The guys turn from their seats at the table to Dane’s smirk, and my red lips, each one laughing before digging into their sandwiches.
I should feel embarrassed, but my need seems to be swallowing every other emotion whole. A plate appears before me with a delicious looking sandwich, and my stomach growls. Glancing up, Paxton smiles and hovers the plate in front of me before I take it in my hands.
“Thanks, Pax.”
Taking a large bite, I groan as the flavors burst in my mouth, and in what feels like seconds, the sandwich is gone. I gaze down at my empty plate, and half a sandwich appears in front of me like magic. I follow the arm offering it to Paxton, who holds the other half of his sandwich out to me.
“You are an angel, Paxton,” I gush, and his cheeks tinge as he releases it onto my plate. I take a glorious bite and sigh in happiness. When was the last time that I enjoyed food this much? I can’t even remember. “You’re definitely my favorite now.”
Dane smirks at that, and I ignore him to keep on eating. “So all it takes to be your favorite is to give you food?” he asks.
“Mm-hmm,” I mumble around a mouthful of bread, then swallow. “But I do have a favor to ask all of you, and in return, I will owe each one of you a favor. Sound good?”
They share a look, their eyes filled with curiosity. Nodding, they turn back to me, and I draw in a deep breath, my stomach sinking. You can do it, Serena. Just spit it out and ask them.
“I would like to sign up for the Mid-Semester Trials, and I was wondering if you would sign up with me as my team,” I rush out, and their eyes widen in unison.
“Serena, you do know the Trials aren’t a cake walk, right?” Rory asks, his brow wrinkling.
Dane’s eyes narrow on me and I can feel his powers brushing the air around me, trying to get a sense of what I’m planning, but he says nothing.
I turn to Paxton, who glances down at his empty plate, and I’m afraid he’s angry from the intensity erupting from his aura.
“Why do you want to enter?” he asks quietly, and I have a feeling there’s more to this than just simple curiosity.
Why would I want the Trident of Truth? It’s not like I can give them the real reason. My goddess’s image pops into my mind, and my chest tightens at her familiar eyes.
“I want the trident because I need to ask my goddess a question,” I say.
Why didn’t she intervene when I needed her the most? Why would it have mattered if I’d died in the Forest? I would have been reborn, anyway, and I wouldn’t have the death of my old friends on my hands. I glance down at my hands, crumpling the white lace tablecloth in my fist.
I swallow the lump in my throat and look up to see the guys share a look. Declan turns to me, his eyebrows pinching together. “We were going to participate later on in the year, but if it means that much to you, we’ll sign up now.”
I try to contain my obvious relief as I say, “Thank you. I’ll make it up to you.”
“I’m glad that they will be joining you, Mistress. I was beginning to worry that they would say no,” Lore’s relief intermingles with my own.
I stare into each of their eyes and bite my lip. “But… not that I’m not grateful or anything, but why are you all agreeing to do this with me?”
“Because every student has to participate in at least two trials in order to graduate. We plan on graduating early. So, we may as well do it now,” Declan shrugs but Rory rolls his eyes.
“We’re doing this because we care and want to make sure you survive. Don’t listen to that asshole.” He jerks his thumb at Declan, who simply shrugs with a self-satisfied smile.
“I can’t let my girl show me up. What kind of example would I be making?” Dane smirks, and it’s my turn to roll my eyes at him, but I warm at his claim.
Paxton remains silent, his eyes trained on the table and his aura wobbling wildly around him. “Pax? You don’t have to if you don’t want to…” I trail off when his eyes flick to mine, the darkness in them taking me back.
But he doesn’t say a word as he shoves up from the table and heads to the backyard, the door sliding shut with a bang behind him.
“What… what did I say?” I ask quietly, not taking my eyes off the door.
“Paxton’s cousin died during the Trials. He was the only family Pax had,” Dane answers. I whip around to stare at him.
“What?” I squeak.
Dane nods gravely. “He saw it all. That’s when his paladin abilities kicked in. He tried to save him—jumped from the stands and onto the course—but ended up getting pretty badly hurt. They were both living with Declan at the time, so it… kind of hit both of them when Lewis died. Pax more so—Lewis was the only real family he had left.”
We all stare toward the door and the backyard beyond, watching as Paxton paces like a wild animal across the grass.
“You have to understand, Serena,” Declan says, “You mean a lot to him, and the thought of losing you will send him over the deep end. So, you better do everything in your powers to survive, or I will kill you myself.”
“I don’t plan on dying anytime soon,” I vow, and he nods, though his eyes don’t lose their hardness.
“Well,” he says, pushing up from his seat. “There’s no time like the present to start training. We’ve only got five weeks until the first trial, and I don’t plan on dying
