10
" It's useless," I groaned, sinking to the floor. "It'd take months to get ready for this. I don't have a hope in hell."
"Of course you do!" Vanez roared. Squatting beside me, he poked me in the ribs. "Feel that?" he asked, jabbing a sharp finger into the soft flesh of my belly.
"Ow!" I slapped his hand away. "Quit it!"
"It's sharp?" he asked, jabbing me again. "It hurts?"
"Yes!"
He grunted, jabbed me one more time, then stood. "Imagine how much sharper the stakes in the Hall of Death are," he said. "
― Darren Shan , Trials of Death (Cirque Du Freak, #5)
11
" Either way, I wish you luck," Mika said.
"No, you don't." I sniffed.
"Darren!" Mr. Crepsley said.
"It's all right." Mika silenced him with a wave of his hand. "Let the boy speak his mind."
"You made me take the Trials," I said. "You don't think I'm good enough to be a vampire. You'll be happy if I fail, because it'll prove you were right."
"Your assistant has a low opinion of me, Larten," Mika remarked.
"He is young, Mika. He does not know his place."
"Don't apologize for him. The young should speak their minds." He addressed me directly again. "You are right in one thing only, Darren Shan — I don't think you have what it takes to make it as a vampire. As for the rest of what you say..." — He shook his head — "No vampire takes pleasure in seeing another fail. I sincerely hope you prove me wrong. We need vampires in good standing, now more than ever. I will raise a glass of blood to your name if you complete the Trials, and willingly admit in public that I misjudged you."
"Oh," I said, confused. "In that case, I guess I'm sorry for what I said. No hard feelings?"
The black-haired, eagle-eyed Prince smiled tightly. "No hard feelings." Then he clapped his hands loudly and barked sharply, "May the gods bless you with the luck of the vampires!" — and the Trial began. "
― Darren Shan , Trials of Death (Cirque Du Freak, #5)
14
" The vampires gave a roar of delight, and word quickly spread that Kurda Smahlt was going into action against Arra Sails. Soon, a huge crowd had formed around the bars, most of them vampires who wanted to see Kurda end up flat on his back.
"She hasn't been beaten on the bars in eleven years," I murmured to Kurda as he chose his staff.
"I know," he groaned.
"Try not to get too close to her," I advised him (speaking as though I was an expert, when in fact I'd only been on the bars once before). "The more you stay away, the longer you can drag it out."
"I'll bear that in mind."
"And be careful," I warned him. "She'll crack your head right open if you give her the chance."
"Are you trying to encourage or discourage me?" he snapped.
"Encourage, of course." I grinned.
"Well, you're doing a lousy job of it! "
― Darren Shan , Trials of Death (Cirque Du Freak, #5)
15
" I beat you fair and square," Kurda said evenly. "There's no rule against faking injury. You shouldn't have leapt in for the kill like you did. If you hadn't been so eager to disgrace me, my trick wouldn't have worked."
Arra glared at the soon-to-be Vampire Prince, then dropped her gaze and muttered, "There is truth in your words." Lifting her eyes, she stared directly at Kurda. "I apologize for insulting you, Kurda Smahlt. I spoke in anger. Will you forgive me?"
"I will if you'll take my hand." Kurda smiled.
Arra shook her head shortly. "I cannot," she said miserably. "You beat me cleanly, and it shames me to refuse your hand — but I cannot bring myself to take it."
Kurda looked hurt, but forced a smile. "That's OK," he said. "I forgive you anyway."
"Thank you," Arra said, then turned and ran from the Hall, her features contorted with the pain of overwhelming shame.
Kurda was heavy-hearted when he sat down beside me. "I feel sorry for her," he sighed. "It must be cruel to be so set in one's ways. Her refusal to shake my hand will haunt her the rest of her life. In her eyes, and the eyes of those who think like her, she's committed an unpardonable act. It doesn't matter much to me whether she shakes my hand or not, but she'll feel she's disgraced herself. "
― Darren Shan , Trials of Death (Cirque Du Freak, #5)
17
" Arra was with me on one of the rare occasions when Kurda came. She stiffened when she saw him, and he started to withdraw, to avoid a confrontation. "Wait," she called him back. "I want to thank you for what you did for Darren."
"It was nothing." He smiled.
"It wasn't," she disagreed. "Many of us care about Darren, but only you had sense enough to steer him to safety in his hour of need. The rest of us would have stood by and watched him die. I don't agree with your ways — there's a thin line between diplomacy and cowardice — but sometimes they do work better than our own."
Arra left, and Kurda smiled lightly. "Do you know," he remarked, "that's the closest she'll ever get to saying she likes me. "
― Darren Shan , Trials of Death (Cirque Du Freak, #5)
