Sight

by Chrystal Blue

  "There will be no trace of Winter," said Sebastian understanding the meaning behind her actions. Hugging him fully, she smiled up at him. Sebastian bent down, kissing the top of her head before releasing her to hold her hand.

  "Let's go," he said, leading her out the door.

  Chapter Four

  Shortly after the death of Isis, the families began to return to their homes. The elders started the exodus first, followed by a few of the younger members of the families. The younger members seemed to linger, still curios over the new addition to the Cadell family. It was only in the presence of Eir did they come closer, and the bravest of them asked a question of two.

  They knew she was a Darken, daughter of the leader of the Moruka who had slaughtered many of their kind. All present had witnessed the death of Isis, which only left more questions in their minds. The stories of the Moruka served as chilling bedtime tales told by their elders to keep them obeying the laws. Arel looked nothing like the image they saw when they relived the stories of their childhood.

  From the oldest stories, it had been told that the blood of the Darken was poisonous to the Vampires. Arel's protruding belly, full of Sebastian's child, led them to question the validity of all the stories the elders had passed down. Some of the younger Vampires emboldened by the new information presented by Arel's presence gave new fire to the talks of rebellion. The elders of the Vampires talked diligently about the potential loss of power they held over the houses.

  Sebastian had yet to be punished for breaking one of their laws. Arel, their enemy, walked freely among them, learning the secrets, rules, and traditions they held for generations. She had stood up against Marcus, the keeper of the laws, second in command under Aeron, unpunished as well. All of this chipped away at the power Aeron held as head of the families.

  Eir, the oldest member of the Vampires, shared the oral histories many of the younger generations had not heard. Stories of the Moruka's leader, Arel's mother, Manea. Between her stories, Arel's inquiries, and the questions Eir herself asked the time passed quickly by. During this time, Arel would learn about the secrets Sebastian had tried to keep from her.

  Arel spent her days listening to Eir's accounts of the vampirical histories. Drawing on the young members of the families that had lingered the older woman would weave stories of their ancestral beginnings.

  Queen Iona, loved her oldest son Cadfael favoring him to rule. Heartbroken at his unexplainable illness, she searched for a cure, promising whoever was able to free him from his unsatisfied thirst anything they desired.

  The Vampires sat on the edge of every word Eir said, captivated by his first escape and the harrowing deaths that followed. Eir told how his sickness spread to others and that nothing seemed to satisfy the hunger. Unable to protect themselves from Cadfael whose strength increased and his ability to go without sleeping left them in a state of vulnerability which they never experienced.

  Her thirst for knowledge unquenched Arel listened as Eir retold the last escape Cadfael made. Her vivid imagery told of the sacrifice Emi made to protect his beloved Iona from their son. As she heard the stories of her husband’s people, she listened for clues to her own people’s presence.

  It was the night of Cadfael’s seventh escape, he had broken through the reinforced prison after weeks of screaming from hunger. Day and night, his screams tore through the kingdom, leaving no one with peace. Iona, his mother, their beloved Queen, begged her husband to feed their son. Emi refused. The only thing that satisfied him was the blood of their own, he would not sacrifice one of their own.

  Mysteriously the night of his escape, someone unlocked his cell, allowing him to roam freely into the night. Under the darkness, he found his way into his son Cadoc's room, where Iona sat with her grandson. Her pleas alerted Emi who tackled the inflicted Cadfael to the ground. Concerned little with his own safety, he provided Cadoc and Iona an opportunity to flee to safety.

  Emi's cries pierced the night as his first-born son sunk his teeth into him and feed. Iona grabbing Cadoc rushed out of the room and sounded the alarm. She told how the eldest son escaped into the night, leaving his father's dried-out corpse on the ground.

  It was Cadoc who found Emi, notifying the rest of the kingdom with his cries. Cadoc loved his grandfather, and his tragic death at the hands of his father became a burden that would later motivate his decisions.

