CHAPTER 6

Aria POV

"All competitors will now enter the Great Hall!"

The guard's voice hit me like cold water. My heart jumped so fast I thought it might break out of my chest. This was it. The opening ceremony of the Royal Competition.

I can do this. I have to do this. There's no going back now.

Women moved all around me. They walked like queens already. Heads high. Backs straight. Like they owned this place. Like they were born for this.

Me? I felt like I might throw up all over my new dress.

"Move it, Blackwood."

Vivian's voice cut through my thoughts like a knife. She pushed past me hard. Her shoulder hit mine and I almost fell.

"Try not to trip on your way in," she said. Her smile was so sweet it made me sick. "It would be so sad for your pathetic little pack."

I wanted to say something back. Something smart. Something that would wipe that smile off her face. But my mind was empty. Just like my father always said. Empty and useless.

No. Stop it. Stop thinking like that.

I took a deep breath and walked into the Great Hall. And then I forgot how to breathe.

It was huge. Bigger than anything I'd ever seen. Gold lights hung from a ceiling so high I couldn't see where it ended. Rich people sat everywhere. Important people. Pack leaders in fancy clothes. Women in jewels that cost more than my whole house.

And at the front of it all, two big chairs made of gold and red velvet.

Thrones. Empty thrones.

Good. The kings aren't here yet. Maybe I can get through this without looking at them. Maybe I can pretend everything is normal.

Who am I kidding? Nothing about this is normal.

"Competitors, stand in the center of the hall!" A woman with a list told us where to go. She looked bored. Like she did this every day.

I counted the women around me. Fifty. Fifty women who all wanted to be Luna. Fifty women who all thought they deserved to be queen.

And then there was me. The girl who killed her mother being born. The girl who was told she was nothing her whole life. The girl whose father hit her and called her a mistake.

What am I doing here? I don't belong with these women. I don't belong anywhere.

I found a spot near the back. Far from Vivian. Far from everyone. Maybe if I made myself small enough, no one would notice me.

Luna caught my eye from where she stood with the other guests. She gave me a thumbs up and a big smile. I tried to smile back. It probably looked like I was in pain.

"You look like you're about to pass out."

I turned. Willow stood next to me. The young witch with the dark eyes.

"I'm fine," I lied.

"Your hands are shaking. And your face is white as paper."

I looked down at my hands. She was right. I hid them behind my back fast.

"Don't worry," Willow said. Her voice was almost kind. "Today is just talking. Standing around. Looking pretty. The hard stuff comes later."

Later. Right. When I have to fight against all these women. When I have to prove I'm worth something.

Am I worth something? Or is my father right about me?

Before I could answer my own horrible question, the horns blew. Loud and long. The whole hall went silent at once.

"Presenting Their Royal Majesties, King Orion and King Darius!"

The big doors at the front opened. And there they were.

My breath stopped. My whole body went stiff. Even from far away, seeing them hit me like a punch in the gut.

King Orion walked on the left. Green eyes that seemed to see everything. He moved like a hunter looking for prey. All power and danger hiding behind a handsome face.

King Darius walked on the right. Blue eyes so dark they were almost black. Cold. Calm. Like a winter storm that could kill you before you knew it was coming.

Fire and ice. Both of them. Both mine.

My wolf woke up inside me. She started howling like crazy. Mate. Mate. MATE.

Stop! I screamed at her in my head. Not here! Not now! Are you trying to get us killed?

She didn't listen. She never listened.

The kings sat on their thrones. Their faces showed nothing. Like they were made of stone.

Blake stepped forward. "Welcome to the Royal Competition. For three months, these fifty women will compete for the highest honor in our kingdom. The winner will become Luna. She will rule beside our kings."

Rule beside them. Both of them.

Did these women know what that really meant? Did they understand that the kings were a package deal?

"The competition will have five trials," Blake continued. "The Trial of Strength. The Trial of Wisdom. The Trial of Heart. The Trial of Spirit. And the Final Trial, which will only be revealed to those who make it that far."

Five trials. Three months. One winner.

My stomach hurt so bad I wanted to double over.

"After each trial, some competitors will be sent home," Blake said. "Only the strongest. The wisest. The most worthy will remain. Now, each competitor will come forward. State your name. State your pack. And bow to Their Majesties."

Names were called. One by one. Women walked forward like they were floating. They bowed deep and perfect. They smiled their best smiles.

