A Gift of Three (A Shade of Vampire #42)(46)

Aida’s eyes pleaded with mine. I could see how desperately she and Vita wanted to get out of here—and no wonder.

“All right,” I said reluctantly. “We’ll try.”





Serena





[Hazel and Tejus’s daughter]




After we finished breakfast, we all went back upstairs to the room with the maps. We didn’t see the Druid, and I wasn’t surprised. I imagined that, dreading questions, he’d tried to make himself scarce.

The others discussed the map of Eritopia, pouring over its contents and arguing which way would be best to go. Personally believing that it didn’t make much of a difference at this point—none of us knew what kind of creatures we’d find in the cities, or the jungle—I left them to it. I found myself wandering back into the room I’d seen yesterday, the one with the diary in the drawer of the vanity table. I opened it again, looking at the leather notebook, wondering whose it had been. Checking that no one was coming my way, I untied the leather knot and opened it onto the first page. There was no name, only a date—September third, 1805. I flicked though to the next page, feeling instantly guilty, and read the first few lines.

Same lunch again today! I curse the Daughters for not being more inventive. Almus has it far easier, being a Druid, and it is only my palate that suffers. I shouldn’t complain, and I don’t, not to him, only to you. But I do wonder if I will go mad here sometimes, and it is only Almus who saves me, again and again.

“Serena?”

I hastily dropped the book back in the drawer as Vita poked her head around the door.

“Are you ready?” she asked.

“I…I’m ready,” I replied, doubtfully looking down at my attire. Vita’s was no better—she only had a pair of shorts and a tank top, along with the fluffy robe of the palace that she’d quickly discarded once she woke, due to the heat. All the girls were barefooted, me included.

“I know.” She sighed. “Not ideal, right?”

“For a jungle trek… Uh, no.”

We left the room, joining the others on the stairwell.

“So what’s the plan?” I asked. “What if we bump into the Druid?”

“We fight back,” Jovi replied determinedly.

I bit my lip. I thought about how easily the Druid had waved away my syphoning, and fought off both Jovi and Field. I wasn’t so sure that fighting back was the best option—but once again, it looked like it would be me versus everyone else, and so I decided to keep my mouth shut.

I didn’t need to worry anyway. We made it to the lawn without seeing any sign of the Druid, and began walking away from the house. The grass pricked at the soles of my feet, and I winced as the blades grazed against my already cut legs.

Stop being so lame, I scolded myself. After what Vita, Aida and my brother had been though, my ordeal counted for nothing.

The ravens cried at us from above. I expected them to soar down like last time and try to block our way, but they didn’t, only settling at the edge of the lawn in a single row, watching us with their beady black eyes.

Their presence unnerved me, adding to my misgivings about leaving the safety of the Druid’s home. I glanced back at the house, its grand presence looming over us. What was the greater threat? What lay within the stone walls, or what lay outside them?

We passed the ravens, and left the edge of the lawn for the swamps. They seemed just as eerie as they did at night—the moss hung still and silent, looking like hangman’s nooses, the waters murky and dark. Despite the sunshine that blazed above us, the swamps felt dead and dank, unwelcoming, as if the very air warned us away.

“I bet there are midge flies here,” Aida grumbled, dragging her foot from a muddy slop of land.

Field stopped us, looking up at the trees. He seemed to be the only one of our group who shared at least some of my discomfort. His eyes frequently darted around, his steps more cautious.

“I’m going to fly up,” he said. “Check that we’re not running into anything. I’ll let you know what I see.”

He crouched, then jumped up, his wings expanding as he did so, and he flew up and out of sight. I felt the absence of him, wishing that he’d remained with us below, though it obviously made sense for him to keep a lookout.

We carried on our journey. I kept a close eye on my brother and the girls, checking for signs that they might feel faint or weak. As far as I knew, Phoenix hadn’t syphoned off anyone since he’d woken up, which would be a problem if we needed to fight.

I moved toward him, matching his pace.

“Are you okay? Did you syphon yet?” I asked quietly.

He shook his head as we continued to walk side by side.

“I actually feel fine… I ate, so that probably helps. I promise I’ll say something if I need to,” he replied. “What about you, are you okay? Syphon off me if you need it.”

“I’m fine. I’m not the one who had the weird Oracle experience,” I replied.

He smirked, cocky as ever. “I think that’s a load of bull. I think he must have put us under some kind of spell or something. I don’t know what he wants with us, but I’m absolutely positive we’re not Oracles.”

I sighed, nodding. I wasn’t as convinced as he was. It seemed like a lot of effort to go to, such an elaborate story to set up, if all he wanted to do was kidnap us for his own purposes. And what could those purposes even be?