Gasps went through the crowd, low murmurs turning into panicked whispers.
It had been twenty-five years since anyone in the mortal realm had laid eyes on the god of war—since the battle that had ended the war between Olney and Argaria and Cecilia had sent him from the realm.
Now that he was ascended, he could only appear for short periods of time in the living world and his power to create war and fear was much weaker. But even with limited power, Endros was a god whose effect on the human world was terrifying.
Endros held up his hands to silence the crowd. “Yes, I imagine it comes as quite a shock, but as you say each year—this position is open to the god who wants to claim it. I have not done so in twenty years, while others have regularly played the gamemaker. Who better to test the contenders’ understanding of the principles of this kingdom? To design a war game?”
A smattering of tentative applause broke out.
Endros held up his hands. “Yes, I can see you’re unconvinced. So let me state my true intention. I thought that I was due and I wanted the chance to say once and for all that I condemn the acts of the Sons of Endros.”
More murmurs cut through the crowd. It was clear that the people of the two kingdoms weren’t won over.
“These men who use my name do not act at my encouraging. They are merely children—boys playing at war. I am not the god of war games. I am much greater than that and these acts are an insult to all I stand for. I condemn them and their frailty. They are no sons of mine.” He placed his hand over his heart and bowed to the crowd.
Shock went through the spectators in a wave.
Even Stella might have believed it if her parents hadn’t taught her never to trust any of the gods.
“I have no sons to speak of,” Endros added.
Several people gasped. It was meant to be an insult to his true son—Cato, the god of manipulation and influence. Cato, with his meddling, had a hand in his father’s death, and Endros wasn’t the type to abandon a grudge.
Endros grinned at the royal booth and offered a mocking bow. “Thank you for having me, Your Graces. I’m so excited to see what this year’s competitors are made of.”
Stella should have been more afraid of what the god had in store for her, but her mind was fixated on the fact that she was in for the scolding of her life when she got out of the arena. Some survival instinct in her brain wanted to focus on the more manageable problem instead of the suddenly much more dire threat of death.
Entering the Gauntlet Games was one thing, but once their parents realized they were bonded on top of Endros being in charge of the Games, Stella and Teddy would never hear the end of it.
The only consolation was that maybe Cecilia could convince Desiree to remove the bond and end that irritating distraction. That alone might be worth whatever lecture Stella would have to sit through.
Endros raised his hands. “I know you’re all eager to get to your opening parties and place your bets on your favorite contestants or maybe to bet against those you think will be eliminated early.” Endros winked at Stella and raised his hands high. “Let the Gauntlet Games begin.”
9
STELLA
Stella and Teddy were allies in nothing except this battle with their parents.
Now that the opening event had dissolved into afterparties, Stella and her parents and Teddy and his were gathered in the McKay Estate living room.
Cecilia paced and Stella could tell she was winding up for a tirade. For once, Rainer wasn’t trying to stop her.
Teddy’s parents had taken a completely different approach. King Xander and Queen Jessamin stood by calmly, whispering quietly to each other on the other side of the room. Their lack of drama unnerved Stella more than her mother’s bluster.
Cecilia stopped and spun toward Stella, pinching the bridge of her nose. “So let me get this straight. First, you lie to us and say you’re sleeping over at Kate’s house and instead you run off to the Temple of Desiree to get heart-bonded in the middle of the night without telling any of us. Then you enter yourself into the Gauntlet Games to ‘fix’ this problem. This isn’t storytime, Stella Selene, this is real life. Those are real warriors and you have never seen a battle.”
“I’m aware of that, Mama,” Stella said. “But it’s the only clear path to what I want.”
Her mother continued pacing the sitting room, wringing her hands. Rainer leaned against the doorframe. Stella gave him her most pleading look, but the crease in his brow remained. He was usually a pushover for her and her siblings, but safety was always his greatest concern. She wouldn’t be getting off easy this time.
Stella cleared her throat. “It’s not a big deal, Mama?—”
“Not a big deal!” Cecilia spun on her. “Not a big deal to run off? To come back heart-bonded to aprince? To enter yourself into a deadly competition? Really? Tell me—does it feel like not a big deal?” Cecilia tapped her sternum.
Stella hated the constant reminder of Teddy’s cresting waves of emotion in her chest.
How on earth did her parents deal with this? Was it like this for everyone? Surely Arden would be steadier.
