The Darkest of Dreams

by Emigh Cannaday

  “I’m not giving out trade secrets; especially not to you, brother dear,” she said with another cryptic grin. “Not with corporate espionage on the rise. Why else would you be here, after not speaking to me for so long?”

  “I came to speak with Pavlo,” he said with an innocent look. “Finding you here in his place was an unexpected and rather pleasant surprise.” He raised his refilled glass to his sister, which she returned.

  “Well then, let me send a note to Kostya and see if he wouldn’t like to join us. I’m certain he could answer your questions better than I can.”

  Meanwhile, Annika had recovered from the unnerving vision of vampires feeding on her, even though she was convinced that Yuri had been one of them. She leaned closer to study the strange object in Yuri’s hands. The vampire opened the stunning black metal cover and revealed a short stack of thick paper resting neatly in the booklet. She removed a matching black stylus with a dark reddish-gold tip and began to write on the top sheet. There was no ink. Instead, microscopic dust particles were drawn out of the air and into the end of the stylus as if by a magnet. Yuri quickly scribbled her note, then gave the sheet three quick taps with the tip of the pen before putting it away.

  Before their very eyes, that sheet of paper lifted off the stack and folded itself into the shape of an envelope, complete with a 3-D wax seal bearing Yuri’s initials. Then it disappeared into thin air before being replaced with a new blank page.

  “What the bloody hell is that thing?” Talvi asked with a mystified expression. “Is it some sort of notebook?”

  “Is it a new type of phone?” Annika asked.

  “It’s a crystix,” Yuri announced with pride and passed it over to Annika. “Konstantin and I are the very first Estellians to have one.”

  “I’ve never seen anything like it,” she breathed in wonder, and flipped over the next sheet of the floating stack of paper. Holographic symbols rose up from the page like a magical pop-up book.

  “Prepare to see a lot more of these in the near future,” Yuri replied. “We can’t import them fast enough to keep up with demand.”

  “Won’t the stylus get lost?” Annika asked as she picked it up and gave it a closer look. “It’s not very big.”

  “Oh my gods—try throwing it!” Yuri grinned, and pointed to the mirrored wall of shelves behind the bar. “See what happens.”

  With an uncertain shrug, Annika tossed the metal pen at a bottle of Belvedere. She was stunned to see it stop in mid-air with a gentle motion, then return back to its compartment in the center spine of the notebook.

  “What the bloody fuck?” Talvi hissed under his breath. His fingers darted in front of his sister and took the crystix from Annika. When nobody else was looking, he removed the stylus and shot it even further down the bar. Just like before, the thin black metal stopped in mid-air, sailed gracefully through the air, and nestled itself beside the magical paper it was meant to write on. Talvi was dumbstruck. “Where did you get this?”

  “You’ll have to ask Konstantin,” Yuri said with a coy grin, then looked over her brother’s shoulder. “There he is now.”

  Annika looked up to see the tall, blond vampire giving brief instructions to the hostess. When he met Annika’s gaze, she was struck again by the vision of his teeth in her arm, of Mr. Pyrzinksi’s hand on his shoulder, and Yuri standing off to the side. Konstantin’s green eyes glittered brightly from across the room, and his golden hair practically glowed under the light, making him appear like the darkest of angels. He lifted his forefinger to his lips before walking up to her.

  “A pleasure as always, Miss Annika,” he said, taking her hand before she even realized she’d offered it to him. He placed a gentle kiss on the back of it before letting her go, then stepped closer to Yuri. “And how kind of Prince Talvi to grace us with his presence. What brings you here this evening?”

  “He said he needed to speak with Pavlo, and I explained that he’s not here,” Yuri answered for her brother.

  “What a shame,” Konstantin murmured. “Then again, perfect timing has never been your greatest strength.” He stole another glance at Annika before turning back to Talvi.

  “Perhaps you could tell me where Pavlo is?” Talvi asked, and took another indulgent gulp of the expensive champagne. The blond man shook his head.

  “I cannot.”

  “Perhaps you and I could speak somewhere privately?” he suggested. Again, the blond shook his head.

