“Better to live a short and meaningful life than an eternity at the expense of others’ wellbeing and happiness,” Esme countered, drawing nods from all three boys.
Petra narrowed her eyes. “My dear, sweet Esme, you continue to occupy space in my vicinity. The least you could do is keep your mouth shut. Your voice alone irks me.”
“Don’t be mean to her!” Tudyk snapped. “She’s looking after us. She’s looking after Kalon, too. He’s—”
“Away with Trev, for now,” Esme interjected before the truth came out. Again, I breathed a sigh of relief, thankful for her quick thinking.
Petra eyed each of us carefully—particularly her sons—until her gaze settled on Moore. “Forgive me, my darlings,” she said. “There’s only so much I can change about myself after this long life I’ve had. I love you more than anything. That’s why I’m here.”
“Wait, did you say you disavowed the Darklings?” Moore asked, slightly surprised.
“Derek can confirm I am no longer their friend,” she said, giving me a sideways glance. Moore looked my way, and I was compelled to nod in agreement, though I wasn’t at all comfortable with Petra’s full statement.
“From what I witnessed, Danika was determined to kill Petra for the soul shard,” I admitted, noticing the high priestess’s relaxed expression. It faded when I drove my point home. “That being said, according to her own words, Petra then ran off to find you and transfer the shard to one of you, so you’d—”
“Die in her stead,” Ansel murmured. He glared at his mother. “Yeah, we heard that part. Loud and clear, before you got here.”
“It was a lie! How many times do I have to say it?” Petra groaned. “Come on!”
“What do you want from us?” Ansel shot back.
“You. My children back. My family,” she said, her shoulders dropping.
No one dared say anything. Petra seemed genuine, but I still couldn’t bring myself to believe a word that came out of her mouth. I kept myself on edge, hyper vigilant and analyzing her every gesture, making sure I didn’t miss anything.
“For what it’s worth, Petra has agreed to help us,” Sofia chimed in. “I’m not sure how useful her intel is, but I thought you boys would want to hear it from us.”
“And I’ve allowed them to shackle me and hold me here,” Petra added. “I’m really trying to do right by you this time.”
Ansel, Tudyk, and Moore took a moment to look at each other. They were close enough to be able to communicate without words, reading expressions and guessing thoughts. They’d grown up in a tightly knit environment, and such ease in connecting with one another seemed natural. Ansel, however, remained unconvinced.
“What do you expect from us going forward? Because I have a hard time considering you my mother at this point.”
Petra gasped, deeply hurt by his remark. “That was needlessly cruel.”
“It’s the truth. You might as well get used to it,” Ansel replied.
“I don’t expect anything from you,” she said. “I only ask that you give me another chance. And maybe a hug. It’s been a while since I’ve felt your embrace. Please.”
Ansel shook his head, but Tudyk and Moore were more open to the idea. Tudyk stepped forward hesitantly and placed his arms around Petra, holding her tight. He closed his eyes as she planted a kiss on his cheek, her face lighting in a smile as she breathed him in. I imagined a mother’s longing to feel her son’s embrace, and the interaction between them felt like the truth. Petra was genuinely thankful to receive his affection.
I doubted she’d really learned anything from her experiences, but she did love her children. That much was obvious. Moore came closer, and Tudyk stepped back, wiping tears with the back of his sleeve. Petra’s eyes widened, their expression bright and loving as they settled on Moore.
“My baby boy…”
“Please listen to Derek and Sofia,” Moore said, wrapping his arms around Petra’s neck. “Please, Mother. Enough with the lies and all the killing and stuff. Please.”
She whispered in his ear. I couldn’t hear a thing, but at the end of it, the boy nodded slowly and allowed her to kiss his cheek. He hugged her again, this time around the waist, but it didn’t last long, as Esme pulled Moore back rather aggressively. “What did you say to him?” she asked Petra.
“Oh, for… will you stop being such a pain in my ass?” The high priestess scoffed. “I told my son I love him, that’s all.”
