Chapter 12 #2
“Good evening, vampires.” He smiled darkly and everyone snickered.
He unrolled a yellowed parchment, revealing a map, and pointed to the area of the city lined off in red.
“Commander Ace gave a better speech than I can, so I’ll get straight to it.
This is the region of the vampires and where you’ll find your hiding spot.
” He waved over three assassins I didn’t know and hadn’t seen before.
Two men and a woman I assumed weren’t normally part of the apprenticeship training this year.
“These three are your hostages and are marked with a green scarf around the neck. The assassins, who will wear blue scarves, will attempt to take them from you. To win, they must find your hiding spot and take the three hostages beyond this line by midnight. They will take part in judging your performance.” He ran his finger over the map where it was marked, near a building named Etterdam’s Library.
“Your job is to hide and not be found. If you are found in the allotted timeframe, you can and are expected to protect your hostages. This part of the game can get bloody, but you as an individual are allowed to surrender. If you are too injured to continue or if someone has you in a position where they are seriously hurting you, I expect you to surrender by tapping out, raising a hand, or voicing your surrender. Once you’re out of the game, you cannot help your team.
I also expect you to back off when someone surrenders.
Do not engage further or there will be punishments.
“There are no weapons allowed. If you have one on you, give it to your trainer. Anyone caught with a weapon will be punished severely. By me. And trust me, no one wants that. Does everyone understand the objective and rules?”
Everyone collectively muttered “yes” and nodded.
“Good. As Commander Ace said, tonight is a time to start earning a name for yourself, and I don’t know about you all, but I’d like a night off for debauchery and drinks at the pub, so let’s win.”
Cheers and whoops rose into the night air. I grinned, curious about what sort of debauchery he meant. Taewyn bumped his shoulder excitedly into mine and threw a fist into the air.
Falcon stepped into the circle. “You have a twenty-minute head start to find your spot. Trainers will not assist you, so you will find your location to hide and defend your position on your own. Our team will wear red scarves. Your trainer has yours. Do not take it off until the game has ended. Remember, you cannot be seen by the townsfolk. Work in the shadows, on the roofs, whatever you need to do. Your hostages will follow willingly to the hiding place, and they will not try to run if the assassins find you. An assassin must touch them for the hostages to follow. Once an assassin touches the hostage, you will have to subdue your opponent to get the hostage back. If you have any questions, ask your trainer.”
Vander held out a red scarf. I wrapped it around my neck and tied it at my throat. “Be careful of Beast tonight. I have a feeling he’ll look for you.”
“I’m sure he will.”
“It won’t just be stupid comments. Don’t directly engage in a fight with him. You’ve improved more than even I expected, but you’re not ready for him. If you do find yourself in trouble, use evasive moves and get away.”
I nodded, trying not to let the dark thoughts get the better of me before the game even started. “I bet I’ve killed more vampires than him. Maybe he should fear me, the vampire slayer.”
He chuckled. “I’m sure he’s shaking in his boots.”
“He should be. I’m terrifying.”
“Don’t let him break your face or I’ll have to break his, and then I’ll have to beat Dred’s ass too.”
I smiled. “Wow, Viper is feeling protective tonight. Aren’t I special?”
He deadpanned. I wondered how many of my offhand comments he would put up with before he snapped one day. “Just avoid him. Please.”
“You expect me to run? I’d earn a reputation alright, just not a good one.”
“Not run, I’m saying don’t get into hand-to-hand combat with him. Find other ways to fight.”
“I will do my best. I wouldn’t want to ruin your legend status by getting myself pummeled,” I drawled, rolling my eyes. “And don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone your secret.”
“What secret is that? I fear I have a few of them.”
“That you’re scared of my father, and what he’ll do if anything happens to me.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled with his smile. “Your father is a little scary, Bonecarver. He looks like a bear.”
“He kind of does.” Everyone started to leave, and I couldn’t distract myself any longer. “Where will you be?”
“Around, but you won’t see me unless it becomes necessary.” He glanced across the courtyard at Dred and Beast. “You’re faster than him. Use that to your advantage.”
“Come on.” Taewyn grabbed my elbow. “We’re leaving.”
