Mbali_Xabela

The death of the High King’s only son initiates the King Trials; demanding the eldest pureblood from each Regnum. Aurora, the estranged and bastard-born daughter of Regnum Valwa, is the only female among eight other Herems. One of noble blood who lived her life in destitution, with her mother and her ill-stricken father and brother. She is blood-bound to compete in the King Trials on the bargain that if she represents Regnum Valwa, her father and brother will receive the treatment they so desperately need.

However, this is no easy feat, she is faced against ruthless rivals, dangerous mythological beings and creatures, forced to fight in bloody duels with an onslaught of death-defying challenges that forges a woman into a warrior; a scoundrel into a soldier. A chronicle of duty and bravery, a story brimming with riveting action, an enemies-to-lovers romance with war-provoking betrayals that reveal they are all pawns in a much larger game.

The King Trials: The Sajatai Saga

The palace guard's definition of 'prepare' is to have all of us purebloods rounded up like a horde of slaves, and packed into a bullock wagon, pulled by oxen. An imperial carriage from the palace follows behind us. And the full Avangard squadron tails them.

Descending from the palace down to the city, the wagon rocks destructively from side to side. Each jolt sends tremors through its creaking frame, making the iron-bound wheels groan against the uneven path. The road is gravelly, rock-strewn, but it seems that everything might fall off its hinges at any given moment, stirring an acquainted nausea in my stomach.

Is it possible to be lightheaded but still feel like your head weighs a ton?

"So, my fellow candidates," Brennon exclaims over the clangor of hooves and rolling stones. "While we despise each other's existence. Does anyone have any last words they wish to share as we are being shuttled to our deaths?"

Chapter 40