  While the surviving princes made preparations, sending their families away from the danger Iona searched for her infected son. The princes left to burn their father's body for fear his infected corpse would rise like other's bitten by Cadfael. Their kingdom in chaos, plagued by the infected with little means of protecting themselves.

  During their time of mourning and preparation, the strangers appeared. It was the night when the stranger’s vessels appeared in the sky. The Vampires had never seen technology as advanced as they possessed.

  It was the Moruka, led by her mother that answered the Vampire call for help. The Darken had come promising a cure assuring the grieving families they could fix the problem. The princes argued about the aid the strangers could provide, and the course as the horde of Cadfael continued to ravage their numbers. Frustrated at the lack of action over the actual threat that his father was to their existence, Cadoc made a decision.

  It was Cadoc who accepted the Darken assistance, sealing their fate with his oath. The Moruka would provide aid in exchange for resources. Having traveled a great distance, they needed food, shelter, and help in battling their own enemies. For freeing the Vampires, they would need an army.

  The princes doubted the handful of Moruka would be able to defeat the horde whose number was at least ten times theirs. The Moruka army had defeated the swarm that left Iona and the remaining dwindling numbers captive in their own kingdom. While most of the princes looked at the new strangers as a preeminent threat, it was Cadoc that had trusted her mother, Manea.

  Through the stories, Arel learned that her mother had negotiated the terms of the agreement. It pained her to know her mother had convinced Cadoc to promise not only his children but the children of all of the houses to Zorin as payment for their freedom with no end in sight. She questioned if the stories the resistance had painted of the daughter of Zorin were clouded by their undying belief in that she would provide their salvation.

  In the days they sat together it seemed Eir had told all of the stories of Emi and Iona. Captivated Arel sat by the old Vampire's side, seeing the images of the ancestors of Sebastian painted as if she had witnessed their lives. Learning not only about them, but her mother as well.

  She knew Eir was one of the few Vampires, if not the only one that spoke favorably of her mother. Arel wondered what made Eir feel this way, had it been her she was unsure if she would feel the same for her people’s imprisoners. The stories though fascinating, did little to clarify the questions Arel still had. She did not know what caused her mother, who had been Zorin’s right hand to rebel.

  Though Eir spoke favorably of the Darken princess, the tales she told painted a darker side of her mother. A darker side, she feared lingered just below the surface in herself, mirroring her mother. It was in this light she saw not only the warrior side that had gone into battle against the droves of Cadfael, but who had slain more than her fair share of the infected. Her mother had cast fear not only into the hearts of the Vampire families but demanded it from her father’s own army. While Zorin ruled through fear, Manea ruled through respect.

  It was in Eir's own memory unspoken that she had seen the vision of her mother's part in the story of their life. Despite what she was told as a child, Eir remembered a story that she had not shared with anyone. Through her memory, she saw that it was her mother that had captured and imprisoned Cadfael, taking Iona with him.

  Never a moment Arel and Eir were outside of the listening ears of the others, she was unable to ask for more information. Arel wondered what happened to Cadfael and Iona. It was a memory deep within Eir's mind; Arel pondered if she rem
embered it at all. None of the Vampires knew for sure what had happened to the two. Some had believed they perished the night the Darken liberated the Vampires. Others thought Cadfael had turned on his mother and the Moruka had destroyed him.

  Sebastian, although still in the house, made himself scarce during those few days. His focus almost entirely on preparations for the upcoming birth. There seemed to be something else that kept his attention, the details of which he did not reveal to her.

  Unable to penetrate his mind, she did not ask what occupied his thoughts and time while he was away. Arel desired to ask about what it was that he kept from her, but decided against it instead of focusing on learning all she could from Eir who readily shared her knowledge.

  The time with Eir delighted Arel, reminding her of the long conversations she used to have with Caroline who she hadn't seen in months. Even after they returned to the apartment, she didn't venture to see her elderly tenant. To her, it felt like that relationship belonged to Winter, who for her no longer existed. A crew cleaned out the place, removing all traces of her existence before her lawyer drew up the paperwork leaving the building to her foster brother Lucas.

