Page 139 of House of Crimson Hearts
But I can’t breathe a word of my theory with everyone around us. “Not in here, too many ears. I’ll tell you later.”
The Chief doesn’t hesitate. There’s no time for me to suggest we try alternative interrogation methods. I don’t even see the stake she pulls from her trousers, it’s whipped out and in his heart before I can blink. It was so fast it was practically vampire speed.
There’s an explosion of cheering from the hunters and muffled jeers from the vampires. Cordelia faces her crowd and says, “Who dares question me?”
The vampires fall silent. This is dangerous territory we’re treading on. We’re going to end up with a mutiny. I see now why ruling with fear is not necessarily the best way to lead. The harder Cordelia squeezes, the more dissent she sows.
The vampire’s skin turns a sickly shade of grey, veins track purple across his skin and he hangs limp. Parts of his head flake away. In a few hours there will be nothing left but the clothes he wore.
“And now that nasty business has been dealt with, it’s time for the second trial,” Cordelia says, gesturing for the Chief to follow her back to the stage. They climb up and she hands the mic to the Chief.
Something shifts uneasy in my gut, the way the two of them are tolerating each other. I’ve never seen anything like it in all the years they’ve known each other. Something else is going on and I need to uncover what it is.
The Chief steps up to the lectern “This is the trial of beauty. While Sadie St Clair is now on her own, the rest of the teams will remain paired. You will only have forty-eight hours for this trial. If you do not make a decision or bring an artefact to us, you will forfeit your place in the competition. The risk of death in this challenge is low, but you only have one opportunity to compete.”
One? I glance at Xavier, whose eyes have narrowed at the stage, his lips curled into a smile.
The Chief passes the mic back to Cordelia. “Your task is to find the most beautiful item in the city and bring it back to us. Each team will get exactly one chance to present their item. And you will attempt to store this item inside the amulet. If the amulet accepts your offering, you’ll be declared the winner.”
“What about the size of it?” Dahlia says. “The amulet is tiny.”
Cordelia nods. “This is true, but the amulet still holds magic from the witch-gods. So do not misinterpret the size of the object for an indicator of beauty. If the amulet decrees it to be the most beautiful, it will accept the object regardless of the size.”
“How are we supposed to figure it out? At least with the maps we had books and the library to research in,” Gabriel whines.
“That, boy, is your problem,” the Chief says.
Gabriel huffs, but it makes me smile. The spoilt brat won’t be able to win this one so easily. Though I suspect Xavier will. He is the most beautiful man in the city, he fills his mansions with every ounce of beauty possible from antiques to jewellery to women, men and everything in between. There’s no doubt in my mind, he’ll be the first to work this out.
“Fuck,” I hiss.
“What’s wrong?” Red says.
“These trials are rigged, I swear. They’re playing to everyone else’s strengths. I have no idea where to start.”
“We’ll work it out.” Red steps closer. I glance down at where our hands are laced together and suppress a smile. If she can forgive me for turning her sister, maybe she’ll forgive me for stealing her memories too.
Cordelia opens her arms and a mirage of an hourglass appears above the stage. The purple sand inside it glistens.
“You have forty-eight hours to find and test your object. And you only get one chance, choose wrong and you lose the round. Only the team whose offer is accepted will earn points this round,” she says.
The Chief pulls the amulet out of her pocket. It shivers and then rises up to dangle from the hourglass.
“Your trial begins…” the Chief spins her hand around and the hourglass tips. “Now.”
Chapter37
CORDELIA
One Thousand Years Ago
Ishould have known not to come here. Known, that after what the Randalls did to me, they wouldn’t stop. Known that our love was cursed.
But love is a magnet, and I was doomed the moment I met her.
I snuck out of the manor long after the butlers had retired from their duties and gone to bed. It’s close to midnight by the time I arrive at Eleanor’s cottage.
She opens the wooden door and falls to her knees, her hand clasped to her mouth.
