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Alengthy silence followed my accusations Nobody knehat to say or think If Kurda had veheainst him, perhaps the Generals would have rallied to his side But he just stood there, downcast, suffering their questioning stares without reply
Finally, Paris Skyle cleared his throat "These are grave charges to bring against any vampire," he said "To level them at a Prince-to-be while he stands on the point of investiture" He shook his head "You understand what the consequences will be if you are lying?"
"Why would I lie?" I retorted Turning, I faced the ranks of vampires "Everyone knows I failed my Trials of Initiation and fled before I could be killed By returning, I’ve condemned ood reason?" Nobody answered "Kurda betrayed you! He’s in league with the va them into the Hall of Princes once he’s been invested, to seize control of the Stone of Blood"
There were cries of astonishment at that
"How do you know this?" Arrow yelled over the noise The bald prince hated the vampaneze more than o
"I’ about the Stone of Blood," I replied, "but I’ve seen the vampaneze Gavner saw them too That’s why Kurda murdered him He’d have spared my life, but I threw e I was sure I’d die, but I survived Once I’d recovered, I came back here to warn you"
"How
"At least thirty - possibly lanced at each other uneasily
"This ree," Arrow said "But a lie this outlandish would be simple to disprove If he wished to fool us, he would have chosen a less fantastic story"
"Besides," Paris sighed, "look in the boy’s eyes - there is nothing but truth in them"
A roar disrupted the conversation One of Kurda’s accorabbed a knife frouards closed ranks and encircled hiht to the death
"No, Cyrus!" Kurda bellowed, his first words since I’d disrupted the procession The vauidance "It’s over," Kurda said softly "Don’t spill blood unnecessarily That was never our aim"
The vampire nauards could close in on him, he put the tip of the knife to his heart and made a swift, fatal stab As the dead traitor fell to the floor, all eyes turned once again to Kurda, and this tirim
"What have you to say in rebuttal of Darren’s claims?" Mika asked, his voice thick with e," Kurda responded coolly
"You don’t deny the charge?" Arrow shouted
"I do not," Kurda said
A horrified uilt
"Let’s kill hie cheer of approval
"With respect, sires," Seba interceded, "would it not make more sense to focus on the vampaneze before we execute our own? Kurda can wait - we should deal with the intruders first"
"Seba is right," Paris said "The vampaneze must be put to the sword There will be tiuards, he told them to take Kurda and the other traitor away and hold them captive "And under no circumstances let them take their own lives," he warned "That would be the easy way out Keep theate the me forward, he addressed the massed vampires "We will retire to the Hall of Princes with Darren I ask the rest of you to remain here while we discuss the ramifications of this horrific turn of events When we have decided on an immediate course of action, we shall inforer has been dealt with"
"And see that no one leaves the cave," Mika barked "We don’t kno deep this conspiracy runs I don’t ord of this reaching the ears of those who stand opposed to the welfare of our clan"
With that, the four of us entered the Hall of Princes, followed by several of the more senior Generals, as well as Seba, Arra Sails, and Mr Crepsley
Some of the tension seeped out of the air when the doors closed behind us Paris hurried off to check on the Stone of Blood, while Mika and Arrow trudged disconsolately to their thrones Seba thrust some clothes into my hands and told me to slip them on I did so quickly, then let the quartermaster lead me forward to speak with the Princes I still hadn’t had a chance to have a ith Mr Crepsley, though I s about hiht through the tunnels with Kurda, Gavner co into the va his stand, and Kurda’s betrayal When I got to the part about the strearinned