"Evangeline Samos is going to win the Queenstrial today."

Maven glances sideways at Elara. Usually, she refers to Lords' daughters as simply "the Haven girl", or "the Iral girl." The fact that Evangeline isn't just "the Samos girl" tells Maven that Evangeline Samos is dangerous.

It is a sign of respect.

Who is this girl, Maven wonders, that Elara respects her?

"Of course, you'll likely end up marrying Evangeline after Cal is displaced from the throne, so pay attention."

He grimaces. "And what if Cal isn't... displaced?"

He regrets the words as soon as he speaks them. Immediately, a slicing pain, like ice, hits him.

"Cal will be disposed and you will be king."

"Yes, of course. I-I misspoke."

"You did." She turns, her disappointment evident. Without asking, Maven knows that he is supposed to follow her to the royal box. The closer they walk, the louder the cheering rings in Maven's ears. Surely, all the Silvers in the city are in attendance. Maven has never heard such noise.

Elara enters the royal box to thunderous applause. Everyone, even the haughtiest Lords and Ladies, stands in respect. In the sunlight, her smile seems genuine.

Maven finds certain pleasure in approaching just as everyone has sat. He watches, amused, as the Lords hide their looks of annoyance and stand. Glaring at the prince- even the younger prince- is not a good idea.

He sits, trying not to look too content. Idly, he glances around the box. King Tiberias's throne is in front, as is customary. Elara sits to his left, on a high-backed silver and pearl throne. Cal will sit to his right.

Maven is off to the side.

He scans the auditorium, observing the Silvers. The common, less-powerful Silvers stand on the lower levels. They all look happy to be there. Meanwhile, the noble Silvers look bored, but nervous. Their daughters will be competing today.

A Red servant steps in front of Maven, bowing. For a moment, his eyebrows raise. Why would this Red so obviously call attention to itself, when it is meant to be background noise? Then he realizes he has been holding his hand out. The woman must think she has been summoned.

"I'll have a water," he says, avoiding her eyes. She bows again and hastily scurries off to complete her task. Maven frowns. Now, his attention is focused on the few Reds in the crowds. Because of their uniforms, he can pick them out easily. Most look guarded, as the woman had, and polite. A few, though, look distressed. Even surly.

The woman returns with his water. He begins to thank her, but catches himself.

Suddenly, the crowd grows even louder. Maven glances up to see that Cal has walked into the box, followed closely by the King. He immediately stands, holding his hand out for Cal to shake. Cal grins at him. "Hey, Mavey."

Maven grits his teeth, but forces a smile. "Excited?"

"Terrified, actually. I'm pretty sure that Evangeline Samos has ice instead of eyes."

"Well, I heard that the Haven girl might have a chance." Maven lies.

"Really? I didn't think any of the recent Shadows had been very powerful."

They haven't. Maven just prefers Elaine to Evangeline.

"I guess we'll see, then." Maven offers.

The cheering escalates again, and Cal smiles once more before sitting on his throne. Maven suppresses a scowl as King Tiberius stands.

"All of you have come to honor my son and the kingdom, and so I honor you." He gestures at the Silvers, making sure to make eye contact with Lord Samos. "I honor your right to rule. The future king, the son of my son, will be of your silverblood, as he will be of mine. Who will claim their right?"

Boldly, Lord Samos is the first to stand. "I claim Queenstrial!"

The other Lords do not hesitate. They too stood and, in unison, announce, "I claim Queenstrial!"

The King nods, satisfied. "Then it has begun. Lord Provos, if you would."

Maven's gaze shifts to House Provos, his lip slightly curled. Lord Provos, wearing a tacky suit in gold and black, steps forward, his brow furrowed in concentration. Suddenly, the platform begins to move. Maven does not blink, used to such displays. The common Silvers, though, gasp, and the Red servants look amazed.

The spiral disappears with barely a sound. The floor widens to create a circular arc. The terraces pull back. Suddenly, the Silvers are overlooking an arena. The massive structure is impressive, and even Maven raises his eyebrows when a net of electricity stretches over the floor. The lightning crackles and hisses, warning the Silvers that it can not be controlled even by their abilities. After a moment, it freezes, creating a shield.

Too bad. Thinks Maven. Without a shield, maybe one of the girls would have killed Cal for us.

Maven hears Elara laughing in his head.

The ground begins to gape open at the center, ready to allow the first contestant into the arena. Maven cranes his neck. Who will they allow in first?

Probably an oblivion or a greenwarden, suggests Elara. I think it's their turn this year.

Instead, the tiny girl that steps out is dressed in Rhambos colors. Her house cheers for her, calling "Rohr, of House Rhambos."

Surprising, comments Elara. House Rhambos went first last time.

Rohr is very small, but Maven has seen her before, training. He does not underestimate her. Sure enough, her eye fluttering and hair flipping is simply an act. She approaches a statue, and, in a single blow, beheads it.

"Strongarm." House Rhambos says, for the benefit of the Low Houses.

Rohr wages war on the floor. She creates cracks that spiral across the floor and spiderweb on the edges. The arena seems as if it could collapse. Maven knows better, but even he grips his throne tighter. Rohr attacks another statue, turning its body to dust.

All power, no technique. Elara critiques.

They both clap politely when Rohr finishes. House Rhambos cheers loudly, unaware that, despite her skill, Rohr has already lost.

"Heron, of House Welle," announces the High House dressed in green and gold. "Greenwarden."