  “I do not think that is necessary.” He motioned for the others to follow him to a larger booth in the back corner, then motioned for Yuri and Annika to slide in first. He opened the button holding his suit jacked closed before sitting down, taking care to face the entire restaurant, including the front door. Nothing would escape his supernatural gaze. Another bottle of Veuve Clicquot was brought over in a bucket of ice, and he opened it while watching Talvi intently, expectantly. “Whatever you have to say to me, you may say it in front of Yuri.”

  “I’m really not comfortable with that,” Talvi replied, and toyed with a few strands of his hair. Konstantin laughed to himself as he refilled Talvi’s glass and then poured one for himself.

  “Then I suggest you make yourself comfortable.” He shared a soft grin with Yuri and then rested his eyes on Annika once more. To her surprise, it didn’t unnerve her one bit. If anything, she felt safer by having him so close…almost shielded by his protection. Maybe he was glamouring her all over again, enchanting her with those emerald orbs. Or maybe she’d never seen him cast in such a flattering light. Either way, his radiance left her longing for more of that sensation. She heard the faintest sigh rise from Talvi’s chest. He wasn’t jealous. He was annoyed.

  “I’m looking for a girl.”

  Konstantin’s dark blond eyebrows lifted in amusement as he continued to gaze over at Annika.

  “It would appear that you’ve found one. Although…” he added with a thoughtful smile. “I am actually the one who found her and brought her to your door.”

  Talvi gave him a long, hard stare from across the table.

  “Thank you.”

  If someone had pried the words from his throat, they couldn’t have sounded any more forced. Konstantin turned to Yuri, who appeared absolutely mortified by her brother’s less than enthusiastic response. The blond simply laughed in mild amusement as Talvi continued.

  “I’m looking for another girl. This one’s a bit younger. I think you’d remember her. Long brown hair. Ice-blue eyes. Thin as a rail.” Yuri and Konstantin’s eyebrows quirked up, and even Annika was shooting him a dubious look until he added, “Her name is Denalia.”

  Konstantin promptly stopped grinning.

  “Now I understand why you are wanting to speak to Pavlo.” He took a sip of his champagne, which was tinted red just like Yuri’s. “Why the sudden interest in a teenaged Pazachi girl?”

  Talvi reached up and toyed with his hair yet again.

  “I hoped to find her and ask her some questions…that’s all.”

  “I am betting this is not all you want,” Konstantin challenged, and leaned back in his seat. “What makes you think she is still alive? According to your friends Justinian and Sariel, the girl died in a snowstorm almost a year ago.”

  “They never found a body,” Talvi explained. “I think she may have escaped. Pavlo was standing right there when it happened.”

  “Yes. He was,” the vampire grinned. “And it is giving me the greatest satisfaction to remind you of this, Prince Talvi…because as usual, your timing is terrible.”

  “What do you mean?” Talvi hissed. “Is she dead? Is she alive?” His expression grew darker. “You know where she is, don’t you? Is that why Pavlo’s not here? Yuri, what do you know about this?”

  “Nothing,” she said quietly. Whether she was genuinely oblivious or still upset that her brother hadn’t spoken to her until now, it was impossible to know. Konstantin didn’t even bat an eye. All he did was watch Talvi become more and more frustrated, and he relish
ed every second of it.

  “How was your stay at Bleakmoor, Prince Talvi? Did the somnomium calm your hot temper?”

  “Tell me where the girl is.”

  Konstantin shook his head, still grinning softly.

  “I already gave you a girl,” he said, nodding towards Annika. “A much more valuable girl. Are you willing to give her back if I have the one you’re looking for?”

  “There’s not a chance in hell of that happening,” Talvi sneered through his teeth.

  “So instead of showing your sincere gratitude for the girl you already have—the girl I gave you—you are asking me for another one? And right in front of your wife. Tsk tsk tsk… Perhaps you left your manners back in prison?”

  Annika kicked her husband’s leg underneath the table to get his attention.

