by Cege Smith
Angeline suspected that she had found Alair Robart’s trappings of war. Since the time of the vampire, there had been only minor skirmishes and outbreaks of violence in the provinces; nothing that would really warrant the intricate and exquisite pieces of weaponry that were on display in the room. She felt reverence for those objects and she wished that she could find a way to see what they had seen. Then she would know the truth. She stored that thought away. Magic seemed to make the impossible possible, and maybe she could find a way to find what she needed to know from the past.
At the back of the room, Angeline found a small bookcase that was stuffed with various pieces of parchment and collections of books. She pulled one of the pieces of paper from the case and was dismayed when it crumbled to dust in her hand before she could even read it. More carefully this time, she chose one of the books at random and slid it out from between its companions. The cover was thick with dust and she sneezed.
Slowly she opened the cover. Inside she found that the page was covered with small, tight handwriting that lined the entire page. She pulled the torch closer so that she could read the words that were printed there.
“My journey to find the nest of bloodsuckers who are tormenting the city begins anew this morning in the gray dreary light of day. Our attempts to ferret out the spies of the vampires within the city walls so far have been unsuccessful...”
Her heart was racing because she recognized the handwriting. Alair Robart had been a prolific writer and historian. He documented every day of his life in his journals, and early on Angeline realized that the journals in the palace library were missing months, sometimes years, of his life. She had asked her father about it once and he told her that they were lost. They weren’t lost. They had been hidden away, which made sense now that she knew the history of what actually happened with the vampires had been repressed. She suspected that much of what she wanted to know could be found here.
She quickly scanned the rest of the book. Its pages were full of Alair’s notes and descriptions. This was something that could help her decipher the keys to the truth of Altera’s past. On the bookshelves, she could see that there were many other journals present, likely all of the ones that were missing from the collection upstairs.
Angeline craned her neck to look at a piece of parchment sitting on top of the bookcase where the images were visible, not wanting to touch it for fear of destroying it. It was a drawing of a vampire. The face was drawn up in an evil sneer and its fangs were drawn in a way that they encompassed almost its entire face. The image appeared so real that it looked like it was launching right off the page at Angeline. She wondered who the artist was, as she couldn’t make out the small signature in the bottom corner of the page.
She felt a subtle shift in the light and looked up toward the window. The night was receding; it was almost dawn. Not wanting her absence to be discovered, she thought it was prudent to return to her room. She wished she could tell which of the journals would be most relevant to her questions, but she didn’t have time to sift through them. Clutching the one in her hands to her chest, she made a note to return once she looked through it.
Ducking out through the door, Angeline closed it behind her and paused to see if she was still alone. Not seeing anyone, she hurried back the way that she came. She approached the stairwell cautiously, but it appeared that Malin and the servants had gone on their way. Five minutes later, she shut the door to her chambers and leaned against the heavy door. She closed her eyes with a heavy sigh.
The fire was still glowing in the hearth, and Angeline crossed to it and poured herself a cup of tea from the pot that Clarissa left earlier. Lifting the cup to her lips, she saw that her hands were shaking. Murmuring angry words at herself, she sipped the cooling liquid and felt some of the tension leave her body as it slipped down her throat. Her enemies surrounded her, but the more she knew the better prepared she could be. She wasn’t going to worry about things out of her control at the moment. There would be plenty of time for that.
She needed to focus on finding out what she could do to control her wraith, and what the Master was up to. She wished Connor was there so that she could find out what he knew, but wishing wasn’t going to get her anywhere. Angeline stared down at the book that she had set in her seat. The answers to her questions started there, with Alair Robart. It seemed like everything in her life at the moment tied right back to him.
Angeline shivered, remembering her disastrous encounter with her ancestor’s ghost. She had been trapped inside the Amaron Forest trying to learn to control her awakening wraith consciousness. Caspian had kept the spirits who wandered the Amaron Forest at bay with a magical spell, but the boundaries had weakened as soon as the spirits sensed Angeline’s presence. Her ancestor was not as beloved as the histories had her believe, and the spirits were set on revenge.
Caspian had given her a magical spell that called Alair’s spirit back from the dead, so that she could ask for his help to escape the spirits. She never imagined that even in death, Alair’s deep-rooted hatred of the vampire would drive him to try to destroy her. He immediately recognized her for what she was: a wraith, something no longer quite human and not quite vampire. She thought it was possible that he despised the wraith more than the vampire as he had lost two of his own family members to the curse and had to kill them—just as he tried to kill her.
In the end the interview had been entirely useless. Alair had given up nothing beyond the fact that he had willingly sacrificed his daughter as his part of the blood oath that was required for the peace treaty with Alron. Angeline discovered then that Alair Robart had been a hard, cruel man. That fact had also been left out of the approved histories.
Angeline took the book and sat down in her chair staring into the fire. It was difficult for her to rectify her family’s love and adoration of her ancestor and his accomplishments with the vengeful ghost who presented himself to her. That time, three hundred years ago, was steeped in lies, mystery, and betrayal. She needed truth, and it was time that she found it.
