A Shade of Vampire 34 by Bella Forrest

Author:Bella Forrest [Forrest, Bella]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-10-20T04:00:00+00:00

Hazel

The crowd of sentries stood waiting by the arch in the arena—the arch that hadn’t been there the day I’d followed Jenus into the forest. Clearly the watchers, those who would be present to monitor the trial, wanted to keep something hidden before the main event, and I wondered what it was.

From where I stood, I couldn’t see into the arena and all I could hear was the low, expectant murmurings of the huge audience within.

I tried to size up the sentries to work out where the competition would come from, but it was difficult. They all looked roughly the same size—the tall, broad frames typical of their kind and the black robes they all wore didn’t really allow for any individual to stand out. Between them they must have carried an entire arsenal of weaponry.

I looked for Tejus in the group, but I couldn’t see him anywhere. It was true, then—I had completely knocked him out of the running. He had been my one chance of obtaining freedom for me and my friends, and I had destroyed it. It didn’t make me feel any better that I had been manipulated by Jenus—the outcome was the same, and my role in it had been crucial.

A few of the sentries moved to get a better look inside the arena, and as they did I saw the group of small children standing, guarded by their sentries.

They were all so young. Most of them seemed to be in shock, no doubt caused by lack of food and water, and stood staring morosely at the ground. Others were crying softly, trying not to draw attention to themselves.

A slightly older girl, taller than most of them and I guessed around the same age as me, tended to a girl who was crying on the far side of the group. The older girl was wearing a black headscarf and seemed calmer than all the others. I wondered if she’d been in Nevertide a long time.

I turned my head away from the group. I needed to focus.

Staring at the ground, I forced myself to take deep, steadying breaths. I didn’t know what was going to happen when I got inside that arena. I didn’t know what the twisted sentries had in store for us next, but whatever it was I would need to keep my wits about me. I desperately wanted Jenus dead. I wanted my face to be the last thing he ever saw before I stuck a dagger into his throat. The time would come. But for now I had to do my best to keep him alive, to give him everything I had in order to win the trial.

I had to remember that Benedict’s, Julian’s and Ruby’s lives depended on my actions, and I couldn’t let them down.

I wouldn’t let them down.

Reaching inside my pocket, I felt for the stone. The hard, smooth surface comforted me and I ran my fingers over it, imagining its deep emerald-green surface glinting in the light.

Jenus would happily drain me dry in a heartbeat if he needed to.

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