by Cege Smith
Malin knew then that Eric Robart’s time on the throne was coming to an end. If there was one thing that Theodora did not suffer, it was fools. Eric had forgotten the treaty that put his bloodline firmly on the throne, but the Clan had not. The Clan had a much longer memory than humans. Eric had forgotten that what the Clan gave, it could take away just as easily.
Just as Malin was Eric’s conduit to the Clan, Corrinda was Malin’s intermediary. When he delivered Eric’s message to her, she smirked but didn't seem ruffled by the news as he expected her to be. “The King seems to have gotten a bit big for his britches,” she said.
Malin said nothing. Corrinda still lived with the Clan, and at times he felt like she wasn’t even human anymore. For all he knew, she wasn't. At some point soon, she would be asked to make the transition, and then she would be fully Clan.
Even though Eric knew that Malin was there to keep an eye on things in the kingdom for the Clan, he had treated him kindly and took him into his home with open arms. The cover story of his parents' death served him well, even though it was only partly true. There was a time when Malin flitted with the idea of casting off the shackles of the Clan and joining Eric’s army. Becoming a soldier and fighting for what he believed in resonating on a base level with him. That was a dream that could never be pursued. Malin belonged the Clan.
“You know what Theodora’s ruling will be on this, don’t you, Malin?”
“Yes.” If Eric Robart refused to cooperate, then Theodora would find someone who would. It was as simple as that. There was nothing that Malin could do to stop the inevitable.
“Then it is time to begin preparations for a transition,” Corrinda said.
“The Crown Princess continues her studies for at least another year,” Malin said, trying to control his heartbeat as he thought about Angeline. Hiding his feelings for her was of the utmost importance. If Theodora thought for one moment that his allegiance would be tested, Eric Robart would not be the only one to wind up in an early grave.
Two months later, Eric was dead, and Angeline was ascending the throne struggling to keep her wraith side at bay. Everything had gone terribly wrong. Malin may have played a hand in Eric’s death, but at the same time he blamed the former king for being so shortsighted. It was obvious that the hand of the Clan had not been felt on the necks of the Robarts for far too long, and now Theodora would go overboard to ensure that Angeline did not follow in her father’s treacherous footsteps.
He was afraid for her. Theodora was not a woman to be trifled with, and he hoped that Eric’s teachings prepared Angeline for the duel of wits that was about to unfold. He thought again that he should have been the one to go with her instead of Connor, but that would have brought about even more questions that he couldn't answer. So he was forced to sit and wait for her return.
Malin was pulled from his thoughts by a hard rap on the door. He looked outside the window and saw the growing dusk. The Ascension Ball would be beginning soon. He didn’t have much time to get ready.
He went to the door, prepared to dismiss whoever he found there. His mouth closed when he saw Rhone, the Chief General of Angeline’s army, standing there with a scowl on his face.
Rhone pushed the door open and saw the bottle of brandy in Malin’s hand. “Hope you’ve got more of that. You’ll need it. We’re in trouble.”
CHAPTER FOUR
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Angeline called out to Becca’s back. The girl had managed to get quite a bit ahead of her, but then again, they were hiking up a rather steep, stony incline along the valley wall, and Angeline was wearing a dress while Becca was in trousers. Angeline envied that. When she was younger she always wanted to wear trousers, but her father forbade her from it.
“The future queen of Altera will never appear in public looking anything less than a lady!” Her father was outraged at the idea. To him, the people's perception of the royal house was something that constantly needed to be tended to and managed, and to appear anything less than royal was unthinkable.
Angeline railed and whined and tried to negotiate. Her skirts constantly hampered her training with Rhone, and were her downfall more than once in the skirmishes that she coerced the servant children into playing with her. Now, years later, Angeline understood. You never gave your enemies any further ammunition than they may already have by insisting on operating outside of an accepted norm.
