A Den of Tricks (A Shade of Vampire #54)(27)

Indeed, we weren’t lucky at all. We’d already suspected that there was something off about the relationship between the Exiled Maras and the Imen, but only now were we finally beginning to peel away the layers of secrets over this picture-perfect city.

It wasn’t perfect at all. Imen’s minds had been repeatedly erased. Memories had been replaced with false knowledge. There was something terribly off in this city, far beyond the daemons’ recent targeting of its people.

And we were going to get to the bottom of it, one way or another.





Harper





(Daughter of Hazel & Tejus)





We raced across the plains, our indigo horses ridiculously swift, as always. The tall grass and cloudy skies allowed us to blend in a little better as we passed through small bundles of trees to avoid making a straight, clear line.

The idea was that daemons could be watching from the gorges, and they could potentially see us coming in. If we made the most of our surroundings and the trees nearby, we could avoid detection. We reached a cluster of rocks just five hundred yards away from the stream leading into the Valley of Screams, and Jax urged us to stop.

We pulled our horses into the shade as the sun set behind the limestone giants ahead, turning the sky purple with streaks of white clouds gathering. The air felt more humid than usual, signaling potential rain.

“If it rains, it’ll work in our favor,” Jax said as he pulled out the map, spreading it against the vertical wall of one of the rocks. “It’ll wash over our tracks, making it harder for daemons to track us.”

I looked around, using my True Sight to detect any enemy activity, but all I could see were wild animals grazing through green patches in the nearby gorges. Jax analyzed the map carefully as we gathered around him.

“What are you thinking?” Hansa asked, squinting at the sinuous lines of each ravine.

“I don’t think it’s wise if we take one of the central routes through the gorges this time,” Jax replied, pointing at the stream line. “We’re doing recon and don’t want to be detected at all, so I was thinking we could try one of the less traveled paths. What are your thoughts, Caspian?”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Caspian replied from my side, then placed his index finger on a gorge closer to the ocean side, about one mile to the south from our position. “This could be a good entry point. It’s somewhat secluded, and narrow enough for us to make good use of crevices to hide in, in case daemons come along. We could set a trap here, three hundred yards away from the pond. The area is dense with trees, and there’s a clearing in this spot that could help with laying the trap.”

I looked up at him, quietly fascinated by his profile—the blade of his nose and deep-set jade eyes creating an extremely attractive ensemble with his lips and slightly sharp chin. He gave me a brief sideways glance and caught me staring. I immediately shifted my focus to the map, holding my breath. I knew his eyes were still on me.

“That sounds like a good plan.” Jax nodded, then rolled the map up and stuffed it into his backpack.

We got back onto our horses and rushed over to the south side, where the narrowest of the gorges awaited. Caspian was right—the ravine was stuffed with large trees and shrubs, perfect for us to move through without being detected.

I stayed at the front as we entered the Valley of Screams, with Caspian by my side. Jax and Hansa stayed behind us, followed by Caia and Blaze. I briefly scanned the area and noticed a cave opening about fifty feet away in the right wall. The wind whispered past our ears, carrying with it the promise of darkness and rain. Birds chirped from the tree crowns stretching overhead, and I caught glimpses of deer and boar-like animals shuffling across the path ahead.

“There’s a cave there.” I pointed toward the west. “We can use it for the horses.”

We reached it in a matter of minutes, our mounts trotting cautiously as we inspected every inch around us. I wouldn’t be able to see the daemons, but I could capture movement in branches and shrubs whenever it happened and trace it back to a wild animal. If there was nothing to trace it back to, it would mean we had company.

For the time being, however, we were okay. We got off the horses, and I guided them into the cave, while the others watched. I took hold of Caspian’s horse and looked into its beautiful, sapphire-blue eyes.

“All of you stay here,” I said softly, stroking its neck. “Do not flee unless you’re under attack. Stay hidden, out of sight. Protect the others. Only come out if the coast is clear, and if you need to feed. We’ll be back soon.”

The stallion neighed and shook its head in response, then nuzzled my face with a huff, making me giggle.

“I have to say, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of watching you do that,” Caspian said. I turned around and found him gazing admiringly at me.

“Thank you… I guess,” I murmured with a modest shrug.

“Okay, let’s move forward now,” Jax said, and we continued on foot.

Not ten minutes later, we came across a creepy but good sign that we were in the right place. Imen skeletons were scattered between the tall pine-like trees, the bones cleaned and yellowed by the passage of time.

My stomach tightened as I got closer to one, realizing that I was looking at what had once been the body of a teenage Iman girl, judging by the shape of the hip bones and the locks of brown hair beneath the skull.