The Royal Gauntlet

THE ROYAL GAUNTLET GAME OF GODS BOOK 3 NICOLE SANCHEZ CONTENTS Author’s Note Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Epilogue Acknowledgments About the Author Also by Nicole Sanchez Copyright © 2023 by Nicole Sanchez ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information and retrieval system without express written permission from the Author/Publisher. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The Author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication’s use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owner. All rights reserved. To request permissions, contact the author at [email protected]. First paperback edition May 2023 Edited by Tashya Wilson and Amanda Iles Cover Art by Karen Dimmick / ArcaneCovers.com Header and Page Break art by Leigh Cover Designs Created with Vellum For the dreamers and doers – don't be afraid to write your own happily ever after AUTHOR’S NOTE As an author, it is important to me that all my readers to feel safe when reading my books. Some elements of this story may be upsetting to some readers. If you’re not interested in learning more, please feel free to turn the page. If you have concerns, please see the list below: Pregnancy, miscarriage (past), cutting as part of a ritual which could be triggering for self harm. Please protect your mental health.. If you need further clarity or are concerned about an unmentioned trigger, please feel free to email me at [email protected] CHAPTER 1 “I just want to talk.” I can’t help it. I scoff at my mother-in-law. Choosing to have a conversation in a dark cavern of the Underworld doesn’t exactly scream friendly chat, especially not after luring me here under false pretenses. Octavia frowns at my reaction. It’s the delicate droop of the corners of her mouth that draws the inappropriate laugh from my own. Once I start, I can’t stop. She crosses her arms and taps her finger against her bicep in time with her foot. I’ve had the rug pulled out from under me many times in the past twenty-four hours, but having my mother-in-law pose as my lady’s maid wasn’t even a consideration for my bingo card. And then I’m doubled over as the laughs keep coming and tears are leaking down my face. If I keep laughing like this, I might pee myself too. “I’m sorry,” I manage to wheeze out, and my dog-guardian, Dave, glances between the two of us. “Really, Daphne,” Octavia scolds. “I’m okay,” I assure her before another fit of giggles starts. I straighten up, wiping my eyes. “I’m just—you really are a monster-in-law. This is where you’re going to have a little villain’s monologue and make demands of me.” My giggles stop abruptly. “But you forget, Octavia, this is my realm. You’re just a guest here.” My hands reach forward, and I appear to pull on nothingness, but then pieces of plants, roots and the like, emerge from the ceiling and the ground, extending toward Octavia. “That’s what you think, but you’re always going to be a little girl playing in my sandbox.” Octavia’s retaliation is swift. With a squeeze of her fist, she cuts off my air. I release the hold on my roots and try to force my fingers between the invisible ones that are severely restricting my oxygen supply. There is no getting between them. Dave must sense my distress, because I can hear him barking like mad, but the sound is getting farther and farther away until everything goes horrifyingly dark. * * * I’m startled awake by a cool hand on my cheek and for a moment, I think it’s Essos. But then the memory of the morning comes rushing in and I flinch back. It’s not Essos. It’s Octavia. The last twenty-four hours have been a whirlwind, and being face-to-face with my mother-in-law might be the straw that breaks the proverbial camel’s back. “Welcome back to the land of the living, Phoenix Queen.” From my vantage point on the ground, I glance around the cavern. I can feel a soreness through my body from when I landed on the damp ground. “I think this is still the realm of the dead,” I point out. Dave is beside me, having placed himself between me and the Goddess Supreme. I don’t know when I last saw her in the flesh, but seeing her now can’t be good news. “Are you capable of being compliant for once in your life? My gods you’ve been a thorn in my side ever since you agreed to go to dinner with Essos.” I sit up slowly, aware of how woozy I feel. I hope she didn’t deprive me of oxygen for long, but still, my hand brushes my abdomen. Essos was right—I need to worry about more than just myself now. “As Goddess of Spring, thorns come with the territory,” I point out, which earns me a dry look. Despite my assault, the six-foot-tall goddess looks unruffled. My dog, however, looks like he’s ready to tear her