“We were only…messing around,” said Valenthia, slowly standing up.
“Cirro says you were thinking of helping yourself to the blood of these beautiful wood sprites,” Rhonen said, trying to keep a straight face. It occurred to me that he knew it was a case of dark humour gone wrong but he continued to enjoy himself on our account.
“Val was just…being Val,” Natalie smiled sweetly as Valenthia stifled a scowl. Rhonen smiled and nodded. He called the sprite closer and whispered something in her ear and she buzzed something back to him.
“Alright, fair enough,” answered Rhonen, withdrawing his small, pearlescent moonstone from his pocket. “Each of you have to touch this.”
“Why?” asked Valenthia sceptically.
“It tells us if you come meaning any harm,” replied Rhonen holding out the crystal.
“Wow! How does it work?” asked Natalie drawing near.
“It changes colour. As you’re a vampire, I’m guessing that’s fine to an extent - as long as it doesn’t turn into a bloodstone,” he chuckled.
“Here goes nothing,” said Natalie, “wish me luck!”
“Good luck,” Rhonen winked. His eyes shone in the moonlight as he watched Natalie intently.
“Oh, please,” muttered Valenthia arching her eyebrows, although the glance she gave me carried more intrigue than annoyance.
Natalie reached out and touched the moonstone with her index finger but quickly pulled it away as the crystal lit up for a split-second, “Did you see that?” she asked flustered.
“It’s okay,” I said instinctively, knowing that magic-touched crystals always responded that way. We watched on, including Cirro who hovered at a safe distance behind Rhonen’s shoulder and the moonstone began to develop a slightly pinkish hue. After about a minute, it still looked light pink.
“Oh,” said Natalie.
“Clearly not a Sanguine,” said Rhonen, “in fact, I’d say this is even mild for a Novus – what do you say, Cirro?” I saw Cirro, throw back her tiny head and perch her hands firmly on her hips. “Okay, then – moving on, who’s next?” asked Rhonen, enclosing the moonstone in his palm and causing it to go back to its original shade. I noticed the rest of the class beginning to return. Some of them were still in their shifted wolf forms while others had morphed back and I recognized a handful of them. Ulric walked up to us, having shifted back into himself and gave me a questioning look.
“I can go,” I offered as Professor Norden re-surfaced wearing the same expression as Ulric.
“What’s going on here?” he asked Rhonen, frowning at the moonstone held out in his hand.
“Our new resident vamps have stirred up a bit of trouble with our noble wood sprites,” he answered, not bothering to hide his amusement. Rhonen appeared to be the only one who didn’t seem to get the potential seriousness of what he was doing. Him and Natalie, who was treating it as an opportunity to give him flirty or rather, smitten looks.
“Go ahead,” nodded Professor Norden for Rhonen to continue. And I’d hoped he’d shut down what was going on. I stepped forward, ready to place my finger on the crystal.
“Nah, it’s fine, you’re half Crystal Witch so it’ll only pick up on that anyway,” said Rhonen. For some reason I was relieved that I hadn’t had to touch it. Maybe it was because of my murderous intentions towards Kellum Bathory. Or maybe there was something deeper, stirring within that made me nervous. Like the spite I felt towards certain witches and warlocks in the S.L.A. that made it impossible for me to know anymore, where I really stood.
“I take it that when you asked us who was next, it was a rhetorical question then?” said Valenthia, sulkily. She came forward and touched the moonstone. Again, the crystal let off a flash of light and began to develop the pink hue that it had before.
However, this time it continued to deepen as we watched it and I began to feel uneasy, willing it not to turn into that deep crimson tone that came about when beings were truly dark-blooded through and through. I felt us all collectively holding our breath as we waited to see what colour it stopped at. I wondered why my friends couldn’t have done this test – which is what it was – in the privacy of Principal Silverstone’s office instead. I guess they’d trusted us and my big and self-righteous mouth had gone and dropped my friends in it by asking too many questions. And now I had another. If the moonstone did turn the wrong colour, what would happen to my friend who’d turned her back on everything, to help me?
