Breathing heavily, Arwyn scanned his eyes across every single person left in the room. “If another person finds themselves foolish enough to lay a hand on Hector again…” He struggled to get his words out, as if the anger was so thick it was clogging his throat. “I will see that you suffer pain that you couldn’t even begin to imagine.”
It was Tomin who’d been cheering. He stood from his chair, pride creased across his face as he clapped meaty hands together. “There he is… there’s my boy.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Romy snarled, seconds from joining in with Arwyn’s ferociousness. “Or you’re next.”
Tomin lifted his hands to his sides in a gesture that welcomed her threat. “Please, come and give it a go. You wouldn’t be the first to try and kill me, and certainly will not be the last.”
“Sounds like a challenge.” Romy knew that Tomin couldn’t die, but from the smile across her face it seemed she was more wanting to cause him endless pain, than the peace that death offered at the end. “All good things come to those who wait I suppose.”
“That they do,” Tomin echoed. “That theycertainlydo.”
“I think we should all save this excitement for the trial. However, I take from this display that you have finished your meal and are ready to begin,” Bahmet said, evidently enjoying every second of the chaos. No doubt the death of the Hunter had just fuelled him. I wondered if the soul of a mortal was as fulfilling as the soul of a witch. Either way, it was clearly enough to satisfy him. “If you are all willing to put your dark tendencies and threats to the side for a few more minutes, perhaps I can have the time to outline the rules of the next carefully curated game. Believe me when I say, I think you will want to hear this.”
A sharp spike of fresh nerves flashed inside my gut, knowing we were moments away from facing yet another trial. Arwyn must’ve felt the same as his bloodied hand slipped into mine, the warm gore from the Hunter acting as a glue to keep us together.
One look down and I saw that the back of his hands looked like a knife had cut right through it. “You’re hurt,” I said.
Arwyn pulled away. “Focus, Hector. Don’t worry about me.”
Bahmet drank me in, body and soul. His head tilted as he did so, eyes taking in every inch of me in search for something.
I knew what he was looking for, and he wasn’t going to find it.
“I have put together the following trial in honour of those who are still alive to enjoy it.” Bahmet tore his stare from me, and rested it on the Hunters. “This one has been carefully thought out, to give everyone anequalchance. For this next trial you will be paired up with someone of your choosing. There is no set time limit for this trial, in fact it will last for as long as your body can handle it. I believe a mortal can last three days without water, of course that really depends on a number of factors doesn’t it. In short, do not waste any time. The longer it takes you to locate thekeyto escaping, the closer you will come to dying. I think it goes without saying that violence is allowed… it would not be much fun without it. However, magic is outlawed. To use magic will result in an outcome that many witches during the infamous Witch Trials faced. Burning. Cleansing one’s soul by fire. This way it evens the playing field between all of you. So, before we begin picking our partners, I would like to welcome you all to a little game I call: The Burning. Find the witch, locate the key, and escape with your life. Have I made myself clear?”
“Very,” Tomin said, whilst his Hunters nodded around him. One look in their faces and I could tell they had no fucking clue what was going on.
Arwyn bristled, his mind likely whirling with what the trial entailed, and if the name related to any trials from the past. Deepdown I knew it wouldn’t. Bahmet was creating unique trials, each one clearly inspired by past events that tied witches to their hunters.
Bahmet settled his brimstone gaze on me, expecting to hear me say that I understood the rules. Truthfully, I didn’t and wouldn’t until I knew exactly what we were facing. Instead, I bellowed out a single name, speaking my choice of partner before anyone else could.
“Kai,” I shouted, loud and clear. “I pick Kai asmypartner.”
PART III
TRIAL TWO – THE BURNING
26
HECTOR
The room was utterly still as Bahmet regarded me, a smirk playing across his mouth. Strange, I never thought it was possible to see a goat smile, but there Bahmet was, beaming from curled horn to horn.
“Interesting,” he chirped, head tilted ever so slightly. “Are you sure that is who you wish to choose?”
“I am.” I kept my voice neutral of emotion, trying to hide just how desperately I needed to keep Kai close to me.
It was as though the crowd held bated breath, waiting for Bahmet’s acceptance or decline before they joined in by screaming the names of their choices. I was proven correct when Bahmet added. “So be it. Hector and Kai, please be the first to walk through the doors behind me.”
I didn’t get a step before everyone else began shouting names. It seemed that even Verena voiced her choice because Kai’s abhorrent shock at my choice melted into a mask of pure terror as he snapped his head to the half-conscious witch he had been feeding.
I made a move as Arwyn shouted a name. “Romy.”
“Declined.” Bahmet snapped his head around, fur shivering in cold, dead wind. “She has already been spoken for.”
Panic shone like bright beams of sun as Arwyn looked to Romy, and then to me. “By who?” I asked.
I almost sensed the answer as Kai cleared his throat, stepped back from Verena in horror, pointing to where she sat. “Her.”
