The Vampire Gift 2: Kingdom of Ash

by E. M. Knight

  The move takes her by surprise. I crash into her and we both go to the floor. The protective spell she cast winks out. The wind from the tornado howls around us. A menacing force radiates out from that creature, and I feel its triumph as keenly as if it were my own.

  “Stupid girl!” Morgan screams. “You’ve doomed us, you’ve—“

  She doesn’t get to finish. Because at that moment, a blurred shape moves from beyond us and slams the door to the iron bunker closed.

  The magic storming inside the room immediately cuts off. I come to myself, realize what I am doing—I gasp and scramble off the Queen.

  She dives for her staff, which I’ve inadvertently knocked away. With it in her hands, she mutters a powerful spell. It surrounds the iron shell of the bunker. Morgan’s incantation grows louder as she draws on as much of the latent magic around us as possible.

  There’s a loud crash like a thunderbolt. It’s accompanied by a massive explosion of blinding light. The whole underground caverns trembles.

  When I open my eyes the bunker is gone. Only the faintest bit of ash remains on the ground where it once was.

  Morgan is leaning against her staff, gasping for breath. I’m struck dumb in momentary shock. I look at the third member of our company, and realize that it’s Smithson.

  He was the one who had slammed the door.

  Morgan catches her breath and turns on me. She looks more vindictive than I’ve ever seen her.

  I take a trembling step away.

  “So it’s true,” she says finally. “I only had a suspicion before. But this confirms it.”

  Her voice is laced with deadly potency. “What’s true?” I whisper.

  “It is as I feared.” She takes one more step toward me, holding out her staff. “Your Spark has been tainted in your youth. You are a dark witch.”

  And then she strikes the staff against the ground, and a blistering pain explodes in my head. I cry out and fall to the floor. But before I even hit it, silver chains lash out from Morgan and bind me tight.

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  JAMES

  “We have a way in.” Beatrice’s voice brings me from my uneasy slumber. “It’s time to prove your loyalty to your King.”

  I look at her through the bars of my holding cell. “Father sends you,” I say. My voice is full of disdain.

  “Do you have trouble taking orders from a woman?”

  “When I don’t know who that woman is, or where her loyalties lie? Yes, I’d say it’s a daunting prospect.”

  She laughs. “Look around you, James. Look at where you are. Consider your position. You have no friends in The Crypts. You are only alive because of the mercy of your Father… and the trust he shows in me.”

  “So I owe my life to you, is that what you’re saying?”

  Beatrice comes closer to the bars. Her face looks hollow, but at the same time hauntingly beautiful, as the shadows dance across it.

  “That, my darling, is exactly what I’m saying.”

  I pick myself up. “What will you have me do?”

  “A delegation from a neighbouring coven is being led into The Haven in three days. They are your ticket in.”

  “Impossible,” I sneer. “The Haven has not opened its doors to any of its neighbors in hundreds of years. Whatever information you have is wrong. Mother would never risk it.”

  “Desperate times…” Beatrice says. She finishes with a shrug. “You know how it is. Things change, James. The world will pass you by if you are not watchful.”

  “Fine,” I grunt. “I believe you. Tell me what I have to do.”

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  RAUL

  “You did WHAT?” I demand, my anger flaring.

  No—the emotions I feel are worse than anger. Much, much worse. They’re a poisonous mix of hatred and disbelief and rage and above all… Horror. Utter terror.

  Tinged with helplessness.

  “Eleira displayed characteristics that make her a danger to The Haven. To the vampires, to the humans, to our entire way of life. Until we can be sure of her…” Mother pauses, “… stability? She will remain in the silver cell.”

  I can’t believe it. My whole world feels like it’s come crashing down on itself.

  “I will not let you keep her there,” I growl, stalking up to her. “This is your fault! You were supposed to be teaching! Not abandoning her when things became rough.”

  “Rough? You dare call what I witnessed rough?” Mother’s voice goes up. “My son, you were not there. She is a dark witch. Her Spark has been corrupted. She opened a portal to the underworld. Something much worse than a Narwhark tried to climb out. Only through Smithson’s quick thinking were Eleira and I able to escape with our lives. Only because of him I was able to act fast enough to banish the horrendous creature before it could devastate our lands.”

  “If her Spark has been corrupted,” I say softly, “uncorrupt it.” I take a menacing step to the Queen. “If—“

  “That’s far enough,” Smithson tells me, coolly placing a hand on my shoulder.

  I glare at him. Full of spite, full of venom, full of hatred, I glare. If it were just Mother and me here, perhaps I could make her see reason. But no, she had to have the Captain Commander of her guard with her.

  “That’s all right,” Mother coos. “He’s just upset his precious girl is not who she pretends to be.”

  “You say that as if it’s her fault!” I explode.

  “Of course it’s her fault,” the Queen contests. “She’s had exposure to magic at some point before she got to us. It tainted her mind—the part of her being responsible for controlling the elemental forces that give right to magical ability. If I had known… if she had told me—”

  “You should have asked her!” I exclaim. “You should have been more careful with her! And now she—she’s suffering upstairs in that godforsaken holding cell because of you!”