Her thoughts quickly turned to an assessment of her current situation. She needed the Clan to want to help her. She was not so naïve to think that there would not be a price to pay for the favor that she asked. What would they ask her to do or give up in return to get what she wanted? What if the ask was too big? What would she do then?
Connor was her weakness. Connor and her kingdom. Angeline felt the rolling anguish in the pit of her stomach as she realized that someday soon, she was likely going to have to make a choice between them. The Clan would know that, and would use her feelings for Connor as leverage to sway her to their way of thinking. If called out, her mind said that she should chose her kingdom, but her heart rebelled at the idea.
The more she thought about it, the more it made sense that she and Connor had been deliberately separated. The Clan liked to be in control, and to that end, the ruse worked perfectly. Angeline felt off kilter and out of sorts. She didn't want to do it, but she cautiously tapped that part of her mind where she knew that the wraith resided. She sensed only darkness, but knew that it had to be hiding there. She might need it to help protect her. Caspian taught her that the wraith would help detect deceitfulness in those around her. She needed that ability more than ever, but she was hesitant to wake the evil unless she had to.
“You’ll know it when we get there,” Becca offered up several long minutes later. Angeline had almost forgotten that she had asked a question. Becca stopped and then sat down on her haunches obviously impatient with Angeline’s slower progress. “I thought that wraiths had some kind of unnatural speed and agility.”
“Are you an expert on wraiths?” Angeline retorted. Becca was right, but as long as Angeline was in full control she was wary to try exceeding any of her more human attributes. It was a slippery slope.
“You’re the first one I’ve ever met,” Becca said as Angeline drew up to her side. “Why don’t we rest for a few minutes?”
Angeline took the canteen that Becca offered and let the cool water wash the dryness away from the back of her throat. The exertion from climbing the valley walls was bringing her hunger to the forefront, and it wasn’t hunger for regular food that Angeline craved.
“I've never met a wraith before either, so I guess that makes two of us,” Angeline said. She brushed at the dust on her arms and tried to ignore the gnawing in her stomach. In the carefully controlled routine and environment of the palace, Angeline felt more capable of keeping a leash on the beast inside of her, but there was a kind of wildness about the terrain around her that itched at the corners of her mind. “I am not used to such flippant answers when I ask a question.”
Becca tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I understand that may be what you are used to, Majesty, but this place doesn’t fall under the purview of the Alteran throne. You have no real authority here.”
Angeline was outraged by the girl’s tactlessness. “Be that as it may, there is still a standard set of rules and customs to be observed, and I would expect to be treated with the same respect that you would show to your own leader.”
Becca did not immediately reply, and Angeline was left stewing. She refused to escalate the situation further.
“You’ll have to forgive my sister. She’s not exposed to the outside world often, so she forgets her manners.”
Angeline whipped around, wondering how it was possible that her wraith senses had let someone get so close to her without her noticing. A man stood there smiling at her. He was just a few inches taller than her but with a stocky build. His violet eyes twinkled, and he extended his hand to her with a sma
ll bow.
“Queen Angeline, it is a pleasure to finally meet you.”
The formality felt strange in the middle of a seemingly endless canyon of stone. Angeline automatically placed her hand into his and she felt the brush of his cool lips against her skin. The sensation sent a ripple of chills up her arm, and she had to hold herself back from ripping her hand out of his. A chattering in her head told her that she was not the only one who felt the warning signals. This man, for all his easygoing demeanor, was dangerous.
“Thank you,” she said faintly. “I fear I’ve missed your name.”
“Thomas Robart, Majesty,” he said with another flourished bow. He glared at Becca. “You were expected over an hour ago. Becca, I am sure the Queen is tired from her journey and would like the opportunity to freshen up before Council this evening.”
“I can’t help it she’s taking forever,” Becca grumbled.
“I admit that the climb has been a bit more strenuous than I’m used to,” Angeline said smoothly. “I hope we are not far?”