I smiled over my shoulder at Vander. “Hopefully they won’t find our spot and we win. I’ve never participated in debauchery. It sounds fun.”
His quiet but deep laugh permeated my bones.
“Oh, it is fun, Bonecarver. Win and I’ll show you what it’s all about.
” I couldn’t wait to see a part of him that loosened up.
He was always so rigid and serious. Of course training someone to kill vampires should be, but still, he didn’t need to be in the trainer-mind at all times.
I pulled up my hood and mask and ran alongside Taewyn.
The excitement of the game swirled within me.
This was the first time the apprentices were without our trainers, and the taste of rebellion was on the air.
As a group, we surrounded our three hostages.
A girl with wisps of bronze hair waving out from her hood at the front held the map and led the way with a stout, broad-shouldered boy at her side.
The woods out of Drakthar smelled of sweet spice.
We didn’t enter the tunnel system like the first day I’d arrived here.
I doubted any of the apprentices knew their way around down there.
But once the outskirts of the city buildings were within reach, the lead girl leapt onto the edge of the clay-tiled roof and pulled herself up.
Everyone quickly followed her while Taewyn and I took up the rear.
“Ladies first,” he gestured to the building.
Celine was already waiting for us at the top and waved wildly. “Sometime tonight, Bonecarver, we don’t want them to catch up to us.”
“I’m coming.” I got a running start and latched onto the edge of the roof tiles.
Pulling myself up was easy enough. I wondered if the people inside this home could hear us.
Light and muffled voices came from inside.
Taewyn moved like a cat and fluidly grabbed hold and swung his legs up in one motion.
Grinning like a few kids who’d snuck away from their parents for a day of adventure, we chased after the others.
I didn’t slow as I approached the edge of the roof and leapt, stifling a giggle as I soared to the next.
Most of the roofs in the city were spaced close enough that we could jump the gap.
Until we came to one of the higher rises with four stories and had to scale the piping and rails.
I silently thanked Vander for making me climb ropes and trees for the past several weeks.
Halfway up, I heard a door creak open and paused.
Celine was already over the rooftop’s edge, but Taewyn and I were on the drainpipe just below the highest balcony.
“What a beautiful night,” a man’s voice came from above us.
He leaned on the balcony’s railing, and I tucked myself closer to the wall.
If he looked down and to the left, he’d see me and Taewyn hanging on the metal pipe.
I glanced up, to find Celine and a couple others peering over the roof’s edge.
One of them wore a green sash. He’d stop the game if we were spotted and we’d lose.
“The ivy, we can hide among the ivy,” Taewyn whispered.
Thick dark-green ivy covered the railing and hung a foot over the bottom of the stone ledge.
Taewyn swung over to the balcony and gripped the black metal railing.
I’d have to let go of the pipe and my foothold and rely solely on my hand grip.
Sweat already dampened my uniform. Shit.
“Sweetheart, come look at the moon. It’s bright tonight,” the man called.
I wouldn’t lose this game for us. I grabbed the bottom rung of the railing and released my legs from the pipe. Taewyn and I hung four stories up with nothing under our feet. I didn’t look down, I couldn’t. If I slipped, Vander wouldn’t be here to save me this time.
“Oh wow, it must be close to a full moon,” a woman said. Her feet pattered across the balcony, and she stood directly in front of where we dangled.
I closed my eyes and started counting as a distraction from the ache starting in my crippled hand.
“Go back inside,” Taewyn muttered.
“Remember when we used to dance out here when we were young? Why don’t we do that anymore?” the woman crooned.
Please, not tonight, I internally groaned.
“There’s no music,” the man said, but then I heard her giggle and the swishing of their footsteps.
“You’ve still got the moves.”
I’d already counted to a hundred and started counting back down while they danced, having the best time of their lives while Taewyn and I were suspended over certain death. Ninety-nine, ninety-eight, ninety-seven—
“You doing alright?” Taewyn whispered.
My formerly injured hand was burning. Even my good hand was beginning to ache. If I was moving, if my grip had the assistance of my feet and legs, I would be fine, but this was a dead hang with all my weight. I nodded and kept silently counting. “You?”
“I could hold here all night.”
The woman giggled again, and the man made a moaning sound. “They can’t be serious,” I whisper-hissed.