I stood in my new quarters, still wrapped in disbelief at what had just transpired. The room had lavish decorations, it was a far cry from my modest village. The fire’s soft glow highlighted the deep, lush fabrics, and the scent of exotic flowers permeated the air. I sighed, brushing my fingers along the silken drapes, thinking of my family. A rush of emotions welled up within me. I’ve never had my own room before. Tahlia my mother and I shared a small double bed.

I looked out the window, where the sun was slowly setting making the sky streak with oranges and pinks. The courtyard below was buzzing with activity; Fae sat on the grass using blankets, drinking champagne and celebrating being in the Games. The air was thick with energy and anticipation, a mix of excitement and tension that hung around the competitors like a tangible force.

After the audience with the King, they sent me to Thornhold in a carriage big enough to carry 6 people. Thornhold is where all the competitors stayed and trained during the games. It is in the capital, and while travelling through in the carriage, I was hanging out of the window while taking in my surroundings. The grounds were massive, and Fae were already training on the grounds. Thornhold was like a palace; the main building seemed to stretch towards the sky with thorny spires and intricate patterns etched into the light stone.

I had showered and changed into jeans and a white T-shirt. Before I could fully gather my thoughts, there was a loud knock on the door. I opened it to find a woman. She wore a flowing gown that seemed to mirror the autumn leaves in its rich colours, and her eyes sparkled with a kind of intensity that matched Thornhold’s atmosphere.

“Welcome to Thornhold.” She greeted, her voice carrying a touch of warmth that surprised me. “You must be Brynn. I’ve been told to update you on what you missed, as you were late.” She stuck her hand out, and I shook it apprehensively.

I nodded, a mixture of nerves and curiosity swirling within me. “Nice to meet you,” I replied.

She strode into my room and flopped herself onto the large white armchair by the window. “I’m Aire, by the way; I’m a competitor like you.” She smiled at me, and I walked over and sat on the enormous four-poster bed facing her. “You didn’t miss much; there’s a gala tonight to welcome us, which I hope will most likely result in everyone drunk. Here’s hoping.” She smirked. “Oh, and before I forget, here’s your Nova,” she threw a flat sphere object the size of my hand towards me. I caught it; it was lighter than it looked.

“What is it?” I asked, flipping it over in my hands; she looked at me, confused.

“It will provide you with your schedule and updates.” She said. I tapped it, and floating icons came out of it. By selecting a book-looking icon, the device displayed the history of the Nexus Games. With another tap on the Nova, the information vanished.

I frowned. This place is weird. I looked back at Aire. She was watching me, curiosity on her face.

“You’ve never used a Nova?” She asked.

“Now I have.” Trying not to let the look on her face get to me; she was trying to figure me out, but it was best if they didn’t know my background.

“For the Gala tonight, make sure that you dress appropriately. They fill the wardrobe with everything you need. I’ve already tried half the stuff in mine.” She said noticing my scruffy black dress. “I need to go get ready; I’ll catch you later.” She said with a smile and wave as she walked away and clicked the door behind her.

A slight breeze hit me and I looked towards the window at the end of the room it was tall and reached the ceiling. I had a view of the grounds, and across from the courtyard was a large garden with an obstacle course; some people were training, but I couldn’t make out any faces as they were too far away. A smile spread across my face as I turned around. I couldn’t believe this was where I would be staying. I turned and looked to my right. There was an oak wardrobe; I strode towards it and pulled open both doors. A gasp escaped me as I looked through all the beautiful dresses, a navy blue one with a scooping back and long sleeves catching my eye. On the other side of the wardrobe were training clothes, which weren’t as appealing and looked so tight it would probably take me a while to even attempt to get them on. I turned and saw the en-suite bathroom with a large gold bath.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

A chime came from my pocket, and I pulled out the Nova. An icon flicked above it, and I clicked on it. A message showed.

Welcome to Thornhold. We will hold the Gala in the ballroom and will start at 8; the attire is black tie. Don’t be late.