Angeline opened the book again. Part of her was ready to curl up and sleep and wanted nothing more than to toss the book aside. She had a strong sense that once she read those pages, she would never feel the same way about her family and her kingdom again. But she had no choice. Angeline began to read:
My journey to find the nest of bloodsuckers who are tormenting the city begins anew this morning in the gray dreary light of day. Our attempts to ferret out the spies of the vampires within the city walls so far have been unsuccessful. Grayson has also been unsuccessful in contacting the Clan to ask for their assistance. He said that it isn’t unusual for the Clan to keep to themselves and let the matters of humans and vampires work out through their own normal course. I always knew putting my trust in a species who can’t be found or communicated with outside of an intermediary was reckless, but I had no choice. Every day the Norburn family grows stronger and threatens to take control of the throne, citing my ineptitude with the royal advisory council. It is only a matter of time before Lord Norburn sways the needed number of council members to vote against me. If the Clan’s legend is true, and a Robart must remain on the throne, then they need to intercede. They will have to communicate with Grayson soon.
Grayson Baford. Although Angeline had recently discovered that the Bafords had played a dual role in the service of the Robart family, both as Chief Advisors and intermediaries to the Clan, it was still unnerving to see it there in black and white. But for as long as the families were intertwined, they had never merged, at least until this new alliance that her father thrust on her with the betrothal to Malin. She returned to Alair’s words.
It disgusts me how they sneak over the walls at night and steal our very children from their beds, never to be heard from again. Marietta worries every night that one day we will wake up and our children will be gone. Even though I’ve given her assurances that Grayson has put charms and protective spells all around all of our chambers, it�
�s difficult for her to believe me. Not that I blame her, the filth that has appeared is growing every more aggressive.
We cleaned out a nest a fortnight ago that had almost half a dozen vampires. It was the most that we have found together in one place. Grayson says that when more than a few get together, their natural tendency is to war with each other, but all of their focus seems to be on my kingdom and my people. They appear to have put aside their differences in the name of greater chaos. Even though we kill all that we find, there are still more showing up every day. If they are turning those that they steal away and not just using them for sustenance, then that would explain why their numbers continue to increase.
I know so little about them, and Grayson is secretive at best. Daylight is our only ally. With sunlight they are forced back into their lairs. They are afraid of fire, and wood stakes driven through the breastbone into their heart stops them in their tracks. But they are strong and devious. I’ve lost many a good soldier to their whispered compulsions, and have taken to telling the men to stuff cotton in their ears as we go into the lairs for fear that my men will turn on each other.
I’ve consulted the old histories to try to find out why they are coming out now. What is it about now that has brought them out of hiding? They are organized in ways that are never mentioned in the histories. I can only surmise that someone has gained control who is leading them against us. That worries me more than anything.
Alair Robart had been right to worry. Alron had come into power and assumed the role of Master of the covens. He had organized all of them into one colossal military arm and led them against the humans.
Angeline found herself wondering what Alron was like, which she thought may be strange. He was one of the oldest vampires. He must be very clever to have devised the strategy that he did, and it was only because the Clan interfered that Alair Robart had “won.” But Alair paid a heavy price, losing almost his entire family. In the end, he had saved only his younger son, thus assuring the continuation of the Robart bloodline. No doubt Alair considered that a victory nonetheless.
As the first rays of dawn started to fill the room, Angeline felt her eyes growing heavy. She didn’t want to sleep, but her body was betraying her. The exhaustion of the day and the past few weeks were finally taking their toll. No longer able to resist, Angeline slid into unconsciousness.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
They were halfway to the palace when Connor felt like a piece of him slipped away into the ether. He was surprised yet again. The bond with Angeline was growing stronger, rather than dissipating, and he had no idea what that could mean. Although he considered himself relatively knowledgeable about wraiths, given his studies and acting as the Master’s keeper of histories, this side effect was startling. He wondered if it was due to either the strength of the pressure on her emotions, or a byproduct of the magic that was being used to keep her wraith consciousness at bay.
It was also possible that his consumption of human blood had fine-tuned his own ability to the extent that he was aware of the bond where he wasn’t before. Either way, he knew that it could be a useful advantage going into the next few days. He also enjoyed the idea that he was part of her life even when he couldn’t be physically with her.
“So what’s the plan for getting into the palace?” Connor asked. He and Elvry had not spoken since leaving Monroe’s safe house.
“We’re vampires, Connor. It’s not like we have to use the front gate,” Elvry mocked. “You worry about too many things and the wrongs things at that. Just go along with it. Trust me. This is going to be fun.”
That was exactly what had Connor worried. Anything that Elvry thought was fun was guaranteed to be something that was bad for everyone else involved. Moments later they found themselves staring at one of the exterior palace walls. Connor looked around and realized that it was one of the garden walls, perhaps even the one that he had scaled just hours before.
