by E. M. Knight
I’m not sure how much of it to reveal to her. But, to ease her worries, I say, “Somebody very strong. Don’t worry, he is not under threat of punishment.”
“But why would Eleira choose to kill them?” she asks.
“Weren’t you just now saying how catastrophic it would be if they are made?”
She swallows, and nods. “I was.”
“So why the change of heart when the topic switches to them being killed?”
“Because, Raul!” she exclaims. “Because I still care about them. I lived amongst them for years. I was one of them!”
“And now you’re one of us,” I remind her. “Your loyalties have shifted. Obviously. You even feed!”
“I… I didn’t know what I was doing,” she says in a small voice.
“That’s okay. I already said, the blame is not yours to bear.”
“Maybe it should be,” she whispers.
I shake my head. Then I take her arm and look to the door. “We should go. Get out of here, before the blood lust takes you again.”
“Can it happen so soon?” she asks.
“Depends on how much you’ve fed,” I confide. “Still, we shouldn’t risk it. Let’s go.”
Quickly, I emerge with Cassandra out of the room. I turn back and seal the door from the outside.
“Now they won’t be able to get out,” I say. “In case any of them fall to the vampiric essence with greater alacrity than I expect.”
Cassandra’s shoulders slump down, defeated. “What happens now?”
“Where do you remember being last?” I ask. “Before I found you?”
“At Eleira’s ceremony. The creation of the wards. Along with all the rest of the Incolam.”
I look at her and furrow my brow. “You couldn’t have sensed the villagers from so far away. Something else brought you back.”
She looks down at her feet.
“Cassandra,” I say, very, very seriously. “Tell me.”
“I was…” She swallows. “I was asked to do something by one of the Elite.”
“By whom?”
She hesitates.
I grab her arm. I press my fingers into her skin. “Tell me.”
“… Felix,” she admits.
My eyes narrow in concern. “And do you care to tell me what that was?”
She looks away. I exert a smidgen of the vampiric influence at her.
“I don’t remember, okay!” she blurts out. “All I recall is being asked by him to go back to the stronghold. I don’t know why! You’re right, the bloodlust, when it took hold… everything after that is black. And even before, my memory is fuzzy.”
I look at her, considering.
“It sounds like you’re telling the truth,” I say slowly, “but that doesn’t explain what happened. I want to believe you, Cassandra. I think I do. But I’ve not heard of the bloodlust affecting memory before an event.”
“Doesn’t make it any less real,” she sniffs.
“Fine,” I let her go. “Let’s operate on the assumption you’re telling me the truth, and you don’t remember what he asked. Knowing what you do now, what do you suspect a valid reason for coming back might be? What would he require of you that would make you comply?”
“I haven’t got the slightest idea,” she says softly. “Felix took me under his protection when some of the other vampires wanted to make me prey. Right as the transformation was taking hold.”
“Other vampires?” I ask. “Who? Any vampire should be able to tell a fledgling apart from a normal human, no matter how early in the transformation they meet.”
“There were a bunch of them!” she says. “One was named… Tudor.”
“Tudor,” I repeat. “I know him. I’ll have to have a word.”
She grabs my arm. “No. Please, don’t. Felix helped resolve things between those vampires and me. I don’t need you, or anybody, to go digging up old skeletons.”
“As you wish,” I hold my hands up. “I thought I’d be doing you a favor. If you don’t want it, that’s up to you.”
“Thank you,” she says.
“Back to my prior point. What do you think Felix could have asked you to return for?”
She gives an exasperated sigh. “I told you, it could have been anything! I owe my life to him—“
She hesitates. “Well, to you, too. But him more recently. And he’s so much stronger than I am, I would have done anything he asked.”
“So you don’t have any clue?”
“No.” She looks at the ground. “Sorry.”
I pull my irritation down. “It’s fine,” I manage. “I just wish I could understand why you were here specifically.”
“Maybe… maybe he wanted me to get something for him,” she suggests. I can tell she’s trying her best to be helpful. “I wish I could tell you more, Raul. But I just can’t!”
“Don’t get frustrated, I understand,” I mutter half-heartedly. In truth, she’s getting on my nerves. I’m trying to figure out whether what happened between her and the villagers was coincidental… or pre-planned.
“You look angry,” she says in a very small voice.
“What? No. Just thinking,” I take a step closer to her and put a finger under her chin to tilt her face up. “Don’t be frightened. I mean you no harm.”
She looks into my eyes, swallows, and nods.
“The thing is,” I continue, “it looks highly suspect, what took place here. Felix knew you would be tempted by the vulnerable, new fledglings. And, of course, he knew of their condition, since he was the one who did it to them. The question is, did he send you here knowingly, with the intention of having you feed?”
Her eyes become wide as saucers. “Would that be bad?”
“It’d be very, very bad,” I say seriously. “Feeding on other vampires is outlawed in our coven. Felix knew the stronghold would be empty. He knew you would be alone. He knew you would lose yourself the moment you smelled blood. And he sent you here anyway. Why?”
