Balam: Virgo the Pure (Trials of the Zodiac Book 2)

RED LEAVES

BALAM

We hung onto Zakhar's shoulder at the threshold of the grand castle, its towering doors casting a formidable presence over us. My thoughts were a storm, swirling with anticipation, trepidation, and curiosity. It felt weird to be here, wearing white robes and hair braided by Jalen after we had fished and foraged for dinner. Zakhar had twisted and turned all night, making me worry about his mindset going into this.

He was shaking like a leaf. His expression reflected my uncertainty. I ran my hand over his neck and watched as his skin broke into goosebumps. He would meet his father, a man I had once dated. King Kivi Solljus was the giant who had punched the peak off a mountain. Zakhar had his eyes, but his features were from his mother. I didn't know who had become the queen, but I knew she would be grateful to have her son back.

We waited our turn among other giants. Directly in front of us was a dwarf couple. They were wearing pelts and silver cuffs. The woman was shorter than Kai, and the man was a rotund figure with thick, meaty arms. When we finally turned into the castle, I took in an involuntary gasp. It looked like I remembered, but a few things had changed.

A grand hall stretched before us. It was filled with giants and dwarves. That was an odd sight. The festivals I was lucky enough to attend did not include dwarves, only the Giant Born. Giant Born were the hybrid children of giants and humans or dwarves. Every species was wearing its best clothing. Candelabras with flickering flames lined the pathway. I jumped to the ground, not feeling that small beside the dwarves and giants in their short stature. The dwarves had scars along their faces, arms, and other exposed skin. They were master forgers, the best Jotunheim had to offer, and their bodies bore signs of that.

A harpist played a tranquil tune as conversations wove through the room. The sweet aroma of pastries, the pies people had been carrying around yesterday, sat on tables that lined the corridor. Everything had been made so that even the dwarves would feel comfortable. I walked over to one of the pies, the table only slightly taller than an average one, and grabbed a piece that had been cut and placed on an ornate plate. I had never tasted an apple pie as fresh and delicious. Jalen, Kai, and Rashad jumped off a Zakhar, who was looking out of his element and ate pieces of pie, moaning as the flavors hit their tongues.

"You guys, go mingle. Zakhar doesn't need a large audience for what is about to happen," I said.

They didn't argue with me; instead, they drifted off into different areas of the party. Kai approached a group of fire giants and joined a conversation about architecture.

I returned to Zakhar and motioned for him to shrink back down. When he was human-sized, I reached and grabbed his hand. If I knew the king like I thought I did, he would be in the courtyard. Zakhar's hand engulfed mine as I pulled him along, weaving between two female frost giants making out against a wall. I pulled him past people who gave him curious looks and past a band of guitarists strumming a lazy tune to get people into the mood.

I walked through the palace like I had been there a thousand times, and I probably had before the mess my family had caused. I ignored the looks we were getting and tried my best not to focus on how good it felt to hold Zakhar's hand. Slowly, we wove our way through the party.

Like in my dream, it was practically empty when we reached the courtyard, except for an older man sitting in a chair. The tree-filled the area with its rich scent, and lanterns hung from their branches. I, for once, didn't focus on the trees. Instead, I took in the man. He had Zakhar's blonde hair, and his face was unnaturally old for a giant-like life that had beaten him up a few times. He saw us approach, and his eyes focused on me, the same eyes that Zakhar had, piercing gray.