Silver Flame (Vampire Girl #3)(49)

I try to remember the things he speaks of, but all I get are flashes. Flashes of a caring brother slipping me an ace under his sleeve. Tending to a wounded knee. I do not have words for what he has shared, so instead I raise a cup to Dean.

We toast.

I try to say something. Anything. "I—"

The door opens.

A gust of wind rushes in.

And I turn to see the two men who just arrived. The important guest we have awaited.

Asher.





Chapter 10


SHADOW AND FLAME


"There will be many pits of ash this night. Many new graves dotting the landscapes beyond, some marked, others not. Many empty homes and hearts that once were full. And in the end, there will be more war. This is what I have wrought. I am the Prince of War. I am the Prince of Death."

—Fenris Vane



My days are filled with helping Seri in the Healing Tree and my nights training with Varis. He teaches me spells to enhance my senses, and we track a rabbit in the forest. It takes me half a day, but eventually I begin to see prints where before I only saw mud. I smell fur where before I could only make out flowers. And by the time the sun sets, I find the bunny in a field, resting. We do the same exercise the next day. And the next.

Sometimes, when I have time, I visit Es and Pete.

Their first few days in the Moonlight Garden, they stayed to the palace, but as time went on I noticed them exploring further. Es found the training yard and started practicing the sword. Sometimes, when Varis or Seri can spare me, I help her with the basics, and she learns quickly. I notice the soldiers taking a liking to her, and they help out with more advanced techniques, especially when I’m not around. Soon, Es is close to surpassing my level, and we boast about who would win in a serious match.

Meanwhile, Varis takes an interest in Pete, and I see them meditating together at dawn. Other times, I catch Pete in the library with Baldar, reading books on herbs and brewing potions. He’s always had a sense about the magical, and now that he can experience it first hand, I see him happier than I have in a long time.

About two weeks after arriving in the Pleasure Palace, my sleeping potion runs out, and I find Baldar’s shop by the lion fountain. It's a quaint little place, tucked away between a book store and a pottery shop. Green vines cover the white walls, and blue lanterns flicker inside. When I enter, Yami flying around me, a bell signals my arrival, and I’m assaulted by all manner of aromas, some pleasant and others less so.

Baldar stands on a ladder, placing a decorative dagger on a high shelf, when he notices me. "Ah, so good to see you again, my dear." The short Fae descends the ladder and greets me with a formal bow. "Anything I can help you with?"

"The sleeping potion. I’d like to buy more."

He nods, his face red and happy. "Ah, yes of course. I’ll have to brew a new batch, but it’ll only take a moment." He walks behind the counter, where lay all sorts of pestles and cauldrons. Then he grabs different herbs from various jars and begins to grind them into powder.

I study his shop as he works, admiring the different fossils that adorn his walls, and the ceremonial weapons on his shelves. Pots and already-made potions lay scattered on tables, labeled with their names and uses. I see more love potions than any other and roll my eyes.

The doorbell rings, and I turn to see three men enter.

The three men who hanged Lars on the tree.

My hands tighten into fists, and I clench my jaw, trying to resist attacking them then and there. The big one, Roge, grabs a potion off a desk and sniff at the contents. "Bloody hell!" he says, making a disgusted face. He drops the vial and it shatters, spilling blue liquid on the floor. His friends laugh.

"How dare you!" I yell.

Roge turns, noticing me for the first time. He grins. "Oh, a fiery one. I like them fiery. You looking for any work, Shade?"

Shade. He refers to my illusion. "You will apologize to the shop keeper this instance and pay for that potion."

"Or…" Roge pretends to be dumbfounded. "We going to be in trouble? Oh, no…" His friends giggle at his antics.

That’s it. I’ve had enough.

I draw my sword, Spero. Half white and half black.

Yami screeches on my shoulder, though I know they can’t see or hear him.

The vampires laugh at my display.

They don’t laugh for long.

The room grows dark around us. The wind picks up. The earth begins to shake. Vials and pots shake, some crashing to the floor. A chill picks up in the air. And something stirs within me. Something dark.

"My lady!"

I barely hear the words.

"My lady!"

A little louder.

"My lady!" Baldar grabs my arm, and whatever possessed me begins to pass. The lights return and the wind dies down. The cold recedes and the trembling stops. I look around at the destruction I have caused, broken potions and cracks in the stone floor.

The vampires look too, and then they run.

I bury my face in my hands. Tears well in my eyes. "I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened."

"It’s alright, my dear. It’s alright." He takes my hands into his, smiling fondly. "Those vagrants were about to destroy my entire shop, maybe even assault me. You stopped them."

I motion all around me. "And nearly ruined your entire shop."