A Gift of Three (A Shade of Vampire #42)(35)

I wondered, not for the first time, how these old-fashioned human-looking objects happened to be in the depths of the In-Between. Everything I’d seen so far looked like it was straight out of the eighteen hundreds…how had it gotten here? Perhaps another question for our taciturn kidnapper this evening.

Leaving my room, I made my way back along the hallway to the staircase. I couldn’t hear any sign of Field or Jovi, and was too tired to use True Sight to find their location. It also wasn’t a good idea to do that while people were getting dressed…

While I waited, I noticed a large velvet curtain covering the far end of the hallway wall. I must have missed it when Jovi and I were looking around, and with all the junk surrounding it, I could see why. Now I was curious, and walked up to it, tugging at one end to pull it across. Behind it was another painting, just as gruesome as the ones on the ceiling, perhaps more so.

The painting was in oil like the others, and it depicted a single image—a demonic creature, riding on the back of a black-winged horse. The creature was half man, half snake, its tail wound around the body of the horse, squeezing its middle so the horse appeared to be silently screaming in pain. The upper part of the snake was a man—pale-skinned, muscular and broad, with a long spear in its hand, the tip painted purple, as if some venom was dripping off it. The eyes of the demon were scratched off, as if someone couldn’t bear to see the no doubt deadly gaze of the beast. I shut the curtain.

No wonder someone had wanted that covered.

Turning back to the staircase, I began to grow impatient. I wanted to see my brother and friends, to check that they were okay. I tried to listen out for Field and Jovi, becoming further irritated when I heard the sounds of a shower running. They must have remained in the map room for a while after I’d left. Not willing to wait, I grabbed a book from one of the nearest piles and tore out the first page. I looked around for something to write with, but, finding nothing, I made my way back to the map room, where I’d seen pencils standing in a pot.

I scrawled quickly on the piece of paper:

‘Gone down to see the others. Meet me there. Sorry. Serena.’

I hurried back to the staircase and left the paper on the banister where they’d see it. Satisfied, I descended the stairs, being careful to avoid the weakened wood. When I reached the main entrance, I found my way back to the room where we’d first come across the Druid. The door was shut. I used True Sight to see if he was there, but couldn’t make anything out—I was near useless now, and either the food this evening was going to need to be packed with protein, or I’d need to ask one of the boys if they could help me out.

The door was unlocked, so I stepped into the room, staring aghast at the still roaring fire. What was this Druid’s deal? The room was hotter than hell, and I quickly made my way to the opposite door and descended the staircase, sighing in relief as the cool, damp air relieved the torture.

I paused in the doorway, partly relieved to see that they were still there, and partly dismayed. The panting was still as aggressive as it had been earlier, and I wondered if it was because they were in some kind of pain—locked in their bodies somehow so they couldn’t escape. I walked over to my brother first and felt his forehead. It wasn’t as damp as it had been earlier, which I guessed might have been a sign of improvement. I moved over to Aida, and then lastly to Vita. All of them felt less damp and cold, but other than that they were unchanged. Not knowing what else to do, I started to explore the rest of the room, but I couldn’t find much—just a few empty drawers, and more bookshelves that were devoid of any reading material.

I jumped as someone cleared their throat behind me. It was the Druid, standing in the doorway, his gray eyes gazing at me intently.

“Sorry,” I muttered, instantly irritated at myself for apologizing.

“Dinner is ready,” he replied.

I nodded, swallowing. He stood to one side of the doorway, gesturing that I leave first. With a final glance at my friends, I walked to the exit and made my way up the stairs. I felt unsettled as I walked, feeling the Druid watching me as I ascended.





Serena





[Hazel and Tejus’s daughter]




The Druid took the lead once we reached the ground floor. I followed him, eventually arriving in a large room that Jovi and I hadn’t seen when we’d explored earlier. Field and Jovi were standing by a heavily adorned banquet table, both of them frowning at me.

“We told you to wait, Serena,” Jovi said to me, ignoring the Druid completely.

“I’m sorry,” I replied. “I wanted to see them.”

“How are they?” Field asked.

“The same. They don’t feel as cold as they did earlier…but I don’t know, that might be my imagination.”

“It’s not,” the Druid cut in. “Their temperature should start returning to normal now. I think the worst of it is over.”

“I thought you’d never seen this before,” Jovi shot back, frowning at the Druid.

“From what I have read,” he replied tersely, “that is what to expect.”

I gave Jovi a look of warning. We needed to keep the Druid placated if we wanted any of our questions answered. Jovi nodded stiffly, pulling back a chair to sit down. The Druid watched him, and after a few moments took a seat at the far end of the table.