Graced

by Sophia Sharp

  …before her eighteenth namesday, she will return to her place of birth, and with it she shall set the fallen free…

  That was what cemented it in her mind. She assumed a namesday was another word for a birthday, and, based on that, she was the only one it could be speaking of. Madison had lived for hundreds of years, and was transformed when she was older than Laura. That pointed the prophecy directly away from her.

  …she shall come both as one of them, yet set apart…

  And, of course, that was the very defining characteristic of her transformation. She came as one of the Vassiz, yet set apart by the nature of that formative first feeding. She had feasted on vampire blood her first time, which, as far as Logan or Alexander or even Madison knew, had never happened before. That very clearly, and very conspicuously, set her apart.

  Yet there were other things she did not understand – things she did not even want to think about, even. ‘Taken in the dream, and ripped to reality.’ Did that mean… she had been born in the dream realm? That was ridiculous, of course. She knew with all her heart that she was born in Seattle General Hospital, less than thirty minutes away from her childhood home. It was where her mother gave birth to her just over seventeen years ago. Right?

  And yet, despite the certainty of that, Laura felt a gnawing doubt grow at the back of her mind, nagging at her ceaselessly. She had heard the stories of adopted children growing up blissfully unaware that the people they thought were their parents – their real parents – were actually adoptive parents. She heard of those children growing up feeling as if they knew their parents, and then being absolutely crushed when that knowledge came face-to-face with reality – and their world crumbled around them. But that couldn’t be the case with her – could it?

  No. That was just not possible. All her life, her parents had looked after her with love and caring, and she was sheltered from the dangers of the world in the safety of their love. And yet… that unnerving dissonance kept creeping up at the back of her mind. Would her parents have treated their daughter any differently had she been adopted? Resentfully, she had to admit that no, they probably would not have.

  But that was neither here nor there. She knew what she had to do, what she decided to do in the presence of Gabrielle and the angels.

  She would fight to take down the elders.

  If she were successful, it would accomplish so many things. She knew the elders held the monopoly of power over the Vassiz. And if they were taken down… it meant the packs should leave her and Logan alone. Which meant, in turn, that she could finally go back to see her family, and stop living in fear of contact with others of her own race. She wouldn’t have to run anymore, and could see her family, to get to the bottom of this adoption issue. She could live in peace, then, together with Logan forever. And the only way to do it? To take down the elders, and disrupt the rule of power they held over all the other vampires.

  Looking at it that way, she had to admit that her own goals did seem to align quite well with what that prophecy foretold. She shrugged. Maybe she was the destined one. But it did not mean that her task would be anywhere near easy.

  And anyway, if it was really about her, she was the one heralded to change the order of rule amongst the Vassiz. A heavy responsibility no matter which way you looked at it.

  And of course, there was that last part, the one that Gabrielle had told her directly in regards to the prophecy. It was clearly unambiguous to him: “It speaks of you, Laura.”

  “We’re here.”

  Logan’s voice jolted her out of her thoughts. She looked around, and saw that they had come upon the campground they had taken residence in last night. But Madison and Alexander were nowhere to be seen.

  “Where is everyone?” Laura asked after a moment. “It’s empty.”

  “I think,” Logan said slyly, “that our friends thought it prudent to take a little… rendezvous… when they realized we would be taking so long.”

  Laura’s cheeks blushed at the suggestion. But just then, before Logan could see her embarrassment, she heard movement through the bush. She turned her head towards it.

  It was Alexander, picking his way out towards her and Logan. He smiled when he saw them.

  “Greetings,” he announced. “Finally back, eh?” He eyed the two of them warily. “And just what have you two lovebirds been up to for so long?”

  Logan laughed, and went over to greet Alexander. Clasping his hand, he slapped him jovially on the back. And whispered something very quickly in his ear that Laura couldn’t pick up. Alexander smiled, nodded surreptitiously, and said something back. Laura couldn’t hear that either. She felt a little left out, but decided she probably didn’t want to know what was being said anyway. And anyway, she was glad to see Alexander in such good spirits. His shoulder had completely healed, thanks to the angel’s touch. The same touch that saved her life after she had taken such a beating from that nightmarish creature.

  Laura noticed movement behind Alexander, and craned her head to get a better view. In a moment, she saw it was Madison, who looked as beautiful as ever. And even a little bit… flustered. Laura thought she would never see the day.

  Madison came over to wrap her arms around Alexander’s neck, and then smiled warmly at Laura. “Welcome back,” she told her. “We were starting to wonder what was taking so long.”

  Laura felt the color in her cheeks rise again, and strode over to Logan briskly. If only to feel the cool wind against her face. But she smiled back at Madison and Alexander. And curved her lips ever-so-sweetly for Logan.

  “We had some excitement,” Laura said, looping her arm through Logan’s. “But it was nothing we couldn’t handle.”

  Logan smiled adoringly at her. “That’s right,” he said. “Although I have a feeling Laura would have been happy to avoid it all altogether.”

  “Not true!” Laura defended. “I just didn’t appreciate… the way we went about it.”

