XAVIER

Damien finally pulled himself out of bed and walked into the sparring room just in time. A shame. I was looking forward to blowing up his room again.

As Damien chose his weapon for the day, I looked over at Arielle who was sparring with Alistair. Unsurprisingly, she was already in the room by the time I walked in. With Eveleen Fluor missing the night before, she would've wanted to clear her mind. She was grinning as she sparred Alistair and a few laughs echoed through the room whenever one made a smart move. Strands of her golden hair slipped out of her tight braid and hung down the side of her face.

I spun my staff as Damien stepped up to the platform with his own. The dark circles under his eyes were prominent, by his eyes lit up the moment he stepped into the rink. He might've been exhausted, but I knew the thrill of a strategic fight always reenergized him. If only he could realize it himself and drag his own ass out of bed.

I stepped back into a fighting stance and he did the same, eyes focused as he watched my staff. I stared at him, not moving a muscle. He sighed. He knew the only way the fight would actually start was if he made the first move.

Damien launched forward, swinging with his staff. I blocked and twisted mine at an angle, attempting to disarm him, but he stepped away, expecting my move. I lunged forward, swinging at him over and over. He only blocked and stepped back after each swing, letting me gain momentum. He was waiting, but I knew precisely what for.

At last, when I swung, instead of blocking, he crouched low and swung the staff against the back of my ankles, using my momentum to his advantage to make me fall. I collapsed, but instead of falling so he could punch me in the face, I swung my staff up in an arch as I fell and caught his chin. His head snapped back on impact and he was forced backward, falling to the ground, hands splayed to the side.

I took the opportunity to bring my foot down, smashing his hand, making him loosen his grip on the staff as I yanked it free. Keeping my foot on his hand to make sure he stayed down, I stood, spinning both staffs in each hand. I looked down at my brother who was making a lame attempt of trying to kick me with one of his hands pinned.

I watched this for a moment before getting annoyed at his stupidity. Resting the staffs on each shoulder, I lifted my leg and placed it back down on his neck before he could move. I pressed down a little, feeling his throat spasm under my weight. He pushed up against my foot, though he was barely using any force.

I narrowed my eyes. "You're not trying."

"Really? I didn't notice," he wheezed.

I glanced at Arielle, who was still sparring Alistair, and leaned forward, placing more weight on my foot.

"Next round, you try harder."

"Why? So you can impress Arielle?"

I pressed down harder as a mocking smile spread across his face and it quickly went away.

"You already got her," he croaked. "Relax. And stop choking me."

I glared and pushed a bit more before lifting my foot. Damien held his throat as he coughed, gasping in air, when, as if on cue, the doors flew open. Alistair and Arielle stopped sparring and watched Phoenix as she walked into the sparring room.

"Of course you losers are here," she pretended to mumble though she knew we could hear her.

"It's nice to see you again," Alistair said and, after a slight hesitation, added, "Ms. Fortier."

Phoenix paused mid-step, eyes wide before glaring at Arielle. "You said you wouldn't tell anyone."

"I didn't say anything," Arielle said and looked to Alistair.

"She said nothing," Alistair smiled. "Dom and I simply put the pieces together."

"Well, you and Dominic are the only people I was looking forward to seeing in this entire eyesore of a city."

Damien scoffed. "Only because I haven't worked my charm yet."

Phoenix gave a vicious smile. "And you're only scoffing because I haven't worked mine."

"We'll see."

"Are you joining us in training?" Alistair asked.

"No," she responded. "It's surprising to see you without Dominic nearby."

"He already trained with Wiley in the morning."

"Your younger son? What about the eldest? Was his name Kane?"

Alistair stood still for a moment, unspeaking. Damien answered in his stead.

"Knox. He died. Killed by Ravens."

There was another long silence before she told Alistair, "I'm sorry."

Alistair nodded. "It's alright."

After another pause, Phoenix walked over to the wall lined with weapons and asked, "All of these attacks from the Ravens. What do you plan to do about them?"

Arielle opened her mouth, about to speak, but I cut her off.

"None of your concern," I responded.

Phoenix turned and looked me in the eye and I glared back. Finally, she relented.

"You're right. It isn't. I'm not a Crown."

The doors flew open again and Edsel walked in.

"Poor doors," Damien muttered to himself as he finally got to his feet.

Edsel looked around the room until his eyes landed on Phoenix. "Who are you?"

"Phoenix Night. A friend of Arielle's from school," she saluted, "Your Supremacy."

"Phoenix Night," Edsel repeated. "I've never heard of you before."

"I am a first-gen, Your Supremacy. I can't imagine my family had many opportunities to make an impression."

She smiled innocently and it was as if everything about her melted away and was replaced by her new, brief persona. I searched for cracks in her performance, anything that may have given me a clue as to who she was, but there was nothing there. Even her clothing seemed to fit with her new personality despite it belonging to the sharp-tongued girl just moments before.