“I told you, I don’t remember!”
I shake my head. “That’s not what I mean. I spoke to Eleira. I knew she was not happy with his decision to convert the humans. What if Felix sent you here on whatever excuse to make up for the gaffe? If I hadn’t come by, chances are, you would have drained them of their remaining life force. You would have ended them all.”
Her hands fly over her mouth as she suppresses a gasp.
“Again, I’m not blaming you,” I reassure her. “I’m just trying to fit the pieces together.”
“I’ll do whatever I can to help,” she says solemnly. “Felix may have given me protection, but I owe my start in this life to you.”
I give her a thin smile. “My hope is that it won’t come down to a choice between him or me.”
“I have a question,” she says. “Why did you come here? All the other vampires are working outside.”
“Why did I, indeed,” I murmur. I decide to indulge her. “I heard a scream.”
She blinks. “A scream?” And then her eyes widen. “Wait a minute. Now that you mention it, I think I remember hearing one, too.”
“What? When?”
She furrows her brow in obvious concentration. “When I was under the spell of the vampire. I think… I think I remember hearing someone cry out.”
“It’s not unheard of for vampires to recall scarce bits and pieces of what happened to them while caught in the bloodlust,” I say. “Was it one of the villagers?”
She bites her lower lip, then shakes her head. “No. It came… it came from deeper in the stronghold.”
I take her by the shoulders. “Are you sure? You’re not just making this up to appease me?”
“I would never!” she says, affronted. “I tell you the truth, Raul, always.”
I let her go. I turn back and walk a small circle of the area.
“The interesting bit,” I say very slowly, “is that I seemed to be the only vampire out there to have heard it.” I gesture in the direction from
whence I came. “Nobody else around me did. For a little bit, I thought I was losing my mind.”
“Why would you think that?”
I sigh and quickly explain what happened to me after I was wounded by Dagan’s poisoned blade. She knows bits of it, but I’m not sure she ever had any idea of the severity of what it was doing to my mind.
“But now, I no longer think so,” I finish up. I gesture at my leg. “There’s no hint of the corruption left. Eleira leeched it all out. What I suspect…” I purse my lips and look into her eyes deeply, “…what I suspect, now, is that I heard the scream through some sort of link to you.”
“What, like between fledgling and maker?” she asks. “I thought that limited the potential connection. Not enhanced it. How can that work?”
“I don’t know,” I admit. “And you drank from the goblet, too, which changes the source of your growing powers. Maybe, having done that, the link between us shifted, changed, warped in some peculiar way.”
“And you think you heard the scream that I did? Through my ears?”
I grunt. “Something like that.”
“Well, I won’t admit to knowing very much about vampires,” she says. “But it does make a bit of sense. All things considered.”
“How do you figure?”
“If I was caught up in the bloodlust, it means I succumbed to the vampire in me in full. That could be the first step to our link, our bond, flourishing in strength.”
“Nothing is there now,” I say. “I don’t feel anything between us that isn’t normal.”
“Maybe the second part was that it had to be an emotionally charged event. The scream surprised me. Bring those two elements together, and maybe you get what you did.”
“Maybe,” I say. I turn my attention down the long, abandoned hall. “You say it came from down there?”
She nods.
“Then we have to go see what it was,” I say. “Nobody else is supposed to be in the stronghold. If someone is hiding down there… we have to know.”
Cassandra swallows, gathers her courage, and nods in the direction. “Lead the way.”
Chapter Four
Phillip
The Haven
After leaving the underground bunker housing Mother, I slip back into the midst of all the Elite and Incolam gathered around the remains of the village.
The weaker vampires are busy repairing the human settlements. Their effort makes me sick. Why should any of us, no matter how poor in strength, be forced to do anything to help humans?
Besides, it’s not like there are any left to take up residence in the village.
A few of the vampires shy away as I walk by. They obviously feel my strength. But there’s something else about their aversion to me. Something that makes me look down upon them even more.
Something akin to… fright.
I shake my head in disgust. I don’t mind being respected. But any vampire worthy of The Haven’s name should not show their fear so easily.
I see a group of my guards gathered on the side. I stroll up to them.
They come to attention when they see me approach. But the strongest one among them holds a hand out to get them to stand down.
“You,” he snarls at me. “You have a lot of nerve, showing your face here.”
My surprise at the greeting is covered immediately by a flash of anger. “How dare you address me that way?” I square myself to him, blowing out my chest to make absolutely certain that he feels my vampiric strength.
“You’re not the Captain Commander anymore,” he says, not backing down one inch. “And after what you did to the Queen, it’s a wonder you’re not in chains.”
“I’m not in chains, you imbecile,” I growl out, trying my very best to hold down the building rage that compels me to attack, “because I am still part of the royal family. Because I am still your Prince.”
He sneers and gives a low, mocking bow. “Then forgive me, your majesty,” he says, voice dripping with sarcasm. “I thought you had fallen out of favor with our one true ruler.”
“What lies has Eleira been spreading about me?” I hiss.
