Gloom's Whisper

by Sela Croft

  “Who pointed us out?”

  “Well, Noah, of course,” the princess said, with a genuinely evil smile plastered across her face.

  Chapter 26

  Callie

  The Fae princess was playing with me like a cat with a cornered mouse, giving me the space to scamper about, but always within her own tightly-defined boundaries. She would allow me to think for myself, but only if her words placed the idea in my mind.

  Her words carried a hidden message, intended to keep me mentally trapped. It made it difficult to separate what she’d said, from what she wanted me to hear. She chose words carefully, and did her best to imbue them with emotion.

  But her empathy for my situation was false.

  “Noah?” I said, then stepped back. “He wouldn’t take any action that would hurt me or my sister.”

  “That’s exactly what I said. It wasn’t his fault. Dequan had been pushing him to find an answer.”

  “An answer for what?”

  “For everything.”

  “And he thought we were the answer?”

  “It’s an understandable mistake,” the princess said. “There is something special about you two, I’ll admit that much. But special enough to end a conflict that’s been going on for hundreds of years?” She scoffed and waved her hand through the air. “I highly doubt it.”

  The battle of wills was beginning to fatigue me. I had to analyze each word she said, searching for the hidden meaning.

  “I’m sure Noah had decided that it was a mistake. But Dequan had become so consumed with his power-hungry ways. He wanted to overthrow Logan and take his place. He would do anything to attain that goal.”

  “Even bringing two innocent humans through the portal.”

  Amalia nodded. “You shouldn’t have been brought here. For that reason, I intend to do whatever I can to right that wrong.”

  “You’re going to send us home?” As good as it sounded, I knew it wasn’t true. I couldn’t let her know that, though—not yet.

  “That’s what I would like to do. It is what you want, isn’t it?”

  “Of course, it is.”

  “Good, because your sister needs to return home, Callie. This has been hard on you, I’m sure. But for her…this has been torture.”

  She let the last word hang in the air for a moment. Torture.

  “You can help her, though,” the princess said. “All you have to do is return to me and I will reunite you. If not…”

  “What are you doing to her?” I said, my blood running cold. “I swear, if you so much as touch her, I will…”

  The façade of sympathy faltered and her melodic laughter filled the air.

  “Don’t get yourself so worked up, little one. I’m proposing what is best for you and your sister. You must return to Caros of your own free will. I will reunite you with Rosamon.”

  Her promises were the same as before. “I will reunite you.” “I will send you home.” She hadn’t spoken of what she would do between those two events. She hadn’t addressed the heart of the matter. Or why she wanted us reunited in her palace, and insisted on being the one who brought us together.

  “I sense your hesitation,” Amalia said. “And I do not blame you. I blame the bloodsuckers. But do as I ask. Think about what you have seen, what you have experienced. Forget what the vampires have told you and trust your instinct. You know what life is like in the vampire world. In the Fae lands, we don’t have slaves. We don’t keep humans to feed on. We are a community that is built on loyalty and trust. We take care of each other. Consider where you are now. Consider the family living in this manor.”

  “The manor,” I said, then looked around to see the image of the palace melting away.

  “What I’m asking of you is what is best—for everyone. For you, for your sister, and for Shadowland. I will give you time to consider what I’ve said.”

  When she uttered the last word, the stone walls around me disappeared. I blinked then she was gone. Stretching my hand out, I pressed my palm into the wooden beams around me, verifying that they were real.

  Agreeing to return to Caros was unimaginable. Yet I desperately needed to find Rosamon.

  Downstairs, Geoff was sitting by the fire. “Hey,” I said, then sat on the couch across from him. “Do you mind if I ask you some things?”

  He turned to face me, massaging the point on his wrist where Noah had taken his blood. He looked at me for a moment, as if trying to decide if he truly wanted to go to the trouble of speaking to me. “Fine,” he said, leaning back in his chair.

  The light from the fire danced across his face, accentuating the lines in his forehead. He was too young to have such signs of stress.

  “What is it?”

  There were so many questions I wanted answers to, that I wasn’t sure where to start. Amalia had planted a seed of doubt in my mind. She’d beckoned me to rely on my own experiences, and that was dangerous. I’d questioned the vampires’ integrity from the start. Even Logan had sensed my apprehension. He hadn’t fed in front of me, and had defended the vampire way of life.

  If he felt the need to hide things from me, perhaps there was a reason.

  “When we arrived, and you discovered that the individuals I’m traveling with are vampires, you reacted.”

  Geoff nodded.

  “I guess I want to know why.”

  Confusion flashed across his face. “You want to know why we’re afraid of the vampires?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Because they’re vampires. They’re controlled by their hunger, and express no remorse for how they satisfy it. They don’t care that their existence means the deaths of others. They take what they want, when they want it.”

  “What they need,” I said. “Not all of them enjoy it.”

  “Not all of them admit that they enjoy it,” Geoff said with a shrug. “But they do.”

  I shook my head, not prepared to accept what he was saying. “And what of the Fae? They aren’t called the creatures of darkness for nothing.”

