I woke up to the crackling of a fire. My head was pounding and my entire body was in pain. Ben's back was to me, his eyes trained on the fire.
"Hey, Carrie." He whispered.
I sat up slowly, "what happened?" I asked, pressing my palm against my forehead.
BEN'S POV"It went everywhere!" She laughed, her long locks cascading down her back.I chuckled, my eyes warming as I took her in.
BEN'S POVTwo days. Two days of walking and camping. But I barely noticed. Time melted, waving around us like soft silk.Carrie's link was still open, her contentment warmed my body, her happiness swirling in my chest.Her chocolate hair was thrown up into a
CARRIE'S POVI cried until pale light splattered across the dark sky. I knew Ben wasn't going to change his mind about this. It was over. My sister had lost her fiance, and it was my fault.Ben set out a breakfast of pheasant cooked for my benefit on a small fire. He said nothing, I didn't touch the food, he didn't push me to, and we ignored my red-rimmed eyes.
BEN'S POVEverything began to happen very quickly. It took us another night and another day before we reached the border.Carrie kept a space between us that was way too big to be natural. Her face was a constant flat stone plate. Her usually sparking eyes, dull and walled over. I'd never seen t
The alpha gave me the prophecy, but I knew the others were waiting. So I stuffed it into my pocket, and stumbled out to the car, knowing my face was as white as a sheet. Everyone bustled, saying goodbye, and getting into the right cars. I came face to face with Rent, and immediately my eyes welled with tears."Oh Carrie," he breathed fondly, pulling me warmly into his arms, "
I fell onto my bed, gripping my bleeding side. Goblins. They had attacked the house, and they weren't the first. Someone had leaked my location, all kinds of creatures were attacking throughout the week, trying to recapture the "Future Valderian Queen."Rent had called, he still hadn't gotten a confession from his guards. The mole on our team was still unknown.
BEN'S POV!!!!!!"This is ridiculous.""I don't care.""Ben!"
I woke up in the bedroom Ben had offered me the day he put the crest on my palm."Bet you never thought you'd sleep in that bed."My eyes snap to my left, Ben is watching rain patter onto the balcony through the glass window in the french doors.
I sat on the edge of my bed, trying hard to focus my mind. While both boys were barely on speaking terms, they were both in firm agreement that they would find a way for me to back out of the tournament. I wasn't optimistic.My mind was still racing, it made no sense, what was the queen gaining with me as a competitor? I had a feeling, a gut feeling, this Tornment would end up being a lot more than just a competition. Something darker, deeper and far more important was going on. And I intended to find out what.
For the next half hour, we were too busy sorting through what's been happening, for Ben to yell at Dante and me for making contact. I knew it would come later though. Right now, both boys were furious at mefor keeping the recent attacks on me a secret.Ben called for a handmaiden, and under his orders she got off every scrap of makeup on my body, revealing dozens of nasty wounds, scrapes, and bruises.
I woke up in the bedroom Ben had offered me the day he put the crest on my palm."Bet you never thought you'd sleep in that bed."My eyes snap to my left, Ben is watching rain patter onto the balcony through the glass window in the french doors.
BEN'S POV!!!!!!"This is ridiculous.""I don't care.""Ben!"
I fell onto my bed, gripping my bleeding side. Goblins. They had attacked the house, and they weren't the first. Someone had leaked my location, all kinds of creatures were attacking throughout the week, trying to recapture the "Future Valderian Queen."Rent had called, he still hadn't gotten a confession from his guards. The mole on our team was still unknown.
The alpha gave me the prophecy, but I knew the others were waiting. So I stuffed it into my pocket, and stumbled out to the car, knowing my face was as white as a sheet. Everyone bustled, saying goodbye, and getting into the right cars. I came face to face with Rent, and immediately my eyes welled with tears."Oh Carrie," he breathed fondly, pulling me warmly into his arms, "
BEN'S POVEverything began to happen very quickly. It took us another night and another day before we reached the border.Carrie kept a space between us that was way too big to be natural. Her face was a constant flat stone plate. Her usually sparking eyes, dull and walled over. I'd never seen t
CARRIE'S POVI cried until pale light splattered across the dark sky. I knew Ben wasn't going to change his mind about this. It was over. My sister had lost her fiance, and it was my fault.Ben set out a breakfast of pheasant cooked for my benefit on a small fire. He said nothing, I didn't touch the food, he didn't push me to, and we ignored my red-rimmed eyes.
BEN'S POVTwo days. Two days of walking and camping. But I barely noticed. Time melted, waving around us like soft silk.Carrie's link was still open, her contentment warmed my body, her happiness swirling in my chest.Her chocolate hair was thrown up into a