Page 61 of Of Spindles and Nightfall
“What is the point of this?” Aryana whispered to herself. “Kalators used to be elite warriors.”
“Until one almost won the trials.” The agony was evident in Jesir’s voice. “Even though we aren’t official champions, we areeligible to win the crown if there is nobody left.” He ripped his shirt and began bandaging his head. “That came close to happening two Demon Trials ago.”
“Demons must not have been pleased with that.” She squatted to inspect her injured leg. Blood oozed from the wound. She lightly touched the bite mark and flinched. At least werewolves couldn’t transmit their ailment to vampires.
Jesir managed a nod. “There was a panic. Nobody wants a lowly kalator claiming the crown. And so after that, we became no more than entertainment. Poor bastards that everyone wishes to see tortured and killed in the most gruesome of ways.”
Shit. Zarathos must have found it funny when she professed her capacity to fight. But then she should have considered it earlier. When he’d said she’d need to hide her fighting skills, she should have known. The arch king didn’t want his kalator looking like a competitor in the trials.
Jesir grimaced as he finished tying the wrap around his head. “Some are already on their way to the grave.” He glanced over at Neri, who lay on the ground, her hand over her eyes, whimpering, and Pohan, who was curled up, not making any sound.
As she looked over the other kalators, she realized even though she almost died, she had gotten off the easiest. “So there is no possibility a kalator can win the Demon Trials alongside a champion?”
Jesir let out a humorless laugh. “No one would allow it. Even if by some miracle they made it to the end, the champions would kill their own kalator before letting that happen.”
She expelled a tremulous breath.
There’d be no killing Zarathos after the bargain was fulfilled. He wasn’t that foolish. He’d make sure she was dead before the trials ended, and she’d never get the chance to strike back.
The realization sat her on her ass, which was still sore, but she didn’t care. It was all futile. She wasn’t a demon queen. She was only a piece Zarathos was expertly shifting around the board.
Her fingers brushed against the Bloodbinding mark under her dirt covered gown. Could she use it to get to him? But what might work and what would get her killed? If she revealed it, he said it was a death sentence for both of them. But if she was going to die anyway… and yet, what if her revealing it was akin to breaking her bargain? She definitely wouldn’t be helping him win the trials.
There had to be a way to survive the Demon Trials and not violate their agreement.
“Who volunteers for this?” she asked. She had, but she hadn’t known the extent of the barbarity and she had wanted to protect the humans. But why would Jesir or Neri agree to be treated this way?
“You think we volunteered? Didyouvolunteer?” He shook his head, then flinched, touching his bandaged wound.
“But you signed a contract.”
“There’s a thousand ways to force someone to sign a contract.”
Gods, they’d been coerced. Unlike Aryana, who had offered herself as a kalator. And unlike her, they stood to gain nothing.
A loud commotion brought her out of her thoughts. Demons were pouring into the corridor outside the cages.
Jesir emitted a long groan. “And here they come.”
“They?”
“The council and those with special permission get the added pleasure of coming to the dungeons and having their fun.”
“I don’t understand. What do you mean?”
But Jesir huddled toward the rear of his cell and shook his head again, making himself as small as possible. It was enough that Aryana saw what he meant.
The demons came with sticks and whips and they began banging on the cells, launching the lashes through the bars, striking the kalators.
Gods. More? This was too much.
“Where is the vampire princess?” she heard some asking. The guards pointed in her direction and her stomach dipped. The demons lunged toward her cell.
“There she is.” A goblin and a winged creature with a large stallion’s head glared at her.
“Can you do it?” the goblin asked the winged horse headed demon.
“Give me a moment. We’ll make her scream.”