“I’ll stop being a pain in your ass when you stop being such a conniving bitch. You know full well why we don’t trust you,” Esme retorted, resting a hand on Moore’s shoulder. The boy looked up at her.
“She’s telling the truth,” he mumbled. “She said she loved me more than anything, and that she’ll do whatever it takes to get me back in her life. That’s all.”
Esme nodded, then urged the boys to come with her outside. “We’ll talk to Derek and Sofia about visitation rights later, but for now, we must leave,” she replied. “Petra has a lot to tell us, and you have a shelter to finish, kiddos.”
The boys said goodbye to their mother, and she watched them leave the room. As soon as the door closed behind them, her expression shifted into something much more tense, darker, her gaze finding me. “Bring me a map, Derek.”
“I’m not letting you out of my sight for a single moment, but Sofia can help.”
My wife nodded. “Frankly, I’m glad to see you’re so compliant, Petra. There might be hope for you yet.”
I doubted it, but Sofia had a way of seeing the best in people. Maybe she was right. Maybe Petra had lied to Danika about her intentions in a bid to buy herself time and a chance to escape from the imperial palace. Maybe she was remorseful with regard to her son. It wasn’t impossible to believe her. It was hard, but not impossible.
While Sofia was fetching a map, silence settled over the room. Petra and I stared at each other for a few minutes. There weren’t any words left between us, only a sea of disdain and distrust. As long as we got something useful out of this conversation, I’d be content. And if it didn’t come back to bite us in the ass, I’d be downright happy.
Ridan
Equipped with new intel from Derek, our crew moved north. We kept our distance from populated areas as Kelara helped us jump across dozens of miles at once with her death magic. We’d agreed to fragment the journey beyond Azten in order to assess the land and spot any hostiles along the way. The last thing we needed was a repeat of Dieffen.
We walked along the wide path leading up the snowcapped mountain. The nights were cold out here, and the chill seeped into my bones, making me shiver. My inner fire burst once in a while, sending heatwaves through my body and relaxing my muscles. Amane stayed close, constantly looking around, her orange gaze analyzing every single detail.
Trev walked behind us with Soul and Kelara. In about a hundred feet, we’d jump again, since I could already see the fork in the road up ahead.
“Does this remind you of Strava in any way?” I asked Amane.
She gave me a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you’re back in the wild, constantly looking over your shoulder, hunting, defending yourself, fighting for your life,” I replied. “Doesn’t it bring back feelings of a bygone era?”
“Yeah, sort of. At least Strava was nice and hot. It’s absolutely freezing here,” she grumbled, and I put an arm around her shoulders.
“Hang in there. We’re almost at the cabin.”
Soul chuckled. “Your optimism is adorable.”
“And your snark is overrated,” Kelara retorted, stifling a grin.
“Is any of Petra’s intel verifiable?” Trev asked. Ever since we’d heard about Petra’s arrival, there had been an air of tension between us. It wasn’t aimed at each other—it was just a generally unpleasant vibe. We were all the way out here, while Petra had made it inside Roano. That fiend was up to something, I could feel it. Knowing that Derek was keeping an eye on her did take some of the edge
off. “I can understand the Whips changing their positions and safe houses because I know too much, but how can we be sure that Petra is sending us in the right direction? What if we’re walking into a trap?”
His concern was natural, and we all shared it. But at the end of the day, risks had to be taken. In the absence of better information, we had to try to find out whether Petra was telling the truth. Ancient fir-like trees rose around us, their rich, dark green crowns loaded with snow. The bark was thick, almost black, and various furry creatures had found shelter in its nooks and crannies. I could feel their beady little eyes following us as we moved.
Silence dominated the area. I figured it was too cold for us to worry about any predators, until I spotted a large silhouette slumping somewhere to our left. I stopped, forcing the others to come to a halt, as well. “What’s that?” I whispered.
