BEN'S POV
We'd been walking for hours. Carrie stayed at the back of the group, keeping her head down as she walked.
Dante stayed in front of her, he too was lost in thought, and they didn't speak, much to my relief.
Seeing them, laughing the way they did, The way he looked at her, it took everything in me not to rip out his throat as they came up from their swim.
Carrie couldn't see it. She was infuriating. Blind, gorgeous and fucking infuriating.
The sun was beginning to sink, and we were still walking uphill, near the rocky mountains. A nipping breeze blew against us every now and again, and I wondered if Carrie was cold.
Her chocolate waves were blowing into light tangles across her face when the wind blew and I tried to see if she was shivering, but I was too far in front of her.
We kept walking, only stopping when the stars sprung
I sat on the edge of my bed, trying hard to focus my mind. While both boys were barely on speaking terms, they were both in firm agreement that they would find a way for me to back out of the tournament. I wasn't optimistic.My mind was still racing, it made no sense, what was the queen gaining with me as a competitor? I had a feeling, a gut feeling, this Tornment would end up being a lot more than just a competition. Something darker, deeper and far more important was going on. And I intended to find out what.
For the next half hour, we were too busy sorting through what's been happening, for Ben to yell at Dante and me for making contact. I knew it would come later though. Right now, both boys were furious at mefor keeping the recent attacks on me a secret.Ben called for a handmaiden, and under his orders she got off every scrap of makeup on my body, revealing dozens of nasty wounds, scrapes, and bruises.
I woke up in the bedroom Ben had offered me the day he put the crest on my palm."Bet you never thought you'd sleep in that bed."My eyes snap to my left, Ben is watching rain patter onto the balcony through the glass window in the french doors.
BEN'S POV!!!!!!"This is ridiculous.""I don't care.""Ben!"
I fell onto my bed, gripping my bleeding side. Goblins. They had attacked the house, and they weren't the first. Someone had leaked my location, all kinds of creatures were attacking throughout the week, trying to recapture the "Future Valderian Queen."Rent had called, he still hadn't gotten a confession from his guards. The mole on our team was still unknown.
The alpha gave me the prophecy, but I knew the others were waiting. So I stuffed it into my pocket, and stumbled out to the car, knowing my face was as white as a sheet. Everyone bustled, saying goodbye, and getting into the right cars. I came face to face with Rent, and immediately my eyes welled with tears."Oh Carrie," he breathed fondly, pulling me warmly into his arms, "