Page 81 of A Broken Promise

But I stopped.

My heart, my mind, my entire soul froze.

The blood in my veins chilled as I saw silver robed figures floating in, just a few inches above the ground. Their heads covered with hoods, exposing a pointy chin from beneath. The tight, almost see-through skin showing dark blue or black veins.

Kahors.

I didn’t dare speak, didn’t dare breathe.Kahorswere here.

Kahors.

As if awoken by a spark, my thoughts exploded, flooding with the memories, panic and sheer terror. Still, I stood motionless.

“Ouch.” Florian snatched his arm out of my hand that I involuntarily gripped too tight. “What was that for?” he asked, rubbing his hand against his forearm. “Gods, is this blood? Finn, why are you bleeding?” He grabbed my hand. “What is going on?” His forehead wrinkled in perplexity.

My eyes widened as I saw the little drop of blood on his velvet jacket. My innocent small cut from this morning reopened, treacherously letting small drops of bright red roll down my finger.

Blood.

Myblood.

It was past the point of return, I realized. There was no time to decide something, to plan. Not when Kahors would smell my blood within the next breath.

I made a mental check of all my securely latched daggers; the poisonous pins still attached well in my hair. The crowd whispered loud at Kahor’s arrival, but I didn’t pay attention to them.

I had to go right now.Act then think.

Actthenthink, I murmured to myself. There was no time for hesitation. I turned my head to the large doors that were still guarded. Lord Inadios and the Kahors were just one look, one glance, away from seeing me.

I started walking in the opposite direction, pushing through the crowd painfully slow, but I couldn’t afford to draw in any attention.

“Excuse us. Excuse us,” Florian’s voice echoed in the back as I made my way closer to the columns by the wall, to the windows. A bad plan; a terrible plan, but a plan, nonetheless. If I couldn’t get out of the castle, I would hide behind the curtains, I would break the window. I would run.

I would escape.

“Slow down, Finn. Where are you going?” Florian’s voice sounded just a step away from me. The crowd’s noise rose, slightly unsettled, but I didn’t dare look behind me, slipping closer to those large columns, hoping their shadows would cover at least some of me.

“Gods, can you just stop for a minute and explain what’s going onfor gods’ sake?” Florian finally yanked my hand, pulling me to a complete stop. Our eyes met just for a second,

“It’s—”

The large entrance doors slammed open as loud screams erupted in the room.

“REBELS! REBELS ARE HERE!”

41

Iblinked so slow. The world itself paused. My lungs burned as heavy stone dust settled deep within them. Loud ringing hijacked my ears.

Breathe.See. Hear.My mind whispered to me.

A labored slow breath. My chest ached.

My mouth was so dry. Mind blank, just listening to that nonstop flat ringing.

I rubbed my eyes. Stinging pain in my arm woke up my haze filled brain.

It was so silent.

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