“I assume since you’ve been spying on things going on in the palace for the last several days that you know that on the other side of this wall is the queen’s garden,” Elvry said.
Connor nodded but said nothing. Even though it had only been a few hours since he had been in those walls holding Angeline tightly in his arms, it seemed like a lifetime had passed. In a way it had. No matter what he tried to tell himself, drinking human blood changed him, and not in a good way.
“Right now we’re going to get inside and find us a nice little space to hide out for a few hours.” Elvry looked at the sky with a shudder. “The sun will be up soon. I can feel it making my skin itch.”
That was one feeling that Connor completely understood. As vampires aged they could move around during the day with less discomfort as long as they stayed out of direct sunlight. Direct sunlight would burn their skin and cause incredible pain, and if a vampire stayed in it too long, it would eventually kill him. It was a horrible way to end a horrible existence. Connor could also feel the sun’s impending presence and it was just enough to keep him on edge. Elvry was less affected by it, being older, but it never went away completely. He longed to be able to walk in the sun again.
“Then let’s go,” Connor said. He lunged deep into a squat and used his strength to propel the energy through his legs and spring into the air. He landed easily at the top of the wall and didn’t look above him as he dropped into the garden below. Even if one of the soldiers up on the guard walks had been looking in his direction, Connor’s movement was faster than their eyes. He went to his haunches and quickly looked around to see if there was anyone about.
Elvry landed silently by his side.
“You move pretty well in that dress,” he said grudgingly.
Elvry sniffed. “Consider yourself lucky that you’re a man.”
Connor grinned. Sparring with Elvry kept his mind off of whatever they were about to do. He wondered again how he could slip away and find Angeline.
“Take me somewhere it’s quiet,” Elvry said. “Somewhere where there’s very little foot traffic.”
He had proclaimed himself to be an expert on the palace, and now he was being expected to prove it. His mind raced. He knew from eavesdropping on the servants that there were storage rooms down on the levels above the crypts. “The lower levels are a good bet. The servants rarely go down there.”
Elvry nodded for him to lead the way. Connor stood and hurried through the gardens. He could sense the sun on the horizon. It was only minutes before it would break through and they needed to be inside. He didn’t have time to appreciate the lush greenery and exotic flowers that blossomed all around him. He breathed a small breath of relief when they crossed the threshold into the palace walls.
Connor knew that in general the palace was set up like a gigantic U-shape, with staircases running all the way from the lower levels to the upper ones at each of the ends. The gardens filled the interior of the U. Four floors ran above ground, and then there were three subterranean floors that ran underneath the entire palace. It was a massive place, and one that Connor thought was woefully short on any kind of security. The fact that the only thing between the garden and the city was a fifteen-foot wall spoke to the arrogance of the Robart family thinking they would never be attacked again.
He cut to the left and headed for the stairwell that he saw at the far end. “We should get underground. That will make it easier for us to move about while the sun is up and reduce the risk of being seen,” he said.
Elvry followed him without comment. Connor entered the stairwell and as he went around the corner he found a young man coming up the other direction with a set of linens in his hands. Connor intended to just pass him by but Elvry stopped the man.
“Hello,” she said. Her voice dripped in fake friendliness.
The man appeared surprised, no doubt that someone who appeared to be a noblewoman would be both up that early and speaking to him. “Hello,” he said uncertainly.
“I am such a dunce,” she said, shaking her head. “My brother and I
are staying here for the queen’s Ascension celebration and this place is so big that I can’t remember where our rooms are.”
“The women’s chambers are across the courtyard on the other side,” the man said, pointing. “Third floor. The men’s chambers are on the third floor directly above us. I’m actually on my way there now.”
“Excellent!” Elvry said. “Would you mind showing us the way? I’m worried we’ll get lost again.”
Connor was trying to figure out what game she was playing, but he couldn’t say anything without alerting the man that something was wrong.
“Of course, m’lady,” the man said. “This way.”
The man passed them and Connor shot Elvry a questioning look. She mouthed “m’lady” at him and gave him a small curtsey. Connor wanted to groan, but as she turned and followed the man up the stairs he knew that he would be bringing up the rear.
When they reached the third floor they entered another long hallway and as it came to an intersection that split to the left and right, the man pointed to the left and looked at Connor. “The men’s rooms are right down there.”
“Oh yes, brother. How silly of us! Your room is the third door on the right. Didn’t you say that you actually needed some fresh linens this morning as well?”
Connor frowned but said nothing.
Elvry continued, “My brother is very particular about his linens. Would you mind terribly changing his first?” She had put her hand on the man’s bicep and was staring into his eyes. Connor knew exactly what she was doing.
The man’s face went slack. “Of course, m’lady.”
Elvry kept her hand on his arm as they entered the hallway. They arrived at the door and then Elvry said, “You know, I’m really not sure if this is my brother’s room after all. Can you knock and see if anyone answers the door?”