” Prince Theo sighed.

“I shall have to devise a further test. One of intelligence rather than strength. Of course, you will be privy to the answers beforehand,” Princess Grielda smirked, and planted a kiss on his cheek. 

“You are amazing my Queen,” he whispered.

With a smug grin, the princess led him back to the dining room where Adam was now locked in a conversation with Leon.

“Oh, you two have found some common ground to discuss?” Princess Grielda asked, eyebrows raised.

“Leon was just telling me about his farm. He tells me you will be living there with him once he takes your hand in marriage. Palace life isn’t his cup of tea,” Adam smiled.

Selena covered her hand to conceal her laughter at the princess’s expression. She looked even more desperate to rig the contest in favour of her prince. 

“How… lovely,” she faked a smile before declaring it was time for the competition to continue. Luckily, Adam was at the back of the group as they departed, making it easy for Selena to pluck him to the side. They ducked into one of the many rooms of the dusty old building.

“Selena,” he whispered. “Do you lot have a plan?”

“Well, we realised that the clue only said we had to enter the competition and take her hand… so if one of us marries her we might still pass the trial,” Selena explained.

Adam grimaced. “Oh, no,” he shook his head. “I can’t marry that… thing.”

Selena couldn’t help but laugh in relief. “I know, she’s awful, and she is rigging this whole thing in favour of Theo. But you are beautiful and your royalty. She might go for it if you start being nice to her.”

“It may have escaped your notice,” Adam joked. “But I’m not exactly Mr. Smooth.”

“What?” Selena frowned. Sometimes Adam said things that made very little sense. Idioms from his homeworld. 

“I mean… I am not adept at wooing the object of my desire… so how am I supposed to fake it with that glutenous witch?” Adam clarified.

“Oh,” Selena laughed. “Can you try? Please, Adam, you are really our last hope here.”

She gave him the big, sad eyes and pressed her hands together in a pleading gesture. Eventually, he sighed and gave in, nodding his head in agreement with her plan.

“I really don’t like being the linchpin of the operation. It makes me nervous,” Adam complained.

“You can do this. You’re beautiful. And amazing. What sane person could possibly say no to you?” Selena gushed. She was basically telling him how she felt about him, but his confidence in himself sat so low he wouldn’t notice or even believe her.

He smiled a shaky smile and promised to do his best. He turned right out of the front door, intent on following the princess, but a group of townspeople blocked him.

“You!” a young man shouted. “You’re the reason my sister was killed.”

“Erm…” Adam frowned, looking to Selena with his shoulders raised in question.

“What are you talking about?” Selena asked man, eyeing the horde of angry villagers at his back.

“My sister Violet… she worked in the palace. Today she was stoned for death for daring to look at your precious Prince,” the man spat. Selena could see he was holding back tears, as were his companions.

“Oh, my word!” Adam cried. “No… I thought she was joking about that. No. She didn’t,” Adam stuttered, covering his face as he staggered about, almost falling over in shock. “No. This can’t be happening.”

When Adam began to cry the pent-up tension and testosterone of the mob eased slightly 

“She’s a monster,” Adam shook his head. “I can’t ask her to marry me. I just can’t.”

“We’ll think if something else,” Selena assured him, taking his hand.

“It’s every couple of weeks,” one of the villagers spoke up. “She finds some excuse to put a young maid to death. It’s only gotten worse since the King and Queen were killed.”

“How did they die?” Selena asked.

“Dragon attack,” the man sighed. “They have been getting pretty frequent. Hence why we are recruiting for a champion to become King at her side. But she is only interested in getting Prince Theo into her bed.”

“Yeah this thing is rigged,” Selena said, trying to incite a riot. “I overheard her planning it with Theo.”

Her plan worked as intended, as the mob grew and expanded, beginning a march on the stage. Their shouts attracted attention from other onlookers, who quickly became embroiled in their angry protest.

As they cornered the princess and her champions, shouting their accusations, the princess ordered Theo to kill them. He took up his sword, but as he went to swing, he was knocked fifty feet into the air by a blast from Adam. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Adam panting with rage. He was clearly having trouble controlling the power inside him, as it crackled and sparked off his hands and arms.

She put out a hand to steady him. Reassure him.

It seemed to be working.

“Save me,” the princes cried, hiding behind Leon. “You are my Betrothed by default. You must protect me.”

The young lad turned to her, face uncertain.

“She was going to throw you under the bus,” Ziel told Leon as he jumped up on to the stage. “Honestly, I don’t think I can take you in a fair fight. But I can transform. I don’t want to.”

The palace guards had arrived, but hearing Ziel’s threat, they hesitated to jump in. That small moment of hesitation was all the indication the crowd needed to jump on them, pulling them into a full-on brawl and away from the centre stage.

Ignoring the ruckus, Ziel focused only on the real threat. He threw up his hands in surrender, trying to reason with the young man.

“I can’t let you hurt a woman,” Leon said.

“She kills other women,” a villager shouted. 

“She had my sister stoned to death!” another shouted.

“They were just peasants,” Grielda spat.

Leon turned to face her slowly. “I am a peasant.”

He took a step back from her, peeling her hands from his chest as he did so.

“Please. Don’t let them hurt me. Leon. You aren’t a peasant any longer. You are my King,” she cried.

“I was reading over the clue,” Ziel said with a wicked grin. “And I noticed the wording. It only says we must take your hand. No marriage mentioned.”

“No, no, no,” Grielda repeated, shaking her head as Ziel loomed over her. She fainted when his blade severed her hand, but with medical attention, she would survive. Ziel handed her over to Leon.

“Are you going to make her live out her life on your farm as you said at dinner?” Selena asked. It seemed a fitting end for the princess. She might even learn some humility.

“Yes, she can help me raise livestock for the villagers she’s wronged,” Leon confirmed.

“Did it work?” Jack asked Ziel, buzzing about him like a fly. “Did the next clue appear on the scroll?”

Ziel looked down at the scroll and winced. “Yes, but you aren’t going to like it.”