Edge Of Destruction

Chapter 14

"Drop your weapons! Or I shoot your leader!" I scream at the crowd. Slowly one by one each gun hits the ground with an ear - screeching clank. Then I turn to Caleb.
"Move and I shoot you!" I look him straight in the eye. I hope he can tell that I am bluffing because he could easily knock the gun out of my hand and pummel me to the ground. He looks as though he is studying me which is a good sign, I guess.

"Everyone back to your dorms!" I demand. Cautiously people begin scurrying out until there is a big dining room and just two people - Me and Caleb.

Immediately I drop the gun and begin laughing hysterically.
"Did you know I was bluffing?" I ask in between breathes.
"No and I would have killed you," he says seriously. I stop laughing.
"Don't you realise what you have done. They will kill you now!" Every word is like a knife jabbing into my skin. I've blown it.
"What do I do?" I ask petrified.
"Just get out," he shouts at me.

Hurriedly I rush out the door and sprint to my dorm and stay there. I don't know where to go or what to do. I can't go back to the castle because I am atleast 5 hours away. I can't catch a bus because everyone will recognise me. Why did I do that?
You did well. You finally listen to your gut and guess what you're still alive. If not you would have been dead.
I don't do anything. No one has told me what to do so I sit idle.

After about an hour I start to get really bored so I pull out the knife from my boot and begin target throwing it. After a couple of failed attempts I begin to get the hang of it.

By the time it is evening my hand is bloody and cracked to the bone. My stomach is growling like the last days of pompeii. But on the bright side I have learnt the art of knife throwing. I never miss.

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Caleb's POV (back to this morning)

Arianna strides out furiously. I love it when she is angry she has this fire that lights up her blue eyes. But I am mad at her now. She messed up really bad. I don't know if I will be able to drag her out of this one. But if by some miracle I do, what about the next time? She doesn't mess up alot but she when she does; she does it properly. I run my fingers through my hair.

I know I will have to get her out of this becase they will kill her. Stratch that, they will torture, mutiliate, starve, dehydrate, sell and eventually murder her. The best solution is to call an immediate senate meeting.

After about an hour of panicking and fear I stride to the senate meeting. I walk in confidently and perch myself on top of my seat.
"We have been gathered today to discuss the Princess," I decide not to use her name because the senates will realise how close we are.
"She has to die,"
"Kill her!"
"Torture her!"
A wave of voices rushes through the room and I silence the voices with a simple hand gesture.

"We need to keep in mind she knows all the castle secrets and the King and Queen trust her," I continue.
"Her loyalties are with them!"
"Exactly! We need to show her the bad that they do," I carry on defending her.
"How do we know she doesn't already know?"
"Please! That girl knows as much as a dead fish," I laugh.
"All those in favour say aye," I announce.

My heart drops when nobody says aye. If nobody agrees then I will be forced to kill her. All of a sudden 6 voices repeat aye. That is not enough if 7 people agree then the command can be carried out.
Come on, someone, anyone.
To my relieve a guy in the back shouts aye.

She is off the hook only by a narrow chance. If she does something like this she will die next time.

But it is time for me to have some fun now...