Page 141 of A Taste of Torment
“So, if you play along, I won’t shove another sword through him. Of course, that may only postpone his death, but…” He shrugs. “It gives you time, right? Hope for the hopeless?” He smiles because he sincerely believes it will make no difference. Jarron will still die. And he might be right.
He also knows I have to try.
I don’t respond, and he just watches me as I examine the room, the situation. This is bad. Really bad.Dammit, Jarron, why did you have to come?At least before, it would have only been me that died if I got stuck here. Now, it’s both of us.
“There’s always a chance, right?” He smiles, but I can also see his mind working. He’s confident but not entirely so.Good.I hope he squirms.But it’s not enough to kill us both here and now.
“How long?” The magical voice echoes from behind him. The white light fades in and out but remains in one stationary spot.
Mr. Vandozer nudges the bloody pool. “Yes, good question. How long do you think you have until your potion fades? Twenty minutes? Thirty? How good of a job did you do, little potion master in the making?” He winks. He’s taunting me, but there’s a hint of strain in his voice.
He’s concerned the nullifier will dull soon and Jarron will heal.
Time, yes, time is what I need.
“An hour and a half,” I whisper, voice wobbling convincingly.
He grins. “Hmm, I don’t think he’ll make it that long, do you?”
Maybe not if it wasn’t actually half that time. A blood clotting potion will also help—assuming Jarron took the one dropped. I won’t let that hope show in my eyes, though. I need him to think he has me on the ropes. I’m near desperate anyway, even with the few bits in my favor.
“Well, maybe it’s only your life you’ll have to fight for then. There’s no saving Jarron.”
“She’s misleading you,” the feminine voice murmurs softly, the white light shimmering. “A demon as powerful as him will work past the barriers faster.”
“How fast?” Mr. Vandozer asks quickly, angrily.
“Two thirds of the expected time,” the voice answers.
Not many powerful beings know that much about potions.There’s very little we know about the jinn, though. What caste is she? How old is she?
He snickers. “Little Candice, did you think you could fool us? Make us stall that long? Do you think you can drag this out for thirty more minutes?”
My teeth begin to chatter, and I don’t make an effort to hide it. All right, so they didn’t take my lie at face value, but they still think they have twenty more minutes than they really do.
Jarron is minutes from gaining his strength back—I hope. The invisibility potion has lasted a few minutes longer than expected, so maybe… God, please let my time estimate be right.
“What do I need to do?” I ask desperately.
“Sign a contract,” Mr. Vandozer says with a cruel smile.
I frown. “A contract?”
“Indeed. It will bind you to silence about the games and those involved. It will ensure you show up. If you try to escape, you die. Simple.” He shrugs.
“Show up? The games aren’t now?”
“No, dear. They will take place in two weeks. We’ve held a spot for you if you want it.”
I scowl. “And if I don’t?”
“Well, one, Jarron dies. Here, now, because of you. And two, we have a few of your wolf friends waiting for you. We’ll simply open the doors.”
There are more howls echoing in the distance. Tonight is a full moon. If they let wolves in here, they’ll attack without conscious thought.
“Why not just kill me and be done with it?” I put my hands on my hips, feigning confidence. I’m sure he knows it’s an act but it makes me feel better all the same.
“Oh, I could. But I’d like to get a little bit of entertainment out of it. Don’t worry, we’ve got a plan for all contingencies. Sign and you can say nothing. Die and, well, it’s a pretty believable story, isn’t it? Potions master kid drugs and kills the prince of the Under World and then flees. In her panic, she accidentally runs into a few wolves. Wolves that will be wonderfully justified in shredding you to bits. And the school will remain as is. Your search for vengeance will be for nothing. So easy. So simple.”
