A Clash of Storms (A Shade of Vampire #50)(7)

Little did the Prince of Destroyers know, it was about to get worse for him on that end. Nevertheless, my heart tightened in my chest at the thought of Bijarki getting hurt. He’d gone through so much trouble just to get to me. It wasn’t fair.

But, then again, when is life ever fair where Azazel’s involved?

My mind battled the despair and shoved it into a dark corner. Phoenix was right. There was no time for emotional torment—it only gave Azazel satisfaction, and it did no good to the rest of us. I looked around the platform.

Abrille was still unconscious, probably sleeping or experiencing a vision. I couldn’t really tell with her, as she had been in full Oracle form from the very beginning, the white eyes and flitting runes a permanent part of her appearance. She had been weakened after passing her powers on to our mothers, but remnants of her Oracle nature were still there. We’d seen it in the way she’d managed to project herself to us, as well as in the visions she’d mentioned herself.

Something moved along the black marble floor, a few feet away from me. I brought my face closer to the glass and gasped as I recognized the small black viper slithering toward us.

“Patrik!” I called out, leaning into the bubble.

“What? Where?” Aida asked, glancing across the platform.

Her eyes widened when she noticed the little creature getting closer. It was good to see him, after what had happened. I’d feared he’d been captured as well, but, given his ability to shift into any snake size he wanted, it seemed like Patrik had safely gotten out of Nova’s room.

He stopped in front of my bubble and morphed into his Druid form, gloriously tall and… naked. He gave me a concerned look, while Aida and Phoenix groaned and covered their eyes.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake!” Phoenix croaked. “Couldn’t you have snatched some clothes on the way up here?”

Patrik raised his eyebrow as he looked at Phoenix.

“Of course, because there’s nothing less conspicuous than a small viper dragging a pair of pants around in a castle filled with Destroyers ready to crush its head,” he shot back bluntly.

Phoenix let out a heavy sigh and leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest and refusing to look at Patrik—like Aida. I was having a hard time with his naked form as well, but, given the circumstances, I was happier with this naked version of him than no Patrik at all.

“I’m sorry I left you and Bijarki there.” Patrik turned to me with a pained expression. “But I had no other choice. I couldn’t get caught, too…”

“I know, Patrik. Don’t feel bad,” I replied. “I would’ve done the same if I were you. But you’re here now, and that’s all that matters. Can you get us out of here?”

He placed his palms on the glass of my bubble and frowned, shaking his head.

“It’s much more powerful than my magic.” He sighed.

I counted eighty-seven tattoo bands on his arms. He was, by far, one of the most accomplished Druids who had fallen under Azazel’s control spell, but apparently still was not strong enough to break the glass spheres.

“What else can I do to help you all?” he asked.

“Serena and the others are coming for us tomorrow,” I told Patrik. “Jovi will come in from the east wing on the fifth level to get the little Daughter out. So, if you can find out where they’re keeping her, you can help him get to her.”

“Indeed.” He nodded energetically. “I’ll get her location and wait on the fifth level in the east wing for him, then. “I’m sorry he captured all of you…”

He looked at Aida and Phoenix when he said that. They slowly turned their heads to face him, trying not to look down at the rest of his body.

He moved back from the sphere, preparing to shift back into his snake form.

“Patrik, wait,” Aida said, and he stilled in response. “Damion and Thadeus are not your average Destroyers. They were part of a group of Druid students who were rescued from the Grand Temple on Persea, decades ago, when Azazel took over. They were taken to Marton, and kept a low profile until several of them ventured out on the western shore. Damion and Thadeus were captured by Destroyers there, and brought back to Azazel, but the others are still very much alive and kicking. They’ve joined the alliance, in fact, and will be coming here tomorrow.”

“They never said anything about their past lives,” Patrik mused, processing the information.

“Clearly, Damion and Thadeus kept their past on Marton to themselves,” I added. “Azazel doesn’t know about Ori, Malachy, and the others. Maybe you could use this information and get them to fight the control spell harder. Maybe you can help them break free. The more Druids we bring in against Azazel and his Destroyers, the higher our chances of success.”

Patrik took a deep breath, then nodded. “I’ll see what I can do,” he replied, before shifting back into his black viper form.

I watched him slither away, and I couldn’t help but put a little prayer out there into the universe, hoping he’d find out where Azazel kept Nova, and even persuade Thadeus and Damion to fight the spell, without getting caught.

In the meantime, there was nothing left for us to do but wait. I was afraid to try to summon visions of the future—not just because Azazel would then force me to tell him about them, but also because I wasn’t sure we’d changed anything for the better. The liquid I breathed was going to knock me out and push me into a set of visions anyway, but the longer I managed to delay it, the better.