Thomas stepped closer to her and leaned in toward her. Angeline wanted to take a step backwards, but didn’t want it to appear that his presence bothered her in any way. She had the sense that he would enjoy knowing that, and she didn’t want to give him the pleasure.
“I anticipated that, so I brought along a little something else to help take the edge off if you’d like.” A small pouch appeared Thomas’s hand, and Angeline’s nostrils flared even as the scent of blood wafted to her nostrils. There was nothing wrong with her sense of smell.
She leaned back slightly willing the whining in her head to settle. She felt lightheaded and a little weak. She wanted to tell Thomas that she didn’t need it, but she did. She had no idea what the ‘Council’ was that he mentioned or what was happening that evening, but she had a feeling that she was going to need all her wits about her when that time came around.
“I appreciate the attention,” she said. Angeline held her head high. She would not let either Clan member see that her condition bothered her to the extent that it did. “Due to travel preparations, I have been distracted by other obligations. Thank you.” She took the pouch out of Thomas’s hand and turned away, but not before she saw his look of surprise.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she undid the leather ties. The smell was rich and decadent. She reached into it carefully and felt the spongy softness of meat. She didn’t need to see it to know that it was raw. Her mouth started to water. Picturing strawberries in her mind and shutting out the squeals of glee from the other part of her, she drew a small piece out and popped it into her mouth.
The tanginess of the blood covered her tongue and her eyes closed in ecstasy. She pulled two more pieces out, and they quickly followed the first one. Then, before she made an utter spectacle of herself, Angeline pulled the strings of the pouch closed, licked her fingertips clean, and then tossed the pouch back to Thomas.
“Let’s go,” she said brightly.
She saw Becca and Thomas exchange a look. Thomas seemed uncertain, but then the smile returned to his face. “Of course, Majesty.”
Angeline expected him to continue up the trail, but he didn’t. Instead, he faced the solid valley wall and closed his eyes. It was then that Angeline saw how he had been able to sneak up on her. An opening appeared in the rock wall. It was large enough for a giant to pass through, but she couldn’t see more than a few feet into the darkness.
“The Clan members live within a honeycomb of caves that run through the entire valley,” Becca said proudly.
Angeline didn’t know what to think other than it was obvious now that the girl had been stalling in bringing Angeline into the Clan's dwelling place. “So you are tunnel dwellers?”
“No,” Thomas admonished. “There are plenty of areas that lead up to the surface, and we’ve also opened up ceilings to the sky in many places. It’s just like being inside a large city, except you never have to go outside to pass from building to building. It is convenient in the wintertime."
“Fascinating,” Angeline said, and she found that she was. Eric Robart always encouraged Angeline’s inquisitiveness, and she loved to learn anything new. When she finished her school program at the convent in two years instead of the requisite three, the nuns created a whole new advanced curriculum just for her. If she didn’t have a purpose to her visit and a kingdom awaiting her return, she would have loved to stay and learn everything that she could about the Clan. She peered over Thomas’s shoulder into the darkness. Her enhanced eyesight couldn't see anything lurking there.
“Well, in case you hadn’t already guessed, it is always daytime here,” Thomas said.
Angeline looked at him in surprise. “Always?”
“It was a spell cast by the original Clan Council to ensure the Clan’s protection when the vampire race that was beholden to the bloodlust was created,” Thomas said.
"I thought the curse that the Gods put on the vampires included the Clan?" Angeline asked. She remembered that distinctly from what Caspian told her about the beginnings of the vampire and human races.
"I see that someone has been putting false histories in your head," Thomas replied smoothly. "With magic you can do almost anything, Majesty. We are able to move about in the sun as easily as any human, but that is a privilege only for the Clan, not our wild cousins."
Again Angeline sensed that it was important to the Clan to differentiate itself from the vampire coven. No matter where she went, it seemed that she found intrigue afoot.
