Violet Eden Chapters 04 - Endless

flashed in her eyes, leaving me in no doubt – Rainer, like her sister, was a fierce warrior.
    ‘You’ll have to pay her a visit during your stay,’ she said, returning to a lighter tone as she went back to her seat.
    ‘Well, now that all the introductions have taken place,’ Josephine said, looking decidedly bored following Rainer’s interruption, ‘there are a few matters we would like to discuss. The first of which is identifying exactly which rank Violet Eden has been created from. As exciting as the rumours have been, I believe it’s time to put this issue to rest once and for all.’
    Griffin stepped forward. ‘Josephine, it has already been a long day for us. Surely Violet is entitled to some Academy training before any testing is carried out.’
    Josephine’s upper lip twitched. ‘We’ve waited long enough, Griffin. Don’t think we are not aware that you have been withholding information from us as well.’
    Griffin dipped his head. ‘Nothing that I believed was cause for imminent danger to my Grigori brethren or to the Academy.’
    ‘And what about to the Assembly, old friend ? Have you withheld any information that could be detrimental to the Assembly?’
    Griffin took his time. He looked at each member, some returning his gaze, some, interestingly, averting it. Their reactions didn’t give me confidence about what was to come.
    ‘Nothing that wasn’t in the best interests of the future of the Assembly.’
    Rainer, Wilhelm and Hakon kept their attention on Adele, so I did too. When she inclined her head slightly, as if accepting whatGriffin had said, I wondered if she was a truth teller, like Griffin. Whatever she was, her nod seemed enough for those who’d been paying attention to her.
    ‘Have it your way, Griffin, but we will not allow Violet to leave without at least submitting to a small power gauge first. Drenson has offered his services for today.’
    Griffin looked at me, his expression grim. ‘Do you remember when you first met Rudyard?’
    Did I ever! He had taken my hand and pushed his power into me, taking me over in a completely intrusive way. It wasn’t something I ever wanted to experience again.
    I nodded, looking back at the Assembly. It was easy to see who my adversaries were – they were the ones smirking. I swallowed down the bitter taste at the back of my throat and nodded to Griffin again.
    He closed his eyes briefly and it set off every panic button in my body.
    Seth stood up and moved to the centre of the room. He took off his loose-fitting shirt to reveal a slender body with tight muscles that reminded me of a racehorse. He turned his attention to Lincoln.
    ‘Perhaps you would like to take your shoes off,’ he said in a strong accent that I couldn’t place other than knowing it was European. It made me nervous to consider that I possibly couldn’t place it because it was simply that old.
    This place is like the United Nations.
    I looked between them as Lincoln took off his shoes and then his shirt. When I caught his eye he shook his head and said under his breath, ‘Don’t watch. Concentrate.’
    What the hell does that mean?
    Ilooked at Griffin, who was backing away, and noticed a white box marked out on the floor – a sparring field. I’d just spent hours being told that Seth was a master fighter – ‘unbeatable’ and ‘unstoppable’ were the words thrown around.
    ‘Violet,’ Josephine’s voice sang out to me, ‘would you please join us up here? I’m sure you’d agree the sooner we can have what we need, the sooner we will all be able to get on with our day.’
    I walked towards her, keeping my focus on Lincoln and Seth as they started to circle one another like predators.
    Shit.
    ‘I don’t understand. Are you making Lincoln fight?’
    Drenson stood up and walked towards me. ‘I’m afraid a little distraction always helps get this side of things done more swiftly,’ he said. He held out his hand, just like Rudyard had done, and I knew that whatever Rudyard had done to me the first time we met would be nothing compared to what was about to happen.
    At my hesitation, Josephine nodded to Seth and in less than a second he had launched himself metres into the air and come back down spinning with inhuman speed and strength, his foot colliding with Lincoln’s face, sending him straight to the ground before he’d had a moment to react.
    Lincoln leaped back onto his feet quickly, as my breath caught at the sight of the blood pouring down