  “Not because of me, my son. Because of herself. Because she cannot be trusted. Because all of it is outside of her control.”

  She turns away and walks to the bookshelf. She runs her hand along the rows of books before settling on one with a blood red cover.

  She pulls it out. The title is engraved in thick, gold letters—but it’s all in runes, and thus in a language I cannot read.

  “This is the last surviving copy of the Witch’s Covenant,” she informs me. “It lays out the rules of how a new witch is to be trained. It is—it was—a sacred text to the five great families. We devoted our lives to the teachings of this book. The rules governing witchcraft are clear.” She flips it open and points to a page. “One who is found tainted,” she quotes, “shall be deprived of all magical knowledge, shall not be taught, and shall be put in isolation until such time that all her abilities are leeched out of her.”

  Morgan looks at me. “You see? It’s quite clear what needs to be done.”

  The blood drains from my face. “What does that mean? ‘Leeches?’”

  “It’s simple,” Mother says. “Much as we drink the blood of humans, there are beings who feed on a witch’s magic. Eleira will be bound until one such is found. Then, she will be given a choice. Give up her magical abilities forever, or…” Mother’s eyes shine, “…die.”

  Chapter Fifty

  ELEIRA

  The silver surrounding me makes every breath I take a misery. The foul energy from the accursed metal pounds into me from all sides. It not only disorients me, but it makes me feel vulnerable, weak, sickly, confused…

  I remember little of the aftermath of my training with the Queen. All I know is she thought the tornado was my fault— and that the horrid creature attempting to crawl through the floor was my doing.

  The door to the cell rattles. I look up. A muffled curse comes from the outside.

  My heart leaps in my chest. I recognize that voice.

  “Raul?” I say, standing up—

  Instantly I wish I hadn’t. A savage bout of vertigo takes me, induced by the silver.
I sit back down, hard, and oomph.

  A moment later the view latch comes open. I see Raul’s beautiful green eyes shine through.

  “Eleira?” he calls. “Eleira, are you in there?”

  Morgan cast a spell that deflects the light in this room. For anybody looking in, I’m invisible.

  But that doesn’t mean I cannot use my voice.

  “Yes!” I say. I yearn to run to him, to press against the door and feel his presence on the other side… but I cannot.

  This spot in the center of the room is the only place I can stay in without suffering crippling nausea.

  “Where? Dammit, why can’t I see you?”

  “Your mother cast a spell,” I say. “It bends the light.”

  He curses again. “I’ll get you out of there, Eleira. I promise. I won’t have you ripped away from me again.”

  That’s such a sweet sentiment… but I’ve been through enough at the hands of these vampires to know it’s misplaced.

  “I don’t know if you can help me.” Melancholy fills my words.

  “Don’t say that!” Raul shouts. “Eleira—don’t. Don’t give up!”

  I blink through eyes that are suddenly moist. How many times must I be made prisoner? How many times must I find myself in a position of utter helplessness—even if I seemingly did not do anything wrong?

  I wipe at the tears angrily. “I’m not giving up,” I say. “I’m just realistic. What can you do? What can anyone do, when the Queen holds all the power?”

  “I will get you out,” Raul promises. “I hold it on my own life, on Phillip’s, on anybody’s who’s ever been important to me. I swear it. I’ll find a way.”

  A noise sounds from beyond him. “Someone’s here,” he says. “I’ll be back when I can.”

  And, without waiting for a goodbye, he slides the little panel shut. I’m left all alone in the room of icy silver once more.

  Chapter Fifty-One

  PHILLIP

  I stand next to my brother, half a step behind the Queen, as a marching procession of Wyvern Coven vampires flows down the main pathway of The Haven.

  They are a raggedly bunch—without order, without discipline. Their adopted coven name is a mockery of the great creature a wyvern represents.

  They march in a straight enough line, but so many of them look bedraggled, weak, and perhaps even… frightened?

  And why not? There isn’t a single one amongst them who matches us in power. These are the castaways, the unwanted, the ones who’d been kicked out of their original homes and banded together to as nomads.

  They are the gypsy wanderers of our time. And for some inane reason, Mother decided to open the doors of The Haven to them.

  I look behind me. All the vampires of our coven are here. The humans have been ushered back underground. They’ll remain there until the newcomers can familiarize themselves with the rules governing The Haven.

  There is undisguised hostility on the faces of all of The Haven’s vampires. From those of the Royal Court, to those of the regular rabble—none are pleased that the Queen opened up our home to them.

  Especially after sealing the wards and locking us in for weeks.

  The front of the line stops before the Queen. It takes a few moments for the disorganized vampires in the back to come to a standstill.

  “They are intimidated,” Raul whispers to me. “They don’t know if this is a trap or not.”

  “I agree. They’ve come out of desperation.”

  I look at the guards Smithson posted in the trees. All have their shining armor for display. It’s an ostentatious display of wealth compared to the primitive clothing of the Wyvern guards.

  “They brought coffins.” Somebody sneers from behind me. “How quaint.”

  I go on my toes and realize he’s right. At the very back of the line are row upon row of coffins, being carried by hand.

  “They must not know we’re graced by eternal night,” the speaker’s companion says.

