fade as pain trembled through my limbs. It felt as though every inch of my skin was on fire and I couldn’t escape it.
“ You’re pathetic Aisling. I don’t know what I saw in you all this time.” His words ran across my skin like scalding water. Strangled screams filled the room as the pain in my body reached a crescendo. I was vaguely aware of the door being flung open and people rushing inside.
Natasha’s concerned face hovered above mine as she attempted to hold my arms down by my side. Streamers of colours raced through my vision as I bucked and heaved on the bed.
“ Aisling, what have you done?” Her voice barely penetrated the haze of terror and pain that surrounded me. Opening my mouth the words I wanted to use refused to come out. They were replaced with howls of anguish instead.
The pain built inside me, I wasn’t even sure anymore of who I was or where I was. The only thing I knew with every fibre of my being was that something was horribly wrong with Jon. Jackson appeared over me, the look on his face was grim. He reached out towards me and placed his hand across my forehead. The pain blossomed in my head and I exploded into a million pieces of brilliant colour. I floated into the rainbow of light that surrounded me and I knew in that moment that I was lost.
Chapter Twelve
“ You can’t be serious Robert?” The sound of Max’s angry voice cut through Jon’s head like an axe. “Clearly he cheated.” Max jumped easily over the ropes and came to a halt in front of Jon and Robert.
“ Aaron, knew the risks. If Jon had not used his power, it would have meant certain death for him. How can that be considered cheating when he merely used the tools at his disposal?”
Jon lifted his head and looked defiantly at the man before him. It was obvious Max wanted him dead but what was stranger still was that it seemed Robert wanted him to live. Jon wasn’t sure what Robert had planned for him but a nagging feeling in his gut told him that it wouldn’t be good.
“ If that is true Robert, then why bother with binding him with runes at all?” The words Max spoke dripped with venom, a murmur of approval ran through the crowd.
Robert dropped Jon’s arm from his grip and lifted his hand into the air to quell the crowds disapproval. “Max, you know as well as I do that he needed to be tested. I... We needed to know if he was worthy of all that will be bestowed upon him. He has the power but I was unsure if he had the killer instinct required. Now I know he does we can proceed.”
Jon dropped his head and spat blood out onto the mat. Robert was talking in riddles and Jon was tired of all of their games. What did Robert mean about his killer instinct? Jon stood, pain rippled down through his body but he was tired of being on his knees in front of these people.
“ I don’t have a killer instinct. I’m not like you people, if I can even call you things people. You murder innocents. What I did was survive, nothing more and nothing less.” Jon’s voice was strong and for that he was grateful.
Robert’s laugh caused Jon’s blood to run cold.
“ Jonathon, my dear boy. The Hunter within you is what gives you your killer instinct. You are as much a murderer as I am, or for that matter any of the other Hunter’s gathered here.”
Max cut in then his voice incredulous, “Him, a hunter?” He pointed one long finger in Jon’s direction. Jon could see that he was positively shaking with anger. “How can you sully our name by associating with that.”
Robert turned on Max then. “Do you forget who he truly is? He is my grandson. Hunter blood flows in his veins. You have all witnessed what he achieved here tonight. The killer instinct that fuels each of us is alive within him. Do you not see that he is our greatest weapon against the Croí? He possess their powers and he is hunter. With him in our ranks, we cannot lose.”
“ I AM NOT LIKE YOU!” Jon’s voice echoed out around the room.
“ You’re pathetic Aisling. I don’t know what I saw in you all this time.” His words ran across my skin like scalding water. Strangled screams filled the room as the pain in my body reached a crescendo. I was vaguely aware of the door being flung open and people rushing inside.
Natasha’s concerned face hovered above mine as she attempted to hold my arms down by my side. Streamers of colours raced through my vision as I bucked and heaved on the bed.
“ Aisling, what have you done?” Her voice barely penetrated the haze of terror and pain that surrounded me. Opening my mouth the words I wanted to use refused to come out. They were replaced with howls of anguish instead.
The pain built inside me, I wasn’t even sure anymore of who I was or where I was. The only thing I knew with every fibre of my being was that something was horribly wrong with Jon. Jackson appeared over me, the look on his face was grim. He reached out towards me and placed his hand across my forehead. The pain blossomed in my head and I exploded into a million pieces of brilliant colour. I floated into the rainbow of light that surrounded me and I knew in that moment that I was lost.
Chapter Twelve
“ You can’t be serious Robert?” The sound of Max’s angry voice cut through Jon’s head like an axe. “Clearly he cheated.” Max jumped easily over the ropes and came to a halt in front of Jon and Robert.
“ Aaron, knew the risks. If Jon had not used his power, it would have meant certain death for him. How can that be considered cheating when he merely used the tools at his disposal?”
Jon lifted his head and looked defiantly at the man before him. It was obvious Max wanted him dead but what was stranger still was that it seemed Robert wanted him to live. Jon wasn’t sure what Robert had planned for him but a nagging feeling in his gut told him that it wouldn’t be good.
“ If that is true Robert, then why bother with binding him with runes at all?” The words Max spoke dripped with venom, a murmur of approval ran through the crowd.
Robert dropped Jon’s arm from his grip and lifted his hand into the air to quell the crowds disapproval. “Max, you know as well as I do that he needed to be tested. I... We needed to know if he was worthy of all that will be bestowed upon him. He has the power but I was unsure if he had the killer instinct required. Now I know he does we can proceed.”
Jon dropped his head and spat blood out onto the mat. Robert was talking in riddles and Jon was tired of all of their games. What did Robert mean about his killer instinct? Jon stood, pain rippled down through his body but he was tired of being on his knees in front of these people.
“ I don’t have a killer instinct. I’m not like you people, if I can even call you things people. You murder innocents. What I did was survive, nothing more and nothing less.” Jon’s voice was strong and for that he was grateful.
Robert’s laugh caused Jon’s blood to run cold.
“ Jonathon, my dear boy. The Hunter within you is what gives you your killer instinct. You are as much a murderer as I am, or for that matter any of the other Hunter’s gathered here.”
Max cut in then his voice incredulous, “Him, a hunter?” He pointed one long finger in Jon’s direction. Jon could see that he was positively shaking with anger. “How can you sully our name by associating with that.”
Robert turned on Max then. “Do you forget who he truly is? He is my grandson. Hunter blood flows in his veins. You have all witnessed what he achieved here tonight. The killer instinct that fuels each of us is alive within him. Do you not see that he is our greatest weapon against the Croí? He possess their powers and he is hunter. With him in our ranks, we cannot lose.”
“ I AM NOT LIKE YOU!” Jon’s voice echoed out around the room.
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