Chapter 34
Alex was standing at the door with63Please respect copyright.PENANAXILVUhbKF8
a concerned, yet angry expression on his face. The relief he must have felt63Please respect copyright.PENANA8Au44sMyEN
when he saw Vander must have been enormous because he slumped against the door63Please respect copyright.PENANAFdhI81Rjbp
frame as a breath, he likely didn’t know he had been holding, left his body.63Please respect copyright.PENANAPplghk0tKP
Shea, in her excitement, jumped off the bed. She ran over to him and slammed63Please respect copyright.PENANAamFHbS9enW
her weight into his legs. If he had been leaning against the door, he probably63Please respect copyright.PENANAeUUEmqHYZd
would have fallen over.
“So, this is where you’ve been63Please respect copyright.PENANAn5enwowUNJ
hiding out.” Alex was rubbing between Shea’s ears as he stared at Vander.63Please respect copyright.PENANAqQIrs6GtZd
Sighing, he nodded then stepped back, motioning for his friend to get out of63Please respect copyright.PENANAKtegmJ2Itc
the hall.
“I know you have questions, and I63Please respect copyright.PENANAeOuFUYzK7s
will answer them.” Vander stopped as Alex took a step towards him. He flinched,63Please respect copyright.PENANALyme1ShPPz
but Alex just wrapped his arms around his friend pulling him into a hug.
“Not once for a second do I think63Please respect copyright.PENANAKkeHBiq1gD
you would have killed Malcolm.” Alex whispered. “None of us do, not even63Please respect copyright.PENANA0A6GcnKMvG
Cuvera.” Vander blinked back the tears he didn’t realize he had been holding.
“It was Peyton.” Vander stepped63Please respect copyright.PENANAUd84lAYbe5
back out of Alex’s embrace. He sighed, finally willing to tell his friend63Please respect copyright.PENANAx1z7KzDas7
everything, like he should have done in the beginning. Alex sat down on the bed63Please respect copyright.PENANAOpKpFDPiBc
before accepting a drink from Vander.
As his friend drank, Vander63Please respect copyright.PENANA43w5anPRbl
started from his first meeting with Veyar before they had even left the forest63Please respect copyright.PENANAdHQIVmpuoK
where he had been told about the Darkness returning. From there, from other63Please respect copyright.PENANA19kv7uoja3
visits with both Veyar and Unna hinting at his role of keeping the Darkness63Please respect copyright.PENANANG0lqH1gQ4
sealed away. He explained his thoughts about the Serpents being behind63Please respect copyright.PENANAw1nm8s0pl0
everything, but the interview with the assassin shed some doubts of their63Please respect copyright.PENANA0YH6NxcqQp
involvement, even though Cuvera didn’t believe him.
After that he had been told to63Please respect copyright.PENANARoe78R5M6x
grab a book from the King’s study, one he had been shown one night that63Please respect copyright.PENANAtJjX7FlWz5
depicted the Gods and their abilities. That was the book Peyton had been after63Please respect copyright.PENANARMlr0y662Z
when he killed Malcolm and framed Vander for it. After that, Vander took the63Please respect copyright.PENANA4OG8o3H9Jt
book and gone on the run. He explained that Jeffery Jilena had stopped him but63Please respect copyright.PENANA0zNqKHsqVe
had let him go. Then he went to the only place he could stay safe, the Orange63Please respect copyright.PENANAvH3gs45meg
Fox.
“Wait,” Alex held up his hand.63Please respect copyright.PENANAIl2ZtVghKM
“Jeffery Jilena let you go? When we chased after you, we found him with his63Please respect copyright.PENANAT2lvWUKNi9
body cut to pieces. His murder was blamed on you.”
“Murder?” Vander felt ill. “He let63Please respect copyright.PENANA72yh5HhvMi
me knock him out so I could escape. He was alive when I left him.”
“Another piece to the puzzle.”63Please respect copyright.PENANAR4srCRa0sx
Alex hadn’t thought that Vander was truly responsible for the murder, but it63Please respect copyright.PENANAfiAiPSyOCG
just added another question to the long line of them.
“That explains why those guards63Please respect copyright.PENANAZ5aYBiNXWm
were so adamant to kill me.” Vander sighed. “Anna must have put a bounty on my63Please respect copyright.PENANABwIIC9Mpfc
head in the underground.”
