Page 113 of The Star's Sword

She looked back to them. “I simply intend to teach him a lesson for that.”

The vampires seemed mollified by that.

“Hell, she’s disgusting,” Cayne said, giving her an odd glance before going back to stand with the vampires. “I’m going to go see what Simon’s plan is.”

I was still kind of stuck on the idea of Cayne tied to a chair. It seemed almost humorous.

But no matter what, I would protect my friends.

“I too invoke a popularity contest!” Simon finally called out, drawing attention to him.

Shit. What was he thinking?

“A little different than Vasara’s. In fact, we’re going to need to move positions a bit for this.” He raised his hands and the forcefield around the arena began to move back, forcing vampires watching to move back on the grassy field to make room. “I have a bit of celestial magic, having fed on Vasara,” he explained, as he waved his hands and lines appeared across the sandy floor of the arena, and then tiles began moving up, pushing the sand out of the way. Soon enough, I found myself standing on a stone floor that looked like a checkerboard, with florescent lines between every square, made of the same magic as a forcefield. There was a line down the center of the tiles, separating one half of the arena from the other.

Vasara was standing on one side, facing me on mine.

“What the hell?” She looked around. “What is this test? I don’t recognize it.”

“It’s getting a bit of an upgrade technically, since you shared some powers with me in your blood,” Simon said. “But it’s basically a loyalty test.”

She scoffed. “You can’t do a test on your vampires when you’re supposed to be testing me.”

“Well, it’s more of a test of your loyalty toward them,” he said. He raised a hand to her group, which was still watching.

Vasara narrowed her eyes at that, but just listened.

“Friends, fellow vampires, this is a group task, so if you’d like to support one of our champions, please come into the arena through the door on the right.”

Vampires flooded forward, even though he hadn’t finished explaining, they were so eager to support Vasara.

“This is a bit of a dangerous one,” Simon warned, as they filed in past him, moving onto the tiles behind Vasara, standing on her side of the board. “Vampires, everyone who stands on a space behind their champion will lend strength to their champion, as they face greater pain than they ever have in their life.”

I winced at that. Simon couldn’t have chosen a simple combat trial? I could have killed her.

Then I remembered that one of his worries was making her a martyr.

He was right. We needed people to see who she was first.

My heart hurt for the stubborn vampires who filed onto the court, stepping onto their allotted squares. Hundreds of them filed in for her, mostly lower vamps that I’d seen in the tunnels, to my shock.

The elder vamps were still watching from the sidelines, apparently not loyal enough to risk getting in an arena with my sword.

Even though I’d sheathed it.

But the majority of her support was here, standing behind her on glowing tiles, filling her side of the arena.

My side was empty.

I swallowed, accepting the hurt once again. The rejection.

Simon walked into the arena and raised his hands for attention. “Each of you must consider that your life is being placed on the line.”

“How?” a vampire yelled.

“Well, Cleo and Vasara will both be submitted to extreme trials of pain. You standing there will strengthen your champion. But if your champion gives in?” His smile flashed his fangs. “You’ll die like you would in a blood loyalty invocation.”

“Vasara is an eighth realm celestial!” a vamp yelled. “She can’t die!”

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