ANDORRA WAS given fighting leathers, courtesy of Niyive. Andorra wasn't sure where the dryad got them, considering she was so much shorter than Andorra was, but she wasn't going to deny a gift that could help her.
She didn't see them remove Nohx, but now that she stood on the tree branches, she could survey the group around them, and he wasn't among the crowd. She had to hope the threat of Prince Puck would be enough to keep him alive.
Besides, she had other things to worry about, such as the man to her left eyeing her.
Andorra had expected to ignore everyone, like in dodgeball. Her classic middle school move had always been to stand in the back, ignore the balls, and cower until she was the last one standing. This was the same approach she was hoping to take, but a few were eyeing her in a way that made Andorra's stomach twist.
Her eyes focused on Fraseri and Roseria, who stood at the watching platform. The same one Andorra had been standing on the night before. There would be no chance of Andorra disappearing into the in-between. Not with the way they were watching her. In fact, Andorra could assume she would be the delight of the entire show.
"You're around, right? In case I fall?" Even her inner monologue sounded frightened.
"This is completely and utterly foolish. But yes, I am here." Pyatt could be mad at her all he wanted. If it kept the Reaping from happening again, and it kept the respect in tact, Andorra didn't quite care.
"And Sir Nohx?"
"Sir Nohx is alive and well. Do not worry about him and worry more about you."
Andorra wasn't listening to Fraseri as he spoke to the crowd. When he blew the whistle, it caught her off guard, and she nearly startled right off of the branch. Everything seemed to slow in that moment. It was almost like an out of body experience, the way she could feel even the hairs on her arms stand on end. Her blood roared in her ears as she watched those around her begin to move.
A fae man to her left began to charge her. Andorra scrambled down one end of the branch, avoiding the fae who was far too close now for comfort.
Andorra spun around just as he caught up to her, and she pressed blinding light from the palms of her hands, right into his face. She hadn't wanted to kill anyone, and yet here she was, forcing a man to stumble from the branch and fall to his death.
"Wow, and from our Queen? Who would've thought!"
The laughter came from above her head. The fae there was sitting on the branch, watching the madness unfold around her. She was a short little thing with russet hair falling to her shoulders in a wild, knotted fashion. Her clothes were fashioned from large, thick leaves. Her skin was a ruddy brown color, covered in dark freckles from head to toe. She didn't really look like she was concerned with the show around them, and her smile towards Andorra was biting.
Andorra didn't bother responding. She needed to find high ground, and fast. Her blinding stunt was enough to keep a few fae from coming for her, but she knew it wouldn't last for long. Andorra moved down the branch, trying to find a good spot to climb.
She didn't get very far. Arms wrapped around her middle, sending the two of them sailing off of the branch immediately.
She didn't scream. She twisted her head, catching sight of the man holding her. He spit in her face. "I'm ending your reign! Can't believe we got the chance so soon after your Coronation!"
Air rushed past Andorra's face as they fell, stealing her breath from her throat. Panic squeezed her chest as she chanted, not like this, not like this!
She didn't have a choice. She pulled the two of them into the in-between.
She squirmed out of his surprised hold on her. "What is wrong with you?" She panted as she scrambled away, keeping them suspended in the air. "You were going to sacrifice yourself?"
The fae turned to face her. "What in the Deathwringer is this! What magic is this?" Anger coated his words and he lunged towards her. But Andorra didn't give him the chance as she opened the gate and pushed him back out, watching as he fell to his death.
Her heart was slamming against her chest now. She had almost died, so soon after the Reaping began. She had to end it now before she really did die.
She eyed the top branches, empty of other fae, and she created a gate to the highest one. Stepped out of the in-between. Took a few steadying breaths as she eyed the viewing deck to see if Fraseri found her yet.
Instead, her eyes met those of Nohx. His were so dark, so angry. He knows, she swallowed. He knows you sacrificed yourself for him.
Andorra was relieved to find him safe and sound, dressed in his usual garb. His hair was a tad unruly, and his mouth twisted like he wanted to yell at her. Call her foolish, or stupid, or ignorant.
He would be right to do so. Andorra knew switching places with him was all three of those things. She pressed her hand to her chest, letting him know she cared. She cared so much, too much, and this was the only way to keep him alive. To keep the Reaping from happening again and again. But she could read his thoughts so plainly that it made her second guess everything.
"Interesting trick that was," the voice said again. Andorra looked underneath, seeing the same fae from earlier, the one who had been sitting on the branch. "Foolish of them to try and kill the Queen. Foolish of Fraseri to have you competing in the first place."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, Fraseri plays too close to the line. He must know Coronomous won't favor him when he dies, if he's playing games with the chosen heir. Also, your followers are surely mad. Take Sir Nohx, for example."