“She had been ordered to cancel63Please respect copyright.PENANAEhEMasv0s6
it, but it looks as though that hadn’t happened.” Alex growled. “So, what were63Please respect copyright.PENANAye28z99pol
you doing at that house anyway?”
“That’s the other part of it.”63Please respect copyright.PENANA17kPu2lEJD
Vander explained that he had been under the impression that Peyton was working63Please respect copyright.PENANAq3EdljfRS4
with the Serpents to take over Eluvia. So, he used Ross’s vast network to help63Please respect copyright.PENANAAA2HuCqUIH
him find where they were hiding to discover their plan. That safe house was the63Please respect copyright.PENANAwdhZcfjwEu
latest clue, it was a meeting area where he also discovered someone else was63Please respect copyright.PENANAihzAR69JI6
tracking him down, someone called Fang. He also told Alex that three people had63Please respect copyright.PENANAS129OuQ9wx
escaped before Vander arrived. They may have gone on a mission, or something63Please respect copyright.PENANAs7dKZnUdBT
spooked him, of which he wasn’t sure.
“It’s a good start.” Alex sighed.63Please respect copyright.PENANAyXLjO8ftt6
“I met with the doctor who checked the bodies. Each one of them had a tattoo on63Please respect copyright.PENANA8IqTNIN8TK
their wrist of a coiled snake. I went back to check on Ulysses and Nigel then63Please respect copyright.PENANAOkqxFijlBv
found the same on them. Seems to be their mark.”
“It won’t matter unless we check63Please respect copyright.PENANAPMbhXFRBfz
every single person’s wrist.” Vander shook his head. “We need a better way to63Please respect copyright.PENANAG7FxFLro2I
check, but that’s something that won’t happen until I get to Cuvera.”
“Why not come back with me?” Alex63Please respect copyright.PENANA61bGBn4h94
asked. The offer was tempting, but he couldn’t risk being thrown in the jail63Please respect copyright.PENANAZVWYSBRLzP
cells right now, not when he was so close to unearthing who else was behind the63Please respect copyright.PENANAgG33oHdvuZ
conspiracy. He couldn’t risk it, not right now. And he told Alex as much.
“I understand.” He opened his63Please respect copyright.PENANAqwdphzkXDY
mouth to say something else, but he was interrupted by a knock on the door.63Please respect copyright.PENANAXUXSMtHzEq
Both Left and Right were there. They had come to deliver a message. It was time63Please respect copyright.PENANAtWDghwFtKf
for Vander to chance then make his way down in the arena. Nodding his head,63Please respect copyright.PENANATbmLrFBROu
Vander accepted the package in their hands then closed the door.
“You’re fighting?” Alex’s jaw63Please respect copyright.PENANAatFYjiX9wS
dropped. He was setting himself up to be seen, for his enemies to know where he63Please respect copyright.PENANASIbxHBbzNS
was. This was insane.
“It was Ross’s payment for letting63Please respect copyright.PENANAK0LrJF1LpO
me stay here.” Vander walked into the bathroom to get changed. He had been63Please respect copyright.PENANAGlaHc3Dvia
given a white tank top, some raggedy brown pants and a mask to put over his63Please respect copyright.PENANAJUPpVzOWS2
face.
Whoever crafted63Please respect copyright.PENANAZRXIcd5UBG
it was quite skilled: it was a white mask that had been painted to resemble a63Please respect copyright.PENANAtXrm6976uU
wolf’s face. He knew that the clothing was made on purpose. It would make him63Please respect copyright.PENANASEKFzEcYZh
look like someone who needed the money but would give to those watching a show.63Please respect copyright.PENANAyzxdGE1FFI
With the white they would be able to see if he was injured and how badly. The63Please respect copyright.PENANA2qJ0dGcKOv
crowds loved the sign of blood, they always did.
“Stay tonight.”63Please respect copyright.PENANAUSKv5rxxfz
Vander said as he walked from the bathroom. “I have a feeling I may need you63Please respect copyright.PENANActJjypAr0O
there.”
“I understand.”63Please respect copyright.PENANAuVdSUAO7Jr
He could sense his friend’s reservations about letting him fight, but there was63Please respect copyright.PENANAy04krMis2W
no choice, and he knew that. Right and Left were still outside the door waiting63Please respect copyright.PENANA3XqkTbaWEO
to escort him downstairs. Vander slipped the mask over his face then followed63Please respect copyright.PENANApurgSwFJbc
them down.