  You’re being an ass, she said with a silent glare. And you’re being really dumb, too. He’s playing you, Talvi…he’s playing you like a harp. Don’t let him! All Konstantin wants is respect.

  Talvi looked deep into her eyes, and she could feel his anger simmering in the background.

  Yes, he wants respect alright…along with total adoration. I’m not going to kiss his bloody bollocks!

  Annika looked deeper.

  He feels the exact same way about you. Stop treating him like he’s the enemy. He’s been working with your dad for years, and he’s your future brother-in-law, so you better figure out how to get along! Try showing him a little respect for once, and see what happens. I’ll deal with the total adoration part. Trust me on this.

  Talvi took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and leaned against the back of the red leather booth.

  “Perhaps I did leave my manners behind,” he confessed, and squeezed Annika’s hand. “Bleakmoor was never intended as a place to rehabilitate criminals back into society. It’s designed to crush your soul as quickly as possible. I hope you all can forgive me for returning a little less refined.”

  He gave Annika a kiss on the head, and even Yuri seemed deeply moved by his words.

  “You were never that refined to begin with,” Konstantin remarked. He waited for Talvi to come back with a snarky comment or jab. Instead, Talvi swiftly changed the subject.

  “Yuri showed me her new toy. She says you can’t import them fast enough to keep up with demand…which is quite fascinating, as I’ve never heard of a crystix before today. I wonder how something like this went unnoticed by the Imperial Trade Commission? Surely you know that I work for them. It’s been reported in all the papers.”

  Konstantin slowly turned his head to Yuri, who seemed surprised by his less than subtle look of disapproval.

  “Everyone’s going to have one in a matter of months,” she argued before he could scold her. “Well…everyone who can afford it. I don’t see what the issue is.”

  Talvi laughed to himself.

  “Oh, I see plenty of issues, not merely one. For starters, if I gave this information to the Department of Consumer Protection, I’m certain they’d want to investigate a number of issues, such as exclusive dealing, predatory pricing, collusion, and monopolization. The impression I’m quickly arriving at is that you’ve formed a crystix cartel.”

  “What better way to unite an empire than by allowing its citizens to communicate easily and freely with one another?” Konstantin replied. “So much time and money is wasted by relying on couriers…they leave too much time to imagine the worst. Think of all the misunderstandings that could have been prevented if you could send a simple note to your family, and read their response within minutes, not weeks.”

  Talvi looked over to Annika and swallowed hard. What if he’d had one of these inventions a year ago, or even just six months ago? It could’ve changed their entire trajectory from where they found themselves now. Konstantin surprised them again by taking a crystix of his own out of the inside pocket of his jacket. He opened up the black cover and pushed it into the center of the table, then began slowly flipping through the floating stack of paper. He tapped the page and a small image was projected into the air. Then he took his fingers and spread the light until the image was large enough for each of them to see without drawing attention from the other bar patrons.

  Annika’s jaw fell in amazement as he casually swiped through a series of holographic photos showing her people, places, and things that she’d never seen before. A stream of festivals and gladiator games were shown in remarkable detail, set against the backdrop of a fantastical city. Among the photos, she saw what appeared to be news articles written in Karsikko…and English.

  “Have you not wondered how some of the newspapers have received more accurate information than others, and received it so quickly?” Konstantin asked. “By the time news is reaching the most faraway provinces such as your beloved Sivita, it is already old news.” He carefully closed the crystix and left it in the center of the table, admiring it like a work of art. “This little book has taken nearly a century to create. Now it is finally here…and it is going to change everything.”

  Instead of asking Konstantin to elaborate on what he meant by the word everything, Talvi reached forward and took the crystix into his hands. He stared at the reddish-gold symbol cut into the black metal cover. It was a creature with outstretched wings and golden horns. He stared at it so hard for so long that he forgot he was in that dark restaurant. He found himself back in his dark cell inside Bleakmoor prison, straining to hear the sound of Dillon’s voice from across the filthy aisle.

  “Daenomium armor is black…although there’s a bit of a luster to it that makes it gleam as if it’s alive.”

