Shadow Slave novel Chapter 12

Chapter 12 The Smell Of Blood

Right now, that obstacle was looking down, avoiding Sunny's gaze. His hand was resting on the sword handle. As always, the young slave had no idea about what was going on inside Hero's perfectly shaped head.

The uncertainty was making him nervous.

Finally, after some time had passed, the soldier spoke:

"I have only one question."

Both Sunny and Scholar stared at him while holding their breaths.

"Yes?"

"You said that one of us must be sacrificed to save the other two. Why him? From what I see, you are far closer to the grave."

'A great question! I was just about to ask it myself.'

Sunny turned to the older slave, trying very hard to suppress a mocking grin. But to his dismay, Scholar had an answer ready.

"Before the first attack, he was already bleeding because of your senior's whip. During the attack, he was drenched in the blood of a fellow slave. His cloak, too, was soaked in it when the previous owner died. The boy already reeks of blood. Keeping him alive will put us in danger. That's why he is the best choice."

The grin died before reaching Sunny's face.

'Curse you and your big brain!'

Scholar's reasoning was appallingly solid. Hero listened, his expression growing darker with each word. Finally, he looked at Sunny, a dangerous light shining in his eyes.

"That is true."

Sunny felt his mouth getting dry. Cold sweat was running down his spine. He tensed, ready to act…

But at that moment, Hero smiled.

"Your logic is almost unassailable," he said, unsheathing the sword. "However, you failed to account for one thing."

Scholar raised an eyebrow, trying to hide his own nervousness.

"What might that be?"

The young soldier turned to face him, the smile disappearing from his face. Now, he was radiating thick, practically palpable killing intent.

"It's that I know who you are, Your Grace. I also know what you've done, and how you ended up a salve. Just one of the revolting crimes you have committed would be enough to make me want to kill you. So if there is someone among us who deserves to be sacrificed… it's you."

Scholar's eyes widened.

"But… but the smell of blood!"

"Don't worry about it. I'll make you bleed enough to overpower whatever residual scent the boy carries."

It all happened so fast that Sunny barely had time to react. Hero lunged forward with a speed that seemed almost inhuman. A moment later, Scholar was shrieking on the ground, his leg broken with one strike from the flat side of the young soldier's sword. Not giving him an opportunity to recover, Hero stomped on his other leg, and a sickening sound of shattering bones could be clearly heard. The shriek turned into a sobbing howl.

Just like that, Scholar was done for.

The brutality of Hero's actions was in such stark contrast with his usually graceful demeanor that Sunny felt blood turning to ice in his veins. This was… scary.

The soldier gave him a calm look and said in a placid tone:

"Wait for me here."

Then he grabbed the older slave and dragged him down the path, soon disappearing behind a rock outcropping. After a few minutes, terrible screams could be heard echoing through the wind.

Sunny was left alone, trembling.

'Crap! This is… this is too much!'

He still couldn't believe how sudden Scholar's demise came to be. And how ruthless it was.

It was quite beautiful. _{frёeωebɳovel.com}