The Blood Wolves | Vol.3, The Eldenarian Artifacts ✓

20.

The city square brimmed with people. Excitement and trepidation filled the air; a dangerous concoction hanging around everyone's head with an air of uncertainty.

An air of death.

Makaela pulled her hood tighter over her head as she moved through the budding crowd. While none of the citizens of Vashara would've recognized her, she couldn't say the same for Chieftain Naidini's camp. After she met with Thorian, she learned that Sebastian and the others were protecting Naidini.

But all the protection in the world wouldn't save her from what was about to happen.

Under Thorian's instruction, Nuri Alnasi had challenged his house's leader to a duel for her title. Of course, the woman accepted. The duel was slated to begin in just a few minutes.

While Thorian seemingly had faith in the usurper, he was never the one to go without contingencies. He had sent Makaela, Amora, and Sybil to attend the duel in secret in case Nuri required their assistance. A few other Shades had been deployed around the city square, ready to fight at a moment's notice.

Makaela couldn't shake the feeling that things weren't going to go their way. Naidini hadn't become chieftain by accident, and she had held the seat since Makaela was a child. She was a talented caster and a member of the coveted animagi—a select group of magicians gifted with the ability to morph into an animal.

While Nuri was also an animagi, he wasn't on the same power scale as his chieftain. Naidini also possessed an Eldenarian Artifact. Makaela knew what kind of power possessed.

She glanced at her ring—the Illumio—sitting on her finger. The golden gemstone was devoid of its usual light. Its magic had yet to lend itself to her. Or maybe it had been helping her all along.

She wasn't sure, as no one but her father knew how to use it.

But he was gone. She would have to learn its abilities on her own.

"Keep up," Amora hissed in front of her.

Makaela grumbled an apology and continued following behind the two other girls as they weaved through the anxious sea of people.

She hoped they would be enough to help Nuri should he need it.

Sybil had been sent with them due to her special ability. All Nightlings had one; even Makaela. While hers was dreamwatching, Sybil was able to amplify and manipulate people's fears with a simple glance.

Makaela wasn't sure how the Nightling would be able to use it to their advantage, but it was better than nothing.

The three hooded girls moved through the audience of onlookers. Excited murmurs rippled through the crowd like tremors in a still pond. Most of the people seemed to be on Naidini's side, but a few civilians were expressing their sentiments for Nuri.

Makaela could feel the tension against her skin. It was thick and it hung in the air like smoke. She stopped walking, using the people around her as a barrier from the views of the Osedan guards securing the area.

"Let's get to the front," she whispered. Amora and Sybil nodded.

Keeping their heads low, they slipped through the small gaps in the crowd until they arrived near the front. They kept a few bodies in front of them, careful to keep themselves out of view.

Ahead of them, magicians were setting up a barrier charm around the raised dueling platform in the center of the town square. The transparent walls formed around the platform, curving upward until they formed a dome. No one was going in. No one was going out.