  The fear and tension left as the last of the elder family heads made their way from the Cadell estate. Arel had settled into a subtle, comfortable routine under the watchful eye of Eir. As the only residents left in the house were the Cadell family and herself, she felt more at home. Arel had kept her word in not invading the minds of Sebastian’s father and sister.

  It hadn't been two weeks when the atmosphere in the house had changed. The air filled with an uneasy silence. Though no one mentioned anything, she could feel the tension mounting. Unsure if the change was caused by the rapidly approaching due date or something else.

  Arel sat in the study, looking over one of the old books she had taken from the ceiling to floor bookcase. Resting on the arm of the chair, Arel's legs curled under her, she leaned comfortably in the massive chair. The house sat quiet, Sebastian, Catrin, and the others had gone out on some business or another, leaving Eir to guard her. Left to spend time alone in the study, Eir had retreated to another part of the house.

  So engulfed in the book, she hadn't heard the soft creak of the door. Startled by the sudden feeling she wasn't alone and a shadow coming into her peripheral vision. She looked up, dropping the book in front of her onto the floor.

  Marcus stood over her, handing the thick leather-covered paperback back to her. A stern look framed his cherub face as he looked down at her sitting in the chair. The blue suit he wore, a contrast to the law keeper robes he wore the last time she had seen him.

  "Marcus," she spoke, still surprised at his sudden appearance. Arel did not expect to see Marcus so soon as he was the last of the families to leave the Cadell estate. "I didn't hear you come in."

  "The others are arriving momentarily," he replied.

  Sternly he looked down at her, waiting for her to leave the room. Marcus had kept his distance from her previously. Here in this close proximity, Arel could see the distinct lines on his aged face. Though she assumed Aeron and he had been the same age, he looked much younger than her father-in-law.

  "Everyone's coming back," she asked, concerned.

  The vision of the upcoming events came to her as she focused on Marcus. Within minutes she saw a flood from the elders who had left a little over two weeks before. They had gathered to meet with the Darken who were on their way to the Cadell estate. Rapidly her heart pounded as a fear rose in her chest. She knew its loud thumping filled their sharp ears, but she couldn't hide it.

  It was Catrin who walked over to her, resting her warm hand on Arel's arm for comfort. Her sister in law had kept her distance from her enduring only a few brief encounters in passing. Since the time she was left in Catrin's care, they exchanged only a few words.

  Catrin did little to hide her disapproval of Sebastian's choice in a mate. Having made her feelings regarding Arel clear to Sebastian, she spoke no more of the matter. Even though her displeasure of having her enemy within a few feet of her, she dutifully protected her brother's choice, guarding her whenever he needed her assistance.

  Sebastian ensured whenever he could not be by Arel's side, there was always another trusted family member, usually Eir or Catrin who was left in charge of her care. There were a few opportunities she found herself not under the watchful eye of a babysitter.

  It was no secret that Catrin looked at her as an enemy and a danger towards her brother. Arel remembered the day Catrin, and his cousins appeared at her home. It was then that they told her to tell Sebastian he was making a mistake. That day she found out they believed she would cause his death.

  "Breath," Catrin commanded.

  "Where is Sebastian," Arel asked between deep breaths.

  "He is returning, he would not be back in time to take you away."

  Rubbing her hand along Arel's arm as it vibrated uncontrollably with the rest of her body, she stood in front of the trembling Arel. Catrin's stern face looked on, her piercing blue eyes seemed to be looking through Arel as if she were transparent. Although surprised and uncomfortable by Catrin's presence, she was grateful that she stood there with her trying to calm her fears.

  "How...much...time," Arel asked between shallow breaths.

  Her chest heaving up and down as she exhaled through her nostrils. Arel would eventually have to face the Darken, it was her hope it would be after the birth of their child. A few times, she had mentioned to Sebastian that the Darken would care for her if she went to them. In her heart, Arel never meant it. To go to Zorin's side sealed their fate in a way she was sure from which they would not be able to escape.

