Chapter: 3: The Crown Trials

Milo stood up faster than the light could brighten his startled face.

He looked like a soldier being busted for something he shouldn’t be doing, and I had to restrain myself from laughing so I wouldn’t get into trouble too.

“I’m done for the day, Willow,” Mom said, eyeing Milo to let him know he wasn’t out of the woods. “Are you ready to go home?”

I nodded, unable to answer her without losing control.

“Good,” she said, opening the door for me to pass her. “Button your shirt next time, Milo,” she said firmly.

I looked back and saw her pointing her finger at Milo’s exposed torso, his face turning red like the morning sky.

It almost made me lose it when Mom pushed me to move.

I followed Mom back to the entrance where our coats were still hanging. Mom reached out to hand me my jacket but stopped in her tracks before I could grab it.

“Hush, everyone,” someone said and turned up the volume on the old TV hanging on the wall.

I turned my head toward the screen and saw a picture of Heliac’s young crown prince standing on a golden platform beside his father—King Alaric Kaan Pavo.

“The time has finally come,” the king began.

His skin had become bronzed from spending all those hours in the burning sun during his recent travels to the Inferno Realm.

His blond hair and beard shimmered in the light of his golden crown, and his eyes reflected a darker shade of mine—like the summer leaves of the flourishing vines.

I’d always admired his eyes. Looking into them felt like looking into the heart of a thriving forest, while Mom had always described mine as the glow of a bright emerald, whatever that was.

“In six months, my son will turn twenty-two, which means it’s time for a new generation to host its very own Crown Trials,” the king continued.

“For the next two months, we will be visiting the various royal academies and observing the upcoming exams to determine which female candidates will earn the title of suitors.

“These suitors will spend time at the castle where they will be educated in their potential royal future and tested outside the safe confines of their academies until my son chooses Heliac’s new queen and guardian.”

My eyes left the bearded man to glimpse the rigid crown prince.

His dark eyebrows were lowered, making him look like a brave warrior, while the eyes below had a definite kindness to them.

Unlike his father’s shoulder-length hair, the prince’s barely tickled his ears and forehead, the color brown like the bark of an old oak tree.

The soft waves made it look like the ocean on a stormy night, matching his eyes in their mesmerizing deep blue shade.

They were the kind of eyes that could probably drown you if you stared into them for too long—just like his ability.

His blood was the color of the deep sea, allowing him to make water submit to his will. It was one of the most powerful abilities of them all.

Some rumors claimed that a Water Iridis could control every living creature by bending the fluid in their blood.

It was a terrifying ability. Fortunately, history states that only a few have mastered it throughout the millennia, one of whom is said to be Jonathan himself.

However, if any Water Iridis could master that technique, it would be Heliac’s beloved crown prince.

“We look forward to seeing many strong contenders when our travels begin tomorrow. May the winds always lead you home,” the king said, thereby ending his speech.

The king was an Earth Iridis, but Pangea, the Lost Queen, had been an Air Iridis like me. He’d been using her expression since she disappeared.

I only remembered her from the pictures I’d seen and the stories of her triumphs. She’d apparently won everyone’s hearts—including the king’s—in a matter of months during the last Crown Trials.

The words tasted wrong in my mouth—the Crown Trials.

If I hadn’t chosen a life where I’d had to hide my powers, I could’ve been one of the girls vying for a spot among the twenty-four suitors.

Not that I desired to be one of them. I was happy right where I was—among my family and friends.

We might not have much, but I was free to be myself without being limited by an academy and its expectations. No realm defined me.

The king and his son waved to the cheering crowd before they entered the car that would take them back to the palace.

It was tradition for them to begin their journey in the realm related to the current ruler’s blood, which meant they’d likely be heading toward the Terra Realm tomorrow.

The next realm would be the Inferno Realm, then the Sky Realm, and finally the Ocean Realm. Once the last suitor had been named, they would return to the Golden Realm for the public reveal.

The respective academies would obviously know which student would represent them on the day of their examinations and notify the lucky suitor by old-fashioned letter style.

If the suitor did not accept the offer to be part of the Crown Trials, the position would be offered to the person next in line based on exam results.

It was strange to think that the prince would be able to look at his future wife among twenty-four of Heliac’s strongest contenders, not yet knowing who would remain by his side in the end.

It sounded like a savage fairy tale, where people were pitted to fight each other until only one was left standing. Except, no one had ever died in the Trials…not yet, anyway.

Worst of all, these girls didn’t simply have to prove they were the strongest. Then the Trials would’ve been unnecessary since they could’ve used the examinations as basic guidelines.

The suitors would have to prove that they were capable of ruling an entire world as well.

They would have to live in that absurd castle for months with cameras recording their every mistake and success for the public to witness.

Plus, they’d have to participate in mandatory interviews—allegedly to prove they could handle the curious media under pressure.

