Free The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst Page A

queen to manage that contradiction and keep them—and our land—balanced. But never be fooled into thinking that needing a queen is the same as wanting a queen. A queen must never forget that the spirits both require and revile her.”
    A traitorous thought sneaked into Daleina’s mind: Why would anyone want that kind of life? She squelched it down. Like the spirits themselves, she wasn’t here because of what she wanted. She was here because of what was needed.
    â€œYou will each write a ten-page research paper on the positive and negative effects of this unique command, quoting historical sources, as well as speculation on why it’s effective, due by the end of the week.”
    Last class of the day was something called survival skills.
    Daleina and Revi, as well as Linna, who had missed the earlier classes, found their way down to the practice ring. This was the first class of the day with only the new students. Clustered by the waterfall, they all held their booksand notebooks and wondered if they were supposed to sit or stand. Only thirteen out of the original twenty had made it through the entrance exam. Daleina had heard a rumor that one applicant had gone home with a broken leg, another with a concussion, and a third with burns on her hands so bad that her fingers looked shriveled. Daleina realized she’d been lucky to pick the path she did and find the other girls.
    â€œI can light a fire with sticks and string,” Linna said. “If that’s on the syllabus, I’ll help you. Do either of you know any other survival skills?”
    â€œI can recognize a few edible plants,” Daleina offered. She knew more than a few. Living in the outer forest, she had to scavenge for a lot. It was one of her primary tasks for Mistress Baria, finding the correct herbs for the hedgewitch’s charms and meals.
    â€œI don’t know anything useful,” Revi said. “Oh, wait, yes, I have the secret ability to mock anything and anyone who threatens me.”
    â€œA terrifying power,” Daleina said solemnly. “Use it wisely.”
    Leaves rustled behind them, and the students turned in time to see a wolf trot out from between the manicured trees.
    A wolf.
    Here.
    Its pelt was thick, and its muscles were bunched. Stopping at the edge of the trees, it bared its teeth and growled, a low rumble that Daleina felt in the base of her stomach. Her muscles froze. She didn’t run, twitch, or even breathe.
    From above, a voice said, “You encounter a wolf in the forest. What do you do?”
    Merecot answered first. “Summon an earth spirit to pull it into the ground.”
    â€œOr merely to hold it still,” Mari said, shooting a look at Merecot. “You don’t need to kill the poor thing.”
    â€œThe ‘poor thing’ wants to eat us,” Merecot argued. “I say it should be discouraged from thinking humans are lunch. We have enough enemies.”
    Another girl raised her hand. “A water spirit could wash awaythe ground under its feet. Make it difficult for the wolf to chase us.”
    â€œAir spirit,” another said. “Throw it into the air.”
    â€œOr make the spirit push it back.” Another.
    Ideas flew around them: making a tree spirit wrap the wolf in vines, creating a hole beneath him, blowing a tree down on him, and setting his fur on fire. As the others talked, the wolf paced back and forth.
    Daleina opened her mouth to say that maybe the best thing to do was not to stand in front of it, discussing options, but the others were talking too loudly for her to squeeze in her opinion. She tugged on the sleeve of her closest classmate. “Linna? Revi? Merecot? We should climb, while we can.” But they were all too involved in the discussion.
    With her eyes on the wolf, Daleina inched toward a tree. The wolf was watching the students who were talking most animatedly. There was something not right in the way it was