A girl accustomed to rivalry.
Blair Archer grew up surrounded by Elites. The father knew that his daughter was special, which means she should become the next queen and strengthen the influence of the family.
Brian was born a Mundane, but persistenc...
The next day unfolds according to the same tiresome routine: I wake up as the first rays of sunlight pierce through the thick curtains of my room. Mary brings breakfast—porridge with fruits and fresh juice. I raise an eyebrow at this healthy delight.
"Thank you, Mary," I say, though I crave something less "nutritious." Perhaps pie. Nonetheless, I comply and eat, my mind already occupied with the day ahead.
After finishing breakfast, I don one of my expensive training suits. It's custom-made, fits perfectly, and makes me stand out among the others. Not that I have trouble standing out; it's just another reason to show the slum dwellers they don't belong here. I hope they will not get underfoot, so each member of the royal Elite can play their assigned roles.
Brian waits for me at the door, having already taken over from his night shift partner. He nods as I exit my room, and we head towards the training yard. Along the way, he casts fleeting glances at me, as if trying to read my thoughts.
I start suspecting he's a Mind Reader and deliberately think of various curses to see his reaction. Since Brian doesn't give himself away, I conclude that I was wrong again.
"Another day," he says, attempting to start a conversation. "Are you ready, Miss Archer?"
"Are you?" I retort, answering his question with another question, eyeing his profile.
He smiles faintly but says nothing more. We reach the nearest ring, and he nods briefly.
"I'll leave you here and I'll be watching from the sidelines," he says, walking over to the other guards, and I watch his figure dissolve among the crowd. Father said my Imperial performed well during his service and even aimed to become the next captain of the guard. I smirk, realizing I'm not the only one playing their own game.
The training yard buzzes with life. The participants of the Trials are already warming up, exchanging sharp remarks and glances full of hidden rivalry.
"Oh, Blair, finally you're here!" exclaims Andrea Vos, Kai's cousin. "I heard you started the hunt before we even got to the arena."
I feel uneasy, so I do what I do best—attack.
"I wanted to test her abilities," I say with feigned nonchalance, "But sparring with her is beneath me. Sparring with you might be worth my time."
Andy smirks, and I see a spark of irony in her eyes.
"Oh, I'll skip and save my strength for the Trials."
I nod, and we part ways: Andy heading to Jax and me to Braxton Hale. He's Brawny, like many other Imperials, but this time, he's also a contestant in the Trials.
A few years ago, when he first joined the service, we often sparred. He was always aggressive, aiming to inflict serious injury, forcing me to seek urgent help from the Healers. His behavior was most likely motivated by simple envy, similar to what I feel towards Sadie. But my envy makes me work harder and become stronger, and only brings destruction to him. This time, Braxton tries to injure me again, maybe even kill me, but I skillfully use my power to fend off his attacks. Once on the ring with this guy, I am entirely confident. I know him, understand his motivations, and can predict his next move.
I win this match and head back to my room to write a speech for the interview. Nothing worthwhile comes to mind, so I drift into an uneasy, dreamless sleep.
And I sleep until the evening.
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