You are cordially invited to the wedding of the century!
The Fae demanded an archery competition as part of the Dead End town charter renewal, because of course they did.
Dead End is putting up 90+ year old Mrs. Frost as its cham
pion, because she’s the best in town.
Things are looking grim for our heroes getting to the church on time:
EXCERPT:
“Let us commence,” the queen said. She waved a hand, and two archery targets appeared at one end of the square, about
a hundred and fifty feet from where we stood. “Will you use our bow, Champion of Dead End?”
Mrs. Frost shook her head. Bubba grabbed her bow and quiver of arrows from the wagon and handed them to her.
“This is the first part of the First Trial, named Courage. Your Champion will try to match or exceed our Champion’s skill. Should she succeed, we will announce the second part of the First Trial.”
The Fae really, really liked to talk in Capital Letters.
“Let us begin!”
I’d like to report that it was close. I mean, it was ridiculous—a little old lady, human, competing against an immortal Fae warrior who carried the bow like she was born to use it. Every Dead Ender there was hoping so hard you could almost feel a massive weight of encouragement in the air.
So, I’d like to say it was at least close.
But it wasn’t.