  “What is it that you want me to say?” Geoff said, leaning forward.

  He seemed much more mature than any of the boys at my school, even though he was probably about the same age. His life must have made him that way. He’d had to grow up fast to survive in his world.

  “It’s just that this war is hard to understand. For an outsider, at least. Each side believes they are in the right. I just want to know who is.”

  “Why would anyone fight, if they didn’t believe their cause to be the right one?”

  “Greed,” I said. “Anger, bitterness.”

  “It’s true. Anger and bitterness has a lot to do with the war. But what breeds anger besides wrongdoing?”

  “So, the vampires wronged you?”

  “Or we wronged them,” Geoff replied with a shrug. “It doesn’t much matter at this point. The hatred is there, and grows stronger with each passing day.”

  “What would change if the Fae won the war?”

  “Everything would change.”

  I wanted to ask how, but I knew the answer would only upset me. If the Fae won, the vampires would be extinguished. I couldn’t deny that I had an emotional connection to one vampire.

  “What happens if the vampires win the war?”

  “Things stay the way they are. The humans remain slaves, and the Fae continue to live life as second-class citizens. The vampires live their lives in their glass houses, with not a soul around to throw a stone.”

  “Well then, that certainly does very little to clear things up,” I said, then stood up. “Thank you anyway.”

  Geoff called out, so I stopped at the foot of the stairs. “Callie…you’re not going to find what you’re looking for. There is no right or wrong in this war. There is only survival.”

  Chapter 27

  Amalia

  The glass in front of me rippled into focus, so I turned away from the mirror. When I glared at my guards, each one shied away from me. My patience had worn
thin, and I buzzed with rage.

  I looked about, angrily. “How could you let her escape?”

  The Redcaps diverted their gazes. They were afraid, as they should be. They knew my anger, and had experienced it before. When it came to the twins, though, I unleashed a rage unlike any before.

  I had been so close. I’d had Callie, had both girls. Then somehow… “What do you have to say for yourselves?”

  The Redcaps remained silent. It was probably for the best. Given the state I was in, I would have rejected any answer and taken my anger out on the speaker. It had happened before. The poor soul hadn’t seen it coming. Since then, my loyal guards had become even more loyal—and silent.

  “Get out!” I shouted, then spun to face the mirror again. “I’ll figure out a way to clean up your mess on my own.”

  I had to get Callie back. But I’d tried all I could think of. I had attempted to bond with her. I had half a mind to march into vampire territory and grab her.

  Yet that wouldn’t work. The vampire prince would intercede, before I was able to get in the same room as his precious little human. The connection between them had thrown a wrench in my plan, complicating matters, more than they should have been.

  A human, lost in a world of vampires—it should have been easy to convince her that they were the ones to fear. But Logan had gotten to her first.

  My hate of the vampires rose, especially for one. If it hadn’t been for Logan, I’d have her in my grasp. Callie would have come running to me, if the prince hadn’t been whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

  I was walking a tightrope with Callie. I could only push her so far with each conversation. I couldn’t overwhelm her and send her running to him with questions. I had to make her believe she couldn’t trust him. It was a long process, and one that I found extremely tiring.

  “So much work for a human,” I said, glaring at myself in the mirror. “I can’t believe I’ve been reduced to this. Pandering to the emotions of a teenage girl, reliant on her to fix my own mistakes.”

  I needed both girls. I should have known that. But I hadn’t. I’d hoped that just one of the twins would be strong enough to perform the spell that was required to expel the vampires from Shadowland. I’d come under scrutiny for that mistake. Perhaps that was why I was so quick to anger when the topic of Rosamon and her sister came up.

  But I’d been so certain. They were stronger than either of them knew. Yet they were stronger together. United…they could do just about anything.

  I paced, trying to think of a way to get Callie back. I’d made a plea to her, played to her inclination to see the best in everyone. I’d laced in doubt about her past. I’d exposed the true nature of vampires. That should have done it.

  My father’s sharp voice vibrated through the air. “Amalia.”

  Turning back to the mirror, I found him staring out at me. His chin was covered with a plush white beard, and his long, white hair billowed down around his shoulders. His eyes were heavy with age, but still had the ability to slice into me with a critical gaze.

  My father Jabari was the true ruler of our lands. He rarely made it to Caros, though. He ruled from a distance, ensuring his own safety and our family’s claim to the throne. The chances that the vampires knew of his existence were slim, which was exactly how he wanted it to be.

  “Jabari, my king,” I said, bowing my head. “What is it?”

  “Tell me what is going on with the humans.”

  “Rosamon is in holding. She has started eating, which I suppose is a good—”

  “I don’t care about her!” my father snapped.

  “You said the humans…”

  “You know what I meant. What about the other one…Callendra?”

  “She is temporarily out of our grasp, Father,” I said. “But I am in contact with her.”

  My father shook his head, and furrowed his brow. I tried to stand tall, waiting for his response. I had to be strong and show no weakness. He’d doubted my ability to rule our people since the day I’d been born. He’d wanted a son, a man to follow in his footsteps and carry on the fight against our mortal enemies, with his same authority and devotion.