  “How many do you think there are?” I ask Raul. “Two, three-hundred?”

  “More,” he answers. “Easily enough to match us. Where is Mother planning on housing them?”

  “I doubt they’ll be particular. Coming into The Haven should be enough of an honor for this bunch.”

  “It would be an honor for any vampire who know of us,” Raul grunts. “Too bad this is who we’re stuck with.”

  “Welcome!” Morgan steps forward and greets the three leaders of the delegation. “We are so grateful that you took us up on our offer of sanctuary. My Captain Commander has told me much about you in anticipation of your arrival. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

  A grizzled vampire with a long, disarrayed beard steps out of the trio and extends his arm. “The pleasure of meeting the mighty Queen of The Haven is all mine,” he says. “I am Collin. My two companions are Mark and Nestar.”

  Mark and Nestar give their greetings.

  “At first, we were not sure what to expect,” Collin admits. “But when Captain Commander Smithson assured us of your intentions… well, we could hardly refuse joining the most feared coven in existence.”

  “He’s lying,” I say. “Look at the way his eyes are shifting. He’s nervous. Something is wrong.”

  “He speaks like a snake,” Raul agrees. He turns his head slightly to me. “Is April safe?”

  “I snuck her out of the group of humans as they were led underground. She’s locked in my rooms.”

  “Good,” Raul says. “Because I have a feeling that if something goes wrong, the humans will be the first to—”

  A sudden gut-wrenching shriek comes from deep in the woods. My head spins toward it. It rings out for only a second before being cut off.

  Collin, Mark, and the rest of the new vampires instantly turn in its direction. Mother steps smoothly in front of them to block their view.

  “A misbehaving human,” she explains. “Nothing to concern yourselves with.” She looks at Smithson. “Have one of your guards check it out.”

  “That didn’t sound like a human scream,” I whisper to Raul.

  He nods in thought.

  Before Smithson can pick someone to investigate, Raul steps forward. “I’ll go,” he volunteers.

  A look of angry surprise flashes across Mother’s face. It’s quickly replaced by a fake smile. “My eldest son, ever the protector of The Haven,” she says to the newcomers.

  “I’ll join him,” I say.

  This time there’s no denying the look of displeasure that crosses the Queen’s face. “My second son,” she says curtly. “Forgive them, they have no tact for politics.”

  “We are not here to interfere,” Collin says. “Let them do as they wish. This welcome is more than enough.”

  Mother shoots me a scathing look, but then nods. “Very well.”

  In a second Raul and I take off into the trees.

  We run in the direction the scream came from.

  There, we stumble upon a ghastly sight.

  Patricia is bound to the trunk of a tree. Her clothes are in tatters. There is blood on the front of her shirt, pooling from a horrendous gash in her neck.

  Her head hangs limp, and her eyes are open… but unseeing.

  She’s dead.

  “No!” I gasp. “No, it can’t be!”

  Raul approaches the area carefully.

  “She was left here as bait,” he says. “But the trap was set improperly.”

  He picks up a rock, takes aim, and flings it at the spot just below the dead vampire’s feet.

  A silver net, just large enough to catch an animal the size of a bear, shoots down from the tops of the trees. It hits the ground and folds lamely in on itself.

  My brother and I share a concerned look. “The Narwhark,” I breathe.

  “I suspect so.”

  Raul creeps closer to the hanging vampire. He touches his fingers to her blood, then brings them to his lips.

  He spits it out immediately.

  �
��Tainted,” he says. He points at the cut across her neck. It’s savage and uneven and lethal, almost like somebody took a wood-axe to her throat. “No vampire would kill like this. You’re right. It was the demon.”

  “A failed attempt to capture it. Would Mother be desperate enough to try?”

  Raul shakes his head. “No. Not yet. Not if she knows what the demon is capable of.”

  “Then who? Smithson?”

  “He’s the only other one who knows about it. Maybe he thought this would help curry favor with the Queen.”

  I grunt. “He was keenly aware of her hatred for Patricia.” I look away. I can’t take the sight of her lifeless body.

  Raul places a hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

  “I saved her,” I say softly. “I gave up my ideals to grant her life. And she ends up being… slaughtered… like this.”

  I spit in disgust. “Let’s get her down. No vampire deserves to be seen like this.”

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  RAUL

  An enormous feast is hosted for the visiting vampires later that night. It takes place in the middle of the village, where most of the homes have already been rebuilt. All of The Haven vampires attend. It’s an unusual opportunity for members of the Incolam to mingle with both the elite and the Royal Court.

  Mother had kegs and kegs of blood brought out from her personal stores—the ones separate from the blood banks. They are mixed with wine, so that as we drink, tongues become looser, inhibitions are abandoned, and friends more easily made.

  There is music playing and dancing. I get asked to dance by more than my fair share of pretty female vampires. It is a rare chance for them to attach themselves to the Prince.

  I turn each offer down. My thoughts are solely on Eleira, suffering in that horrible holding cell.

  I’ve been weighing my options all day. If I break her out, I’d be going directly against Mother—again. And I’ve already exhausted her reservoir of goodwill for me.