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Chapter 52
~Katrina~
"Let the games begin," the king's voice echoed across the arena. I heard him from a distance as I hurried down the hallway. We would've been seated already if not for the delay with my new hairstyle.
As I walked past a group of guards, they stared at me like they had seen a ghost. For a moment, I wondered if the pixie curls had been a mistake.
Marissa said I looked more beautiful than ever, but of course she would say that. She loved me, and she always found a way to make me feel special, even when I didn't believe it myself.
We finally arrived at the arena. The stage looked nothing like it did yesterday. It was clear they had worked all through the night.
The maze had changed. The first section was just sand, smooth and quiet. But the second one… it was filled with sharp rocks, wooden spikes, and hidden traps that could hurt—or even kill—the participants. My chest tightened. This wasn't just for fun anymore.
"Princess Katrina?" I turned at the sound of Prince Elvin's voice. I was only two seats away from him, but I hadn't even noticed. Whispers floated around me like smoke. Women were already talking. Their eyes followed me, wide and curious.
Suddenly, it felt like the whole arena had gone quiet. Every gaze was fixed on me. My hands grew cold, and a shiver ran down my back. I didn't know why everyone was staring.
Was it my dress? My hair? Or something else entirely?
I forced a small smile and moved quickly to my seat, with Prince Elvin reaching out to steady me.
"You're a very beautiful woman," he said softly, eyes twinkling. "And you know how to make heads turn."
"I had no idea I could do that," I said, resting both hands on my lap. My heart was beating too fast.
"Oh, beautiful princess," he smiled. "With that smile, you could kill a man."
"Really?" I laughed quietly. He was the only one in the palace who could still make me laugh. "So, are you dead now, Your Highness?"
"Yes," he grinned, closing his eyes as if he were pretending to die. "And I'll stay dead if that's what you want."
"No… please don't. I'd be too bored without you," I replied.
He opened his eyes and leaned closer. "You've got everyone's attention… including the king and queen."
"The queen?" I looked up quickly. There she was—Fortuna—seated beside the king, her eyes fixed on me.
I didn't expect her to be here. After the fire, I thought she'd still be too weak. But there she sat, watching me like a hawk.
"I thought she was sick…" I whispered.
"She was," Elvin said. "But I guess even illness can't stop some queens from showing up when they feel threatened."
"If she had been awake when it started, she would have called for help right away. But she didn't. And by the time she did, the fire had already gotten worse."
I stared at Prince Elvin, surprised. I didn't expect him to say something so thoughtful. Who would've even considered that?
"The king is angry with her," he continued, "but they'll work it out. They always do."
Before I could ask more, the next group of game participants came out.
There were ten of them—two from each of the five royal houses.
They bowed to the king, then began walking toward the second arena. But before they could reach it, the ground suddenly opened beneath two of them.
They screamed as they dropped. Swallowed by the earth.
A cold shiver ran through me. My heart raced.
"Where do they go?" I asked Elvin in a shaky voice. "Are they alright?"
"They've been eliminated," he said, his eyes locked on the arena. He didn't even blink.
"But… they're okay, right?"
He turned to me slowly, and his expression made my stomach twist. "No, Princess. They're dead. No one survives the grounds."
I swallowed hard. The hair on the back of my neck stood. This was worse than yesterday.
Why did they enjoy this? Why did people cheer while others died?
I watched in silence, unable to look away as the bloodbath continued. It felt like we were watching animals being hunted for sport.
Now only eight were left.
They managed to pass through the water trap, but when they reached the stretch filled with spears and sharp stones, one of them made a fatal mistake.
He stepped on a spear buried in the ground. He screamed in pain and tried to jump, but didn't see the jagged rock behind him. It stabbed straight through his stomach.
No one moved to help. There was no time. And maybe… no hope. He was gone before he hit the ground.
I covered my mouth, sickened. The crowd clapped and roared with joy.
I felt like I couldn't breathe. I wished I had never come here.
Then, out of nowhere, Prince Elvin asked, "How was your night?"
I blinked at him. Of all the questions… that was the one I didn't want to answer.
