Chapter 204 - The Feral Meet Cute

Chapter 204 - The Feral Meet Cute
Rhiannan POV

The final hour of Trial Two was fucking brutal.

There was no prettier way to say it. Whatever mercy had existed during the first few hours was gone. The riddles disappeared. The obstacle courses shifted.
The enchanted bridges, lava pits, and teamwork challenges warped into something darker. Something personal. Soul-triggered horrors. Every contestant still standing was forced to face something pulled from the ugliest corners of their own mind. Fear. Grief. Shame. Regret. The things people buried so deeply they sometimes forgot they were there until something ripped them out by the roots.

From my platform, I watched nightmares become flesh. A soldier faced the screaming ghosts of people he'd failed to save. A witch found herself surrounded by burning versions of the village that had once exiled her. A wolf shifter dropped to his knees when his dead mother appeared and asked why he'd abandoned her.
None of it was real. Their pain was. I hated it. I also understood why it mattered. Anyone could swing a sword when the enemy had a face. I needed warriors who could keep standing when the enemy lived inside their own fucking head.

Then I saw her. “Who the fuck is that?”

Sasha answered immediately. “Masaila. Dryad. Approximately four hundred years old.”

I leaned forward. “Approximately?”

“She threatened the last census taker who asked her exact age.”

“I like her already.”

Masaila looked like an ancient forest had developed anger issues and grown tits. Her skin resembled thick bark etched with mossy vines. Dark leaves twisted through wild hair. Emerald light burned in her eyes.
Blood streaked one arm. Sap streaked the other. Thorns curled around her clawed fingers. And she was fucking furious. A magical riddle appeared in front of her.

WHAT GROWS GREATER THE MORE YOU GIVE AWAY?

Masaila stared at it. The glowing letters waited. She growled. The letters flickered. I blinked. “Did she just intimidate a riddle?”

“Yes.”

The answer vanished. A door opened. I slowly turned toward Sasha's projection. “Did the Trial just let her through because it was scared?”

“I am reviewing the enchantment.”

Masaila stomped onward. Faenet discovered her approximately eight seconds later.

💬WHO THE FUCK IS THAT???
💬MY GENDER IS NOW DRYAD RAGE MONSTER.
💬MASAILA FOR QUEEN.

I frowned. “Excuse me?”

Liam shoved a grape into my mouth. “Don't become jealous of the murder tree.”

“I'm not jealous.”

Another comment appeared.

💬I WOULD VOTE, KILL, OR DIE FOR HER.

“Okay, she's pretty fucking cool.”

Masaila reached the Bridge of Sacrifice. Most contestants had figured out what it wanted. Blood.
Magic. A meaningful possession. Something surrendered willingly. Masaila apparently disagreed with the premise. She grabbed the bridge. I sat forward. “No.”

She ripped an entire enchanted support beam free. “Yes.”

Then used it to beat the soul-eaters waiting on the other side. I grabbed Elisha's arm. “BABY.”

“I see it.”

“She is beating monsters with the fucking test.”

“I see it.”

“I want her.”

Sable glanced over. “For the army?”

“Yes.”

Pause.

“And possibly brunch.”

Her final obstacle rose from the mud. A cursed chimera. Three heads. Six legs. Poison dripping from its jaws. Masaila rolled her shoulders. The chimera screamed. Vines exploded from the ground. They wrapped its legs. Its neck. Its torso. Masaila yanked.
The creature slammed face-first into the earth. She climbed onto its back. Raised both fists. And shattered its skull. Six seconds. I stared.

“Sasha.”

“Yes?”

“Put a fucking star next to her name.”

“I already did.”

Of course she had. But Masaila wasn't the only ancient nightmare treating Trial Two like a mildly inconvenient morning workout. Thorne was still out there. His eyes glowed blood-red. Ash covered his skin. His clothes were torn. He hadn't spoken. Hadn't hesitated. Hadn't shown a single sign that anything in the Trial frightened him. Which was impressive considering I'd watched one illusion manifest a screaming cathedral made entirely of teeth. Thorne had walked through it. Just...Walked.

“Does anything scare that man?” I asked.

Liam's expression changed. “Losing himself.”

