American library books ยป Other ยป Change of Darkness (The Change Series Book 3) by Jacinta Jade (best new books to read txt) ๐Ÿ“•

Read book online ยซChange of Darkness (The Change Series Book 3) by Jacinta Jade (best new books to read txt) ๐Ÿ“•ยป.   Author   -   Jacinta Jade



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for just an instant, sending a mental thankyou into the purple sky above.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

A FAMILIAR MARCH through one door and into a corridor. Down its length and through the next door. Out onto the gleaming sands of the arena. Siray barely saw any of it, too caught up in a mixture of exhaustion, relief, and happiness. Even the events of the previous night, even knowing what they might face in the days to come, could not dampen her spirit. If they had not been in this place, she felt like she might have shone from the elation emanating from her very core. As it was, she kept herself under tight control, her expression that of a captive facing down another gruelling training session.

But her eyes โ€ฆ those she could not control. They wandered of their own accord, darting to Genlie and Kovi in front of her and to Tamot beside her. Had she dared, she would have turned and let her eyes feast on the faces of her other friends. Wexner, Kinna, Zale, and, of course, Baindan. Indeed, she could almost feel his own happiness emanating from behind her, like the warmth of a fire.

Even with her exhaustion, Siray felt like the eight of them could do anything now that they were all back together. Nine, if you included Annbov. She yearned to stop and talk with all of them, tell them what had happened, learn what she and Baindan had missed and if they had thought about trying to escape last night, but she controlled the urge, knowing that it was only a matter of time until they would be together and away from the eyes of the guards.

And after discovering her friends were very much not dead, Siray felt like time was something she could deal with.

Out on the sands stood a familiar lone figureโ€”just a silhouette at this distance but instantly recognisable from his stance. Herrin. Siray almost laughed out loud. She had challenged him and survived. She had been thrown into the pit and had survived. She would survive this place.

She lifted her head as the captives made their way across the sand in their file, the first group stopping at the usual distance from the training master and the next row moving up beside them.

Once they were all in place, the training master turned to them, his eyes sweeping across the group quickly. As usual, Siray felt the instant that glance lighted upon her and perceived the moment it had moved on. She quickly used the moment to re-braid her hair.

โ€˜I see that, while some of you have returned, some of you have not.โ€™ Herrinโ€™s voice was calm and cold, as if he was merely stating an observation, like that of someone remarking about how the weather might affect their manner of dress for the day. โ€˜As we are now approaching the final number, we will shortly begin new exercises in groups.โ€™

Sirayโ€™s brows narrowed just slightly. Final number? What did he mean by that? Was this something the others had learned about yesterday? She tried to come up with answers, but her mind, alert all night and having run the gambit of emotions today, was exhausted. No ideas presented themselves.

โ€˜But not today,โ€™ Herrin announced more loudly, just as two guards marched past the edges of the group to take up positions a step behind the training master.

Siray felt the group of captives shift around her. Something was different. The others, clearly, hadnโ€™t expected this. Her eyes zeroed in on the shift in Herrinโ€™s stanceโ€”the slight turn of a foot, as if he was looking towards something โ€ฆ or someone.

โ€˜Today, there will be a different kind of exercise,โ€™ the training master continued, waving a hand.

Footsteps, light on the sand, sounded from behind, and Siray wondered what Herrin had planned for them.

Until she heard a grunt from behind her, and then a thump, and she spun.

Two soldiers had already grabbed Zale, dragging him backwards, and two more were approaching Baindan. Sirayโ€™s eyes widened, but Baindan was already turning, sensing the threat.

When he saw the soldiers, instead of preparing to fight back like she thought he might, his head whipped back around to face her, his eyes flaring as they screamed at her to run.

Siray wheeled her head back around, preparing to make a break of it past Herrin, but she froze when she saw more soldiers already holding Kovi and Genlie.

Koviโ€™s lean form was tensed, like an animal preparing to spring but waiting for the right moment.

Genlie, however, was struggling hard against the grips that held her, her blonde hair flying as her body strained this way and that.

But the soldiers that held them stood firm and unyielding.

Sirayโ€™s breath was rapid as she watched Baindan and Zale being half dragged, half shoved out into the space before the captives to join Kovi and Genlie. Which left her standing in the middle of the group of captives, empty space ahead and behind. She already knew there was no point in panicking or running. This she could tell from the deliberate way in which her friends had been targeted, and why she had been left standing alone.

There was only one explanation she could think ofโ€”that Herrin wanted revenge for her attack upon him the previous day. She shifted her body to face him, her chin raised, silent as they matched gazes.

โ€˜Step forwards, Siray.โ€™

Her spine stiffened. Herrin had never addressed any of them by name before, but with little choice, she obediently began walking forwards. She passed Tamot and, noticing him tensing, gave the barest shake of her head without looking at him. Then she turned her head slightly farther as she passed Wexner, who dipped his chin minutely at her. That gesture told her that, unlike Tamot, Wexnerโ€™s experience had already led him to the same conclusion she had reached an instant beforeโ€”that there was no point in fighting back until they knew where the danger really lay. The experienced maleโ€™s calculating eyes informed her he would be

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