We need to get to their resting
area soon before Samuel fights Yen. Ambi only knows why Samuel ripped his own arm
away. It would’ve been better to just keep the few pebbles inside his flesh and
take them out later when no one is looking.
“Do
you think your queen has a message for us?” Saykoy asked.
“She
told me that she died and saw Ambi and Ressi together—”
Saykoy
snorted. “Ressi is a forgiving goddess, but not that forgiving.”
I
shrugged. “There is writing in the ancient text all over her body.”
A
sigh escaped her lips. “This is true. My father may be able to read it, but I
doubt it. And if he can’t, then no one can. He is the oldest of us all.”
The
grassy path between the trees shifted to shiny violet rocks. Saykoy paused.
“Take off your sandals and boots. When we enter our sacred land, we do not wear
shoes. We let the land touch our feet to decide if we’re worthy.”
“And
if we’re not?” I scanned the ground and spotted thousands of shoes around
trees.
“Then
the path opens and the dirt swallows you whole. This is your last test.”
“I
understand.”
These mage are more backward than I
earlier believed. There is no way a ground can tell your intentions.
I
took off my boots. The order to take off our boots and sandals spread behind
me. All complied. I walked off with Saykoy. The shiny rocked path pressed
smooth and cool against my feet. Stone statues of faces outlined the path on
both sides. Flames rested on top of the statue’s heads and lit their path.
Smoke rose from the fires, but it didn’t have the same smell like fire I was
used to. The scent seemed sweet and made me want to lick the flames to taste
how sugary they must be.
Men
screamed behind me. I quickly turned around to see several of my brother’s
ex-vampire guards sink into the ground. I counted five in all. Like Saykoy had
said, the ground swallowed them whole as they cried and shrieked. No one helped
them. Everyone seemed shocked and unsure if it was okay to step close to their
area. As soon as the last royal guard’s head lowered, dirt and rocks rolled
over his head and covered it. The smooth violet rocks returned. Mage walked on
the path as if nothing had happened.
Samuel’s
gaze met mine. I shrugged. There was nothing we could do about it. We needed
the men to fight my brother’s army, but according to the spelled stones, they
may have never been truly faithful to our cause. Perhaps the mage did us a
favor by taking them. Or were the mage taking our men to fight us easier?
I
scanned the long trails of flame and rock mages and tossed away that thought.
There were just too many of them. There was no need for them to kill five men
when they had ten times enough people to kill us all.
Minutes
passed as we continued down the enchanted path. No further incidents occurred.
The stones ended with bigger black rocks that spread out flat and were larger
than my feet. A rush of magic blew my way and with that many scents assaulted
my senses—the minty fragrance of Tribe Rock, the smoky perfume of Tribe Flame,
and to my surprise the playful berry aroma of Tribe Wind and the salty sea
bouquet of Tribe Stream.
They’re all here. I figured that.
Huge
gray stone huts bordered the path and were stacked on top of each other. They
must’ve been six levels each. Beaded curtains served as their doors. Flower and
vegetable gardens grew in front of most of them. The area appeared like a stone
city with hundreds of these six leveled stone huts extending as far as the eye
could see. More forests bordered the outskirts of the city.
The
few kids and people that were outside scattered back into their huts as soon as
they spotted us. The city would’ve looked deserted if not for the lovely
fragrance of cooked stews and meats flowing out of the windows or the whispers
that lingered as we all walked by.
Mage
poked their heads out of windows, pointing, whispering, and staring. Their skin
was different shades of brown, from dark to tan. Yet their eyes and clothes
varied. Most of their eyes glowed orange or green, but many brightened to dark blue
and turquoise. The last two colors were the eyes of Tribe Stream and Wind.
Tribe Wind’s clothes consisted of thin white fabrics tied around their bodies
and heads. Tribe Stream wore slick body suits that glimmered blue.
When
I was a kid, my father took my brother and I to Tribe Stream’s land in a long
boat. There was no other way to get there. An ocean surrounded Tribe Stream’s
land and was commanded by the tribal chief. He ordered the waves to crash
against boats he did not desire to come to close and if the boats had
permission, then the chief sung to the water and the water brought them there.
Tribe Stream called it the Wave Wakening song because the mage believed that
the ocean slept and the chief’s notes provoked it to stir. I remember the
soothing sound of the tribal chief’s song that evening long ago. His notes
soothed my blood and caused it to vibrate within my skin. Later, my father
explained that the tribal chief’s powers controlled blood in some ways too,
which was why my blood reacted.
I
looked at Saykoy “Tribe Stream and Wind are here also?”
“Of
course. We don’t take news of a new vampire king lightly.”
“Do
you think they will fight with us?”
“I’m
not even sure
my
tribe will fight.”
I
paused at a sort of intersection of stone paths. “Then let’s discuss this now.
We don’t have time to waste with you if you’re not interested in aligning with
us.”
“Come.”
She rounded the corner. “Bring your queen and Horned King.”
My queen. If only that were so.
I
motioned for Brie and Samuel to separate from the other group and tag along
with Saykoy and me. They came. Yen continued to guide the others farther in the
opposite direction. My nerves flared, on edge at our group being divided, but
there was no other choice. We required their help and had to do what they said
for now.
A
large violet stone hut sat at the end of the path. An old man sat outside with
his legs crossed and eyes closed.
“Father,”
Saykoy hurried to him, “why are you outside?”
This is her father, the Ground
Mover.
His
eyes opened to reveal nothing behind them but darkness. “I had a dream and Ambi
said to wait out here because a Returned woman comes with red hair and skin as
white as ice and milk.”
Brie
stepped forward. “I am her.”
Samuel
stopped next to Brie. “And it seems we know each other as well.”
