A Den of Tricks (A Shade of Vampire #54)(26)

“But why would they do that?” Hera shrugged. “We’ve been staying here voluntarily, living and working with them. Why would they mind-bend us?”

A moment passed as we thought about possible reasons. Fiona moved farther to the back, leaning against the window frame and crossing her arms over her chest.

“Are you sure you’ve stayed here voluntarily?” she asked, looking at Hera and Cynara. “What do you remember about it?”

“Just what we’ve always been taught,” Hera replied. “From the day we were born, we’ve been told that the Imen and Exiled Maras live in peace. We coexist and support each other, and Azure Heights is our home.”

“Do you remember your parents telling you that, specifically?” Heron narrowed his eyes, carefully analyzing the Imen girls’ expressions. They stared blankly ahead, then at each other as the unpleasant truth set in.

“No…” Cynara breathed, then gave us a frightened look. “Does… Does this mean they’ve mind-bent us into believing that?”

“Most likely, yes.” Heron sighed. “But I suggest you put that thought away for the time being, at least until we figure out what’s going on here. It isn’t safe for you to question anything that the Maras tell you at this point.”

The girls lowered their heads, their hands resting in their laps. They seemed genuinely distraught, and I couldn’t really blame them for feeling that way. After all, their whole lives could very well be blatant lies, and they had no control over their own minds. Their memories were incomplete, and some, if not most, weren’t even theirs to begin with.

“I don’t know how we can do that.” Hera shuddered. “I’m mad… I am so angry right now… I feel so helpless.”

“And the Maras… They seem to know everything,” Cynara added. “I don’t think we can pretend.”

“What if I mind-bend you into forgetting we were ever here tonight?” Heron offered, and both Fiona and I frowned at him.

“Have they not been through enough of that?” Fiona replied.

“Well, it’s the only way for them to pass as mind-bent.” Heron shrugged. “As Maras, we are capable of detecting changes in a creature’s behavior, and right now, I can tell you that both Hera’s and Cynara’s heartrates have increased. They cannot lie to me, and they certainly won’t be able to lie to the others. If I clear their memories of this meeting altogether, they will have nothing to lie about.”

“He’s right,” Hera said, though she clearly disliked the prospect of another memory wipe. “Especially since we’ve told you about the archives. We cannot risk it. Do it.”

“Look for old Iman Lemuel,” Cynara added. “He lives on the third level; he has a small bookstore on the ground floor of his house. He’s well known to the people there, so you won’t have trouble finding his place. We know he has some ancient texts hidden somewhere in there.”

“But try visiting him in the morning, as he’s usually out during the day, and leaves his niece in charge of the library. I don’t think she knows about the archives,” Hera replied. “He likes to paint, and is always out and about, looking for the perfect landscape…”

“Thank you both.” Heron gave them a warm smile, then stepped forward, and I could see his eyes flickering gold as he mind-bent them. “You won’t remember us coming here. You won’t remember talking to us, nor will you remember the fact that you know you’re being mind-bent. My friends and I will walk out of here, and, shortly afterward, you will forget this meeting ever happened.”

The sisters nodded slowly, their pupils dilating and their expressions attaining an eerie kind of serenity, as Heron motioned for us to leave. We reached the corridor and closed the door behind us.

“I really hope they don’t get into any trouble because of us,” I murmured as we went down the stairs and left the inn behind.

“Chances are slim to none,” Heron replied. “They won’t remember anything, so there’s nothing for them to be aware or afraid of. They’ll be okay.”

Fiona stepped in front of us, bringing Heron and me to a halt.

“Let’s be smart about this,” she said, pursing her lips. “Let’s get to Lemuel’s bookstore first. Avril, you can pick up his scent from there, then take Heron with you and track the old Iman to wherever he is. There’s no point in waiting until morning.”

“I agree.” I nodded. “Time is of the essence here.”

“Besides, that way we handle Lemuel, and you get to do your fancy dinner with Vincent.” Heron grinned, and I playfully smacked him on the shoulder.

My reaction made him chuckle, and Fiona gave us a half-smile in return. She wasn’t in the best of moods, but, given everything that had happened, I wasn’t sure what to blame it on.

“You okay, Fi?” I asked softly.

“Yes, mostly,” she said. “I’m just getting more worried about the whole mind-bending thing. We’ve been so busy with the daemons and then the explosion that we haven’t had much time to properly look into this. I guess Heron and Jax were right that we can’t fully trust the Exiled Maras.”

“Honestly, I wish I was wrong,” Heron muttered, glancing over his shoulder at the inn. Lights were flickering in the windows as the evening set in, casting shades of purple and violet across the sky. “I wish they were all innocent and all we had to worry about was daemons, but… turns out we’re not that lucky.”