"Sir Nohx isn't a follower of mine." But even as she said that, Andorra could feel the ghost of his arms around her body. The feel of his lips against the skin of her jaw. She had to force herself to swallow to keep her heart from bursting.
She met his frosty gaze again, watching the way his hands wrapped around the railing. She wasn't close enough to see the way the ice began to formulate against his fingertips.
"I'm a Reaper Fae, you know. You can't keep it from me. Neither of you can."
That was enough to make Andorra look back down at her. "What?"
"I can see how you both die. I can see that your death will trigger his."
Andorra shook her head. She wasn't going to die, not today, and neither was Nohx. He wouldn't kill himself over her, right?
"It's not like that between us. It can't, with the Caste."
The reaper fae cocked her head. "Huh." There was wonder in her tone, surprise. Andorra could hear the unspoken word. Interesting.
"Tell me more about it, though. I know a little of how being a reaper fae works, thanks to my friend Win. But is it true that you know when I'll die? When any of us will die?"
The girl didn't say anything for a moment. She watched as three fae hurled themselves against each other a handful of branches down, causing all of them to plummet to their own deaths. A stupid, easy kill. Andorra could hardly believe some of them would risk themselves to end others. It seemed so counterproductive.
"I don't get to see everyone's lives so clearly. And your fate changes constantly. Sometimes I can see a very clear chain of events that lead to your death. Other times, I can only see a rough timeline. You being my Queen makes it easier for me to have that connection to where I can see. You won't die today."
Huh was right. It was a cool power, Andorra supposed. Heavy on the heart, though, if you knew when your closest friends and family would pass. Andorra would rather not know, if it came to Nohx. To her friends.
"Why does my death trigger Nohx's?"
"There you are! Hiding out, I see!" A voice yelled up from down below. Andorra dared to take a step closer to the edge to glance down, and she saw a man looking up. A winter fae, judging by the ice in his hair. "Come down here you coward of a Queen!"
Andorra tilted her head. A snow fae, then, judging by the ice and the pale skin. "Am I a coward? For saving you while the Daemonium attacked your home? For bringing you to Anlithamy?"
It got him to quiet down, the fury plain in his eyes. "Sir Bazile would not stand for this!"
"Bazile was his own brand of coward. And if you agree with how he ruled, then you will strongly detest my own ruling."
"Come down and I'll show you how I really feel about you as my Queen!"
Andorra gave him a pity smile. "No can do."
"You little-" Another fae shoved him from behind before the snow fae could finish his sentence. His scream echoed amongst the trees as he fell. Andorra tried not to listen to the sound his body made against the forest floor, but she flinched anyway.
"How many are left?" She asked the reaper fae, turning to face the girl. But when Andorra turned, she was nowhere to be found.
Andorra tried to find her on any of the nearby branches, but instead her gaze snagged with Roseria's. There was a cruel twist to her lips that made a chill run up Andorra's spine. She turned towards Nohx, placing a hand on his upper arm and leaning in to whisper something.
Andorra wasn't the jealous type, or so she thought. But the sight of Roseria touching Nohx made Andorra see red. Because she had no reason, no reason, to touch him. To talk to him. To share something private enough that it warranted a whisper.
But Nohx didn't allow it. He pinched Roseria's hand, removing it from his body in the blink of an eye. The look on his face was distant and cold when he said something back to her. Something eased in Andorra's chest.
A loud, piercing whistle blew. Something wrapped its way around Andorra's ankle, yanking her upside down in one fluid motion. She found her hanging there, her long unbound hair twisting beneath her, the blood rushing to her face.
"That is enough for today! We will continue tomorrow!"
Like hell Andorra would be hanging there all night. She wanted to call out to Nohx, but there was no chance. Not with the way her body twisted, forcing her gaze from the viewing platform. The sun, which had been slowly setting, was blazing against the tree line.
You're fine, she reminded herself. Alive. Breathing. And you've defeated worse things.
She would wager that dealing with the Deathwringer was a million times worse than this. And if she got herself out of this mess, well, this should be a cake walk. Moribund hadn't killed her, even when it should have.
There were shouts from the other fae around her, but Andorra stayed silent. She listened to her surroundings. She wondered if her friends were worried about her back in the Royal Court. And what about Callum? He must have been freaked out. She could only hope Callum wouldn't be foolish enough to follow her.
"Isn't this just fun?" A voice from the branch below her said unhelpfully. Andorra moved her gaze until she could spot the reaper fae perched. "You are looking a little bit stuck, though."
"How are you not stuck?" The vine wrapped around Andorra's ankle was beginning to cut into her skin.
"I'm not playing. I'm just here to spectate." She grinned up at Andorra. "I'm Eiriae. And I'm here to save you, my dear Queen."