"Excuse me for my language, miss...?" The man trailed off, waiting to hear my name.
He was not worth my time. I ignored him, brushing past until my arm was roughly pulled back into the man. I grit my teeth and resisted the urge to reach for my fire blade. I was not in themood to kill before my performance. Not when I already had to kill three supernatural beings.
"There's no need to leave so soon. I have an extra golden ticket to the arena performance. You can accompany me; my lap is quite comfortable to sit on," the stout man said with eyes that sparked with unholy intents. The man looked rich. He wore a dappled brown tunic with gold twisted patterns running along the sleeve and chest area. A dagger was strapped rather loosely around his belly.
"I don't need the ticket. Now let go of me," I spoke firmly, my patience wearing off and my heart pumping faster. The man's accent was almost recognizable, he was not from here. The people of Merlanis knew who I was. We'd been performing here for years now.
"Don't be stubborn. I'll pay you. Name your price," he casually commanded, reaching out to stroke my cloak.
I was not in the mood to harm a foolish man, but the thought became appetizing.
"I SAID I DON'T—"
"Listen to the girl, Colfe." A low voice hummed. A tall man stepped into hindsight, seeming like light itself, making shadows move out of his way.
"I know what I'm—" the stout man called Colfe was cut off.
"There are plenty of whores who have already made their way to the arena tent. It won't be hard to find them. They'll smell the gold from your pocket. Leave now," the man ordered, his cloak glowed in the darkness. Before Colfe could leave, I made a point of bumping into him rather hard, making the man stumble forward.
"Wretched bitch," the man whispered into the night. I rolled my eyes, and continued my way to Fala's dressing tent before anything else could stop me.
"You're welcome by the way," the low voice playfully said, sounding young and yet alluring. I could imagine the man smirking as he said the words.
"I didn't ask for help." Some nerve he had, I was more dangerous than he thought. Something dark and sinister inside me lowly rumbled in agreement.
"You don't have to ask for help to need it," the voice smoothly said as he moved further into the moonlight. He leaned against a wooden pillar that was holding up supply tents.
"You should follow your old friend," I said in return. It was as if the man shook his hair because a flash of silver peaked through the bright cloak.
"Perhaps I should. Will I be seeing you among the spectators?" He came closer.
"No. You will not," I whispered. He looked well built, I could smell his scent— so familiar...
I decided not to look under his hood, to try and fix the enticing voice to a face that suited his attractive physique.
"A shame... I heard that tonight's performance will be the greatest one. Only a handful of guests have been given invitations," he says as if he was daring me to ask him to take me along. Well, he was in for a surprise. It was as if the moonlight shone closer to us. I lifted up my face to look at what would be his face if it weren't concealed by the heavy cloak he wore.
He froze when he saw my own. I did not know what he saw when he gazed upon me, but I spoke nonetheless.
"I don't enjoy watching. I'd rather be the one fighting." I shrugged and turned the opposite way, it was late and I needed to get ready for the performance. I would make it my mission to speak to Fala afterward.
"The gold coins you stole from Colfe when you bumped into him. The one that's now stuffed in your breast. Keep it." The man chuckled. I froze and turned around to make a defensive remarkbut he was gone. And suddenly that moonlight that had shone on us was gone too. The air seemed thinner, clearer. It was as if my body felt a speck of connection that just suddenly vanished. It could just be the nerves settling in my system, that's what it was.
No connection.
"It is when lost souls meet, that fate is sealed."The hair along my neck stood up as I heard the cliftolight whisper in my ear. I whirled around with my fire blade in hand, igniting it immediately... but there was nothing.
Nothing at all.
Chapter 12
Devil Eyes
Adrion
The meeting he had attended was brief and mood-dampening. The demons his father called allies were the bane of his mission. He couldn't have them ruin his plans. The king might have been too aloof to see the trickery and untrustworthiness in their eyes, but Adrion was no fool. Why his father had a sworn alliance to them after their release was a mystery. The meeting at the borders of Merlanis had been a surprise to everyone in his travel but him."I knew they'd want to taunt me, considering my gain from this mission."
They wanted to test the light of the Prince of Apollo.