Chapter 10
“Val, I’m so sorry!” I called, as I ran after Valenthia who was widening the distance between us, ignoring me completely. Natalie traipsed after us as we headed towards our dorm room.
“Val, Kat, let’s talk about it!” she called, her voice echoing off the marble walls.
“There’s nothing to talk about!” Valenthia called, finally halting outside our door as she fumbled with the handle trying to get it open.
“Well, at least you’ve finally stopped,” I said, wearing what must have looked like a fully idiotic smile.
“I stopped because there’s a door in my way!” hissed Valenthia, getting the door open and disappearing inside, banging it shut behind her.
“Why don’t we just leave her alone for a while?” suggested Natalie.
“I had no idea it would turn into such a big thing!” I huffed, slumping down against the door.
“It could be worse,” said Natalie, deliberately keeping her voice down so Valenthia wouldn’t hear her, “it’s not like she’s been suspended from the academy or anything.”
“But she’s forbidden from entering Silver Scape,” I moaned, “we are meant to use it to safely orient ourselves with what the route to and around Cachtice looks like. And now, I’ve gone and ruined it. I should’ve realized she was joking. Of course, she’s hungry – we’re all hungry.”
“You and I can still use Silver Scape,” soothed Natalie, “but that moonstone did turn quite red, didn’t it? It definitely wasn’t crimson but I can understand how they don’t want to take any chances. And, Ulric can use it. Val can follow us when we do go outside to the real forest.”
“You guys came here to help me and I’m the one who’s let you down,” I sighed, “and that too, let’s face it because of some impulsive plan to avenge my mom.”
“I’d be doing exactly the same in your shoes – we all would,” offered Natalie.
“Because all of you were raised with a mom,” I said, “I’ve just realized how pathetic it is. I keep calling her my mom, like we were besties my whole life. Her name was Sophie-Anne. Let’s face it, I barely got to know her. What right do I even have calling her my mom?”
“You have every right,” replied Valenthia’s muffled voice from the other side of the door. I turned around and she gently opened it. She came outside and joined us on the cool marble floor.
“I’m so sorry,” I said bursting into tears as we hugged.
“I don’t exactly have a perfect record, do I?” replied Valenthia, “I did once drink the blood of your adoptive mom.”
“She deserved it,” I said laughing as my two friends laughed along too.
“I still can’t believe that after everything you did to save her life, you really never heard back from her or that other one,” said Valenthia.
“Nope. And as Safi said, Lorna was always a snooty madam but Babette turned out to be the real treat,” I replied. For the first time since it had happened, calling things as they were didn’t stab me in the heart. It still irked me but not like it used to. So much had gone down that I found I no longer related to the life I’d had back when I was a plain little Crystal Witch – who had barely been a witch at all. In fact were it not for drinking blood, I likely would never have come into my witching magic. “We need blood,” I said getting an idea.
“Yep,” sighed Natalie and Valenthia.
“I might know how I can make contact with the Sanguine Guild and score us some blood.”
“How?” asked Valenthia sitting up so fast that
her violet hair tossed back off her shoulders as though a gust of wind had hit it.
“Moldark,” I replied, “I can call out to him. He talked about how impressed he was with the Sanguine Guild and wanted to join it some day.”
“But he’s a Sanguine vamp who attends St. Erzsebet’s Academy,” said Natalie warily, “the same academy we’ve fled and are probably on the most-wanted list of.”
“I know Moldark was full of himself but that one time I went out with him, we talked and…”
“Oh yes, the date – where he wanted to impress you,” said Valenthia, stifling a smirk.
“For the last time, it wasn’t a date,” I argued, taking a deep breath as I realized we were already off track, “what I was going to say was, he seemed very different in person than he was in class.”
“Okay, so what would be your plan?” asked Natalie. I could tell she wasn’t on board but was humouring me to point out the flaw with what I was suggesting.