In a split second, trees push against the shield of lightning, their leaves catching fire. Cal leans forward slightly, a slight smile on his face. Maven rolls his eyes. Cal is drawn to fire like a moth. Unlike the moth, though, Cal cannot burn.

The next girl, a nymph, smiles sweetly at the fire before attacking it with swirls of water. The fire is killed swiftly. Surely, she knows that she will not win Queenstrial, not when the prize is a fire prince. Still, House Osanos cheers enthusiastically.

A short, delicate-looking girl walks into the circle. She is a banshee, of House Marinos. They have never won Queenstrial. Everyone covers their ears as she emits a high pitched shriek. A few common Silvers and Reds, who are foolish or unknowing enough to think they can withstand, hunch over, many collapsing. Skin healers rush to their side.

The banshee- Kathryn- smirks at them. She shows no sign of regret.

Every girl that enters the arena is different. Each of them are deadly in their own way.

A shiver, of House Gliacon, freezes the fountains and builds steps of ice. She climbs them, her eyes closed in concentration, and jumps. A clear sheet of ice catches her, and she seems as if she is flying across the arena.

Cayta, of House Nolle, is next. Under her control, the ice melts to water, and the water becomes a hurricane that sweeps across the floor. Then it is a tornado, so strong that even the lightning shield wobbles.

Maven is impressed with many of them but does not show it. Instead, he puts his chin in his hand, feigning boredom. He does not flinch as a flock of birds fly into the lightning shield, their feathers turning to ash.

Finally, it is Evangeline Samos's turn. The girl emerges wearing leather armor, decorated with iron. House Samos cheers, as do many of the Low Houses. A few members of House Iral and House Haven cheer as well.

Evangeline salutes House Samos, her smile straight and cold. Then she turns to the Royal box, saluting them as well. Maven returns the salute, as does the King and Elara. Cal mimics them, but his movements are robotic, his smile forced.

"Evangeline, of House Samos." Lord Samos announces, even though everyone knows who she is. "Magnetron."

First, it is the studs on her jacket that move. Typically, Queenstrial competitors cannot bring anything into the arena with them. Evangeline, though, is seemingly exempt from the rules. After all, everyone knows that she will be queen.

The studs are like miniature rockets, attacking the walls and the shield. The metal sparks when it hits the electricity, and several people cheer. It is impressive, yet Maven is not nearly as impressed as he has been made to expect. Before Elara can retort in his head, however, the floor begins to rumble. Everyone looks down in confusion, even Elara. House Samos grins collectively.

Metal pipes split the floor, zigzagging and twisting around Evangeline. More sparks shower down on her, but she simply deflects them with metal. Elara does not outwardly look impressed, but Maven knows that she blatantly favors Evangeline.

When Maven glances up, the other boxes are beginning to shift forward, leaning over the arena. Evangeline is wise and doesn't move the Royal Box.

Maven wishes that she would.

The other boxes are arching further over the arena, and some of the lower houses are panicking. The high houses only look amused. Evangeline will make sure that they are safe. She will not risk losing favor with them.

The common Silvers swarm around like bees whose honey has been stolen. Suddenly, a lone figure is pushed by the crowd. It is a Red, her uniform displaying her blood type for everyone to see.

Maven watches as she plummets to the ground and hits the lightning shield.

Evangeline probably did not mean to kill anyone, but the girl is only a Red. There will be no consequences.

The girl lands in a heap of dust. To everyone's shock, she is still moving.

She stands up.

Evangeline stands perfectly still. This is not part of her routine. Maven sees her analyzing the situation, wondering what to do. The red girl makes the mistake of eye contact. She says something to Evangeline that Maven cannot hear.

Talking to Evangeline.

Another mistake. 

A flock of metal cuts through the air, aimed precisely. The girl is as good as dead. Maven doesn't look away. A moment later, he is glad. He would not have wanted to miss the shocked look on Evangeline Samos's face as her metal shards fall to the ground.

The girl is a Red. And yet, she deflects Evangeline's attack with a blast of lightning. Everyone stares. The arena is silent.

The King does not know what to do. "Sentinels." His voice is tight.

The girl runs, tripping over the rubble. She slides past Evangeline into the hole in the floor. "Seize her!"

The arena is chaos. Everyone is running and yelling. Some are trying to find the girl. Others are looking for their daughters, who have already been forgotten. Evangeline does not move.

Cal and Tiberius run out of the Royal Box. Maven follows, slower. Elara surveys the arena, a grimace barely hidden. She looks at Evangeline for a moment, but Evangeline does not make eye contact. The Queen turns away, refusing to further acknowledge the destruction.

Maven watches, amused, as guards run in circles, trying to find the lightning girl. Cal races by him, never glancing in his direction. Idly, he creates a small flame in his hand.

It is blown out as the girl runs by. Maven frowns but does not chase her. She will be caught, but not by him. Sure enough, Cal pursues her a few seconds later. He summons up a wall of fire, which closes in, trapping the girl. Soon, she collapses. Unable to handle the smoke.

Maven scowls. He calls back his flame, which will never grow to the size of Cal's. He strokes it, urging it to grow bigger.

He watches as the girl is dragged past him. She is being taken to his mother. Elara will rip her mind apart, find out the truth.

Maven is perfectly fine with hearing the truth second instead of seeking it. It is what he has done his entire life.

Besides, he is Elara's son. He always gets the truth eventually.