The guard’s hand goes to the hilt of his weapon. “Careful using her name in vain, weakest,” he says, needling me with that old nickname I hate. “You are on very thin ice with us after your betrayal.”
“If you’re looking for a fight,” I say under my breath, eyeing all the vampires in the group, “you know I’m more than equal to it.”
“Just say the word,” he responds, “and my men and I will cut you down here and now.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” I warn. I feel the currents of magic in the air, ready my mind to reach out and grasp them. “I will not take such insubordination from the likes of you.”
“You have no authority over us,” he counters. “Why don’t you run along, before the Queen receives word you were out causing trouble and reconsiders her very lax position on you.”
I take a threatening step forward, preparing the chaotic weaves that will end his life if he provokes me again. “I think,” I say slowly, “it’d be best for you to apologize.”
He stares me down, entirely emboldened and unafraid. “Or what? You’ll kill me? Here, in full view of the entire coven?”
“There are afflictions even worse than death,” I say softly. I take one more step toward him, until barely an inch separates our faces. “You would be wise not to find out what those are.”
He doesn’t flinch, doesn’t back down, doesn’t step back. “You are over-reaching yourself,” he snarls. “Whatever small authority you held is no longer valid. The Haven guards do not indulge the whims of proven criminals.”
“That’s it,” I begin. “You—“
But then a sudden hand on my shoulder makes me stop and look back.
Felix is standing there, looking at me with a curious expression on his face.
“Phillip,” he says slowly. “If you’ll come with me?”
“I don’t think so,” I growl.
His grip tightens. “It wasn’t a suggestion,” he says. “It was an order.” He jerks me one way. “Walk.”
I twist out of his grip and walk forward, the way he wants. Despite my all-consuming anger at being treated with so little respect, the guard was right. I did not want to cause a scene.
Not when my relationship with Eleira is as strained as it is.
Felix leads me into the maze of evergreens that provide the base structure for the Elite apartments. Once we’re a good, safe distance away from the village, he says, “Look up.”
I do. And I see the bright lights of the apartments in the sky.
“We all owe you thanks. For helping Eleira get the generator back online.”
“Yet, somehow, I don’t think you brought me here for that,” I say stiffly.
The older vampire chuckles. “No. I suppose you’re right.”
“Why did you bring me here? What do you want? It’s not exactly like we’re allies.”
“Ah,” he sighs. “Such a shame, that.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course,” he says, not an ounce of hesitation in his voice.
I look at him skeptically. “Even after what I have done? After I bound you, tortured you, and—“
He waves the concern away. “Water under the bridge,” he promises. “You were obeying Morgan’s orders. I will not hold what you did on her behest against you. Not now, not ever.”
I cross my arms. “What do you want, Felix?”
“I want your help.”
I can’t help it. I laugh.
“My help?” I sneer. “You want my help? Why? Are the other vampires not good enough for you?”
“You are uniquely positioned in The Haven,” he says. “There are none who’ve seen what you’ve seen. Who know what you know. Or,“ he looks deep into my eyes. “Who can do what you can.”
I sniff. “Empty flattery will get you nowhere.”
“I’m not trying to flatter you, Phi
llip. I am stating simple facts.”
“Why do you think I will help you? With anything you ask, no matter how small, no matter how inconsequential?”
“Because,” he says, “I have the Queen’s ear.”
“So?”
“So? Are you serious? She listens to me, Phillip. She trusts my experience, my expertise, and my guidance. If you cooperate, I promise that I will make your exile easier for you.”
“What exile?” I demand.
He blinks, full of innocence. “Oh. You haven’t heard?”
I fix him with a predatory grin. “Enlighten me.”
“Eleira intends to ostracize you. She wants to kick you out of The Haven and have you fend for yourself in the wild.”
I almost roll my eyes. “That’s not what I heard last.”
“And since then, you’ve attacked her and been bound by another oath.” He lowers his voice. “She intends to neuter you, Phillip, before you go. She suggested binding you with an oath that makes you incapable of even touching magic.”
“So what, she’ll declaw me, handicap me, and toss me out to the wolves? Somehow, that doesn’t sound like her.”
The other vampire shrugs. “Take it as you will. If you won’t heed my warning…”
He starts to walk away.
I curse under my breath. “Wait.”
He looks back. “What is it?”
“If I were to… believe you,” I say. “How do you propose to help?”
“Isn’t it obvious? The Queen listens to my counsel. I can either tell her how prudent it would be to throw you out… or how premature.”
“You’re saying you can influence her decision?”
Again, he shrugs. “Nothing has been set in stone yet.”
I hesitate for a moment, then catch up to him. We start to walk the same way.
“What do you want?” I ask.
“I was told that Eleira once gave you a letter. A letter she wanted delivered to her parents.”
I haven’t thought of that request for a very long time. “What of it?”
“Well, I’d like you to actually fulfil that promise to her, Phillip.”
I blink. “That’s it?”
“I’d also like to see what’s inside,” he says. “If you don’t mind.”