That shut me up. Lerenya had stabilized him. Their bond had given him something solid to hold on to.
But apparently ancient vampires were complicated bastards. And according to Reyna, Thorne's fate wasn't finished. Neither was his bond. I had been trying very hard not to obsess over that. Faenet had not shown similar restraint. #SecondMateWatch had remained in the top five trends all fucking day. The final horn began to sound.

The magic around the arena started collapsing.
Contestants sprinted toward their final markers.
Masaila came barreling through the last clearing. Thorne stepped from another path. Neither saw the other. “Oh shit.”

They collided. Hard. Masaila grunted. Thorne snarled.
Then two of the oldest, most terrifying creatures in the entire Trial went down in a pile of limbs, vines, fangs, and wounded dignity. The arena went silent. Faenet crystals swiveled toward them. Masaila lifted her head. Thorne stared back. Neither moved. Their breathing changed. Power rolled outward.

“Oh.” Reyna stood beside me. Her eyes flashed. “Oh.”

I looked at her. “What oh?”

She smiled. “No fucking way.”

“What?!”

Then something teal launched from the spectator stands. “THORNE, YOU MOTHERFUCKER!”

Lerenya. I screamed. She flew across the field surrounded by water magic. “YOU'VE GOT A SECOND MATE AND SHE'S HOTTER THAN HELL!”

She hit them. All three went down. I made a noise so high-pitched Liam grabbed my shoulder. “You okay?”

“No!”

Lerenya landed half across Masaila, grabbed the dryad's face between both hands, and stared at her.
“Oh my gods.” Masaila blinked. “You're so fucking hot.”

I slapped both hands over my mouth.

“Thorne, baby,” Lerenya continued breathlessly, “meet your other psycho girlfriend!”

Thorne's fangs extended. Masaila looked at Lerenya.
Then Thorne. Then back at Lerenya. Her expression slowly transformed. A smile spread across her face.
“Finally.” Her voice carried through the nearest crystal.
“Someone feral enough to survive me.”

Faenet died. Not metaphorically. It actually crashed.
“Sasha?”

“Restoring.”

Three seconds. Feeds returned.

💬THE POWER TRIO I DIDN'T KNOW I NEEDED.
💬THORNE IS GONNA DIE OF HAPPINESS OR DEHYDRATION.
💬LERENYA MVP OF MATCHMAKING.
💬DID THAT DRYAD JUST PURR???

I grabbed Liam's arm. “I think I just witnessed the hottest mate pile in recorded history.”

“Do we send flowers?”

“She's a dryad.”

“Fruit basket?”

I considered. “Bathtub.”

Elisha looked at me. “What?”

“A really big bathtub.”

Sable sighed. “I hate this kingdom.”

“No, you don't.”

“No.”

He looked toward the three ferals still staring at each other. “I really don't.”

The horn sounded again. This time, everything stopped. Trial Two was over. The shields shimmered.
Illusions dissolved. Ash drifted through the air. Some contestants collapsed immediately. Others hugged.
A few simply stood staring at the destruction around them. My amusement faded. Because not everyone was standing. Healers were already moving. My heart sank. Sasha appeared above the center of the arena.
“Trial Two is complete. Please remain in place while final results are confirmed.”

I pushed myself upright. Elisha reached for me. “I'm fine.”

“You're shaking.”

“I know.”

Liam moved to my other side anyway. I gripped the railing. Sasha's voice softened. “Three hundred twenty-five thousand contestants entered Trial Two.”

The arena fell silent. “Five souls were lost.”

My chest hurt. Five. Five people had walked onto this field this morning believing they might become something. Five families were about to receive the worst message of their lives. Sasha read their names.
One by one. I repeated each silently. I would remember them.

“Their names will be carved into the Hall of Valor within the Divine Citadel. Their families will receive full honors and lifelong support.”

I pressed my hand against my heart. Faenet changed instantly. The jokes disappeared. Digital candles filled the feed. Tributes. Prayers. Messages from people who had watched them fight. Sasha waited. Then continued. “Two hundred eighty thousand contestants did not qualify for Trial Three.”

Movement rippled through the field. Disappointment.
But Sasha didn't let it grow. “You have successfully completed Tier One qualifications.”

