Page 13 of Hallowed Games

When we’d all lined up among the garden paths, a Luminarus began chanting in Tyrenian, walking up and down the paths. The scent of incense spilled from him as he droned on.

While he chanted, a white-haired Raven walked along the lines, asking each of us our names, writing them down. My pulse raced as he moved closer to us. Would he check Leo’s name against his records? Could we lie?

His heels clacked on the stones, and his rheumy gaze slid down to Leo. “Your name?”

Leo answered quietly, “Leo Silverlock.”

The Raven nodded.

As I gave my own name, I couldn’t stop wondering how good their records were. Would Leo have a mark next to his name—a child of the convicted?

Through the manor’s stone walls, we could hear the sounds of crashing and banging. Inside, the Luminari must be searching for anyone hiding. I’m sure they were also helping themselves to whatever they found—gold, jewels, anything that struck their fancy. All in the service of the Archon, of course.

We all should have left for Aquitania years ago, or at least fled to Eboria. The gated city in the north had never fully been conquered by the Order, and Eboria still maintained a semblance of independence.

By the time the Raven had taken everyone’s names, the sun had risen, spreading pale amber light over the Shire of Mistwood.

I clung tightly to Leo’s hand as the Luminari barked orders at us. With swords drawn and gleaming in the morning light, the soldiers herded us through the gatehouse. Behind me, screams echoed through the air. Who was screaming? Archon save us. Someone had tried to hide.

Somberly, we crossed over the drawbridge.

The Luminari herded us into the town square. Leo and I found ourselves walking silently with soldiers from the barracks. For a moment, I locked eyes with Anselm.

If anyone from Mistwood Shire should be high up on the Order’s most-wanted list, it would be me. A few months ago, I’d murdered four of them. If only I’d been able to kill them all…

I glanced at Leo, who walked with his shoulders hunched. On a normal morning, he bombarded me with questions and ideas: “What’s the fastest animal in the world? Could someone make wings to fly like a bird? What if someone made wine out of strawberries? Don’t the gold suns on the Luminari make their armor heavy?”

Today, he didn’t say a word. His forehead was creased with worry. And that wasn’t ideal, because under the searching gaze of the Order, I needed him to look guiltless. The Luminari seemed to be all around us, watching our every move.

“Leo.” He loved riddles. “What can run, but never walk? What has a mouth, but never talks? What has a head, but never weeps? And a bed, but never sleeps?”

He looked startled at the question. Biting his lip, he stared at the ground as we walked.

“I know this!” One of the Baron’s soldiers turned around.

“Shh,” I put my finger to my lips, and I nodded at Leo. “Let him figure it out.”

As we walked, Leo whispered the riddle to himself as we turned into the town square.

At last, Leo smiled and said, “A river!”

I grinned. “Good. Now, you think of one for me.”

His gaze trailed over the shuttered houses as we passed, and I could almost see his mind turning as he tried to think.

But when he turned to me, he asked, “Will we be together during the Finding?”

I held his hand more tightly. “Yes, and I will be here the whole time. There might be times I tell you to close your eyes, okay?”

His frown deepened. “Why? Why would I need to close my eyes?”

“So you don’t see things that have nothing to do with you, love,” I said. “So when I tell you to close your eyes, you need to close your eyes. Even if you’re curious. Do you hear me?”

He nodded.

I cleared my throat. “If we do get separated for some reason…” I trailed off for a moment. “I mean, if it happens, just because the crowd is so big and there’s so much chaos, it will be better if we met somewhere.”

“Back at the manor?” His cheeks had gone completely pale.

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