The Devils Bargain

Chapter 13

I ran to keep up with the others, but with each step, it felt like I was going to throw up blood.

For a while now I've tasted a metallic taste in my mouth, and I know that if I stopped now, it would even get worse for me, and those who were also running.

Dammit... what the hell was this?

That stupid dog, this was all his fault.

"KEEP UP THE PACE UNLESS YOU WANT TO SLEEP OUTSIDE THE WALLS, NIFF!" Gregor yelled back to me, as he ran ahead with the others.

How long was he going to make us run for? 

It's been hours now, and I had yet to have a moment's rest, ever since he showed up at my bedroom door.

Five hours ago

I felt something kick me, making me wake up and look around the room startled, my first thought was that someone was trying to assault me.

Once my eyes fully adjusted to the bright light turned on in my room, I saw a familiar, yet unwanted face staring down at me, standing with his arms crossed glaring at me.

"How long do you plan to sleep for? Get up or I'll drag you out of bed." He said irritated, as I blinked up at him.

What... what was Gregor doing in my bedroom and at... 

I looked at my clock and saw that it was three in the morning, and I had only been asleep for three hours since I had to work late with the rest of the servants.

"W-What's going on?" I remove the covers from me and move to sit on the edge of the bed, rubbing my eyes.

"What's it look like?" His annoyed voice made me look at him and bite my tongue, from saying something that would definitely get me in trouble.

"Your test starts now, so get the fuck up and get dressed, or do you want to be out on your ass?"

Present time

Gregor... I knew he didn't like me, but he did not let me stop once while he allowed the others to take breaks.

Normally I wouldn't complain, Alpha's liked to keep you fit, and ready for anything, but since coming here, I haven't had time to shift and run.

I was already at my limit, and if this carried on, I was going to throw up, or worse, collapse.

For what felt like forever to me, five minutes more of running Gregor calls for everyone to stop running to take a break.

"Enjoy your twenty minutes, because once you've drank and eaten something I have a little treat for you... well, that's if you survive that is." He said cryptically, making half the group pale and stop talking.

What did he mean by that?

"Brutal isn't it?" Someone said next to me, making me turn to see a guy my age sitting beside me on the ground.

Was he talking to me?

"My brother went through this last year, and it's as bad as he said." He groaned, laying back to lay on the grass, breathing just as heavily as I was.

"I feel for you man, commander Gregor must have it in for you, which only makes this more difficult." He said looking at me with pity, as I downed the rest of my water.

"Thanks for your concern." I said sarcastically, making him grin.

"Sorry, didn't mean to sound like a jackass." He said, sitting up and holding his hand out to me.

"My name is Ash, yours is Felix, right?"

Tentatively, I grabbed his hand shook it, and nodded my head. "Yeah."

"How'd you know my name?"

He looked at me as if I was crazy, then he smiled then shrugged. "Well, you're pretty famous."

"When the King gave you your position as personal servant to the King, it was all anyone could talk about, especially since only wealthy families had ever been offered the honor of serving the king personally."

"And yet nobody has heard of you, or knows where you came from, and sorry if that came off wrongly, I just think it's amazing, and to be honest, I was a little skeptic but seeing you now, I understood why the King chose you." He grinned, before reaching for his drink.

"I'm sure you're the only one who thinks that" I snort out, looking back out at the group.

So, that's how it was, huh?

Only the wealthy got the opportunity to be given the chance to be close to Keial, well... it didn't surprise me, it was like that everywhere, still... now I know why everyone has been avoiding me.

I sat and talked to Ash for the remainder of our break, and then relieved myself in the woods before Gregor shouted for us all to 'get off our lazy arses' because it was time for the 'special surprise'.

The closer we got, it became obvious what the surprise was, as the screeching, snarling, and smell were becoming too hard to now ignore.

What the hell was he trying to do, kill us?

We had stopped in front of a cage, and while I tried to convince myself that this was merely a show-and-tell situation, the look in Gregor's eyes made it very clear what we were there for.

"Take a good hard look." He started, slamming his hand on top of the cage, grinning from ear to ear, as the rest of us paled and stared at what was in front of us, looking hungrily back.

"This year we're spicing things up, and while they look calm now, don't let these braindead corpses fool you, they will rip your eyeballs out and play with your insides if underestimated."

We all stood in silence as they started snapping their teeth, and waving their long tongues through the gap of the bars to reach us, as their long, sharp nails gripped the bars tightly.

"We'll start training first thing in the morning, so make sure to rest well, because for some of you- it may be the last time you sleep in your beds." Gregor looked out at the group, then stopped his eyes on me.

"You will have one week to master the art of combat, and then every one of you will have a chance to face these little beauties." He crossed his arms, and then spoke seriously, with a hard look on his face.

"Failure isn't an option, not if you want to make it out alive, this will be your final test to prove not only to yourself but to the King himself that you are worthy of being here, worthy of being respected."

My eyes widened as the group fell deathly silent at what Gregor had just said, no one had said a word, as we stared at what our final test would be.

He can't be serious, can he? 

He wanted us to fight against a daywalker? 

Was he out of his mind?

"Oh." Gregor clicked his fingers, a ghost smile on his lips.

"One last thing... the first to face the walker, as always, goes to the honor of the King's closest, most loyal subject." He said, looking at me, sending chills down my spine as I felt myself pale and feel sick to my stomach.

No... surely not, there's just no way.

"The King's loyal, and personal Servant, Felix... congratulations, and as always, good luck, you're going to need it."