Winter arrived with naughty timing, blowing glacial gusts into the Clearing just as the challengers entered. Everboys each carried a blue kite-shaped shield matching their navy cloak and a single weapon; most had chosen bows and arrows (blunted by Professor Espada to stun, rather than injure), though Chaddick and Tedros had opted for heavy training swords. Nearby, Evergirls quietly practiced their animal calls and tried to look as helpless as possible so boys would take them under their wings.
Across the field, the Trial Nevers hunched against bare trees in their cloaks, eyeing unchosen students crowd in from the tunnels. The unpicked Evers were ready for a slumber party, with pillows, blankets, baskets of spinach mousselines, creamy chicken crepes, bell pepper skewers, elderflower custard, and pitchers of cherry grenadine. Meanwhile, the unpicked Nevers hovered near their tunnel in slippers and nightcaps, ready to flee at their team's first sign of humiliation.
While the wolves passed out the enchanted silk handkerchiefs—white for Evers, red for Nevers—Castor and Pollux lined up the competitors in order of their entrance. Because they fared worst in the pre-Trial challenges, Sophie and Kiko would enter exactly at sundown. Brone and Tristan would enter 15 minutes later, then Vex and Reena 15 minutes after that, and the pairs would continue until Hester and I entered last.
At the back of the line, the prince took his white handkerchief from the wolf.
"Won't be needing this," he muttered, and stuffed it in his boot.
At the front of the line, Sophie clenched her red kerchief, ready to drop it the moment she entered. She wished she had paid more attention during the fitting. Her tunic drooped at the bosom, the cloak dragged on the ground, and the blue hood fell so far over her face it looked like she had no head.
There was still no sign of Agatha.
"We've heard rumours that unqualified students may try to sneak into the Trial," Pollux said next to Castor, an imposing two-headed shadow in waning light. "This year we've taken extra precautions."
At first, I thought he was referring to the wolves guarding every inch of gate. But then Castor lit a torch and I saw the gates were no longer made of gold—but of giant black and red spiders, crisscrossing magically with stingers poised.
"If anyone cheats, they deserve to die."
"And I don't put it past any of those villains," Tedros said, golden cheeks ruddy with cold. He took her hand, still gripping her kerchief. "You can't, Sophie. You can't drop it."
Without Agatha feeding lines, Sophie just nodded helplessly.
"When we team up, they'll do anything to take one of us out—Evers, Nevers, School Master too," said her prince. "We need to protect each other. I need you to have my back."
Sophie nodded.
"You don't have anything to say?"
"A kiss for luck?" she squeaked. "A long one," she sighed. "Just in case."
"After we win."
Sophie gagged. "But—but—suppose we don't—"
Tedros gently pulled the red silk from her trembling fingers.
"Good always wins." he said tucking it deep in her coat pocket. "If you're good, we'll win."
In his clear blue eyes, Sophie saw Hester reflected behind her, hood lowered like the Grim Reaper.
In a flash, the wolves shoved her and Kiko to opposite ends of the North Gate. Hairy spiders hissed in her face and she lost her breath. Panicked, her eyes lurched to the School Master's tower, lording over the Forest. In the last shred of sun, she could see his silhouette, watching from the window. Sophie whipped around looking for Agatha to save her, but all she saw was the sky fall dark over the Forest. From the School Master's tower came a blast of silver sparks that veiled the Forest in a blurring haze—
YOU ARE READING
Siren Song || Tedros x Reader
Fanfiction''Of all the tales in all the kingdoms in all the Woods, you had to walk into mine.'' -Tedros Every four years, two are taken. No one knows where they go, but some think it's to a magical school beyond the woods, where fairytale princes and princess...