Her acting was good. Too good. I could feel the uneasiness crawling into my chest. Something was wrong.

Edsel raised an eyebrow and looked over at Arielle, making sure it was true. When Arielle looked down at her feet, he knew his answer.

"I should leave and let you all train without intrusion," Phoenix said.

"Yes, please," Edsel responded, the disdain clear in his voice.

Phoenix pretended to be oblivious to his attitude and gave him one last salute before walking out the door. Edsel barely waited to turn on Arielle.

"You brought a first-gen into our home?" he asked Arielle.

When Arielle said nothing, Edsel raised his voice. "Answer the question!"

Arielle lifted her head and looked him in the eye. "Yes."

"Why? What made you think that was a good idea?"

"She was a really good friend and an excellent student at school. So, I invited her for the funeral."

"She is a first-gen, Arielle!"

Arielle hesitated before steeling up and asking, "So?"

"So?!" Edsel repeated. "So she's practically a Streeter! People are flocking to the Ravens' side and they're growing in power by the day. What if your 'really good friend' is working for the Ravens? What if, this entire time, all she ever wanted to do was to get closer to you? Do you want to cause what happened in Indianapolis all over again?"

Arielle stepped back, breath caught at his last words. I remembered what she said in the garden only two days ago, the guilt she felt over my mother's death. It didn't matter that this was all merely fake—it still hit close to home.

Oblivious to the effect he had on his daughter, Edsel continued.

"The Court is already falling apart over just Erilia's death. And, what I was coming to tell you, is that I just received news that the King of Thieves just lost his eldest son to disease. The King of Nefaria, Arielle! They live in the middle of nowhere in Antarctica, in a giant dome that keeps everyone with such fatal diseases out, and yet, the perfectly healthy Prince, who didn't step foot out of Isolone borders, died of illness. And this is just one of the many things that can kill any of you, and, adding to that, are the Ravens. And now you're increasing your risks by inviting someone into your home who could very well be working for the enemy?"

"She won't kill us," Arielle argued.

"Says who?"

"Says me!"

"Ari, we know nothing about the Ravens and even Evander hasn't been able to figure them out after Erilia's death."

Damien looked down at his hands and I watched on.

Edsel continued, "For all we know, they could've been plotting this for years. How do you know your friend isn't trying to kill you?"

"Don't you trust me?"

"Not after all that you've done."

"And what did I do?" she shouted. "Please, I would like to know. What was it that I did that was so wrong? Is it that I'm not who you wish I was? That I'm not who I'm supposed to be?"

Edsel looked over his shoulder before warning, "Keep your voice down."

Arielle stepped back again and took a long breath. There were tears in her eyes now and I had the sudden urge to wipe them, but she wasn't close enough.

And you would've done so if she was? Don't be foolish.

She asked in a small voice, "If she came back, would you give her the crown? Even though she ran?"

Edsel stared into her eyes for a long moment before finally responding.

"Yes."

I couldn't tell if Edsel was blind or merely in denial.

There was a long silence before Arielle stepped back and nodded. "I don't feel like sparring more today. I've already done enough with Alistair."

Edsel didn't say anything as he watched Arielle storm out of the sparring room, Alistair on her tail. After they were gone, Edsel looked back at us and cleared his throat, regaining his composure.

"I will tell your father you're both working diligently," he told us. "See you at breakfast."

We nodded and Edsel walked out of the room. My options were open now. I could do as I pleased, but that was the scariest part, being able to do whatever I wanted. Because more than anything I wanted to run out of the room and find Arielle, maybe perched on a roof somewhere, the golden city beneath her and only blue sky above, resting between the world around us and the world above, and speak to her. No, I wanted to do more than just speak to her.

But I had already dug myself deep into the foolish temptations I was trained to hold my mind strong against. It's time I started doing my job and resisted.

I looked down at Damien, who was still sitting on the floor, and hit his head with a staff.

"Ow!" He looked up and glared as he rubbed his head.

"Get up," I ordered and flung the staff at him. He caught it in a swift movement. "And put effort or I'll order Dom to hide all of your creations, materials, and blueprints."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Damien mumbled and stood back in a fighting stance.

So... I made a trailer just for the Crows in Shadow and Bone cause they didn't get much time in the official trailers. It's not that great, but then my brother dared me to share it with you guys, so here I am.

Anyways, I'll stop annoying you all now and I promise this will be the last time I will speak of it (unless they announce season 2 in which case I will freak out during the announcement and when the season actually comes out). That being said, if you would like to fangirl over it with me, I am more than happy to gush over my favorite characters of all time and the gorgeous, talented actors that play them.

So, here's my terrible fan trailer...

https://youtu.be/-n6RER7TUdE

Bye!!!

~Sreenija Paruchuri