Chapter 368 (1/2)

Chapter 368

Clarip, I refused to let ht of icless peopleht while the rest ofmore than to God Step onto the field and kill the beasts

The power to defy reality in rasp, yet I couldn't even save those people

I reasoned that restraining ood, that it was the price we all had to pay for losing the war

But that didn't make it any easier to sit and watch htered And then there were the cheers that rolled like hateful thunder down froht just like the wolves gorged on the innocents

For a single, dark ined Destruction leaping from my hands to burn the entire stadium and everyone inside it to less than ashbut there were no cheers or laughter co myself to look away from these Dicathians' lastof ripped the rails, the quiet whiust as the wolves feasted

Then the hair on the back ofthe spell of the slaughter

The students began dropping to their knees as they followed the source of the pressure to the back wall of the staging area, where a horned figure dressed all in black stood watching us Regis bristled, thehis hackles up

Seris Vritra looked much different than she had that day on the battlefield, when Uto nearly killed Sylvie and al as an eh she wore the saht-black cloak she had when I first saw her arrive in Darv

Next toWhile the rest of the class had the good sense to go down on their knees, Seth seemed frozen in place The Scythe's sudden appearance ceuessed at so far: Nico wasn't the only one who knewSeth like he was so here, I didn't need the students involved in it, and so I placed a hand on Seth's shoulder and pushed him to his knees

"Scythe Seris," I said "How nice to see you again"

"Professor Grey of Central Acadeh

the kneeling students at the sound of Seris's silvery voice "Withlike liquid around her, and vanished through the single door set into the stone wall at the back of the staging area Caera jumped to follow her, but I stayed where I was

'Yes, because what this whole ordeal really needed was another layer of co his hesitant resignation

The fact that Seris had also discovered my identity wasn't exactly a surprise since Nico obviously knew, but I had to wonder why she would contact one, the students were still petrified Their shock and aere tangible, floating in the viscous silence that the Scythe's sudden appearance and departure had created Even the noise of the crowd had been muffled, as if unwelcome in this place

"Briar, Aphene"

Both young women flinched asup to stare wide-eyed and searching around the room Briar's eyes blinked several ti, uncertain dreaet back," I said quickly, then marched out after Caera and Seris

The Scythe was silent as she led us through the bowels of the coliseum She walked with purpose, and yet her ance that hinted at a flawless control over her physical form Her confident rhythm never broke, not even to look back andAs we strode after her,no one else despite the constant bustle of officials, workers, and slaves that must have filled the underworks

After ame from the corner of her eye She opened her

"What is it?" I asked, round tunnels, but she only shook her head in response

Seris's head turned a fraction of an inch as I spoke I wondered what unspoken tension eighing down Caera's shoulders, but kept h Seris was too distant andmy enemies, either If she wanted to harm me, there had been plenty of opportunities to do so before the Victoriad

When we arrived in a private viewing box overlooking the combat field, I immediately scanned the rooerous than the Scythe within—but found only a plush lounge froames below The decor didn't interest me, and my attention turned immediately back to Seris

"Make yourselves coht tone at odds with her do presence When I made no move to do so, she waved a hand as if to brush awayyou here to harm you, Grey, but you already know that You look well, by the way Golden eyesvery subtle Why don't you remove that mask so I can see your face properly?"

"Thank you for the hospitality," I replied, doing as she asked "Nice place, if a bit lonely Where's Cylrit? Lurking in the closet, waiting to juhed happily "My retainer is seeing to sos today, but that doesn't mean we don't have business to discuss I' close tabs on you ever since you so conveniently appeared in the Relictohtly pastuide—my mentor, as I've ht know each other, but only told her about you because you were so" She paused, biting the side of her cheek "So curious and interesting, and then she wanted to know more about you, and she asked me to keep an eye on you—but I told you, so I hope you know I—"

As she spoke, I had noticed Seris searchingsmile When I returned the expression, Caera faltered, her worry giving way to a confused frown

"It's fine, Caera I mean, you have a powerful feestured to Seris, unable to suppress a guilty smirk "I never pressed you for more details because I didn't need to It wasn't all that hard to figure out"

Caera let out a deep breath and ran a lock of blue hair between her fingers "Thank you for understanding You two can stop hblood Denoir, is that any way to speak to yourair "Your adoptive mother would be appalled"

'Pretty classy, the way you handled that But then, I guess it'd be pretty childish of you to get all pissy at her for not telling you, considering the uncountable nuis scoffed

Fair point, I thought back And also, shut up

Seris reclined against the warded glass that fronted the charown predictable, Grey"

"Oh," I asked, quirking an eyebrow at the Scythe "How much of what I've accomplished have you predicted, exactly?"

Her lips parted to respond, but I saw her eyes flick to Caera, and she seemed to rethink whatever she had been about to say Finally, she said only, "Enough"

I"What do you ithI have alanted" She turned to face theBelow, a dozen slaves were cleaning up the last of the row"

The Scythe drifted to a chaise lounge and eased into it while indicating we should take the couch across from her Caera didn't hesitate to comply with her mentor's unspoken request I moved to stand behind the couch, but did not sit, instead restingof potential," Seris said, her focus on ed your ability to manipulate mana for mysterious aether arts that even she does not understand" Caera shi+fted uncomfortably at Seris's words "How did this coift to you wasn't entirely wasted, was it?"

'Uto's ht with the ue loll contentedly from his mouth

"My injuries in the ere catastrophic," I answered,down due to prolonged use of the third stage of Sylvia's beast will "I had to adjust"

"Yes, well, that is certainly so I couldn't have predicted," she said in a low voice, more to herself than Caera or ain, more firmly this time A sudden suspicion dawned onme here? To the Victoriad?"

Seris's painted lips quirked up "I'll admit, it has painedA professor, really?" She gavelook, as if I cared what

she thought about my actions in Alacrya "As I said, predictable But you are also right, I did arrange for your class to be here"

"Why?" I asked, trying to piece this new infor else I already knew "Because I wanted to remind you who you are, and what is at stake," she said, her voice heavy with authority, a sharp change in tone froed for your presence here to ask so in the debt you owe me"

"Debt?" I asked, not sure I liked where this was going "So you didn't si"