Thomas put out his arm, and Angeline realized that he intended to escort her into the tunnel. Although it made her skin crawl, she gingerly put her fingertips on his arm and allowed him to guide her inside. As soon as they were past the entrance, a glow encircled them, and Angeline found that she could see in front of her all the way to the next turn.
“That’s a handy trick,” she said.
“When you live inside the earth, you do what you can to make it less noticeable,” Thomas said.
Although Angeline couldn’t see her, she could feel Becca behind her. It felt as if she was being corralled, but she had no choice other than to go forward. It wasn’t as if she could go back, and she possessed no magical powers to be able to reopen the portal without assistance.
“So I assume that my companion has already arrived,” Angeline said.
Thomas chuckled. “He has.”
Angeline felt relieved, if even for a moment. Connor was alive, and he was there, somewhere. She believed that he could take care of himself if push came to shove, but she still wanted to see him. “I would like to have him join me for the Council meeting.”
“I'm not sure that would be a good idea, Majesty, although I would be happy to make the request on your behalf. I’m sure you’ll agree that breed of vampire has a less than savory reputation for good reason. They are born deceivers and manipulators. To have one of them at your side when you are presented to the Council would appear as if he held sway over you.”
“As I’ve shared with your sister, on the topic of every other vampire, I would agree. I know my family’s histories. Alair Robart made it his life’s purpose to eradicate the vampire from the face of Altera. It was only recently that I learned that the peace treaty between my family and the Master’s coven existed, and my own dealings have been violent and frightening.” Angeline embellished just a bit. She could tell that Thomas was hanging on her every word. “But this man is different. He has not lied to me or betrayed my trust, which is more than I can say for the Clan member who resides in my palace.” She stretched the truth there as well. Connor had lied to her, but she understood why now. Malin’s betrayal was unforgivable.
Angeline’s blood boiled just thinking about Malin. She had left her kingdom in the hands of a traitor. She had no idea what she was going to walk back into when she returned to Brebackerin, assuming she would be allowed to return to it at all.
“The Council has questions for your friend Baford to be sure,” Thomas s
aid.
Angeline wondered what that meant, but there was a part of her that hoped the Clan would call Malin back, and she wouldn’t be forced to marry him. Although that would make a bit of a mess that she would have to clean up, she was ready to tackle that as opposed to dealing with creatures there weren’t supposed to exist.
As they continued to progress down the tunnel, Angeline now could see small doors carved into the walls. There was about ten feet between each one. Between the gloom and the cool temperature in the hallway, she felt unsettled. The idea that she was far below the surface of the ground was making her feel claustrophobic.
Thomas stopped at a door that Angeline could see was slightly more elaborate in the woodwork of the panels than the ones that she had seen before it; otherwise there were no other distinguishing marks. “You’ll find refreshment and water to wash the dust of the journey away inside, Majesty. I will come back for you in two hours. You have to forget the vampire. No good will come for you from that alliance here.”
Thomas gestured to Becca to continue to follow him down the tunneled hallway. “Before I forget, welcome to Tanagor, Majesty.”
Tanagor. Finally she had a name for her location. She let it slip and twist through her mind. Obviously the Clan had been here a long time. The tunnel system and the imprint of civilization within its walls spoke to that.
Then Thomas and Becca strode away. Angeline grasped the handle to the door and paused. She had a better idea. It wasn’t a good idea. In fact, the logical side of her said it was a horrible idea. She was letting her emotions rule her better judgment, but her wraith gurgled its agreement of her spur of the moment decision.
Angeline was going to go find Connor.
CHAPTER FIVE
What Connor knew about witches was only what he read in the books in the Master’s library during his time digging through the archives looking for anything that might be relevant to a cure. In his hundred year immortal existence, he resided within the coven or on its outskirts, so it seemed his time to study the texts was endless. The Clan may try to turn its back on its vampire lineage, but it was there nonetheless. The proof was on Theodora and Feldon’s unlined face.