The crowd was63Please respect copyright.PENANAhEq5JSyVF7
already in full force, cheering for blood at the lower leveled bouts. The63Please respect copyright.PENANAywAexflKtr
drinks had already been flowing as some had passed out leaning up against the63Please respect copyright.PENANALJakhPgJfQ
wall with a drink still in their hands. The two bodyguards were immovable63Please respect copyright.PENANAlZyE5bE1jm
objects surrounding Vander as multiple people were trying to get their hands on63Please respect copyright.PENANAJV8tFaktWm
him before his fight. Right pushed several people away then barked a warning to63Please respect copyright.PENANApG92L4tD57
the others: Ross would skin them alive if anything happened to his fighter. A63Please respect copyright.PENANAP10UQFfqhN
cold, calculated threat, but not one anyone would risk. So, they kept their63Please respect copyright.PENANAnFCqRMU8Do
hands to themselves.
Suddenly a sudden63Please respect copyright.PENANA4g1EXk28ed
scent of blood hit Vander’s nose then the crowd erupted into cheers. He saw63Please respect copyright.PENANAWlT3NYDufu
Ross standing up from his podium throwing his hands up into the air. “And there63Please respect copyright.PENANAyAZyMzz78T
you have it! You have your winner!” There was quite a bit of cheering, but63Please respect copyright.PENANASW5jNUy9pZ
there was a lot of cursing involved. Seems as though a lot of people gambled on63Please respect copyright.PENANAiOTYxlEOgn
the opponent to win. Looking over the edge, Vander saw a young kid standing63Please respect copyright.PENANAOwPKxReNwa
over the body of an adult. The adult was breathing as the medical staff ran out63Please respect copyright.PENANAe86BLBPHZt
to remove him, but Vander knew that man was likely going to die. The kid was63Please respect copyright.PENANAH63n6Rssfy
led out by one of Ross’s servants.
“And now for your63Please respect copyright.PENANAVlqGrRQ9lZ
final bout of the night!” Ross motioned for Vander to get up next to him. The63Please respect copyright.PENANAcqiVmZEtBy
crowd grew quiet as he walked up to stand next to his protector. “He is a new63Please respect copyright.PENANAvh6VCDItOR
fighter, but still skilled. I bring you, the Wolf.” No one cheered for him,63Please respect copyright.PENANAKnssMcwfL6
just gave him curious glances. Vander felt a little self-conscious standing63Please respect copyright.PENANAEY6VaJMJWi
there, but this was all part of the show, he just had to do his part. “Now his63Please respect copyright.PENANAYGd64ZrVfK
opponent has been thirsting for a worthy opponent and winning here would give63Please respect copyright.PENANApbXbRXOB9L
him a chance to fight the bear, slaughterer of thousands. I bring you, the Sword!”
A door in the63Please respect copyright.PENANAIRVPpkd6TT
arena was thrown open and a large shirtless man walked through holding his63Please respect copyright.PENANAG3Lk5nUC2h
massive sword above his head. The man was shirtless, wearing a similar ragged63Please respect copyright.PENANA8TkZ9Cycmm
pants, and a mask with a sword painted on it. The crowd erupted chanting his63Please respect copyright.PENANAuV78XxyAHg
name. Despite knowing that he would win, Vander couldn’t help but feel a little63Please respect copyright.PENANA0jEaI2yPtb
intimidated.
“This is a fight63Please respect copyright.PENANAA3CG0qBc81
to the death!” Ross shouted. Vander spun around as if this hadn’t been part of63Please respect copyright.PENANATuy0AfQJX6
their arraignment, but all he got was an apologetic shrug and a smile. Vander63Please respect copyright.PENANArZmd65c8ie
vowed he would get Ross back for this, but for now he had to focus on the63Please respect copyright.PENANAFGWa5hI9vj
challenge at hand. Without waiting for a prompt, Vander stepped off the podium63Please respect copyright.PENANAksvT8pr0kv
then jumped down into the arena below. Sword tilted his head in63Please respect copyright.PENANAE1SBXR1bEb
acknowledgement. The crowd cheered as the two combatants circled each other63Please respect copyright.PENANAfCGmfPqPJ4
warily.
“You don’t look63Please respect copyright.PENANAxBLQdxeVst
strong.” Sword taunted. “In fact, you look like someone who prefers to lay on63Please respect copyright.PENANAu20l7bDAmb
their back all night. What do you think? Should I fuck you before I kill you?”