“Obviously I’d meet him somewhere way outside of Silverstone Academy,” I began, “and before you say that he’ll go off and tell our former profs, I really don’t think he would for two reasons.”
“Which are?” asked Natalie.
“One, because he’s got too many tickets on himself to be a snitch. And, because our profs already know, we’re here. Think about it – they know where Kellum Bathory is and I said in front of everyone that I was going after him.”
“I have to admit, you might be right,” agreed Natalie.
“But they don’t know exactly where we are,” said Valenthia thoughtfully, “if we meet up with Moldark, he could bring Dark Legion vamps with him – you know, we might very well be a reward, especially you Kat.”
“Hmm,” said Natalie, “even for a Sanguine, that would be Kellum Bathory’s level of evil. I think Moldark likes Kat too much to sell her out like that.”
“I agree, I don’t think he’s that dark – yet. And, ha-ha very funny,” I protested, “speaking of which, let’s talk about you for a change,” I said as Natalie looked away with a distinct blush on her cheeks.
“Yes, let’s!” agreed Valenthia, perking up even more.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” groaned Natalie, smiling into the ground.
“No seriously, Rhonen – could he be more obvious?” I asked.
“He couldn’t,” quipped Valenthia.
“Fine, I admit it. He’s cute,” said Natalie, “and that accent!”
“We need to find out if he’s single!” said Valenthia.
“And then we can get Ulric to set you up,” I added.
“I’m not going to pretend I wouldn’t love that,” replied Natalie with a giggle.
I nodded, relieved that the conversation had been diverted from the topic of my meeting up with Moldark. Seeing Natalie and Valenthia talking about something fun made for a pleasant change as well. It had been far too long and life was getting complicated. I decided that I would be the only one meeting with Moldark – and soon – and as much as everyone would hate me for it, I wouldn’t tell them until I had a lead on the Sanguine Guild and some blood for the three of us. I especially wouldn’t tell Ulric who would definitely detest my plan and want to come with me.
***
“I still feel so guilty that Val couldn’t come with us,” I whispered as Natalie, Ulric and I trekked through Silver Scape once more. This time Ulric had been allowed to skip a class and come with us to practice for the real task at hand, which was to be intimately familiar with this part of the forest outside of the academy.
“Mm-hmm,” mumbled Natalie as we stopped at the thick bark of a tree. Although Ulric had shifted into his werewolf form, Natalie and I weren’t streaming like we would ideally have liked to do to cover ground quickly. We could barely stream right now as we were so lacking in the one nutrient that guaranteed a good stream. This is why I would meet Moldark alone. My friends were in no condition to brave the ruggedness of Unterlicht Forest. At least I could use my magic and conjure an invisibility shield – or I assumed I could. “This tree makes for a good landmark,” suggested Natalie.
“Yes,” I agreed, “so do you really think Val’s forgiven me?”
“I think so.”
“I just hate to think of her all cooped up in our room while we’re out and about. And, she’s not really interested in hanging out with Sibel and the others either, so I still feel bad.”
“No, I’m sure she’s fine, I mean, she will be fine – you get it,” replied Natalie, looking shiftily at Ulric who averted his gaze the moment I looked at him.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing,” said Natalie looking off into the distance while Ulric tried to scamper away.
“Ulric, come back here now!” I yelled, ready to run after him. Luckily, he stopped and turned to look at me. Werewolf or not, that look was laced with guilt. Ulric tossed his head towards Natalie.
“This isn’t fair, Ulric,” said Natalie, “you can’t get away so easily because you’ve turned yourself into a wolf. Kat’s right, you need to get back here.”
“What’s not fair?” I asked, beginning to realize something smelled very fishy.
“Nothing!” said Natalie, too quickly, staring desperately at Ulric who responded by making a low gruff sound and starting to vibrate as his body began to shift back.
“You two have some explaining to do,” I replied when he was back and standing in front of me.
“Go on,” said Natalie.
“Val was really peeved about being cooped up while we came here exploring and sensing the place out,” said Ulric.
