- 4.
Rage exploded in my head, making me dizzy.
The man I loved. The first person I ever
<
trusted.
He’d turned me into a joke. It was pathetic.
Lost in my thoughts, I stepped on a dry
branch, making a loud snap. Finny looked
over.
She saw me through the bushes and smirked.
I knew something was wrong. She pointed at
me and screamed.
“Darian, an assassin! Help me!”
Darian drew his sword and charged right at
- me.
I froze.
Werewolves were fast. I couldn’t dodge.
The blade flashed, and I braced for the pain. I
closed my eyes, shaking.
But then, there was a clang. Steel on steel.
I opened my eyes. Sylar, the vampire, was
standing in front of me, shielding me.
The sword cut through the bushes. Darian
finally saw me and looked shocked.
Finny ran over, pretending to be scared.
“Your Grace! What are you doing here? I saw
someone hiding in the bushes, and I thought
it was an assassin.”
Sylar turned to me, frantic. “Your Grace, are
you hurt?”
I shook my head. He glared at Darian. “Are
you blind? You almost hit the Saintess!”
Darian shrugged.
“She was hiding in the bushes. Who knows
what she was up to? She probably deserved
to get stabbed for being sneaky.”
He raised an eyebrow at Sylar, mocking him.
“What’s she to you? You think she’s going to
choose you? Don’t get your hopes up.”
Darian laughed. “I don’t want Bella, but she’s
definitely going to pick me. The shaman’s on
his way. I’ll go wait.”
He grabbed Finny and walked away.
Sylar’s face fell. He forced a smile. “Your
<
Grace, shall we go?”
His sadness made my heart ache. I forgot
about Darian’s arrogance.
I followed him to the altar.
The shaman walked to the front, chanting in
some ancient language.
The crowd started to whisper.
“Who do you think the Saintess will choose?”
“Isn’t it obvious? She’s been sending gifts to
the werewolves. She’s crazy about him.”
“I don’t think it’ll be the vampire. She hates
the dark. She wouldn’t want to marry a
vampire and never see the sun.”
Sylar went stiff next to me. I could feel him
deflate.
Darian smirked. He coughed. “I know the
Saintess wants me, but I already have
someone I love. I have to refuse her.”
He pretended to be sorry. “Bella, I asked you
to call off the engagement yesterday, but you
く
wouldn’t. I have to reject you in public.
The crowd went silent, staring at us.
وو
Sylar lost it. He grabbed his sword and held it
to Darian’s throat. “Shut up! Don’t say
anything to hurt the Saintess!”
Darian didn’t even flinch. He casually pushed
the sword away.
“Careful. If you hurt me, the Saintess will be
sad.”
Sylar’s face was red. He looked at me,
helpless. He put his sword away.
He just stood there, miserable.
The shaman finished his prayer, unrolled the
scroll, and read in a loud voice.
“From this day forward, the Siren Clan and
the Vampire Clan are allies. May the two
races….‘