I watched Vivian go up. Her bow was so low her hair touched the floor. Her smile was so sweet it could give you a toothache.

"Vivian Knox," she said in a voice like honey. "Daughter of Royal Beta Knox. Crescent Moon Pack. It is my greatest honor to stand before you, Your Majesties."

The kings barely moved. A tiny nod from Darius. Nothing at all from Orion. Not even a blink.

Vivian's smile cracked. Just for a second. Then she walked back to her spot, her perfect face hiding her anger.

Ha. Even she can't impress them. Maybe there's hope for the rest of us.

Or maybe not. Because now more names were being called. More women. And my hands got more and more wet with sweat.

"Aria Blackwood!"

Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no.

My legs felt like rocks as I walked forward. Each step was hard. The distance between me and the thrones seemed to stretch forever. I could feel everyone watching me. Judging me.

Don't look at them. Don't look at them. Whatever you do, don't look at—

I looked.

King Orion's eyes met mine. His body went stiff like someone had stabbed him. His hands grabbed the throne arms so tight his knuckles turned white.

And his eyes... oh goddess, his eyes.

They flashed gold. Bright, burning gold. His wolf was trying to come out.

No! This can't be happening!

I looked at King Darius instead. But it was the same. His dark blue eyes were turning gold too. I heard wood crack under his fingers. He was breaking the throne with his bare hands.

Not here. Not in front of everyone. Please, please, please...

I dropped into a bow so fast I almost fell. Hid my face from everyone.

"Aria Blackwood," I said. My voice shook but I got the words out. "Blackwood Pack."

Silence.

The whole room was dead silent. Not a whisper. Not a breath. I could feel hundreds of eyes on me. On the kings. Everyone trying to figure out what just happened.

"You may return to your place," Blake finally said. His voice sounded strange. Tight. Like he was confused too.

I practically ran back to my spot. My face was burning hot. My heart was going so crazy I thought I might die.

The whispers started right away. Like a wave of snakes hissing.

"Did you see that?"

"Their eyes changed..."

"Who is that girl?"

"Nobody. Just some nobody from a small pack."

"But the kings... did you see how they looked at her? Like they wanted to..."

I found Vivian in the crowd. She was staring at me. Her eyes were small. Mean. Her brain was working hard behind those pretty eyes.

She saw everything. And she wasn't going to forget it.

This is bad. This is very, very bad.

The rest of the ceremony was a blur. More names. More women. But I didn't hear any of it. All I could think about was what happened. What everyone saw. What everyone would think.

The kings told me to forget. To act normal. To focus on the competition. But how could I do that when their wolves tried to claim me in front of the whole kingdom?

When it finally ended, I tried to slip out fast. Get away from the eyes. From the whispers. From everything.

A hand grabbed my arm. Nails dug into my skin like claws.

"Not so fast, Blackwood."

Vivian. Of course it was Vivian.

"Let go of me," I said.

"Not until you answer my questions." Her smile was sharp as broken glass. "What was that little moment with the kings? You know them? Met them before?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Liar." She leaned so close I could smell her expensive perfume. "I saw their eyes change. Gold. Like their wolves were fighting to get out. I saw the way they looked at you. Like they wanted to eat you alive right there on the floor."

"You're seeing things."

"No. Something is going on between you and them. And I will find out what it is." She squeezed my arm harder. Her nails broke skin. "Enjoy this competition while you can, Blackwood. Because when I learn your dirty little secret? You're finished."

She let go and walked away. Her red dress swished behind her like a warning flag.

I stood there shaking. Blood ran down my arm where her nails cut me.

This was supposed to be my chance. My one chance to prove I was worth something. And instead I was becoming the center of attention for all the wrong reasons.

I looked toward the front of the hall. The kings were talking to some nobles. Pretending nothing happened.

Like he felt my eyes, King Darius turned his head. Our eyes met for just one second.

His face showed nothing. Cold as always. Ice king through and through.

But under that ice, deep in his dark blue eyes, I saw something that made my blood run cold.

Fear. He was afraid.

A king who feared nothing... was scared.

I looked away fast and hurried out of the hall.

But at the door, I saw her. Seraphina. The head witch. She stood with her daughters, her silver eyes fixed on me like I was the most interesting thing in the room.

She leaned toward Willow and the other one. Whispered something quiet.

Both of them turned to stare at me. Their eyes went wide. Shocked. Like she had just told them something impossible.

What did she say?

What did she know?