  Alexander rose his eyebrows suggestively, and looked from Laura to Logan, and back again, a few times. Madison had taken to stroking the side of his arm lovingly. She was very clearly avoiding Logan’s or Laura’s eye for the moment. Logan laughed that great laugh of his, breaking the momentary silence.

  “So,” Alexander began, motioning to the center of the camp. “We should sit, and discuss the day’s events.” Madison cooed something softly in his ear, and he chuckled briefly, then moved his head to the side to kiss her cheek. “Shall we?”

  He walked over to the spot he had designated before, and Logan followed after him. Laura started after them, but Madison caught her sleeve.

  “He is stubborn, that man of yours,” she told her gently, “but I have a feeling he is one who would sacrifice everything for you.”

  Laura looked back and frowned. “What would give you that impression?”

  “Just a feeling I have.” Madison smiled kindly. “He reminds me a lot of Alexander, when we first met. A bit… rough around the edges, but his heart is in the right place.”

  Laura giggled at the description. It fit Logan perfectly.

  “So don’t be too hard on him if he sometimes sticks his feet in the ground and refuses to move. He simply thinks, as all men do, that he knows best. And when that happens…” Madison winked suggestively at Laura.

  “…he just needs a woman there to show him the way,” Laura said, finishing the sentence. And then she and Madison both burst out laughing.

  “Come on,” Madison said once the laughter had died down, “the boys are starting to stare daggers at our back wondering what’s taking so long.” Laura glanced at Alexander and Logan, and realized that both of them were staring at them, and both had a befuddled look on their faces. Laura laughed again, and followed Madison to the center of camp.

  Chapter Five

  ~Decisions~

  “So,” Alexander said once they had come within earshot, “you finally decide to grace us with your presence.”

  “Oh, give over, Alex,” Madison said a
s she sat down, nudging him with one elbow. “Laura and I were just having a quick private chat.” She winked at Laura. “Anyway, I’m sure you two had plenty to talk about without us.”

  “Right,” Alexander said slyly. He shot an unreadable look towards Logan, who nodded in reply. Laura settled herself on the ground, leaning her back against the log that Logan sat on. “But now that the pleasantries are done with, we need to get down to business. And the first question on my mind is: did you find what you were looking for?”

  Laura looked to Logan, who shook his head. “No. It seems that somebody had beaten us there, and wiped the entire mill clean. There was nothing left in the chest.”

  “So the letters, then,” Madison began, looking worried. “They’re…”

  “Gone,” Laura confirmed, nodding. “The elders set two guards on duty there, in case we come back. We overheard them speaking.”

  Alexander leaned forward intently. “Guards? Did they trouble you?” Under his breath, he added, “I knew we should have come.”

  “No,” Laura and Logan said at the same time. He looked at her, and after a moment tilted his head in acquiescence.

  “There were two of them there,” Laura began. “They were talking about guarding the place in case we come back. As far as I could gather, they’d been stationed there for quite some time. And the elders were the ones who put them there. The two of them were brothers.

  “When we got to the mill, it was empty. We lucked out in that sense, I guess. We went to the attic, where Logan had kept the chest, but when we opened it – we realized it was empty. That was when the two guards came back. One was named Kalvarin, and the other…”

  “Algar,” Logan said, finishing the sentence. “It sounded like they weren’t too happy to be there.”

  “Wait,” Madison said, frowning slightly. “Did you say Algar?”

  “Yes,” Logan said. “Why, do you know him?”

  “I may have… once, long ago. The name is not one you hear every day. Tell me, did he have a deep, somewhat hoarse voice?”

  “Yes,” Laura said.

  “And dark hair, with wide shoulders?”

  Laura looked to Logan. He had been the one who fought him. “That’s right,” Logan nodded.

  “Then it likely is one and the same.” She bit the bottom of her lip, something that Laura had never seen her do. “I did not know he had kin, but he was never one to take kindly to being told what to do or where to go. If he stayed there on order of the elders… well, I doubt the assignment would have come easily.”

  “They were both arguing about what they were set to do,” Laura confirmed. “From what I could gather, neither wanted much to be there.”

  “But you fought them,” Alexander said. “Does that mean they are…”

  “Dead.” Laura finished the sentence for him. “There was no way to get out without getting their attention.” She looked at Logan ruefully. “And they fought to kill, too. It was either us, or them. If you knew him, Madison, I’m sorry.”

  Madison waved her aside. “There are more important matters now than long-forgotten acquaintances. He had thrown his lot in with the ones chasing you. In war, you do not mourn the casualties on the other side.” Her tone was surprisingly cold.

  “Now what?” Laura asked aloud. “Since we couldn’t get the letters, we’ve made no gains in finding where the elders reside.” She looked to Logan, then to Madison, and finally to Alexander. “Do we press on, or do we alter course?”

  “That is your choice, Laura,” Alexander reminded her gently. “You steer us the way we need to go.”

