would."
Sebine felt a wave of revulsion and nausea twist her stomach at the thought of some immortal dark Prince feasting on her blood. How would they use her blood to dominate her? This had gone on far too long. She should never have come here in the first place. She turned away from him.
"Wait...please. Before you go I would ask that you hear me out." Master Vhelan set a shriveled hand on Sebine's shoulder and she winced at the heat of his touch. "Consider things from our perspective. Why should we trust you with our secret knowledge? What if you use it against us? What protection would you offer in assurance that you won't go to the King and betray us?"
A scoff shot from Sebine's mouth. "I loathe the King...you must certainly know of this. Why would I do anything to help him?" Had she been so secret in her hatred of the King that no one else had noticed?
A rubble of voices echoed through the chamber as the Hakkadians conferred with one another. Vhelan silenced them with an upraised finger. "This is news to us, though it does not sway us enough to win our confidence in you. Somehow the elves trust you, but this is not enough for us. They believe in you, for something in their visions has revealed you to their sages. We obeyed them and delivered to you the Ring of Galdora, but made it clear that the offer to take you under our tutelage was contingent upon certain oaths that we demand. Oaths that involve the gift of your blood."
She turned to leave again, unconvinced and still disgusted at the thought of using her blood as leverage against her. Besides, what else might they want in the future? Where would it stop? Vhelan's low voice followed her as she ascended the staircase.
"We will teach you everything your heart desires. Mastery of wind and storm, fire and ice—even mastery over the forces of death and darkness. You wander the city in search of freedom—in vain, for the shadow of the King follows you everywhere. I will teach you the way of illusions, and with this knowledge you will gain freedom."
Sebine stopped walking and stared at Master Vhelan, intrigued by his words. Blood for freedom, she thought. Was it worth it? If she was patient she could discover a way out of the palace on her own. Or she would end up like her friend Melaninth—married off to some old, ugly noble. Sebine shook off the thought, determined never to face that fate. She'd sooner die or kill to gain her freedom.
"You've provided me with no assurances that my blood won't be used for some vile purpose—in fact you dare threaten to use my blood to as a gift to immortal Princes? Do you take me for a madwoman?" Sebine stormed off up the stairs, ignoring the icy glares of the Hakkadians. As she was about to leave the chamber, Vhelan's ominous voice echoed off the stone floors.
"If you leave now, you'll be powerless to deal with what will come tomorrow. The King will discover that your mother is a whore, and you, as her bastard child, will find yourself food for the King's dragons. I doubt you'd be so insane as to leave us, would you?
"The offer of protection and apprenticeship demands blood."
Chapter Eleven
THE WALLS OF Trikar gleamed gold in the fading twilight as the ship floated under the city's cavernous water entrance, the passengers gawking up at the many hundred feet sheer stone face. In the weeks that had passed on their journey south, Tael found his thoughts turning to his parents and grandfather, of days by the ocean, of nights spent fleeing assassins, and of dreams of glory in the grand arena. Bishop Draven had spurned all conversation, and his only response was to scribble out on parchment that he had taken a vow of silence and wished to remain in a state of meditation and mental clarity throughout the voyage. His explanation seemed suspicious to Tael.
They docked at the Trikar Port of Commons, greeted by long lines of visitors waiting to gain entry into the city. Tael frowned and stayed back, wondering why there were so
Sebine felt a wave of revulsion and nausea twist her stomach at the thought of some immortal dark Prince feasting on her blood. How would they use her blood to dominate her? This had gone on far too long. She should never have come here in the first place. She turned away from him.
"Wait...please. Before you go I would ask that you hear me out." Master Vhelan set a shriveled hand on Sebine's shoulder and she winced at the heat of his touch. "Consider things from our perspective. Why should we trust you with our secret knowledge? What if you use it against us? What protection would you offer in assurance that you won't go to the King and betray us?"
A scoff shot from Sebine's mouth. "I loathe the King...you must certainly know of this. Why would I do anything to help him?" Had she been so secret in her hatred of the King that no one else had noticed?
A rubble of voices echoed through the chamber as the Hakkadians conferred with one another. Vhelan silenced them with an upraised finger. "This is news to us, though it does not sway us enough to win our confidence in you. Somehow the elves trust you, but this is not enough for us. They believe in you, for something in their visions has revealed you to their sages. We obeyed them and delivered to you the Ring of Galdora, but made it clear that the offer to take you under our tutelage was contingent upon certain oaths that we demand. Oaths that involve the gift of your blood."
She turned to leave again, unconvinced and still disgusted at the thought of using her blood as leverage against her. Besides, what else might they want in the future? Where would it stop? Vhelan's low voice followed her as she ascended the staircase.
"We will teach you everything your heart desires. Mastery of wind and storm, fire and ice—even mastery over the forces of death and darkness. You wander the city in search of freedom—in vain, for the shadow of the King follows you everywhere. I will teach you the way of illusions, and with this knowledge you will gain freedom."
Sebine stopped walking and stared at Master Vhelan, intrigued by his words. Blood for freedom, she thought. Was it worth it? If she was patient she could discover a way out of the palace on her own. Or she would end up like her friend Melaninth—married off to some old, ugly noble. Sebine shook off the thought, determined never to face that fate. She'd sooner die or kill to gain her freedom.
"You've provided me with no assurances that my blood won't be used for some vile purpose—in fact you dare threaten to use my blood to as a gift to immortal Princes? Do you take me for a madwoman?" Sebine stormed off up the stairs, ignoring the icy glares of the Hakkadians. As she was about to leave the chamber, Vhelan's ominous voice echoed off the stone floors.
"If you leave now, you'll be powerless to deal with what will come tomorrow. The King will discover that your mother is a whore, and you, as her bastard child, will find yourself food for the King's dragons. I doubt you'd be so insane as to leave us, would you?
"The offer of protection and apprenticeship demands blood."
Chapter Eleven
THE WALLS OF Trikar gleamed gold in the fading twilight as the ship floated under the city's cavernous water entrance, the passengers gawking up at the many hundred feet sheer stone face. In the weeks that had passed on their journey south, Tael found his thoughts turning to his parents and grandfather, of days by the ocean, of nights spent fleeing assassins, and of dreams of glory in the grand arena. Bishop Draven had spurned all conversation, and his only response was to scribble out on parchment that he had taken a vow of silence and wished to remain in a state of meditation and mental clarity throughout the voyage. His explanation seemed suspicious to Tael.
They docked at the Trikar Port of Commons, greeted by long lines of visitors waiting to gain entry into the city. Tael frowned and stayed back, wondering why there were so
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