Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 121924 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121924 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
I felt my lips part, a rock forming in my stomach. Now hold on a minute—
“But she is human,” Eacus pointed out.
Exactly. Thank you.
“Her body is, yes,” allowed Minos. “But I truly doubt that the same applies to her soul. Whether or not she is strong enough to survive Xalbia will tell us much.”
To survive what now?
“And I must admit, I am very curious to see if it is possible, or to at least see how far she goes before admitting defeat,” Minos went on.
Eacus frowned. “But if she dies while trying for a place in the Order, the gods may hold us responsible.”
Minos paused. “All we would be doing is what the primordials themselves have done—giving her a chance to be more than what her human skin allows. And let us consider that she is likely a failed experiment. I am unsure it would bother them much if she were to die.”
Rhad stared at me for a long moment. “I suppose that much is true.”
“I want to know what made the primordials choose her,” said Minos. “They must have had a reason.”
“I, too, would like to understand,” admitted Eacus. “Xalbia has a way of highlighting a person’s strengths and weaknesses. She always has the option of bowing out once the trials officially begin. Would you not like to see how long she will last before doing so, Rhad?”
Rhad sighed, his frown easing slightly. “I would. Though it doesn’t seem probable that she will stay beyond the first day.”
My stomach bottomed out. Oh no, this wasn’t good. This wasn’t good at all.
Minos gave a small shrug. “Perhaps not, but do not forget that we have never put a human through Xalbia before. We cannot know.”
“And if she survives but admits defeat, what do we do with her then?” asked Rhad.
Eacus twisted his mouth. “It is possible that the gods sent her here for a reason. Perhaps they want us to continue the experiment that they began. There are many tests that we could do to uncover just what they were up to when they anointed her.”
Minos gave a slow nod. “Agreed.”
Rhad, too, nodded.
Oh, fuck. I opened my mouth to protest, but the look on Minos’ face made my words die on my tongue. I could tell by his expression that those words would fall on deaf ears. His mind was made up. And I, as a mere human, had no right to request that he change it.
“You will go with Talon, Ajax, and the godkin offerings,” Minos told me. His gaze cut to Talon. “Watch her closely. Report her progress—or lack thereof—back to us.” His attention settled on the human offerings. “Follow Ariadne; she will assign some of you duties. The rest of you … well, let us say that another fate awaits you.”
My gut twisted painfully, because it seemed all too possible that the other ‘fate’ involved a labyrinth and a minotaur. Oh, gods.
Ariadne’s mouth set into a placid smile. “This way,” she called out before turning and walking away.
The humans began to follow her, their expressions ranging from extreme panic to utter despair.
I cast a weak smile at Aurelia and Kemp—both of whom now looked ill—and sent up a silent prayer to Hellyne to keep them safe.
With no other choice, I fell into step behind the Phoenixian godkin as they trailed after Talon and Ajax. My heart still working overtime, I silently cursed several times, clenching my clammy hands.
At least you’re not being dumped in a minotaur-inhabited labyrinth.
Well there was that. But was being made to try out for the Black Tapestry any better? Not if the behavior of the Sovereigns was anything to go by. And being an officiate seemed like something of a dark fate.
Still, while I had absolutely no wish to join the Order, I had no interest in the alternatives: that being a lethal defeat at the hands of Xalbia, whatever that was, or being subjected to whatever ‘tests’ the Sovereigns had in mind.
In sum, I was well and truly fucked.
CHAPTER THREE
Outside the tower, I drew in a mound of fresh air and took a centering breath. It didn’t do much to steady me, though. My nerves were so shot that my skin prickled, and the cobwebs of panic in my mind were making it difficult for me to think.
I had been prepared for the Sovereigns to toss me into a situation where my death might well be imminent, given the whole minotaur story. But I would never once have dreamed that they’d so much as suggest I enlist in the Black Tapestry, let alone in an attempt to test my ability to survive … whatever Xalbia happened to be. I just couldn’t wrap my head around it all.
Atticus tossed an amused look at me over his shoulder and then whispered something to Seneca and Bevan. They snickered, clearly entertained by my little predicament.