I’d always rolled my eyes when people described the glorious events of the Crown Trials.

It sounded more like a royal reality show than something needed to protect the people like the old word claimed it to be.

Mom suddenly tugged my hand, gesturing that it was time for us to leave. “We must go now, Willow. It’ll be dark soon.”

I did my best to keep up with her, and our house came into view an hour later.

We’d barely opened the door before small feet sounded against the wooden flooring, and a familiar voice cut through the thin walls.

“They’re home, Dad!” Tristan shouted as we saw him running toward us.

“Slow down, Tristan,” I said, chuckling as I caught him in my arms. “We can’t have you falling again.”

I picked up my six-year-old brother and placed him on my bony hip.

I tended to give him a little of my food when we ate without Mom and Dad noticing, but he was still lighter than a feather.

Hopefully, he’d gain more weight with the extra money I’d make working at the mansion.

“Have you been causing Dad any trouble today?” I asked, cocking my eyebrow as he smiled.

He shook his little head so hard I almost dropped him.

“No, but Dad made dinner,” he whispered into my ear and leaned back to make a face that visibly displayed his opinion about Dad’s cooking skills.

I chuckled.

Dad had never been great in a kitchen, but food was food, and he had other qualities. He was a great inventor and had taught me most of what I knew about the world and its peculiarities.

The middle-aged man appeared from behind the wall. His hair was darker than mine—almost as dark as Tristan’s night-like mane, disturbed only by the strands of gray hairs running along each side of his head.

His eyes, however, were a direct reflection of mine, and his smile could brighten even my darkest days.

“How was your day, darling?” Dad asked, kissing Mom’s forehead the way he always did.

“Nothing special,” she answered, wrapping her arms around Dad’s torso before she looked at me. “Willow did well. I have no doubt that she’ll be an excellent maid in a couple of weeks.”

I tugged the corner of my lip upward to force a smile.

She didn’t tell Dad about the way Lady Deveroux had grabbed me. I knew why. Dad had a lot on his plate already, and nothing essentially bad had happened.

Lady Deveroux had let go, and we’d continued our day. He didn’t have to worry.

“See,” Dad said, letting Mom go to hug my brother and me. “I told you that you’d be great. I don’t understand why you’re not always listening to me.”

I chuckled and squeezed him back.

Dad had an optimistic view of the world. It was something I’d always wanted to learn from, but it had gotten me into more trouble than benefited me the times I’d tried to be like him.

“Thanks, Dad.”

“So, what did you think about the mansion?” Dad asked when we sat down around the dining table.

“It’s big,” I said, scooping a large spoonful of Dad’s dull porridge into my mouth before I could taste the foul flavor of something burned. “The rooms were nice and practically spotless.”

Mom chuckled at my superficial description. “Hopefully, you’ll clean those rooms better than you clean your own,” she teased.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I laughed and shoved her arm lightly.

“Nothing,” she said, unsuccessfully attempting to suppress a wide grin.

I wrinkled my nose with a smile. “Right, and I’m going to be Heliac’s next queen,” I said, ~accidentally~ spilling a clump of porridge on her sleeve.

“Willow!” Mom exclaimed, gasping and hitting me with her cleaned spoon. “That’s a waste of good food.”

I chuckled. “I wouldn’t necessarily call it ~good food~.”

“Hey,” Dad said, the metal of his fork clinking against the bowl. “Don’t bring ~my~ cooking into ~your~ feud.”

Mom and I both burst out laughing.

I loved this family. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world—not riches, fame, or…

“Will,” Tristan whispered, tugging my sleeve.

I turned my head and leaned down to let him whisper his request into my ear.

“Can you do that thing to my hair?” he asked, his whispers loud enough for our parents to hear.

I looked up, searching their faces for permission. They were already smiling, so I knew it would be okay for a short while.

I nodded and waited until Tristan had placed himself securely in his chair. Then I lifted my hands to hover right above his head.

A relieved breath escaped my lips when I felt the wind surround me, acknowledging my request.

With a tiny finger gesture, the breeze enveloped Tristan’s head, making his hair twirl until it looked like a spiraling cone.

Tristan giggled through the entire process and immediately ran into the bathroom to look at himself in the mirror when I lowered my hands.

We could all hear him laughing loudly at his reflection.

I was about to follow him to make sure he didn’t crawl onto the counter to get a closer look when I heard a loud knock on our front door.

I glanced at my parents, but they didn’t appear to know who it could be. None of us apparently expected anyone to come by at this hour.

Then an icy chill shot through my body.

Could anyone have seen me playing around with my powers in the breakroom? Had there been any cameras that I hadn’t noticed? Or maybe Milo had suspected me after all.

I was so scared that I had to force my feet to move. My hands were shaking so terribly that I could barely hold on to the handle.

Then I opened the door.