The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

25. Gilded Armour

Savvy clenched her lips so tight that they formed a thin white line.

“Can you imagine how great it would be if Kai ended up marrying a witch?” Kyle snorted loudly while typing something on his laptop. “We will be able to mock the North for the rest of our lives for having a Witch Queen! This is just precious!”

“You Lycans and your love for the same species!” Zara gave him a mocking eye roll.

“If you want me to help him end up with Mavis, just tell me!” Kyle winked at her, and the bird shifter’s face changed at once.

“Anyone but that botch!” The girl crossed her hands on her chest. “With her on the throne, you will have a war at your doorstep in no time!”

“Yeah, she doesn’t seem particularly charming!” Kyle agreed and looked at his childhood friend. “Savannah, what do you think? Mavis or Salome?”

His smile dropped when he saw her pale face. He knew her too well to not understand that something was going on.

“What is it?” “Is it that piece of sh-t Zack screwing someone again?” He asked her bluntly without beating around the bush.

“Show me the pictures,” Savannah ignored the question. “Sav, you look a bit pale,” Zara walked towards her with a concerned look. “Are you sure…

“Show me the pictures!” the princess demanded, and her assistant got out her phone, swiping her fingers across the glossy screen a few times. Then she handed her the device, and Savannah saw Kai walking in the garden with Salome attached to his hand. The two of them were

glancing at each other and grinning like two happy children, and Savvy felt nauseous from seeing them like this.

She started scrolling. Picture after picture of what looked like a proper date. Then, a new notification came, and she clicked on it without thinking twice, opening the most recent photo. Kai pressed Salome’s hand to his lips while giving her a playful gaze. The gaze she knew too well. The gaze she thought he only gifted her with.

Savannah’s heart clenched painfully. She had already done this. She had already been through this. Betrayal was not new to her, but why did it hurt so much again?

“What the hell, Sav?” She didn’t even notice that Kyle was already standing next to her. She knew that her eyes were getting watery. The tears she would never let fall were burning her eyes, and she blinked them away quickly. She was crying for her fated mate for one day! The Northern King would not be getting such honour. They were no one to each other after all.

“I am fine!” She forced a smile, but her friends didn’t buy it. Kyle was watching her intently with his brows furrowed. Nevertheless, it was Zara who said the words loud and clear, “You like the King.” The silence in the room was heavy.

“What?” Kyle let out à nervous laugh, but then his eyes locked with Savannah’s for a few seconds before she turned away.

“Oh, no!” He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. “No, no, no! Savvy, you can’t!”

“And I will not!” She practically yelled at him, and the trio got silent. Until Kyle interrupted again.

“How?” He looked at his childhood friend questioningly. “When?!” “It’s a long story!” Savannah sighed, bitterness lacing her words.

time,” Zara moved a chair for the princess to sit on and settled on the next one. Kyle returned to where he left his laptop, but

with it. “Forget it” She shrugged her

on every other girl’s face. But the thing is that you brought us here for a reason, and I hope that it means you can trust

but Savvy took her hand and squeezed

glances and, taking a deep breath, told them everything, not withholding even the

you say anything,”

this….”

her. “Zack was your mate,

laptop. “He is an as-hole who arranged all this to avoid marrying you,

forgotten. We are back to plan one. I am winning

Kyle nodded eagerly and opened his laptop back. “In the meantime, the Truthteller has something to say

rushed to stop

and shut his laptop. “But only because you asked! And don’t start me on that other guy and his gifts! What the hell is that supposed

raised her brow when Savvy went to the wardrobe and got

she chewed on her lip, throwing a quick glance at her assistant, who had a hard time holding back a little smirk that desperately tried

supported all her crazy actions, but when it came to her

275

like a good

no,” Zara intervened this time, not letting him ruin

***

knew that soon he would see the woman who had been on his mind since the moment he let her go the night before. He managed to sort out quite a few problems today, and now they could finally talk

waited for her in the dark passage of the castle, already knowing that she would use the secret backdoor he had shown her when he thought she was a maid in trouble. The sweet memory made his chest

lost his breath at the sight of the woman who walked out into the light.

pale pink mist. Kai couldn’t take his eyes off the slit at the

mark, and he was itching to do just that, watching her wearing the sleeveless dress with such confidence as if it was golden armour. The embellishments gleamed as they caught the light from the tiny lamps installed on the walls. She looked like a fragile fairy who arrived into this world by mistake. Beautiful and ethereal. Gilded leaves in her extravagant updo in the latest

others waiting for him just a few feet away, but there was just one Savannah Stormhold. Now he knew without a doubt that she was the

enjoying her bluebell scent that had already reached his nose. The king inhaled it deeply, waiting for her to

strọde past him, her heels clicking

cleared his throat, but she

of him, ready for the game of chase. If she was ready

He saw how tense her shoulders were, and it made him worried. This did not resemble the playful chaşe he was hoping for

was actively avoiding

quite believing that this was happening after what they

could do because, technically, she could win without even as much as having to talk to him. The North wanted a strong Luna, not the one their king would be smitten with. So, there was no point in wasting her time on what could never work