"Whoa!!!" Riona exclaimed as soon as she set foot on the Umbra Grounds.
The Nightwarden Trials were held in Umbra Grounds, a secluded vale surrounded by towering cliffs and ancient trees that seemed to whisper secrets.
Unlike the rest of Eira, dominated by constant snow and icy conditions, the Umbra Grounds were bathed in perpetual twilight. The sky was an eternal shade of deep indigo, with swirling mists that looked like they were brewed in a witch's boiler.
Another main point of the Umbra Grounds was its black ice and dark stones. The ice was unnaturally smooth and treacherous, which would be a challenge in its own rights to those participating in the trials.
Riona forbade Florian from coming with her, no matter how much he insisted since it was well-known that a lot of participants would die during the trials due to the harsh conditions and fierce competition.
He was still too young to witness the bloodbath. Even though it wouldn't be Riona's blood that was shed, she still didn't want Florian to be exposed to such violence early on.
With her brother in mind, Riona participated in various phases of the trial. After quickly passing the strength, speed, and stealth tests, she became more confident in her capabilities. Now the only thing left was duels, where she'd have to sink her teeth into every skill she had.
In duels, two participants would go fang-to-fang, and the loser would be replaced by a new participant. This, in a way, was also to challenge the participants' endurance—because what's a good trial without a bit of a stake?
At a glance, this looked unfair because those who went to the arena first were bound to get tired first, and thus, would lose. But in reality, the order in which the participants went in was decided by their performances in the previous tests.
It was a bit like sorting the bats from the bats—only the strongest, fastest, and sneakiest got to go first.
But then again, there was a peculiar case like Kai Stahl, who became an inspiration to all participants of the Nightwarden Trials.
This guy showed up fashionably late to the dueling arena, probably stopping for a snack or something, and then decided to skip the first three tests.
But lo and behold, he ended up out-dueling everyone else and acing the Nightwarden Trials like it was a piece of cake. He ranked first among all the participants that year and became the most honorable trainee.
That being said, Riona's order to enter the arena was the fourth from the end. Out of thousands of participants, ranking fourth was a colossal accomplishment, and she was practically throwing confetti in celebration.
As she was waiting for her turn, Riona took her sweet time to sink her teeth into as much high-quality blood as she could at the tent, where nobles and royal family members rested. She snuck into the tent and gobbled up everything she laid her eyes on.
"If you don't slow down, you'll choke on yourself." A familiar voice interrupted Riona's feast, and she was upset.
She turned to see the face that she least wanted to see. Thorin, the Alpha werewolf. With a mouth full of food, she asked, "What a delightful surprise to see you here, Alpha. Should I be honored or just hungry?"
Her eyebrow twisted as much as her irritation twisted her stomach. Oh Dark Lord, just what she needed, a werewolf crashing her blood buffet.
Thorin flashed his trademark grin, arms folded in front of his chest. "I'm the honorable guest, in case you missed the memo. Remember that night you gave me the grand tour of the palace? I must admit, it was a night to remember. Who knew you'd ditch me faster than a bat out of... well, a bat cave?"
Not giving the slightest care in the world, Riona continued relishing her mealtime. "Since you're here, I'm guessing you managed to stumble your way back to your room just fine. No need to thank me for my impeccable hospitality."
"Beep! Wrong. I was totally lost, and let me tell you, it was quite the adventure," Thorin retorted with a playful wink.
Riona rolled her eyes and quipped with indifference, "Oh, how tragic. My heart bleeds for you."
Thorin grinned mischievously. "Anyway, you were absolutely amazing in those tests! Congratulations, Riona! You were a sight to behold, and I must admit, I had a blast watching you."
"Oh, how kind of you to notice, Alpha. But let's not state the obvious. Now, if you're quite finished with your charming presence, I'd appreciate it if you'd vacate the area. Your company is about as appetizing as a garlic necklace."
Riona figured that with King Valentin out of the picture, there was no need to put on a fake smile for diplomatic purposes with this werewolf. She couldn't stand being around him, and she wasn't about to pretend otherwise.
Thorin leaned against the wall, flashing his charming smile as he inched closer to Riona. "I've noticed you have this adorable habit of calling me 'Alpha.' Why not switch it up and use my name? After all, I always make sure to use yours."
Turning away, Riona couldn't bear to look at him. Sure, he was easy on the eyes, but his personality was a dumpster fire. What good was a handsome face if the person behind it was insufferable? Who in their right mind would stick around when the other person was clearly repulsed by their presence?
"Oh, how touching, Alpha. But why bother with names when our time together is fleeting?"
"Ah, but sweetheart, fate has a funny way of bringing the most unexpected souls together, don't you think?" Thorin quipped with a smirk.
Riona whirled around, fighting the urge to slap the smug look off his face. "Sweet–! Ugh, Dark Lord, bury me in your coffin!"
"Well, look who's finally facing me. Hate me all you want, but we're bound to cross paths, whether you like it or not."
Riona raised an eyebrow. "And why's that?"
"I can't reveal all my cards just yet, darling. But let's just say, I'm on the hunt for someone special, someone who would howl at the full moon with me. And you, my dear, seem to check all the right boxes."