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"This is the goddess Zanthina," Sigur whispers toout the evening stars"
She begins to gyrate to the , her footsteps sure and precise I gulp,from more than just the wine The children cli at her, pawing at her skirt
"These are the cat people," Sigur says "They are envious of Zanthina’s dancing and wish to kill her, so they can control the night"
The girl and the children begin an aggressive dance She lashes out at the cat people The children fall down one by one--Zanthina is victorious Everyone claps and cheers She bows Her dark black eyes rest on me, and my heart falters She’s a twin-blood, like eline, the jewel insuddenly clicks into place
"You’re the girl I saw at the execution the other day," I say
Sigur pats Evangeline’s cheek in an affectionate, fatherly way
"Evangeline’s eline sits down, her leg presses against ht, and yet fire blazes across hwithin me What the hell was that? She s on me It’s just because she’s a twin-blood, that’s all It’s natural to have an attraction to her, right? Nothing to obsess about, no need to read too ur in a very casual,them for half an hour, I can see that their relationship runs deeper than just colleagues
"You and Sigur seeeline
She nods "He and Annora raised me"
Sharp pain stabs at eline? All those years I was pining forup another child with Sigur
"Evangeline worshipped Annora," Sigur says, not noticing how much these words cut "
Sigur ruffles Evangeline’s hair, and she laughs, slapping his hand away
"Don’t make me hurt you, old man This hairstyle took two hours to do," she teases
He rolls his one good eye, shaking his head "How things change She was such a tomboy when she was little, not interested in her looks at all I miss those days," he adds wistfully
Jealousy twists like a knot inside me at how close they are I wonder what it would’ve been like having a Darkling father, how ur claps his hands, and everyone stops talking "Bring in the guest"
There are excited e boy is led into the roohteen or nineteen years old His eyes are dilated, and he’s dragging his feet, clearly drugged Sigur waves a hand, and the room falls silent He walks over to the boy and runs a clan his fleshy cheek, drawing a fine line of blood My stoently lays hirooves in the wood are for Siphoning blood I stand up to protest, but Evangeline pulls me back into my seat
"He’s just a Hazer," she says "I picked him up fro"
"Sigur allows you to go that far into the city?" I ask, surprised It’s one thing letting her stand on the Boundary Wall beside hiuards; it’s altogether a different erous city streets alone
She gives ur often sends ht?" I ask
"Not really Sigur’s bribed a few of the Sentry guards, so whenever they’re on duty, I’ as I don’t bus his clan the boy’s chest, drawing gasps from the ravenous audience He licks the wound with his black tongue, his eyes shut as he relishes the taste
I s back , and the idea of fresh blood is so te his jugular vein Blood splashes across the table, and the Darklingsfrorilyer and try not to watch, although the ss ine how aur steps back, blood on his lips
I’uis wine, but suddenly it doesn’t seesboy His neck and chest are slick with blood; his breathing is shallow and ragged I should be repulsed, but I’ht excites me, and for once, I’m not scared to admit it I don’t have to hide my true nature from anyone here; I can be the ethe sensation of being able to feed without people gasping or screaht The boy lets out a final breath as the last of his life drains froer back, the effects of the Haze in the boy’s blood usted with myself How can I be so reckless? It’s this place, these creatures They make me feel so irresponsible, so inhuman But I am human--at least part of me is
I sprint out of the cave into the open air The stench of the city hits ain, and my stomach churns I throw up until eline says, startling ur’s really insulted"
"I don’t care!"
"Why are you so upset? You were just feeding"
"On a hu Darkling, I’le" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>