I had ignored him completely the night before. Now I was sitting beside him like nothing happened. How could I not have said sorry?
"I-It was fine… but things didn't end well," I whispered, twisting my fingers in my lap. I didn't dare meet his eyes.
But he was already looking at me.
"Now, you're officially my brother's woman," Prince Elvin said quietly, his voice filled with bitterness—like he had once hoped things would turn out differently.
It was always meant to be this way. That was the real reason I was brought from Everia… to be with the king.
"I really liked you, Katrina," he continued. "You're the only woman I've ever liked."
A cold shiver ran down my spine. I tried not to look at him, but I couldn't help it. His eyes were soft but heavy with truth. He meant every word.
Why would he still feel that way about me? I thought he'd moved on. Our marriage had been arranged, yes—but it didn't happen. I assumed he had forgotten.
"I was foolish to think my brother would let me have something for once," Elvin chuckled bitterly. His gaze drifted toward the king. "He always takes everything."
"I… I don't think that's true," I said, even though I wasn't sure myself. I wanted to tell him that I liked the king, that my feelings were real. But the words caught in my throat.
And then he looked at me again—this time, with tears in his eyes. "You're naïve," he whispered. "You probably think you're in love with him. But one day, when the dream fades and you wake up… you'll see. It wasn't worth it."
His voice broke. "The devil cares for no one—no one but his chosen queen."
Before I could say anything else, Elvin stood up and walked away. It shocked me. He never missed the games. He loved them. But now, he left without a word, and I knew why.
He was hurt.
I sat there for a moment, heart aching. I didn't want to hurt him. But I couldn't lie to myself either. I had fallen for the king—long before the idea of marrying Elvin had even come up.
Slowly, I turned my head toward the king's seat.
He wasn't looking at me.
Not like yesterday.
His eyes were elsewhere—far from me. Just like Marissa had warned, it was as if I no longer existed to him.
And yet, Queen Fortuna was watching me. Her smile stretched wide, almost mocking. I rolled my eyes and looked away, turning my gaze to the arena instead.
The game was nearly over. I didn't want to watch anymore. I didn't want to be here.
I stood up quietly, and Marissa followed close behind.
"My lady, are you alright? Is everything okay?" she asked over and over as we walked back to the quarters.
But I didn't answer. My chest ached. My heart felt like it was breaking into pieces I couldn't gather.
Because I didn't know what hurt more—Elvin's pain, or the king's silence.
I couldn't breathe. My chest felt tight. I stood up and rushed to my room. And when I got there, I fell to the floor and cried like I never had before.
I was foolish. So foolish to give myself to someone who would never truly love me.
I wished the kind and gentle man I met in the garden—the one who touched my heart—was real. Not this cold, distant king who could forget me so easily.
"What happened? What did Prince Elvin say, Your Highness?" Marissa rushed to my side. She found me on the floor, broken. I didn't want to move. I didn't want to be a princess anymore.
"I'm such a fool…" I sobbed. "I gave my heart to the wrong man."
Marissa knelt beside me, her voice trembling. "You're losing hope."
"Hope?" I laughed bitterly, wiping my tears. "There is no hope. He didn't even look at me today. Not once. That's not the man I met before."
"You might be wrong, my lady," Marissa said gently, though her voice shook. She was trying to keep me strong, even when she was unsure herself.
"I don't care anymore," I said, standing slowly and moving to the bed. "Fortuna will pay for what she's done. I swear it."
"But how?"
I didn't have the answer. I just knew I would. Somehow.
About thirty minutes later, the games ended. The women returned to the quarters, humming a soft love song. It was the kind that held pain within the melody. They missed the king too. But they had learned to live with his silence. With his rejection.
How was I supposed to do the same?
My chest hurt so much, I thought my heart was truly breaking.
"I heard from the other women... Queen Fortuna went to spend the night with the king," Marissa said as she returned to the room.
Of course she did. I rolled my eyes. "I should've known."
She won this round. But I wasn't done. I would find a way to reveal the truth. I would make her pay—for me, for her late sister... for everything.
She would not win in the end.