Purple-and-gold banners rose around the arena. “You will join the fifty thousand warriors who chose Tier One service before today's Trial.”

The Tier One sigil ignited. “You are soldiers of Andopeer.”

Cheers started. “You are defenders of this kingdom.”
Louder. “You have not been discarded.” That mattered.
“You have been placed.”

Kaleb stepped forward. “Report to me and Arwen after exiting the field!”

Arwen raised his sword. “Rank assessments begin immediately. Barracks assignments will be issued tonight. Training divisions begin tomorrow.”

Kaleb grinned. “And listen to me.” The crowd quieted.
“This isn't the highest you can climb.”

Yes. Exactly. “Ranks can be earned. Positions can change. Leadership can be proven. Every soldier matters. Every weapon counts.” Then he looked directly toward me. “And your Queen is fucking proud of you.”

Well. Fuck. I raised my fist. Three babies kicked simultaneously. Ow.

“RHIANNAN FOR LIFE, BITCHES!”

The roar hit me like a physical force. Three hundred thousand voices. Maybe more. The stands joined. My council joined. I laughed while tears ran down my face. Sasha waited until everyone calmed. Mostly.
“And now.” Gold replaced purple across the arena. “The Tier Two warriors.”

Silence fell again. “Forty-five thousand contestants have passed Trial Two.”

The world erupted. Gold shot into the sky. Contestants screamed. Some dropped to their knees. Others hugged whoever happened to be closest. One dragon launched straight upward and accidentally hit a barrier. He was fine. Probably embarrassed.
“You will receive encrypted codes through your SmartBrain within the hour,” Sasha continued. “Confirm your participation before midnight.”

Forty-five thousand names began appearing across the sky.

“You are now the highest-ranked combat candidates in Andopeer.”

My skin prickled.

“Tomorrow, you will enter Trial Three.”

Sasha paused. “The Trial of Unity.”

Even the name made something settle inside me.
Unity. Not strength. Not blood. Not conquest. Unity.
“Rest,” Sasha ordered. “Eat. Heal. Sleep. Tomorrow will require more than power.”

Her construct began fading. “Only the strongest hearts will rise.”

By sundown, the castle had transformed into a party.
Again. Apparently rebuilding civilization involved a shocking amount of food. The great hall overflowed with roasted meats, fresh bread, fruit, desserts, alcohol, cider, and enough sugar to kill a dragon. I sat in my chair with three pillows supporting my stomach and a glass of apple cider in my hand. Liam leaned over. “You realize they're worshiping you now?”

I bit into mango. “They have excellent taste.”

“Full goddess status.”

“Damn right.”

I looked toward the tables. “And you're all lucky I'm too pregnant to twerk.”

Elisha choked. “Please don't.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I can still twerk.”

“You can barely put your shoes on.”

“Rude.”

“I will breathe fire if you fall.”

Kaleb stood and raised his glass. “To Trial Two!”

The room cheered.

“To the forty-five thousand badasses moving forward!”

More cheering.

“And to the three hundred thirty thousand warriors who chose Tier One or earned their place there!”

Goblets slammed against tables. Mo climbed onto a chair. “TO WAR MOMS AND WARRIOR BABIES!”

I pointed at him. “Sit down before you become a casualty.”

Riven leaned against the wall. “And to my ass, which has never looked better on Faenet.” Mela slapped it.
“Confirmed.”

I laughed. Gods, I loved these idiots. Reyna ruined everything by tapping her stylus against a glowing scroll. “While you degenerates are losing brain cells, some of us are building a government.”

Mo booed. “Ten more minutes!”

“No.”

Gailia sat nearby with both baby girls sleeping against her. “The Noble Trials launch in five days.”

Right. Because apparently we weren't allowed one fucking week without launching something enormous.
Soris folded his arms. “Housing will become a problem.”

Iriel nodded. “Screening too.”

Bruxxa tore into a piece of venison. “I'll handle background checks.”

Barrick raised an eyebrow. “How?”

“If they smell like traitors, I'll leash them.”

“What does a traitor smell like?”

“Rotten hope and damp socks.”

Zaiya lifted her glass. “Sexy.”

Kazra swirled a flaming cocktail. “You had me at damp.”