The Onyx Vial (Shadows of The Nine Book 1) by Alexis Lampley Read Free Book Online Page B

little bit. "What's my team?”
    “How good are you at this game?” Perry asked in response.
    Finn barked a laugh. “You afraid he can't cut it and you'll lose?”
    “Psh!” Perry replied. “I just wanted to give you a chance." He swiped the game pieces into a pile on the far side of the table.
    “You any good, then?” Dilyn asked.
    “The best,” he replied automatically. Then wished he hadn't. It sounded so conceited. He'd only ever played his grandpa. But the old man had been a Kings champion when he was younger, apparently. And Hunter beat him nearly every time. So maybe he was the best.
    Grant snorted. “Not around here, you aren't.”
    “Could be,” Hunter challenged, deciding to stick with the bravado he came in on.
    “Only one way to find out,” Finn announced. “Who's taking the gamble on him?”
    Perry sized him up. “I think he's telling the truth. I'll take the action. Us against you three.”
    “You just want to cover for needing to ask,” Finn jeered as Grant moved to the head of the table and Dilyn rounded the other side, pulling the game pieces with him.
    Perry grinned. “Never.”
    Finn rolled his eyes and reached into the pile, helping Dilyn sort the pieces as Hunter selected a chair and sat down. Immediately, he felt the weight of the last twenty-four hours settle on his shoulders. His body felt tired.
    "We weren't expecting the girls tonight," Dilyn said. "But I guess you'd be why they're here?"
    Hunter shook off his lethargy and sat up straighter. "Actually, I think they were headed here when we met."
    "When you met? You weren't at the house with them?" Grant asked.
    "No, we met on the road," Hunter said, though it suddenly felt more like an admission than a statement.
    More than one pair of eyebrows drifted upward.
    "Rockwood Pass?" Dilyn asked.
    Hunter nodded.
    "You were out there on your own?" Finn's tone was disinterested, but Hunter thought he must always sound that way, because Finn's eyes were trained eagerly on his face.
    Hunter hesitated. Here was the test. He could tell them, or he could lie. They were Tehya and Ariana's friends, and he felt like he could trust... well, Tehya at least. But he knew nothing about them. He had to trust someone or he'd never get the answers he needed. He just couldn't mess up again and get himself in any more trouble with the Huntsmen. "I, uh... yeah. It wasn't my plan to be, but yeah," he answered haltingly. There. Something not quite a lie and not quite the truth. Before they could question him further, he added, "What's with Ariana and her mom?"
    "If you mean tonight, who knows," Perry said. "But in general? She's into things her mother doesn't approve of."
    "Like what?" he asked, only mildly surprised by this. She seemed the kind of girl who was a challenge for her parents.
    "Like the book, Hunter," came Tehya's voice, grave and quiet.
    He turned to see her coming down the stairs. She looked a little pale and upset.
    "Oh. We're telling him that?" Dilyn asked her, a warning tone under his breezy question.
    "Yes," was all she said. It was kind, but firm, and left no room for further questions.
    "They still at it?" Grant asked.
    She shook her head. "Madame Emory is in the studio with father. Ariana will be down in a little while. She... needed some space.”
    “Even from you?” Perry seemed amazed.
    “Yeah, well. You know how she can be after her mother goes at her," Tehya's expression was part annoyance, part resignation. "Anyway, Wil caught me on the stairs. Said he needed my help prepping dinner, since there's more of us eating tonight than he'd planned.”
    “Three more shouldn't overwhelm him,” Grant scoffed.
    Tehya squirmed, unconsciously twirling the ends of her hair around her palm. “Five more,” she said, almost an apology. “Father and Madame Emory are joining us.”
    There was silence a moment, then Perry said, “Well. That won't be awkward."

Chapter 6

 
    Ariana slowly pushed herself to her feet and slid her sleeve across