The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

The Blue Ribbon

“No?” Savannah eyed him questioningly. “I am getting some very mixed signals here, Kai

Fionnlagh.”

“No mixed signals.” The King leaned over his desk and folded his arms on his chest. “It’s just that I am not letting the woman I love go and risk her life fighting while I sit here and wait.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet!” Sawy smiled and walked to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Then join the Trials and fight us. When I win, you can be my Luna!”

A menacing warming growi left his chest, and he pulled her closer, not even bothering that they had witnesses in the room.

“Gross,” Elene was the first to turn away. Lachlan and Zara exchanged glances and pretended there was something that grabbed their attention on the bookshelf and the ceiling,

“Savvy.” Kai was oozing testosterone now. “Don’t test me. You are not going. We will announce you as my Luna, and then we’ll take it from there.”

“Kai,” she mimicked his tone and arched her brow while he pulled her closer. Eye to eye, they were both challenging each other. “I have to disappoint you, but I am an Alpha too. I don’t take orders unless like them. And this time, I will have to pass. We have a problem that can only be solved in two cases. One, if I win the Trials. And two, if you find Zack and make him talk. Preferably accepting my rejection in the process.”

The King of the North was silent. He knew she was right, but all his instincts opposed the idea of her

going to the Forgotten City Maze challenge alone. Or at all, actually.

“Elene is right,” he said, savouring the look in his beloved’s eyes. “From what I learned, things get crazy during this contest. You can’t shift or use any kind of magic other than the strength in your human body. A lot of contenders have died during that part. Especially the ones who were leading by points or favoured in any other way. All because they had targets on their backs. Sawy, when you are there, everyone will go after you.” He stroked her cheek gently, and she leaned into his palm, eyeing him playfully. She liked that he was worried about her. She liked it a lot.

“Why would you think that?” she asked.

“Because everyone here knows that I am in love with you. I love you, Sawy.” He breathed the words into her mouth and claimed it with a possessive, greedy kiss, lacing his fingers through her hair.

She broke the kiss early, to his disappointment, but when Savannah gestured at the three other people in the office, he knew he had gotten carried away. They left the cabin, their safe haven. It was time to act according to their titles.

“If you want to stop the Trials, find Zack as soon as possible,” she smiled at him reassuringly. “And until then, do not worry about me too much. I am a Royal Lycan, you know. I can take a lew girls who can’t

shift.”

“Sawy,” he released an exasperated sigh, ‘these girls were preparing. The Northerners know about The Forgotten City Maze. You…”

“I can take them,” she promised with a grin. “Tell me about this Forgotten City. What does it mean exactly?”

“It’s an ancient northern city,” Elene said, turning back to face them. “Long ago, it was the capital of the North where lycans lived. Unfortunately, it was wiped out by the white bears in a gruesome war. It was so bad that only ruins are left there now.”

“So we need to get through the ruins?” Savannah furrowed her brow. It didn’t look that hard, if she

was honest.

“It’s not as easy as it sounds.” Elene shook her head in disapproval. “You need to get to the centre of the city, and it’s a giant maze on its own. Besides that, it’s surrounded by the Forbidden forest. And let me tell you, it is forbidden for a reason. One part of it borders the Lost Kingdom and is full of rogues. The other part is right next to the white bear territories. And those are worse than rogues.”

“And why are you doing all this there again?” Savvy chuckled, staring at the Northern siblings in

turns.

“Traditions,” they replied in unison.

“In my defence,” Elene interjected, “I was sure we would be done with everything by now, and it wouldn’t get to that.”

“Great plan,” Sawy stretched a smile and slid out of Kai’s grasp. “No flaws at all.”

Lachlan snorted and glanced at Zara, who gave him an approving smirk. But his face changed suddenly as he knitted his brows as if he was talking to someone via mind link. After a few seconds, he

reported to his King, “Aspen is here.”

“Aspen?” Kai tensed, “Tell him to come in.”

Savannah already knew that Aspen was Celia’s brother and the King’s Gamma. He mainly patrolled the borders for him, checking on the guards and gathering intel on their enemies. The charming pub they had been to was his cover to trade information with guests of other species when they visited the place. In other words, Aspen was a spymaster. Him being here could only mean one thing he had something to

report.

He walked in firmly into the room, wearing a black coat with a hood, Snow was covering the top of his head, and Savvy even noticed a few iclcles here and there on his ginger beard.

He took off the hood and looked around in surprise.

“My King,” he said in an official tone. “I apologise, but what I need to tell you can’t wait.”

“Speakl” the ruler of the North ordered, and the massive guy looked at him questioningly just to ensure he didn’t mishear. “Speak, Aspen, speak,” Kai pulled the Western Princess closer and locked his arms around her. “Savannah is my chosen mate and your future Queen. You can speak freely in front of

her.”

say I am surprised after the last time I saw

instead. Their situation was too difficult. “Maybe it’s for the best since

requesting to enter the

everyone present was sure they had misheard the big

Savvy furrowed

army with him, and he is furious. He insists that he didn’t send you here to take part in

can see each

the brink of the war, and I had to pull back some of the warriors

She knew Gideon wouldn’t be

she turned to glance

think you just got one more task to do,” she snickered at her man, and his face became even grimmer by the minute.

he groaned. “As

if you grow up and apologise,” the Western Princess pointed out. “And

him that what

going to be either way.” Kai exhaled

“But do not worry,

on you. We are a package deal

chuckled into his chest. “Just … be sincere with him, okay? He is

to move to the next stage of the Trials as soon as possible so that he can’t reach me

her and locked eyes with her. “You are not going

He’d take it better if he saw you

Gideon sees me, he’d grab me and take me back home. He is in his Papa Lycan mode

your home now!” Kai

get to know each other better before he has access to me” Savannah smirked, playing

plan!” Elene rubbed her

move the challenge, it will ruin our enemies’ plans. If they

“I want double security

act

Elene clenched her lips. “Even if something

to take care of

better than nothing!” The King

There was no point arguing with

looking for paper, “Give it to him to support your words. And one more thing, Kai. If his wife Riannon is there,

door, and it was opened almost immediately. Evelyn looked like she wasn’t happy to

the Western Princess waved

That woman was the only one who always used

on a whim.

the back, and he soon appeared wearing a female silk bathrobe. The young lycan wrapped his hands around the older she-wolf, who closed her eyes, annoyed to the core. “We are all practically family now! Just call her Savvy or

holding back

checked the hall behind it. “I can’t believe I got into this mess with the two of

helping Kyle out,” Savvy smiled weakly. She still knew too little about

front

Kyle chuckled. “She got a good deal out of all of this.”

exactly?” Now the Princess was

Evelyn rolled her eyes. “It wasn’t really worth it for me, was it? The

of fashion makes her unique and how brave she must be to showcase

ran her hand over her face. “Amazing work.

really use some testosterone free zone

knew that the woman was right. She also knew for

Too

what you said last night,” he said with

wanted to slap him.

my bed without permission?” Evelyn snapped

away, did you?” His

ears but then saw her friend choking with laughter. It had been a while since

attention and didn’t even try to fight it off. “We just cuddled, but it was the best sleep

same,” the woman in his arms

it wasn’t sleep that you wanted!” Kyle didn’t seem offended one bit. “But it’s

Evelyn gritted her teeth. “If I can do anything to help ease the situation,” Sawy started talking, and Evelyn

once.

there is something,” the werewolf’s eyes sparkled, and she stepped closer, taking both Savannah’s hands into hers. “During the next

had to win the Trials no matter the cost, and this request was a bit too much at the moment. But Kyle could have had a much worse punishment than being on

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