  Talvi blinked and looked closer at the black crystix case. Even though he’d never seen daenomium before, the black metal in his hands carried a luster like no other material. And then there was that foreign symbol cast in the colors of blood and gold. It depicted a formidable creature that transcended words. It wasn’t a dragon or an eagle. It wasn’t a lion or a goat, either. It was too mammalian to be a reptile, but what other creature had feathers and fur and claws and horns? It had to be some type of hybrid. Could it be a chimera?

  “Believe me…” Talvi heard Dillon say in his head as though he were sitting right beside him. “If you ever saw a chimera, you’d know it.”

  Talvi’s mind was spinning with questions and theories as he turned his blue and green eyes away from the chimera symbol, and towards the ones who’d brought it to his attention.

  “You say this is going to change everything…” he began, and tapped the cover of the crystix. “Has it already changed the relationship between the vampires and the Näkki? This is their sigil, yet the two of you didn’t get on very well until quite recently. Wasn’t that because of your kind preying on too many of their precious humans? I wonder what could’ve changed that age-old animosity?” Talvi glanced down at the magical communication device in his hand. “Could it be money? Power? Perhaps both? After all, why be enemies when you could be partners instead?”

  “That is quite a bold assumption for you to make, Prince Talvi,” Konstantin replied.

  “Funny you keep mentioning my honorary, albeit notorious title.” Talvi handed the crystix back and flashed a cocky grin. “I happened to meet a real Näkki prince whilst in prison. Does the name Dillon Blackwood ring a bell?”

  The vampire grinned in mild amusement.

  “Of course it does. A large number of my soldiers fought against him and his army in the Battle for Veselle. Everyone knows that Prince Dillon is dead. I am betting there are all sorts of prisoners in Bleakmoor claiming to be someone they are not, including this dead prince of yours.”

  “Well, that’s just the thing,” Talvi mused. He let his fingertips run along the smooth base of the glass, turning it gently from side to side. “This bloke never once claimed to be a prince. He said he was a soldier who fought at Veselle…until the very moment when I was being taken from my cell to be released. That’s when he broke down and begged me to find his father and tell him where he was. Only, he refused to
tell me his father’s name in front of the guards. Now, why would that be? It’s almost as if this useful bit of information might make life a little worse for the poor bastard. Although…” Talvi added with a thoughtful look, “technically he wouldn’t be a bastard at all. He’d be a Blackwood. I’ve tried to find a photo of him to verify his identity, but it seems that Estellian history books aren’t as informative as I’d hoped, and Ellunian ones are about as good as banned.”

  Konstantin laughed softly, then took the crystix back.

  “Every nation has chapters it would prefer to re-write, if not completely erase,” he said as he opened it up to the second page. He took out the metallic pen and began to write on the magical paper. “This is why it is important to be getting information from more than one source. You will never find an accurate likeness of Prince Dillon in any of our history books…but you will find plenty in old newspaper articles from the Kingdom of Sinaryos. They have a much different opinion about sharing knowledge within their society.”

  After thumbing through the crystix, he brought up a new image from the page with his hands, then spread it in the air until it was the size of a book cover. It showed what appeared to be an engagement photo of a royal couple. The woman was a vision of dark blue satin and lace, adorned with a stunning number of jewels, although the young man in the crown standing beside her seemed unusually stoic for standing on the brink of marital bliss. Talvi thought about how Nillin—or Dillon—had confessed to leading an army in hopes of casting off his true identity and avoiding an unwanted wedding. The longer he looked at this old photograph, the more obvious it appeared that Prince Dillon did not want to be in his current situation. Talvi could tell by the lack of hope in his eyes. It was the exact same expression he’d seen in the eyes of his friend from prison.

  “That’s definitely him,” he confirmed with a nod. “Can you even imagine the sort of ransom one might receive in exchange for a living, breathing, Näkki prince? I wonder how much King Balerin would pay for this valuable information? From what Dillon said, his family has a disgusting abundance of wealth. The history books did say the Blackwoods were one of the wealthiest families in the Ellunian Empire. Might a fraction of their fortune be enough for you to hand over Denalia?”