Chapter Nineteen

The arena looked completely different compared to an hour ago, for one, the once-empty bleachers were now occupied by a wild throng of spectators. The throne wasn't empty anymore, the Queen dowager sat regally on one of the golden chairs, the other was left vacant. My eyes flickered to the field where we would be competing, the dias was now decorated with golden and silver ribbons, and Lady Calloway stood at the center, microphone in hand.

"Goddess, we're doing this in front of a crowd?" Paige's soft voice reached my ears and I turned to her.

She still looked nervous, and I tried for an encouraging smile but my lips were trembling too much to be anything resembling convincing. I took a deep breath as we walked further into the enormous field, I'd lost sight of Cora and the rest of the girls during our run here.

My eyes scanned the raving crowd, they looked pumped up for this, some even carrying banners. One group had been singing some songs I didn't recognize when we arrived. Oth