The creature raised its head from the base of a tree, its snout covered in snow. It looked like a bear, but it was twice the size of an American grizzly, and its claws were huge. It didn’t seem at all interested in us. Steam rolled from its nostrils as it dug back in, sniffing and searching for something.
“Fascinated by the local wildlife, I see,” Soul muttered as we resumed our walk up to the fork in the road.
“It’s a black barnum,” Trev said. “They usually dig for roots, mushrooms, and other fruits of the earth. They eat fish and any small animals they can catch, but they’re pretty slow. Their claws look intimidating, but they usually keep to themselves.”
I didn’t want to give Soul any satisfaction, but I had definitely developed a fascination for wildlife ever since Strava. From the moment I’d first laid eyes on turquoise tigers, I’d been mesmerized by what nature could design in different parts of the universe and under different conditions. Earth’s fauna was just as fascinating, and I was convinced Visio had treasures of its own in the animal kingdom. Because I was a dragon, a connection to Mother Nature and the beasts she bore had always been there.
“Here it is,” Kelara said as we reached the fork.
Splitting in opposite directions, the path gave us an option. If we took the left turn and followed the snaking trail up the eastern slope, we’d eventually reach the other side of the mountain and continue through other populated areas. But our business was to the right, where the path vanished between a rich underbrush of silvery and dark green ferns. The forest floor, much like the trees and the bushes, was covered in a thick layer of snow. There wasn’t a single footprint in sight.
In fact, the only thing that defined the trail toward Ramus’s cabin were the jagged stone markers that poked out from the pristine white blanket. This was an empty place except for the forest and the animals that considered it home. No one had been here in a while.
“Kailani’s team is headed east, deeper into the central mainland,” I said after getting a brief message from her via the comms system. “They’re following up on Lyriana Amos, apparently. Petra gave them a location for her, as well.”
“I just hope the high priestess is being truthful,” Trev replied, doubt etched onto his features as he checked our surroundings. “If Ramus is somewhere around here, shouldn’t there be a sign of some kind?”
“What, like footprints in the snow? I doubt it,” Amane said. “Remember, they use death magic to move around.”
Kelara took my hand, and I held Amane’s. Once we were all linked, she used her scythe to zap us farther up the snowy path and deeper into the woods. Soul was taking it easy in terms of death magic, since he was directly connected to the interdimensional pockets that held Valaine and the others. We’d use him in case of emergency, but Kelara was happy to handle the small stuff.
I’d never get used to traveling this way. The jump disintegrated me entirely, then put me back together somewhere else. It felt strange to be stripped down to atoms, only to be reassembled later, without a single hair in the wrong place.
“The cabin,” Amane murmured, staring ahead.
We could all see it rising from the snow. It had been built from some kind of dark wood. It looked sturdy, with a tall roof covered in gray shingles. This must’ve once been a clearing, since the house seemed fully integrated into its environment. Trees grew tall around it, and magnificently large shrubs guarded the corners. A set of narrow wooden stairs led up to the porch. The door was closed, and I didn’t spot any movement in the windows.
Trev’s nose picked up something. “Someone’s in there,” he whispered. “There’s an acrid stench of fear and adrenaline.”
“Maybe it’s Ramus, soiling his pants,” Soul quipped.
A thin thread of smoke rose from the chimney.
“Either way, we’re going in there,” Kelara said, making herself invisible. Soul followed suit, while Trev, Amane, and I swallowed invisibility pills and donned red garnet glasses. Moments later, we crossed the small open area, our boots sinking into the snow. My muscles were a little sore. I hadn’t done much winter hiking lately, and the mountain was not the friendliest I’d come across, even for the short distances we’d traveled on foot.
We reached the front door and spread out, checking each window as we went. Someone was indeed inside. A figure sat huddled in front of a small fire. Judging by the layers of velvet and fur he’d wrapped himself in, along with the many gold rings and bracelets he wore, we were definitely dealing with Ramus Malfas.
Soul revealed himself outside the door before nodding my way. “Care to do the honors?”
