Inside the large and expansive hall, where Malakai had once met with the sovereign upon returning to the clan, a massive crowd had gathered.
Unlike during that quiet meeting, the seats were now fully occupied. The Highbloods. The veins not participating in the hunt. The pulses. And at the very top, the sovereign himself.
The air was heavy. The tension, at its peak.
For many in the hall, today was more than just a competition. It was the future. Especially for the pulses, the veins, the Scarlet Ten, and many of the high ranking Highbloods seated across the room.
Their eyes were all locked on the large array of floating screens at the center of the hall, displaying live footage of the dark forest, the stage of the hunt.
But of the thousands of youths participating, only five truly mattered to them. The veins.
Their performance today would shift alliances, decide political movements, and bring down bodies.
