* * *
Team Phoenix sat nervously in their seats, fidgeting, as most of the other Teams in the Arena Court were. This was it—judgment day.
Ryssa was probably more on edge than any of them, but she had underestimated the support she’d received from her teammates. Moira and Jet had come up with a plan to get her out of New Faery if the Lia Fial eliminated Team Phoenix, and if the elders decided to turn her over to the Slaugh. The rest of the Team backed them up without hesitation. It was tempting, and the thought of her teammates’ support brought tears to her eyes—but she’d refused them, much to Reggie’s dismay.
“If what I did was wrong, do you honestly think I could live with myself? Knowing I could seriously screw up and hurt someone?”
Now, looking around the Arena Court at all of Faery, Ryssa knew it had been the right decision. Even so, she felt as though she was on display. The crowd might be staring at the whole Team, but she only felt them staring at her—or blatantly refusing to look in her direction at all.
“I feel like a mutant,” she whispered.
Moira squeezed her hand in reassurance. “Maybe they’re looking at you like a Homecoming Queen—literally.”
“Yeah, right. The Homecoming Queen who shows up to the dance with a big zit on her forehead.”
The center of the platform rose. Queen Medwyn was standing upon it as she had before—on the Lia Fial, next to the cauldron, surrounded by the brown-robed elders from the Hall of Futures. The elders stepped off of the Stone of Destiny and took their places at the edge of the platform.
“I could drag this out.” Queen Medwyn smiled mockingly to the throngs of Fey that filled the seats around the Arena Court. She stopped the groans starting around the room with a raised hand. “But I won’t. I think we are all very curious to see what the outcome of this year’s trials has brought us.”
Ryssa snorted in disgust. Curious—now that was an understatement. She looked over at Kyellin, who nodded coolly. No encouragement there. She scratched the palms of her hands, which had suddenly become itchy and sweaty.
“So, Counselors,” Queen Medwyn commanded. “Bring your Teams down and collect the heartstones.”
There was murmuring and the sounds of shuffling feet as the Teams rose from their seats and hesitantly moved forward to take their places. One by one the heartstones were turned over to the Counselors. Aurelius took an extra moment in front of Ryssa to squeeze her hand as he took hers. His look of pride gave her the strength to keep standing, although her knees had locked and the room seemed overwhelmingly warm. She couldn’t remember being this nervous in her whole life.
The Counselors took their places at the heads of their respective Teams, and Queen Medwyn began the calling.
“Team Firefly.”
Skye Windcall stepped forward. Ryssa thought she looked as nervous as her Team. She held out the heartstones of Team Firefly, took a deep breath, and dropped them into the cauldron. Nothing happened for a moment, and then the Lia Fial began to glow. The light was muted at first, but slowly brightened. The heartstones rose from the cauldron, spinning gently around each other while a relieved Skye Windcall plucked them from the air and took them back to her Team. They had made the cut. Team Firefly would go on to the next year’s competition.
“Team Lizard,” Queen Medwyn announced.
Tree Stoneheart stepped forward as the first Counselor had, and with the same results. Team Lizard was in.
“Team Dragon,” the Queen intoned.
Pyro, Sr. looked tense as he walked forward, and Ryssa found herself crossing her fingers, hoping Team Dragon would be the team eliminated this year. But it wasn’t. The Lia Fial shone as brightly for them as it had the other Teams. Pyro, Sr.’s apprehension evaporated, and Blaze cast a smug look toward Team Phoenix.
“Team Hedgehog.”
Sammiel Lighthand was next. Ryssa didn’t like the dark look on his face and remembered with distaste the way his Team had forced the poor little hedgehog onto the competition field that first day. But that obviously didn’t matter to the Lia Fial, because Team Hedgehog remained in the running.
Ryssa’s heart dropped into her stomach. There were only two Teams left.
Of course, her aunt called the other Team. “Team Serpent.”
Ocea Waverider stepped up to the Lia Fial. Ryssa looked over at Taz, who gave her a thumb’s up. She tried to smile back at him, but it wouldn’t come. Ocea dropped the heartstones into the cauldron and everyone in the room held their breath, waiting. Nothing happened.
A low murmur started around the Arena Court. Ocea looked crestfallen. The heartstones floated up out of the cauldron, but the Lia Fial didn’t glow.
Ryssa’s heart pounded in her ears. Did this mean—? She looked at Team Serpent and felt sorry for them. Most of them looked stunned and a few dejected. Bart and Taz gave a carefree shrug. It hadn’t really mattered to them either way. She could feel the relief rising among her teammates and the smile that was coming to her own face.
“Team Phoenix still needs to be judged,” a voice called out firmly and clearly from across the Arena Court.
Ryssa looked at Kyellin Nightfall, standing alone in a section of seats meant for an entire House. She felt stirrings of anger. She wanted to yell at him to sit down and shut up. But the voice of reason crept into her mind. She wanted to tell it to shut up too, but knew she couldn’t.
Team Lizard was the one chosen to be removed from the competition. But Kyellin was right. Not for the same reasons, or maybe for some of the same ones. He needed for Team Phoenix to be tested to remove any doubt from the minds of Faery that the dark Celestial magic was not detrimental to the balance of magic. His was a selfish reason.
Ryssa stopped. Was she being any less selfish? She wanted the same thing for herself, not for a whole House. She needed to remove doubt—not from Faery—but from herself. She needed to know she wasn’t bad. Okay, so maybe she wanted Faery to know, too. But it was mostly for her own peace of mind.
“You are right, Kyellin.” Queen Medwyn nodded without emotion. “Team Phoenix.”
Aurelius walked stiffly to the cauldron. He held the heartstones over the opening and paused, taking a moment to stare deliberately around the Arena Court as though meeting the gaze of everyone present. With slow, calculated motion, he unwrapped his fingers from the chains and let them drop.
Not a sound could be heard through the entire Arena. Then whispers trickled across the domed room. The Lia Fial began to glow and the heartstones rose. Team Phoenix had met the approval of the Lia Fial.
Ryssa thought she’d faint from the relief that washed over her. Reggie grabbed her in a big hug and the entire Team bounced with the energy of their excitement. Cries of happiness and victory ran through them. Moira stood in front of Ryssa, holding her shoulders at arms’ length, looking at her intently.
“What’s wrong?” Ryssa bit her lip.
Moira shook her head. “I don’t get it.”
“What?”
“Where’d the zit go?” The Phooka girl tried to keep the laughter from her face and failed.
Both girls fell into each other’s arms in a fit of giggles.
“Oh, it’s still there,” Ryssa said between breaths. “An irritating little blackhead just waiting to pop out the next time I don’t want it to.”
“Then girlfriend,” Moira smiled, “we’d best be finding you a good dermatologist.”