“Thought you’d never ask,” I replied with a smirk, eager to make up for my Dieffen fumble. Amane had repeatedly assured me there was nothing I could’ve done to create a better outcome under the circumstances, but I’d still gotten myself injured, and my ego required some satisfaction. Handing Ramus’s ass to him sounded like the perfect antidote to my lingering frustrations.
I kicked the door down, and it splintered into small pieces that flew across the room. Ramus yelped and jumped to his feet, stumbling backward to get as far away from us as possible.
“Morfuris,” I muttered, making myself visible. Trev and Amane appeared on either side, flanking him with their pulverizer weapons, while Kelara stood by the fire. Soul walked up next to me, smiling.
“I do like some good old-fashioned violence once in a while,” he said, clearly amused.
“That was awesome,” Amane added, giving me a playful wink.
“Who the hell are you?” Ramus croaked, nervously eyeing the weapons.
Kelara sighed. “Give him a minute. He’ll catch on.”
“Oh no.” His eyes bulged with horror. “You’re the outsiders.”
“There we go,” Kelara replied dryly.
“You’re coming with us,” I told Ramus, but he shook his head.
“No. You’re going to kill me, and I don’t want to die,” he said, sweat dripping from his pale face. “I know three of us are dead already. Danika’s coming for me. If you were able to find this place, then so will she. I have to leave.”
“We can protect you,” I insisted, though my crew knew I was lying. We had no intention of keeping him or any of the other Whips alive for much longer. Spirit’s soul shards had to be retrieved, so the other First Tenners could find a way to destroy them before anyone could use them for nefarious purposes. The only shard that would survive was Thayen’s. The boy deserved a better life than what he’d been forced into so far. “Come with us, and Danika won’t be able to touch you.”
Ramus’s eyes turned to dark slits as he looked at me. “I heard about your mistakes in Dieffen. How can I possibly trust you with my safety? This whole thing has already gone far enough, and I refuse to die for the Spirit Bender. I’m a devout Darkling, but… this is too much.”
“Then tell us how to stop Danika. She’s got three shards already,” Trev said. “If you help us, we can help you.”
“Danika hasn’t caught us yet,” Amane added. “Dieffen didn’t go as planned, but we survived it. We got out. Even now, your Master of Darkness is looking for us. Tru
st me, we can hide you well.”
Ramus blinked rapidly as he tried to take it all in. He couldn’t stop looking at the pulverizer weapons, and Trev caught on to his obvious curiosity. “This will turn anything to ashes in an instant,” he said. “Ramus, we have the means to keep you safe. Work with us, and we’ll find a way for you to survive this war.”
“What… what do you want to know, exactly?” Ramus asked, though he had yet to surrender. I wasn’t sure he’d be foolish enough to try attacking us, but I wouldn’t put it past him, either. A cornered animal was unpredictable and dangerous. I had to treat Ramus accordingly, so I took several steps forward in a bid to assert myself.
“How do we stop Danika from resurrecting the Spirit Bender? Can the soul shards be extracted or destroyed in any way? Do you know where the other Whips are? And last, but certainly not least, we’ll need to know all the death magic spells the Whips and the Master of Darkness have access to. The more we learn about the enemy, the better prepared we’ll be,” I said.
“You want to go after my people,” Ramus retorted, suddenly alarmed.
“Your people are the ones who are trying to kill you, Ramus,” Kelara interjected. “We’re only looking to help, provided you help us first. Doesn’t that seem like a fair deal?”
He thought about it for a few moments, his gaze never still for longer than a second. I didn’t like the extreme agitation he was displaying. The sweat and the heavy breathing. For someone who’d been sitting quietly in front of a crackling fire, Ramus looked as though he’d just run a marathon up and down the mountain. Something was off.
“Yeah… I’ll tell you whatever you need to know, just don’t let Danika get to me. I heard whispers about Danika having put her shard in someone else, but I’m not sure how that’s done, and I don’t have any time left to figure it out. She’s coming for my piece.”
A Shade of Vampire 84: A Memory of Time Page 19