“I will never be one of you. I will never forsake Aisling.”
“ Soon my boy you will. Whether you want to or not, you will betray her. It is no longer your choice. Infact it never was your choice to make.” Robert gestured to two young hunters nearest the ring. “You two, bring him to the chair. He is to receive the mark.”
Jon backed up to the edge of the ring as the two hunters advanced towards him. They would not take him easily of that he was certain. Their yellow eyes glinted with cruel intent as they reached for him. Power tingled in his chest as he prepared to unleash it upon them. The moment their hands wrapped around his arms Jon felt his power fizzle and die inside his body. He fought against their touch but it was like fighting against solid iron. He kicked and bucked as they dragged him from the ring.
Max ran to keep up with Robert’s rapid stride and Jon could hear his words of protest. “Robert, he is one of them. We cannot trust him, he is not worthy of the mark. Think of what your son did this is history repeating itself.”
Robert ignored the words and swept out of the room and into the stone corridors. Jon quickly realised that the two men who were dragging him were taking him in the same direction. Fear coiled within him, he knew that if he did not escape and soon that he might not make it out of this intact. He fought harder then, Aisling had saved him within the ring, it was unlikely that he would be so lucky again.
Jon drew a deep breath into his lungs and with all his might he threw his body into the guy on his right. The man was strong but he was unprepared for the move that Jon made and he stumbled loosening his grip just enough for Jon to jerk his arm free. With one arm now free, Jon turned towards the man who still held him and used his momentum to drive his fist into the man’s nose. Blood sprayed across Jon in a crimson bloom. The man fell away from Jon clutching his face. With a quick turn, Jon kicked the other man squarely in the crotch and grabbed his head with both hands. With one fluid motion, Jon drove his knee up into the man’s face. He heard the crack of his jaw breaking and the satisfying crunch of the nose disintegrating.
“ Jon, will you ever do anything the easy way?” Jon spun around at the mention of his name. Robert stood in the doorway and Jon knew that if he could defeat him then he would stand a chance at escape.
“ The easy way never did appeal to me. Especially when it’s not what I want.” Jon crouched and prepared for the attack he was sure would come. Robert merely smiled, a cruel smile that sent a shiver down through Jon’s spine.
“ What if it meant seeing your Aisling, again?”
“ I don’t believe you. You want to keep us apart, destroy what we have. Why would you suddenly change your mind?”
“ I have not changed my mind Jon, I am merely stating fact. If you wish to see your Aisling again before she is lost to you forever. Then you will agree to join the Hunter’s and take the mark but I guarantee you that is the only way you will ever see her again.” Robert studied Jon carefully, no doubt attempting to gauge his reaction.
“ I don’t understand?” Jon shook his head in bewilderment. It was at that moment that Jon realised his undoing. It would not be Robert who the attack would come from. The blow Max dealt Jon to the side of his face sent him reeling. He attempted to lift his hands to defend himself but he really was no match for the Hunter. With the flick of a wrist, Max had wrapped a length of silver chain around Jon’s neck. He jerked it forward completely unbalancing Jon who fell onto his knees. Jon used his hands to grab the chain and began pulling it from where it held him.
“ Shall I let you in on a little secret Jon?” Robert asked a smirk playing around his lips. “You and I share a family trait it seems. You see I never was a big fan of the easy way. I quite like a challenge. I enjoy the defiant look in a man’s
“ Soon my boy you will. Whether you want to or not, you will betray her. It is no longer your choice. Infact it never was your choice to make.” Robert gestured to two young hunters nearest the ring. “You two, bring him to the chair. He is to receive the mark.”
Jon backed up to the edge of the ring as the two hunters advanced towards him. They would not take him easily of that he was certain. Their yellow eyes glinted with cruel intent as they reached for him. Power tingled in his chest as he prepared to unleash it upon them. The moment their hands wrapped around his arms Jon felt his power fizzle and die inside his body. He fought against their touch but it was like fighting against solid iron. He kicked and bucked as they dragged him from the ring.
Max ran to keep up with Robert’s rapid stride and Jon could hear his words of protest. “Robert, he is one of them. We cannot trust him, he is not worthy of the mark. Think of what your son did this is history repeating itself.”
Robert ignored the words and swept out of the room and into the stone corridors. Jon quickly realised that the two men who were dragging him were taking him in the same direction. Fear coiled within him, he knew that if he did not escape and soon that he might not make it out of this intact. He fought harder then, Aisling had saved him within the ring, it was unlikely that he would be so lucky again.
Jon drew a deep breath into his lungs and with all his might he threw his body into the guy on his right. The man was strong but he was unprepared for the move that Jon made and he stumbled loosening his grip just enough for Jon to jerk his arm free. With one arm now free, Jon turned towards the man who still held him and used his momentum to drive his fist into the man’s nose. Blood sprayed across Jon in a crimson bloom. The man fell away from Jon clutching his face. With a quick turn, Jon kicked the other man squarely in the crotch and grabbed his head with both hands. With one fluid motion, Jon drove his knee up into the man’s face. He heard the crack of his jaw breaking and the satisfying crunch of the nose disintegrating.
“ Jon, will you ever do anything the easy way?” Jon spun around at the mention of his name. Robert stood in the doorway and Jon knew that if he could defeat him then he would stand a chance at escape.
“ The easy way never did appeal to me. Especially when it’s not what I want.” Jon crouched and prepared for the attack he was sure would come. Robert merely smiled, a cruel smile that sent a shiver down through Jon’s spine.
“ What if it meant seeing your Aisling, again?”
“ I don’t believe you. You want to keep us apart, destroy what we have. Why would you suddenly change your mind?”
“ I have not changed my mind Jon, I am merely stating fact. If you wish to see your Aisling again before she is lost to you forever. Then you will agree to join the Hunter’s and take the mark but I guarantee you that is the only way you will ever see her again.” Robert studied Jon carefully, no doubt attempting to gauge his reaction.
“ I don’t understand?” Jon shook his head in bewilderment. It was at that moment that Jon realised his undoing. It would not be Robert who the attack would come from. The blow Max dealt Jon to the side of his face sent him reeling. He attempted to lift his hands to defend himself but he really was no match for the Hunter. With the flick of a wrist, Max had wrapped a length of silver chain around Jon’s neck. He jerked it forward completely unbalancing Jon who fell onto his knees. Jon used his hands to grab the chain and began pulling it from where it held him.
“ Shall I let you in on a little secret Jon?” Robert asked a smirk playing around his lips. “You and I share a family trait it seems. You see I never was a big fan of the easy way. I quite like a challenge. I enjoy the defiant look in a man’s
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