  Laura sighed. Since the meeting with the angels, where it had been revealed she was the prophesied one, everything had been ‘her choice.’ Every decision they’ve made so far, from coming back to the mill to look for the letters, to where the best place for camp was had been ‘her choice.’ It was as if all three of the vampires around her completely forgot their wits when it came to making decisions.

  “I know it’s my choice,” she emphasized strongly, “but as much as you might believe I am some destined one, I can tell you that that does not guarantee anything.” Alexander believed in the prophecy right when he was told it, and saw no other explanation than Laura being the one it spoke of. And he reminded her of it at seemingly every opportunity. “And as much as I wish I held some divine wisdom about our future path, I can tell you that I do not. Which is why I ask for your advice—” she motioned with her arm to take everyone in, “—when it comes to matters that might affect us all. You’ve all been alive much longer than me, and I’d be a fool not to make use of your experience.”

  Logan smiled at her lovingly, and squeezed her arm with his hand. He knew of the prophecy as well as Alexander had, but he still treated her exactly the same way as before. Well – maybe a little differently. After finding her in the underground marble chamber, transformation complete and all, he had taken on a slightly more challenging attitude towards her than she remembered. But she loved him for it. It kept her grounded, and always on her toes. If everybody were swooning around her like Alexander sometimes did, she would go absolutely crazy.

  “It seems to me,” Madison began, “that we have two options.” Madison also began treating Laura differently once the prophecy had been revealed. But it was a good type of different. She started relating to her as a grown woman, an equal of sorts, and respected her opinions – but at the same time was never shy about giving her own. “And both of them can lead us to the same goal: finding the elders’ stronghold, and taking the fight to them.

  “The first – and this is infinitely more risky – involves making an appeal for help. To other Vassiz we have known throughout our lives. We could start with the ones we trust the most – an oxymoron, I know – and hint vaguely at the beginnings of unrest under the elders’ rule. I could do it myself, even, through the dream.”

  “She is very good at persuading people,” Alexander said, smiling up at her.

  Madison cleared her throat. “Right.” Laura knew she didn’t like being interrupted. “We could become the force behind a type of political shadow, hinting and suggesting… but never outright saying anything that could get us indicted. Although,” she added slyly, “it’s not like Vassiz law ever had the need for formal proofs to be upheld.

  “Anyway, that’s the first option. Like I said, it’s infinitely more risky, and therefore much more problematic. What if, for example, someone we speak to holds a strong allegiance to the elders? Nobody knows the web of relationships that hold one Vassiz to another. So all we could do is hold our breath, and hope none that would stop us hears too much, but – at the same time – that those who might potentially support us understand enough to back us up.”

  “And the other option?” Laura asked.

  “The other option,” Madison said, “is to keep going forward. Undeterred, just as we planned on before. We continue towards the sanctuary that you and Logan found before.” That had been their plan all along – to go back and find the letters, then return to the sanctuary to see if Rafael had survived the horde. Laura prayed he had. He would be someone who could provide invaluable information, about the elders, about the prophecy, about the angels. About everything that they had discovered in the prior weeks. And – it was a last resort, one final hope –maybe he knew where the elders were. As Alexander had told her once, Rafael “knew more than all.” And if he survived, Laura was intent on finding him, and making use of that knowledge.

  “Are the two options in conflict with one another?” Laura asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, is there any reason why we could not pursue both at once? If, as you said, you would be able to do it through the dream – that means we could travel towards the sanctuary at the same time.”

  “The first option is too risky,” Logan interrupted. “It might give everything away. No matter how deft you may be, Madison, there is always the risk of being uncovered. And then we lose whatever advantage we have.
If word reaches the elders – even a whisper! – that a movement is growing amongst the Vassiz, they will take drastic steps to stop it. For now, all we can do is pray that they believe we are still running from their packs, and have not yet turned on the offensive. For if we lose that advantage…” he trailed off, shaking his head. “I do not want to imagine what might happen.”

  “Well, there’s Logan’s opinion,” Madison continued. “And in answer to your question, Laura, no, we could not do both at once. There is a … fault… in the dream realm, in that which those who know the dream well may sometimes glimpse your location in real life. For us to pursue the first option, we would have to not only split up, but also travel far in an opposite direction before we even dare to being. If I were to do it, and anybody were to realize I were in this area… it would turn all the packs on us quicker than you can snap your fingers.”

  “Split up?” Laura said, astounded at the suggestion. “No, that’s not something we can do. Our numbers are small as it were, and splitting the group would mean weakening them further.” She sighed. “It seems like that means there’s only one option that lies in front of us.”

  Chapter Six

  ~To Find the Tower~

  “These are the markings you saw?”

  Laura looked over to where Logan was standing. He was beside the white tower, the one that marked the area in front of the sanctuary. And he had just come up to it to inspect the symbols that were intertwined along its curvature.

  “Yes,” she said. “They are the same ones as were on the vault door down in the mine.”

  “Interesting.”

  When Logan and Madison had followed her and Alexander into the mines outside Nakusp, the vault door had already been open. And, as such, neither had seen the intricate symbols that rounded its outside curve. But Laura was certain that those symbols were the same as the ones on the white tower – the ones in that unknown script.