“You must be63Please respect copyright.PENANA2dSTiFbCu6
nervous if all you can do is talk.” Vander snorted. “Now let’s get this done,63Please respect copyright.PENANAR0aHC3Ty9D
I’m getting bored.”
“You’ll regret63Please respect copyright.PENANAUKVUbnxtOc
that runt.” The man shouted then charged towards him swinging his sword.
One of the63Please respect copyright.PENANAt6ABeUXapd
instructions Vander had given before his bout was that he had to drag it out as63Please respect copyright.PENANADyYZgvELzT
much as possible. No one liked a quick fight. They wanted blood and a lot of63Please respect copyright.PENANA7ROcHBx5Le
it. He would have to hold himself back as this was a regular human. He would63Please respect copyright.PENANAEHljiFz7vn
fold like an omelet if Vander hit him with his powers. This would prove to be a63Please respect copyright.PENANA0gWuJv64Ky
challenge, which was why he found himself unarmed.
Vander ducked63Please respect copyright.PENANA5yIEf56sAl
under the sword swing, but the man’s knee came up catching him in the chin.63Please respect copyright.PENANAUg0iMdlSw3
Vander stumbled backwards as the other foot caught him in the stomach knocking63Please respect copyright.PENANAiquZXRsfdf
him to the ground. He quickly rolled away as the sword pounded the ground where63Please respect copyright.PENANAbYa8JRZc9m
he had just been. Vander got up, grabbed a fist full of dirt, then tossed it at63Please respect copyright.PENANA6KKFk8htgf
his opponent. As he struggled to remove the dirt, Vander tackled him around the63Please respect copyright.PENANARpoXLxOdxg
stomach bringing them both to the ground. He began punching down at the face,63Please respect copyright.PENANAubNgKILRUi
but he was purposely going slow. Sword was able to block most of them before63Please respect copyright.PENANA339xI6KO7s
bucking Vander off and into the ground.
“You’re good I’ll63Please respect copyright.PENANAjmS253IWxv
give you that, but this is where it ends.” The man lifted his sword and went to63Please respect copyright.PENANA3GmAvsM8x2
stab down at Vander, but before either of them could move, three daggers flew63Please respect copyright.PENANAcaJiGvc2O2
from the crowd and hit him in the chest. “What?” Blood spurted from his mouth63Please respect copyright.PENANAufpk1fKNSC
as he fell over backwards, dead. The crowd muttered to themselves wondering63Please respect copyright.PENANA2u7Wxda2ec
what the hell had just happened. The smell of Applewood filled the arena, and63Please respect copyright.PENANAL9Aimjewx6
he knew what was going on.
“Ross, you need63Please respect copyright.PENANAmsQys1DZef
to get everyone out of here.” Vander shouted. He scrambled for the sword as63Please respect copyright.PENANAhfG1cGdvJz
three people jumped down in the arena with him. Each of them was heavily armed63Please respect copyright.PENANAgVNO2UPfva
and wearing leather armor. He didn’t recognize either of them, but if they were63Please respect copyright.PENANALs9KzbTQEa
here, they were probably Serpents.
“Vander, the63Please respect copyright.PENANAv6g9Xvji0R
Blade Captain.” One of the Serpents said. They had hoods pulled over their63Please respect copyright.PENANAYX9803SKDZ
heads, but it wouldn’t be enough to keep him from seeing their faces.63Please respect copyright.PENANACTEF6C8Qf9
Tragically he didn’t know any of them.
“You’ll pay for63Please respect copyright.PENANA6d6xhDtih7
what you did to our comrades.” Said another. “Then our contract will be63Please respect copyright.PENANAvIgMBDu2uG
complete.”
“Who hired you?”63Please respect copyright.PENANALIEQnFQ6xO
Vander shouted. He eyed the sword his opponent had been wielding. He wouldn’t63Please respect copyright.PENANA7QYAWRiEmu
be able to survive without it, but it was so far away. He would have to be63Please respect copyright.PENANAJ6eWmdPc1r
careful.
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“No reason to63Please respect copyright.PENANA9xPgJPBfq0
tell a dead man.” The Serpents drew their knives and lunged at him. Vander63Please respect copyright.PENANAKj3EZMKFII
brought his arms up to protect himself. This was going to be tough.