  "They will be here soon. I need you to hide."

  Arel shook her head, sliding her feet fully onto the ground. With Catrin’s help, she rose from the chair to her feet. There would be no way for her to hide her protruding belly from anyone. The Darken would see her and know she was with child, a child they might try to lay claim to. Fully aware she could not protect the child from the Darken army.

  Looking around, she saw the others had started to fill the space of the room. The heads of the families, the elders of the lines had taken their place. Younger members of the households had continued to make themselves scarce for the upcoming events. They had not witnessed the Darken in person, and the fears of their childhood kept them away from the meeting.

  Arel understood it wasn't her childhood fear that caused her to panic but a culmination of the fear of the others in the room that compounded on her own. The stories Eir had shared with her although informative comprised mostly the tales of Iona and Emi, the head of the families, giving few clues to details about her own people the Darken.

  Most of the stories she had learned told of a warring people with little regard towards life, killing and enslaving all whom they came across. Even the tales of her mother although the most favored of her kind painted a picture of a villain who enforced her father's will with an iron grip, respected and feared.

  The recollections of the elders who had personal experiences with the Darken came to mind. Their memories painfully added to the horrific picture of her people. Curious, but completely aware of the precarious situation she was in decided to follow Catrin’s advice.

  Troubled by the stories a sense of dread at meeting the Darken overshadowed any hope she had that they would provide aid. The days Sebastian spent working on completing the ward, she spent scouring the books in search of something that would give hope and dispel her trepidation. Despite those fears, she began to realize that the Darken might be the only ones that had the knowledge to assist in the birth of her child.

  Silently she followed Catrin to the wall behind Aeron's desk. A vast thick tapestry hung from the ceiling to the floor. Faded images of a battle, once brilliant. Deep reds of blood, silver of weapons wielding in an unending struggle now stood in pallor to their former glory. Heroes and villains fighting in a never-ending war. Warriors frozen in time concealed a door wit
hin the wall.

  Briefly looking at the tapestry, something struck Arel that she should inquire about it from Sebastian. She did not know why she hadn't noticed it on one of the numerous occasions she sat in the study pouring over the books.

  Slipping into the shadowy doorway, she peered into the darkness in front of her, her hand reaching into the open space, hoping the tips of her fingers would brace against a wall. Hesitant to venture further into the blackness, she turned around as Catrin closed the door silently behind her.

  There in the darkness, Arel closed her eyes, trying to hear a sound through the wood door. Greeted only by silence, she concentrated on finding someone who could give her a clear idea of what was occurring. Focusing on the people in the room in front of the tapestry, she looked for a strong vision.

  A burst of light, a premonition, powerful and precise, and a face exploded in her mind. A tear came to her eye as she watched the life unfold as if she lived it. Overcome by what she witnessed, she silently opened the door, slipping through the crack and from behind the tapestry.

  There in the brightly lit library, her eyes focused on the numerous people standing around, absorbing the scenery before her. Seated at a table across from Aeron, sat the source of her vision, Jolon. The leader of the Moruka, the very guard her mother had led when she coerced the Vampires into their agreement.

  A strong chin defined his oval face with high cheekbones, he was confident and cocky. Intensive brown eyes looked down on those around him as his hand rested on the table before him. He spiked his short brown locks high on his head, giving the illusion of a small crown. The collar of his jacket remained unbuttoned, revealing a white metallic shirt underneath. Arel's eyes focused on the new leader of the Moruka, Zorin's elite guards.

  Flanked on both sides stood four men all about the same height. Their matching uniforms creating a similar look. The only thing that stood out was the two men closest to Jolon whose hair was different. Their clothes seemed to be the same profound blue material with a metallic sheen that shimmered in the light. The jackets of each displayed the gold, red, and green crest she had seen on the scroll, similar to the one she wore around her neck. Each collar was flipped over to the opposite right shoulder buttoned across their chest.