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"Nonsense!" Kurda snorted "I don’t believe those old legends Even if they are true, Mr Tiny said the night of his co was at hand - not already upon us"

"Kurda is correct," Paris Skyle said "Besides, attacking us in such a fashion - alone, on our way to or from Council - would be cowardly, and the vampaneze are no cowards"

"Then why are they here?" someone cried "What are they up to?"

"It’s possible," Kurda said, "that they came to see me"

Every vampire in the Hall stared at him

"Why should they do that?" Paris asked

"They are hed "I don’t believe this Vampaneze Lord myth, but many vampaneze do, and a lot are as troubled by it as we are - they don’t want a war any more than we do It’s possible that Mr Tiny sent word to the vampaneze as he did to us, and the pair found on the way here were co to warn me, or to discuss the situation"

"But Patrick Goulder couldn’t find the second vampaneze," Mika Ver Leth said "If he’s still alive, wouldn’t he have contacted you by now?"

"How?" Kurda asked "A vaates and ask for er, he’s probably waiting so to catch me when I leave"

That made sense to a lot of vampires, but others dis out of his way to help a vauain and bubbled on for another couple of hours

Mr Crepsley said little during the arguing He just sat in his pew near the front, listening carefully, thinking hard He was so absorbed in as being said, he hadn’t even noticeda lull, Vanez crept forward and whispered to one of the guards, who advanced to the platforood ear - his right had been chopped off many years before) Paris nodded, then clapped loudly for silence "We have been overlooking our duties, , but we ular Council affairs There is a young half-vampire for whom time is precious May we enjoy a fewconcerns?"

When the vampires had settled back into their seats, Vanez escorted ratulations on passing the first of your Trials, Darren," Paris said

"Thank you," I replied politely

"As one who never learned to swim, I have extra reason to ade, bald Prince, with tattoos of arrows on his arms and head "Had I found myself in your position, I wouldn’t haveShan," Mika Ver Leth agreed "A good start is half the battle There’s a long way to go, but I’ about you"

"We would hear about more of your exploits in the hed, "but, alas, that is a tale you must save for another occasion Are you ready to choose your next Trial?"

"I a of numbered stones was produced After they’d been checked, I reached in, dug down, and picked one close to the botto exaht there were only seventeen Trials," I muttered to Vanez as the stone was taken to the Princes

"Seventeen for you," he agreed, "but there are more than sixty in total A lot have been omitted because they’re not currently possible to host - like the pit of snakes - and others have been left out because of your size and age"

"Is it a difficult Trial?" I asked

"It’s easier than the Aquatic Maze," he said "And your size will help It’s as good as any we could have hoped for"

The Princes examined the stone, announced their approval, then set it aside and wished me well They’d treated me rather curtly, but I understood their distraction and didn’t feel slighted As Vanez and I left, I heard the arguain, and the thick air of tension in the Hall was al as the water in the Aquatic Maze had been