Rising from the bed, I checked the time. There was only an hour until the Gala started. I found the music section on the Nova, pressed play, and placed it on my side table, blasting it as loud as it would let me.

I stepped into the shower washing off the filth from the cell; it had been a while since I had access to a shower whenever I wanted. The shower was open, and on the other side of the room to the enormous bathtub, the water came down from the ceiling, and I washed with the expensive-smelling soap. When I was done, I flipped my hair up into a towel and covered myself.

Leaving a trail of water behind me, I walked back into my room and plopped into the vanity table chair. I looked at myself in the mirror, my green eyes bright with excitement, and opened the drawer to find all the different make-up items and started doing it. I added some eyeliner and mascara to make my eyes stand out more and then kept adding to my face until I looked a little less gaunt. Things had taken a severe turn with my family, meaning we had all lost a lot of weight. My mum had worked hard to keep as much weight on us as possible, but I had to say I was missing my hips and bum.

I messed around with my hair until I gave up, left my auburn cascading down on one side. I pinned up one side so that at looked semi put together. I grabbed the navy dress, and slipped it on, it was the perfect fit. I looked at my left shoulder as the copper badge shimmered and appeared on the dress. They designed the badge to appear magically on any clothing, even if several layers are worn. Trust me, Tahlia and I had tried on many layers to conceal our copper badge. Examining the back of the dress in the mirror, I realised it curved just above my butt. It wasn’t the most modest of dresses but I couldn’t believe I was wearing something so breathtaking. I picked out some gold heels and put them on.

I checked the time; shit, it was time for me to head out. I grabbed a gold small purse, put my Nova and lipstick into it, and strode out of my room. There were lots of Fae heading down to the ballroom, everyone was done up and was in suits and dresses, I followed them towards the large ballroom. Four massive chandeliers were hanging from the ceiling, sparking, the lights were dim, and an orchestra played modern songs with a twist. I walked into the room slowly, taking in my surroundings. It was already full of Fae. I looked around for the bar, hoping to get something to stop my palms from sweating. A girl slammed into my shoulder from behind, then scoffed at me and walked away, flicking her blonde hair behind her. I rolled my eyes, spotted the bar, and strode towards it.

A handsome male with curly brown hair and blue eyes came around the bar to serve me with a bright smile. “What can I get for you, beautiful?”

I smiled, taking in his chiselled features. “Rum and coke would be great,” I said

“Coming right up.” He made my drink, and I almost ended up drooling over his enormous arms as he made it, but thankfully, I managed to keep my mouth closed. A tailored suit hugged his body. He handed the drink to me, and I thanked him.

“You don’t look like the average competitor.” The barman said, eyeing me.

“You don’t look like the average barman,” I smirked. He grinned at that.

“My name’s Cale. I’m a competitor; I just saw you and had to make you a drink.” he walked around the bar and stood beside me. He was so tall I had to crane my neck to look at him. “Piece of advice for tonight: mingle with anyone with a silver badge; they’re the ones worth speaking to. They will offer advice, and it doesn’t help to get on their good side. Avoid anyone with a gold badge like the plague.”

“I’m Brynn. Thanks for the advice, although I think you might be slightly biased.” I said, sipping my drink and pointing to his silver badge.

He chuckled, “Yes, well even so the advice still stands.” A woman approached him and he turned to talk to her. Everyone was already chatting and dancing the evening away. I decided to stay by the bar taking sips of my drink; well, it was more like downing it, while watching the other Fae. When I turned to order another one, one was waiting for me. I exchanged my empty glass with the new one. I looked at Cale and raised my glass; he smirked, walked back into the crowd, and started chatting with some other competitors.

A lady with a floor-length red gown and a plunging neckline came onto the stage next to the orchestra. She wore a large smile that didn’t quite reach her dark eyes. Her black hair was put up neatly into an up-do. She lifted her arms, and everyone in the room went quiet.