Vengeance (The Prince's Games Book 1) by Rebecca Grey (electric book reader TXT) 📕

Is this what The Bend had looked like before the wars? Had buildings been pressed against buildings and nothing laid to waste?

"Oh, it says 'Welcome to Saymar'," Marcello answers and I have to pull my attention away from the city itself.

"And what is Saymar, again?" I whisper, my voice hoarse.

"Don't touch your daggers, Nilsa," Marcello says under his breath.

I look up at him, but he keeps his face pointed forward. My thumbs track over the hilts of my daggers. In all of the excitement I hadn't noticed that I'd been reaching for them or that I am so close to wrapping my fists around them.

"Nervous habit." I drop my hands to my side and cast my gaze down.

"They might see it as a sign that you're not willing to follow the rules, get you kicked out of the Games before they have even begun. It's necessary you stay, you're important to our team." Juilliard stops just before the doors and waves at us. Marcello continues, "Saymar is the name of the city."

"You call it something other than The Oasis? You give particular areas different names?" I blink. Can The Oasis truly be that big?

There are clusters of creatures in The Bend. I suppose I see them as different cities, but none of it is known by any particular name. Everything in The Bend just falls under one big umbrella. We label our districts, but that's it.

"Yes, we have many cities in The Oasis, all with their own names. Saymar is our capital. So welcome, Nilsa Windsor, to the capital of The Oasis." He lifts an arm out and gestures at the city. "Maybe we can explore the city together after all this is over."

I'd never thought about it before. But after this is over, when I have money, when I have power, I'd very much like that. Marcello won't be around for it, but I don't have to tell him that. Or maybe he could show me around before I take him out. It's the least he could do for me, really.

Both Juilliard and Hedda are standing at the doors waiting for us now. My steps are slow so I can marvel at everything for as long as I can. And so I can count the windows and look for any further exits from the building and where they may lead to. There are more windows than I can count and really only one door. Which doesn't bode well for me.

"We need the tickets." Juilliard runs a hand through his hair.

Two men stand in head to toe shining silver armor, expensive looking armor. They are the one's taking the tickets, counting the heads, and sending anyone away that doesn't have permission to attend. One holds his hand out for Marcello now.

"Where are Sloane and Finnegan? I thought they were with you two?" Marcello digs inside his collar. "I just saw them, I swear."

"I'm not the mother hen of this group. I think as the leader that falls under your wing." Juilliard scowls, leaning around us to look around. I turn around to see if I can spot them. As much as I'd rather learn more about this city, standing out in the open like this makes my stomach churn with unwanted nerves.

Marcello hands the tickets to the guard, stepping around us to talk into the man’s ear. I'm still scanning the crowd, my eyes leaping over fangs, gray skin, glowing eyes, round ears, and otherwise furry creatures. Wait... round ears? A man, with brown hair that holds a streak of gray in it, talks with a Dwarf. His hands cut through the air as he talks animatedly. I try to get a better look at him, to see if his eyes glow red and I've just mistaken a Vampire for a Human.

As if he feels my eyes on him, he turns still talking and I feel his gaze drift over me. Brown eyes. He has brown, very Human eyes. I reach out without looking, grabbing Marcello's forearm. His head turns and he looks down at my hand.

"What's wrong?"

"Wait for me," I snap before my feet carry me forward and I can do anything else.

I meld into the crowd, stopped by a hand on my shoulder. Stopping myself short of ripping the blades from my belt, I swivel to find Marcello's mouth puckered.

"You can't just run off Nilsa," he warns.

"I'm not running off. And I'm not a child you have to watch." I take another step forward out of his reach. He fists his hand and drops it to his side. "I'll be right back."

"You have two minutes.”

I expect that after he heads back for Juilliard and Hedda or even to go looking for either Sloane or Finnegan, but I don't wait to find out. I march through the throngs of Hybrids making their way past the guards and into the building, narrowly missing the shoulders of those who don't make way for me. The Human man keeps watching me during his conversation, aware of the way I'm streamlining toward him. To be alive he'd have to be some sort of observant.

When I'm close enough to take in every little sign of his aging, I realize he isn't as old as the slash of gray in his hair makes him appear. Or at least there aren't nearly as many wrinkles and fine lines as I expected. With a flick of my wrist, I toss my hood of my head and let the sunshine down on me. My fingers brush the silky strands of hair that have fallen out and I push them behind my telling round ears.

"Another Human?" I say as soon as I get close enough I know he'll be able to hear me.

The conversation with the Dwarf comes to an end as