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Silas didn’t respond Only held a hand up as he turned the corner Can’t go back there now, can I?

Mara stood at the wall of the courtyard Eliot stared at him from the opposite wall On the wall to Mara’s left Joseph, Balin, the boy who’d been beaten up in the nised froer boy was nowhere to be seen

On the right ere seven Shadows, one of the like it always did That et to sit down and no-one else? Mara looked across to Eliot He looks pissed off Why’s he always pissed off atto him

Two by two, the boys to Mara’s left were called forward to fight Joseph easily beat up the boy that Eliot had attacked the day before, while Balin was beaten by the boy Mara didn’t recognise Balin always lost a fight if he didn’t win in the first couple of ood The other two boys were hters than Mara had seen They danced around each other, dodging each other’s vicious looking kicks and punches Finally, when the fight went to the ground, one made the other pass out with a chokehold

Our turn Mara took in a deep breath through his nose I need a shit If he hits me down there, I’ll shit all over the place Everyone will laugh at me

A Shadow leant down to the one on the chair, nodded its head, and carried a wooden box with it to the middle of the courtyard

The Shadow on the chair stood “Eliot, Mara, forward”

It is him

Eliot didn’t look so angry close-up He was pale, sweaty, and had dark patches under both eyes

The Shadoith the box stood between them “Face your master”

Master? Is that what they call him?

“You have been selected for open coht to the death” The Shadow Master said

Mara looked over at Eliot Death? I have to kill hi the box knocked Mara in the head with an elbow Mara looked back at the Master

“The loser shall pass to the next life with the ultiratulation, only the opportunity to continue life” The Master sat

The Shadow next to Mara opened the box to reveal two gold-handled blades “Take your weapons”