“Samuel
the Path Finder.” The Ground Mover’s dark eyes shifted to green light. The
effect was odd, as if a green flame sat inside the core of his body. “You’ve
changed. I knew you were more than you seemed, but not a vampire king.”
Samuel
kneeled in front of him and offered his hand. “Yes. It seems we both kept our
secrets to ourselves.”
“Yes,
we did.” The Ground Mover sniffed the air. “And you’re a blood mage. A powerful
one at that.”
Brie
sat down on the ground next to him. Her crimson robe spread out on the black
stone, looking like spilled blood over soil. Even in simple movements, she was
captivating. I yearned to brush my fingers through her hair, slip the robe down
those small shoulders, and run my fangs along her pale skin. She turned to me.
Our eyes met. She blushed as if she knew exactly what I was thinking. I licked
my lips, hoping she did. She cleared her throat and turned back to the Ground
Mover.
“If
it weren't for you, Samuel, the Quiet King would’ve drained me dry,” Ground
Mover said.
A
shiver ran up my spine. “Why do you think he took your blood?”
“For
his queen.”
Shock
hit my chest. “H-how do you know this for sure?”
“First
he begged me to bring her back. He took me to his room and had me analyze her.
He claimed she talked to him.”
Brie
looked at me and for some reason I felt embarrassed and ashamed. Did she know I
talked to Phinova in my wagon and longed to believe she had come back alive?
“Did
you analyze her?” I asked.
“Yes.
I was forced. The whole time I did, he kept this silver dagger near my skin.” Ground
Mover’s fingers shook. “The first time I saw his queen, I knew who she was.
Phinova, Chief Heart Burner’s daughter. But this was no longer Phinova.”
“How
can you be sure?”
“Her
scent vanished, the one that identifies the flame mage from any other. It left
her body the day she died, I supposed.”
Her scent
is
different. It isn’t her. How did I not
remember this?
I
lowered to the ground and balanced on my knees. “But is there any chance that
she returned and somehow was trapped inside her core?”
He
shook his head. “I didn’t hear her voice, although the Quiet King claimed she
was talking to him in that moment. I never heard anything. And then suddenly he
howled, seized me, cut my wrist, and poured my blood all over her skin.”
Dear Ambi. Nai is as mad as I
figured. And I am no better. I knew immediately that it couldn’t be her, yet I
carried her dead body along and lay next to her. I’d hoped that for one moment
I could have her back, but…
My
heart crushed into tiny little pieces yet again. It was like she’d died once
more. I held my hand to my chest. Heat bubbled through my blood. Brie directed
all her attention to me, displaying a sad look. I bowed my head to hide my
tears.
And all that time Nai fed her
corpse, he sank his own fangs into her dead flesh and made love to her as if
she was alive. Dear Ambi! How many years did he desecrate her death and his
body? His mind has been gone for such a long time. And perhaps this is why he
has so much power. He’d been drinking evil blood enchanted with death and
wicked magic.
“He
drained me every day since that moment,” Ground Mover continued. “And then one
night, Samuel came to free the elf in the cell across from me.”
“I’d
been paid by the little elf’s family,” Samuel added.
“Yet
without any money or offer of treasures, you broke through as many cells as you
could, including mine, and freed us all on that level.” Ground Mover clamped
his hands together. “How is it that you’ve come to my land? How can I help
you?”
“Father?”
Saykoy asked, “You are no longer the chief. I am—”
“Silence.”
Ground Mover held up his hand. “Speak to me, Samuel. There is word of a Horned
King that spilled blood in the Quiet King’s castle. I can see power in you, but
are you the Horned King?”
“I
am.”
“Then
Tribe Rock and Flame stands behind you. My daughter Saykoy married Yen. They
run both tribes together, but I am the eldest of them both. I run when I
choose.” Ground Mover tilted his head to a bow. “I, too, would like to spill
blood on the Quiet King’s land.”
Yes. We have Tribe Rock and Flame.
Now all of the other tribes will follow. At the very least, they won’t want to
deal with the wrath from Flame.
“Thank
you. All help will be appreciated.” Brie smiled.
Ground
Mover’s gaze shifted to Brie as if for the first time. His mouth dropped open.
The glow in his eyelids turned from green to white. “You’ve returned from
death.”
“Yes.”
She began to open her robe to show him the writing. Samuel growled. The noise
shook the ground around him. She cleared her throat. “Perhaps I can show you
the symbols on my body later.”
Ground
Mover chuckled. “Is this your queen, Samuel?”
“Yes.”
Samuel’s fangs appeared.
“I
told you one day you will meet a woman that you could not turn away from. You
said
never,
but I knew.” Ground Mover
formed his lips into a mocking grin. “I’ll have my daughter Saykoy write the
symbols on paper. Maybe I can read the language. I’ve been familiar with many
old texts, but am not sure if I can still read it after all these years.”
“That
would be good. Ressi talked to me when I died. I believe she wanted these
writings to be the new religious text for all of our people.”
Ground
Mover’s hands rose in the air as he tilted his head up to face the sky. “As Ressi
wishes, then it shall be so.”
Yen
arrived. His belly wobbled. “What did I miss?”
“We’re
joining the war,” Saykoy said through clenched teeth.
A
neutral expression passed over Yen’s face. It appeared that Ground Mover truly
was the leader when it mattered.
“Well
then, let’s begin planning this.” Yen sat down and fanned his wolf skin out
over his legs.
“And
as you all plan, I will excuse myself.” Brie rose to a standing position and
strolled over to me, her robe sliding against the black stone. “Ian, can we
talk for a few minutes?”
“Queen?”
Samuel snarled.
“It
will just be for a few minutes.”
Alone with Brie? She is naive to
think I’d behave, especially with this sad news of Phinova. I’d take her now
just to relieve myself from the pain.