  I’d worked to prove to him that I could be that leader. Victory was within reach, and I couldn’t risk giving into the pressure.

  “You’re sure you can get her back?”

  “I’m certain.”

  “Then you’d best hurry. I’ve waited a long time for this, Amalia, and my patience is quickly running out.”

  “I understand, Father. We’ve all waited for a very long time. I, too, am tired of waiting. Which is why I would like to request a favor. I feel it is necessary for our success.”

  “And what favor is that?”

  “I request the assistance of the Wild Hunt.”

  Jabari put his hand beneath this chin, then frowned. I held my breath, waiting for his answer, and didn’t exhale, until he nodded. I would have what I wanted.

  Chapter 28

  Logan

  Watching Noah drink Callie’s blood had affected me.

  I’d been overcome with blinding jealousy. Callie’s reason for helping her friend were selfless. She cared about him in a way that shouldn’t have been threatening to me.

  And Noah wouldn’t be foolish enough to cross me.

  The jealousy that consumed me came from my desire to share blood drinking with her. I’d been drawn to her from the first moment, and my actions since then had been for her.

  From the start, Callie had been my priority. I’d held her welfare, above all else. I’d put her before everyone and everything. I wanted to regret that, but I couldn’t.

  It had felt right.

  Even though it shouldn’t have. I had a kingdom to rule and my family to worry about. I had thousands of people looking to me to keep them safe. Yet, all I’d thought about was running off after her, wherever she’d gone.

  “What’s going on with you?” Noah said, with a questioning look.

  “I was just …” The sound of battle horns gave me pause.

  “Did you hear that?” Noah said.

  “Of course, I did. Will you be okay here?”

  “Yes…you must go.”

  I ran from the room. When we’d first arrived, I had noticed that the manor had two towers, with one pointing toward the Fae lands and one toward the vampire realm.

  I darted through the home, until I found the stairs leading up to the tower that looked out over the Fae lands. As I bounded up the steps, the sounds of the horns rang out. I was puzzled about the battle warning sounding, within my hearing.

  I’d hoped that my brothers had been successful in pushing the Fae out of our lands. If they had, then perhaps it would make sense that they’d stage an attack. But so soon? They would need to recover, surely. More than that, why would they be staging their attack so far out, and not closer to the line separating our lands?

  When I reached the top of the stairs, though, all those thoughts left my mind.

  “Callie,” I said and walked up behind her. “What are you doing up here?”

  She didn’t turn to look back at me, but kept her eyes fixed on the shadow-filled Fae lands that stretched out around us. Out there, lost in the darkness, was the palace.

  “Why are you looking back there?” I said, then turned her around to face me. “Why would you want to look back at such a horrible place?”

  “Because my sister is there,” Callie said, her tear-filled eyes meeting mine.

  I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into an embrace.

  The subtle gesture of kindness was familiar to me again. Even if it had been hundreds of years since I’d last experienced life the way that she did, holding Callie when she was sad felt like the most natural thing in the world.

  Callie sobbed into my shoulder. “I left her back there; I abandoned her.”

  “You had to flee. You didn’t have a choice.”

  “I had to?” Callie pulled back, wiping her cheeks with the palm o
f her hand. “Why did I have to? To save my life? What about hers? What’s going to happen to her now? I was being selfish, Logan.”

  “You’re not being selfish, at all. Quite the opposite, if you ask me.”

  “How can you say that?

  Callie cheeks were still wet with tears, but her eyes were dry. Taking her hands in mine, I turned to look out the window at the world of darkness beneath us.

  “Leaving your sister behind was hard for you. It pains you to be away from her. And yet, you came with me. You fled the palace because it was the right thing to do, even if it hurt you to do it. You did what was right for everyone else.”

  “Amalia wants us together for some reason,” Callie said, looking up at me.

  “Which is precisely the reason it was important that you left her palace. She is so much more dangerous than you can imagine.”

  I tried to focus on our conversation, knowing that she needed me. But the sound of the horns pulled my attention.

  My eyes drifted back to the horizon. “I’ll do anything I can to help you find Rosamon.”

  The horns were growing louder. My stomach tightened with fear. The sound was distinct. It wasn’t just the sound of battle horns. It was something more terrifying than that.

  It couldn’t be. I was just on edge, because of all that had gone on. It was too soon for such a fight.

  “You don’t need to feel bad about…” My words were overpowered by the blaring horns.

  That had to be it. That’s all it could be. The realization of what was coming our way hit me.

  “What’s wrong?” Callie said, furrowing her brow. “Why are you frowning?”

  My eyes were fixed on the horizon.

  “Do you hear it?”

  “Hear what?”

  “The horns.”

  Her face scrunched and she faced the window. Shaking her head, she shrugged.

  “No, I don’t hear anything.”

  “Good…that means they aren’t too close yet,” I said, grabbing onto her hand and pulling her toward the stairs.