“I thought she wasn’t mad at me anymore?”
“She’s not,” assured Natalie, “but she didn’t want to stay inside either.”
“So, she’s been exploring by herself,” said Ulric.
“Where – we’ve been here twice without her now?” I asked, having an inkling and wanting it to be wrong.
“The real forest outside the academy,” replied Ulric, “Unterlicht Forest.”
“Alone?” I asked, feeling my body start to flush.
“Professor Norden wanted to go with her,” Natalie tried to placate me.
“But he didn’t?” I wanted to tear into both of them. Ask them what kind of friends they were for simply letting her venture on her own, risking her life. I was mad at Rhonen for ever testing how dark blooded they were and I was upset with Valenthia for being so stupid. But most of all, I was upset with myself.
“Principal Silverstone thought that going with her would draw more attention and place them both at risk because, when do Sanguines ever hang out with Silver Shadow werewolves?” said Ulric.
“Plus, because Val’s Sanguine, she could easily pretend to be allied with the Dark Legion if she’s alone. She could even say she’s following a lead and hunting Silver Shadows in the area,” added Natalie.
“But she could be questioned,” I said, “and it won’t take much to verify that she’s not a student at Cachtice Academy. And, as we well know, she’s hungry – barely able to stream.” Principal Silverstone and her so-called wisdom was starting to sound a little too much like Pearl. Maybe the Silver Shadows weren’t as tolerant as they’d first appeared and wanted to do away with the vamps?
“She’s not been going far,” offered Natalie.
“I’m sure she’s back safe by now,” said Ulric.
I turned around and began making my way out of Silver Scape. I took big strides, knowing that dark had also fallen in this part of the world outside the academy. It was stupid but I felt that if I could find my way back to our dorm, I could prevent anything from happening to Valenthia if she’d returned. If she hadn’t, I’d freak out. Ulric and Natalie followed behind me and I couldn’t help but think that maybe they saw the truth of what I was saying as well.
“What are you going to do?” asked Ulric, matching my pace.
“Kill her for being so dumb,” I replied.
“She needs to go outside, if she’s ever
to launch any kind of strategic attack with you, I mean us,” retorted Ulric.
“Whatever,” was the best answer I could come up with. The wood sprites that had been hovering around us at a safe distance reacted to my speed, which was way less than streaming, by disappearing altogether. I reached the entrance to the academy which happened to be situated inside the hollow of a large tree trunk and stepped inside, feeling a weight in my stomach. I ran through the halls and straight towards the girl’s dorm with Ulric and Natalie tagging behind me. I looked up for her every time someone passed me and gave me that curious look to ask why I was so panicked.
We eventually reached our room and I found myself apprehensive to open the door. If Valenthia was there, I’d confront her and she’d retort back that it was my fault she’d ended up outside – which it totally was. And if she wasn’t in our room, then I’d go looking for her. And if anyone tried to stop me, I’d lose it.
I stood there and as I was about to turn the handle, the door opened and Valenthia stood aside to let me in. “You went to the forest outside,” I said, before I’d had the time to think about it.
“I did,” replied Valenthia plainly. She didn’t defend it and nor did she attack me for her choice.
“I’m coming with you next time,” I found myself saying. And, I meant it. Natalie and Ulric wandered into the room as well, probably checking that I wasn’t about to start an argument.
“Everything okay?” asked Ulric.
“Yeah,” I said, “but Val going out like that has brought up an important point for me. I need to start getting familiar with the outside myself.”
“But Kat,” said Ulric.
“Nope, you’ll be going out soon too, right?”
“As a pack with the Silver Shadows, not as a couple of students going out by ourselves.”
“But it’s okay for Val to go out, completely by herself?” I challenged.
“I didn’t say it was,” said Ulric, coming closer to me, as if it would enforce his point better.
“Then why am I the only one waiting around?” I asked, “I’m not here for some supernatural student exchange program, I’m here to get justice for my mom.”
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