Two days are quick, far too quick.

"Relax," slid Marianna at a pale-looking magician, "Only one member of each organization is allowed to take part in the Hunt."

With Gray—forcibly used as a messenger the meeting of the Hunt had been decided. The small troop wasn't the first to arrive. The Scorpions and some minor guilds were already there. Each group had special emplacements varying in their importance.

"You two go in the middle, remember what I told you."

"Don't worry," he smiles shyly. "I'll leave to see another day. I've been kicked around since I was born."

Her heart jumped.

'I am a f***ing idiot. I act like a teenager.'

The chosen place was a canyon where sand, rocks, streams, and oases mixed themselves creating a perfect heaven for a massacre. It started where they were and ended where the dunes stood. But where she was heading was a large rock of thirty meters where an estrade was built offering the best view of the hunting ground. As the host of the Hunt, her duty was to make sure that everything was going according to the rule of the Hunt: don't kill anyone else than the prey.

The young woman lifted her eyes, the sky was filled with grayish heavy clouds. The dry air was now filled with humidity. She stuck her tongue and almost bit it when a hand grabbed her shoulder.

"It's been a long time since I saw you," whispered a soft honeyed voice.

Marianna didn't need to turn around to recognize the voice of the scorpion leader- Jemyle Reveyson. His sly smile was visible through the veil covering his face. The mercenary suddenly felt some murderous urges. She twitched her fingers to prevent them from grabbing the handle of her sword.

"I missed your insubordination, things are too quiet without you."

"You wouldn't have missed me if you didn't plan to kill me," replied Marianna with a dry voice.

'Just f**k off already.'

"I didn't know you still liked to hunt. You aren't the type to dirty your hands."

"Oh, I am going to supervise the hunt. You can step down and grind your blade," he declared pushing slowly off the estrade.

"I beg your pardon?!" she shouted trying to fight iron grip.

He scoffed and brushed her short hair behind her ears. His hand was icy cold. Her mind flashed back to a certain young magician whose touch was the complete opposite.

"Looks like that noble boy taught you some manners. Your way of speaking is much more pleasant. At least his presence next to you wasn't completely useless."

"What are trying to say?" she cut him pushing him away.

"Well," he climbed on the estrade and crossed his arms, "since you are going to participate in this hunt, you won't be able to hold your position."

He was looking toward the right side of the small crowd. She followed his gaze. Masked assassins were positioned under the ardent sun, as still as a marble column.

"What? You want me to wipe out your men? Not that I mind I still have a pretty huge amount of grudges against them. But I will have to decline the offer, I know how to pick my fights. I'm stayin' alive."

"Look more closely," ordered softly the guild master.

Marianna gave him her dirtiest look but still obeyed. Her heart made a jump in her chest. At the thirst row near the center was a gape.

"What does that mean Reyveson?" she asked between her teeth.

Her nails were digging in the palms of her hands, the old cuts weren't completely healed and soon enough reopened. He let out a scoff and gently took her wrist. He pulled her fingers wiping off the blood.

"You always had that bad habit," he commented with clear disapproval.

He toyed with her wrist for a few seconds before continuing.

"This space is yours. I want you to become one of my captains."

"There are only four captains allowed, and I don't see Ammyrick," she responded with a shivering voice.

'He is lying. He can't possibly be serious.'

"Well, he got into a deadly accident near a certain cliff a few days ago."

"You planned everything since the beginning, didn't you? Everything was a test?"

The guild master raised his veil and grabbed her by her shoulders. He dived his eyes into hers. Marianna kept her eyes raised.

'He looks like a snake.'

"I want you to be my captain, Marianna, since I saw you back those six years ago. I knew I had to get you, and I know you want it too."

'It's true, I've always wanted this.'

"So just kill the boy and everything will go back to normal," he smiled kissing her forehead. "Back to better."

He slid the veil back and went back to the stage.  The crowd was in ebullition. He cleared his throat.

"Is everyone ready?" he shouted.

A loud cheer responded to him. He gave a wide grin and turned his eyes back to her.

"May the Hunt begin!"

({~*Author note*~})

Hi Sunflowers 🌻 (Hi @AprilJester;))

Am I having...inspiration?

So this is the ninth chapter. And I like how it is going for now. Talking with people really helps sometimes. Still have a pause after that book.

*Bonus*: so people might be confused about the relationship between Marianna/Guild master. He doesn't love her but offers a sprinkle of affection to manipulate her. Marianna knows it but she is affection-thirsty since she is an orphan and Gray doesn't express his feelings.

Since this book was created for the TEGSA contest I had to use something from the song 🎵 Stayin' Alive 🎶 by Bee Gees

I swear those ha-ha-ha-ha are haunting me.

I used:
🤍 the title: "Stayin' Alive"
🤍the lyrics: "I've been kicked around
Since I was born", "I'll live to see another day", "I'm stayin' alive"

See ya next chapter 🙂