Darkness Rising: Disciples of the Horned One Volume One (Soul Force Saga Book 1) by James Wisher Page B
Authors: James Wisher
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perfect. The moment he sat, a tiny hand shot in and snatched some walnuts.
“If you weren’t so cheap you could get your own.”
She popped the sweet treat into her mouth and ignored him. He shook his head and ate a few before she stole them all.
“Did you make a bet?” Eli asked.
He swallowed his snack. “Yeah, a hundred royals on Damien, got five to one against. I’m going to clean up.”
Eli stared at him. “You bet on Damien?”
John smiled at his incredulous tone. He clearly had no idea what Damien could do with a sword. “You didn’t?”
“I put five on Sig.”
John turned to Amanda. “What about you?”
“Ten on Sig.” She snitched another walnut.
“What about all your cheering for Damien and telling him how great it was that he beat up those two thugs?”
She shrugged. “Cheering’s one thing, money’s another. I’ll cheer my lungs out for Damien, but Sig’s huge.”
John looked across Eli at Jaden. “How about you?”
Jaden shook his head. “I don’t have any spare money for gambling.”
John grinned. That was a nice way of saying he didn’t want to bet against Damien. Jaden would be feeling better about that decision soon.
“Damien St. Cloud!” The announcer’s voice, amplified with soul force, echoed through the arena. Time for the fun to begin.
When Damien and Ann entered John and the first years cheered. Damien looked bored and Ann looked stunning. Where did she get those outfits? It was going to be hard to concentrate on the match and not stare at her. Damien spoke with Master Sagan for a moment.
“Sigurd Iceborn!” the announcer said.
Sig entered from the far doors, his chest bare, and a pretty, pale master a step behind. No surprise Sig would choose Mistress Ingrid as his second, she was the only master from the northern duchy at the tower. She was cute, but nowhere near as beautiful as Ann. Judging by the little frown on her otherwise expressionless face she’d rather be just about anywhere else. But when the son of your duke asks you to be his second you couldn’t exactly refuse.
Beside him Amanda shook her head. “Look at the size of him. I’m afraid you threw your money away.”
“Want to make a side bet?” John asked.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “What kind of bet?”
“If Damien wins you don’t hug me anymore and if Sig wins I’ll give you a kiss.”
She blushed then frowned. “You really think he’s going to win?”
“I know he will.”
“Then no bet. I like hugging you too much to risk it.”
Chapter 10
T he sun was high overhead as students and sorcerers made their way to the arena. The founder of Sorcery had shaped the arena out of a single huge chunk of granite. It was amazing. He’d cut it out of a mountain then ten sorcerers combined their power to bring it back here where he carved it out over four days. Damien couldn’t imagine someone having that much control.
Word had quickly spread about Damien’s duel with Sig. John told him over breakfast that he was a huge underdog. Damien had given his life savings, twenty-three gold royals, to his friend to bet on him. If the odds against him were as bad as John said he stood to make a nice bit of coin.
Damien stretched and bounced in place, trying to get his blood pumping and his muscles loose. He wore a simple black tunic and pants, the same set he’d worn the day before in fact. According to John, Master Sagan’s weapons were harmless unless he wished it otherwise so protective gear was unnecessary.
“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Ann stood beside him just outside the south entrance to the arena. Instead of her usual dress she wore tight black pants and a red silk top. She’d informed him that red and black were the proper colors for this sort of occasion.
“Yup. Watch this.” He made the little light appear in front of him without even raising his hand then drew the power back in. “Not bad, huh?”
“How can you be so calm? He’s three times
“If you weren’t so cheap you could get your own.”
She popped the sweet treat into her mouth and ignored him. He shook his head and ate a few before she stole them all.
“Did you make a bet?” Eli asked.
He swallowed his snack. “Yeah, a hundred royals on Damien, got five to one against. I’m going to clean up.”
Eli stared at him. “You bet on Damien?”
John smiled at his incredulous tone. He clearly had no idea what Damien could do with a sword. “You didn’t?”
“I put five on Sig.”
John turned to Amanda. “What about you?”
“Ten on Sig.” She snitched another walnut.
“What about all your cheering for Damien and telling him how great it was that he beat up those two thugs?”
She shrugged. “Cheering’s one thing, money’s another. I’ll cheer my lungs out for Damien, but Sig’s huge.”
John looked across Eli at Jaden. “How about you?”
Jaden shook his head. “I don’t have any spare money for gambling.”
John grinned. That was a nice way of saying he didn’t want to bet against Damien. Jaden would be feeling better about that decision soon.
“Damien St. Cloud!” The announcer’s voice, amplified with soul force, echoed through the arena. Time for the fun to begin.
When Damien and Ann entered John and the first years cheered. Damien looked bored and Ann looked stunning. Where did she get those outfits? It was going to be hard to concentrate on the match and not stare at her. Damien spoke with Master Sagan for a moment.
“Sigurd Iceborn!” the announcer said.
Sig entered from the far doors, his chest bare, and a pretty, pale master a step behind. No surprise Sig would choose Mistress Ingrid as his second, she was the only master from the northern duchy at the tower. She was cute, but nowhere near as beautiful as Ann. Judging by the little frown on her otherwise expressionless face she’d rather be just about anywhere else. But when the son of your duke asks you to be his second you couldn’t exactly refuse.
Beside him Amanda shook her head. “Look at the size of him. I’m afraid you threw your money away.”
“Want to make a side bet?” John asked.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “What kind of bet?”
“If Damien wins you don’t hug me anymore and if Sig wins I’ll give you a kiss.”
She blushed then frowned. “You really think he’s going to win?”
“I know he will.”
“Then no bet. I like hugging you too much to risk it.”
Chapter 10
T he sun was high overhead as students and sorcerers made their way to the arena. The founder of Sorcery had shaped the arena out of a single huge chunk of granite. It was amazing. He’d cut it out of a mountain then ten sorcerers combined their power to bring it back here where he carved it out over four days. Damien couldn’t imagine someone having that much control.
Word had quickly spread about Damien’s duel with Sig. John told him over breakfast that he was a huge underdog. Damien had given his life savings, twenty-three gold royals, to his friend to bet on him. If the odds against him were as bad as John said he stood to make a nice bit of coin.
Damien stretched and bounced in place, trying to get his blood pumping and his muscles loose. He wore a simple black tunic and pants, the same set he’d worn the day before in fact. According to John, Master Sagan’s weapons were harmless unless he wished it otherwise so protective gear was unnecessary.
“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Ann stood beside him just outside the south entrance to the arena. Instead of her usual dress she wore tight black pants and a red silk top. She’d informed him that red and black were the proper colors for this sort of occasion.
“Yup. Watch this.” He made the little light appear in front of him without even raising his hand then drew the power back in. “Not bad, huh?”
“How can you be so calm? He’s three times
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