Chapter 44

Orion takes over the narration now, either seizing control from his father or by some arrangement between the two of them. The God of Death watches his son closely as he speaks, clearly quite proud.

“The Sorting will affect your roles over the next week,” Orion says, sounding honestly a little bored as he looks around at each of us in turn. “Those who have been marked as a girl in the Top will have the opportunity to display her talents for the rest of us – however she may define those.”

Horror strikes through me at this, oddly more intense than the fear that swept through me at the idea that we would be sorted into top and bottom rankings.

A – a talent show?

Seriously?

I grit my teeth against the idea, hating it a great deal, but forcing myself to pay attention to Orion as he continues.

“Those who have been sorted into the Bottom,” Orion says, exhaling slowly. “Will face a challenge in order to prove their dedication to me, to this role as Princess and future Queen for which they compete. She who fails the challenge most completely will be eliminated.”

My breath comes faster at this announcement, even as my mind starts to turn over these details. So…those sorted into the Top this week, they’ll be safe, next week, at the elimination? Only those in the Bottom are at risk?

My eyes dart immediately to the little gold circles before Orion, hating that there are only nine of them. Nine – such a tiny number when there are nineteen of us now. It means – more than half of us will not get one.

And one…one of us will be dead.

Dread begins to pool in me, starting at my feet and quickly filling my whole body like I’m some kind of terrible vase. Why? Why did I yell at him so much? Why did I tell him he wasn’t good enough to lick my boots – in front of everyone? If I’d just gotten naked –

I don’t even mind being naked – wolves aren’t a prude people when it comes to being nude –

Then I could have a gold ring, and I could be safe for a whole other week!

Anton growls, drawing my attention immediately down to him. He holds my gaze, steady, baring his teeth, reminding me to be brave. Reminding me that I chose this fierce route on purpose; that I decided not to let fear cow me.

I exhale, long and slow, holding his gaze. And then I nod, turning back to the God and the Prince before me, determined to be better, and stronger. Determined not to flag now, even if every impulse in me is telling me to collapse to my knees and beg for my life.

I so, so don’t want to die. God, but I want to live. I let my eyes drift shut, a hasty prayer to my grandmother running through my mind.

“The first to be included amongst the top,” Orion says, his voice carrying easily through the silent room. I open my eyes to see him gesturing to the first golden circle before him, furthest to his right. “In recognition of her rather stunning beauty…is Lady Alexandrica l’Esperance.”

Alexandrica moves immediately, a smug smile on her face, like she knew the entire time that she’d be called first. I fight a scowl, trying not to begrudge her the spot. It was beauty week, after all, and physically she is undeniably incredible. Perhaps on the week regarding talents she will not see as much favor.

I watch carefully as Alexandrica moves close to Orion and beams at him, taking his hands and leaning in to receive a kiss on her cheek.

“And the first to be included in the Bottom,” Orion says, gesturing towards his left, where the black circles are. I stand up straighter, surprised by this – because – he’s not going to list all the tops first? God, he’s going to – to drag this out!? “Is Ximena Xido.”

The room is silent and still for a moment before a woman I don’t know, draped in folds and folds of stunning purple fabric, quietly steps forward and makes her way down the stairs. Her shoulders shake as she walks and I have no idea, honestly, if it’s in relief to not be eliminated or horror at the idea that she’s failed to please him, to be included in the top.

Head hanging, Ximena take her place of shame in a black circle. Orion does not offer her his hands or a kiss, as he did Alexandrica.

I scowl, hating him again, all the goodwill he earned on our date and in his heroism in the Deadlands wiped away. Because how? How could he be this cruel to women whose lives are in his hands?

The announcements drag on and on, Orion moving through them with punishing calm and ease. Name after name is called with the sorting continuing to list girls in the Top as well as the Bottom. My anxiety ratches up further with every name that is called because none of them are mine.

There only relief that comes is when Laila is called as part of the Top. I watch with a great deal of pride as she exhales, long and slow, and then makes her graceful way down the steps to receive her kiss and take her spot in a little golden circle. To my surprise Beatrice is also in the top – she must have had a date – and I am relieved when Cadence and Mahina are called as well, even though they land in the bottom.

Still, as the circles fill and the number of girls standing in a ring around the pit begins to dwindle, I find that I’m jealous of them too.

Because at least they know they’re going to survive.

At least they know they’re going to be alive next week.

When there are three girls left, my head hangs.

“The final girl in the Bottom,” Orion says, his voice stony. “Is Princess Zuri Aniyah.”

A shaky little cry breaks from the lips of the woman standing next to me. She slaps a hand over her mouth, pressing her eyes shut against the tears that start there. Then, shakily, she moves down the stairs to take her spot in the final black ring.

One more.

One more spot. And horribly, in the top.

And two of us, standing up here.

I glare at Orion for a long, long moment for doing this to us. But he doesn’t look at me.

So I shift my eyes to the other woman. I’m unsurprised when I see that she’s already looking at me. We study each other, each weighing and measuring the other’s flaws.

And almost imperceptibly, I see her shoulders straighten. Because she is beautiful – incredibly so – with her soft dark hair curling soft around her face and her wide brown eyes. But beyond that, she’s confident because she’s up against…me.

Me, the idiot who refused to participate in the beauty Trial. The rash creature who told the Prince he wasn’t good enough, even though he had all the power.

I hang my head, realizing that she’s right.

That I don’t have a prayer here.

That Orion was toying with me that whole time – it was all fake – and now I’m going to die.

Anton presses himself warm against my side, a whine in his throat, and I look down into his eyes, wanting him to be the last thing I see as those wraiths tear me to pieces. Not Orion, and not anything else in this horrible place. Just Anton, at the last.

He shakes his head, denying it, wanting me to have hope.

But I just…I’m so afraid.

I have no place for it in my heart.

“The last Contestant to be ranked in the Top,” Orion says, his deep voice booming out through the room. “Is…”