He trailed off, his jaw clenched. She wanted so badly to touch him.

“I know,” she told him instead.

“You were marvelous out there, during the race. I’ve never seen that kind of power. Rielle, it was beautiful.”

She could not help but flush with pleasure, despite everything. “They were going to kill you. I couldn’t let that happen.”

He raised an eyebrow. “And I cannot take care of myself?”

“You can, and you did. But—” She fell silent, swallowing her voice.

But if you had died, I couldn’t have borne it.

If you had died, I don’t know what would have happened next. What I would have done to avenge you.

Audric cleared his throat. He seemed to choose his words carefully. “When I saw you riding toward me, I didn’t know that the blood was from your horse. I thought it was yours. You were covered in it, and I thought…” He walked toward her, his gaze lingering on her face, and then looked away.

His presence was like a touch hovering just above her skin. Rielle wanted desperately to lean into it. Bask in it. Claim it.

“You could say thank you,” she finally managed to say. “At the very least.”

“If you promise you won’t terrify me like that again. Or at least give me warning so I can prepare myself.”

“Of course,” she agreed, “if you warn me the next time you plan on getting yourself attacked by assassins.”

He grinned at her. “We did fight well together. I wouldn’t mind doing it again.” Then his expression softened. “Thank you, Rielle.”

She hoped he could not read her face. “What happens now?”

“That’s what I’ve come to tell you,” Audric began, and then the door opened, admitting Ludivine and the guards.

“Did you tell her?” she asked, looking troubled.

“What is it?” Rielle said. “What have they decided?”

“They’re requesting you come back inside at once, Lady Rielle,” said one of the guards.

“Tell my uncle the king that she will attend him momentarily,” Ludivine said, her sweet smile not reaching her eyes. “And if he protests, then you may tell him to bite his tongue or else his niece will hate him for the rest of his days.”

The guard flushed and bowed his head, then retreated into the hall.

“Many in the councils are afraid,” Ludivine told Rielle quickly, “and the king is under tremendous pressure to act before rumors start spiraling out of control and spark a panic. Before…” She paused. “Before anything else happens.”

Before I lose control again, Rielle thought grimly.

“He would not have agreed to this unless he had no other choice,” Ludivine continued.

Rielle’s stomach dropped. “Agreed to what?”

“Seven trials,” Ludivine explained. “One for each element.”

“Tests of your power,” Audric added, “engineered by the Magisterial Council. To ensure you can control your abilities.” He looked away, his mouth twisting bitterly.

Ludivine placed a gentle hand on his arm. “They will not only be testing your control. They will also be testing your loyalty. You must not waver in this, Rielle. One hint of defiance, one glimmer of treachery—”

“What is it, exactly, that they think I’m going to do?” Rielle burst out, an edge of incredulous laughter in her voice. “Defect to Borsvall? Turn around in the middle of a trial and murder the king where he stands?”

“We don’t know what the Blood Queen will do, when she arrives,” Ludivine continued gently. “One with the power to save the world. One with the power to destroy it. One of blood. One of light.”

“I’m already tired of hearing that damned prophecy,” Rielle muttered, and was gratified to see Audric’s tiny smile.

“The point is,” Ludivine pressed on, “that the councils believe you to be one of the Queens. And if they can ensure that you are loyal, that you want only to protect Celdaria, and not destroy it—”

Rielle threw up her hands. “But why in God’s name would I ever want to?”

“Then this will signify to them,” Ludivine said, talking over her, “that whatever the prophecy says, you have made a choice. To protect and not harm. To serve and not betray.”

“And if I choose not to participate in these trials?” Rielle asked, once she had found her voice again.

“Then,” said Ludivine quietly, “they will have no choice but to consider you a threat.”

Rielle stepped back. A cold, sick feeling wound its way through her. “They will kill me.”

“Not as long as I draw breath,” Audric said, his fists clenched.

“I beg your pardon, my lord,” the first guard muttered, uneasily entering the room, “but I delivered Lady Ludivine’s message to the king, and he requests—”

The look Audric threw him was murder. “I know very well what the king requests.” When he at last turned back to Rielle, his gaze was steady. “I won’t allow anyone to harm you. You’ll conquer these trials, and once you’ve convinced everyone—”

“Then I will serve the crown,” Rielle finished for him. Everyone knew the Sun Queen, if she ever arrived, would serve at the pleasure of Celdaria’s rulers. She would lead the kingdom’s armies into battle. Using her power, she would protect the country, protect the Gate.

Protect the king.

“Then you will serve the crown,” Audric agreed.

Someday, he meant, she would serve him—and his queen. She looked to Ludivine and then away.

“My lord,” urged the guard from the door.

“I’m ready,” Rielle said, before Audric could threaten the man further, and led the way back into the hall.

She stood once again before the dais as the councils shifted and settled above her. Her mind danced around the question: How am I feeling right now? I have just been threatened with death.

She recognized she should probably be more upset, but it was all such a wild shift from what her life had been only two days before that she simply felt numb.

I will be tested, she thought.

It will…probably hurt.

Then, slowly trying out the idea: I will show them what I can do.

She considered it. To be sought after instead of hidden away, to protect her country instead of living in fear that she was capable of nothing but hurting people, to be loved instead of hated…